The Threat From The North

GAO: Security On U.S.-Canadian Border Fails "Dirty Bomb" Smuggling Tests

(CBS)  To combat drug smuggling and illegal immigration, the federal government is fortifying the Mexican border -- adding thousands of new patrol agents, surveillance cameras, sensors and unmanned aerial drones.

In contrast, the Canadian border is a 5,000 mile expanse, which a new government investigation warns may be a welcome mat for terrorists with weapons of mass destruction.

A report by the Government Accountability Office obtained by CBS News concludes: "A determined cross-border violator would likely be able to bring radioactive materials ... undetected into the United States..."

Over eight months, government investigators crossed the northern border unchallenged at least six times, carrying a small duffel bag meant to represent a "dirty bomb." The teams did not carry any real explosives or radioactive material, but carried simulated cargo, that, upon further inspection, would have seemed suspiciously like the real thing.

Border roads were "unmanned and unmonitored" with barriers "that could be driven around."

In one case, a citizen alerted authorities, but "the U.S. Border Patrol was not able to locate the investigators with the duffel bag."

The May 2007 findings also point to a great disparity in manpower, with 11,986 Border Patrol agents along the Southern boundary and just 972 patrolling the much longer Northern front.

Security officials argue the Southern border poses the greatest risk.

"When you take a look at the challenges with the economic migrants coming across, as well as the criminal migrants coming across, as well as the 2 million pounds of drugs that cross into the Southern tier into the United States, that's a huge threat that needs to be addressed,” says Jay Ahern of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

But the Northern border has been tested before. So-called millennium bomber Ahmed Ressam was caught with a car full of bomb parts while crossing near Seattle.

"Take Ahmed Ressam and put him somewhere over North Dakota or Minnesota, at a sparsely populated border crossing, and he would have been inside the country pretty quickly,” says CBS News Homeland Security consultant Paul Kurtz.

Investigators credit the government for greatly improving border defenses since 9/11, but say it's clear more manpower and resources are badly needed to protect against a threat from the North.

[erasmus6]

"Wouldn''''t it make a lot of sense to work things out with Canddaq, so they apply the same restrictions to those entering Candda as we do..." posted by DennyOS

Actually Denny, my family has traveled for years to the U.S. and we have found that our own Canadian borders are MORE strict about who they are letting in than your U.S. borders.

Also, as much as it pleases me that you feel at home here in Canada, we would not want open borders as then it would mean that your fellow GUN toting Americans would be able to cross into our country too freely. That wouldn''t be good.

[whispyseas]

'' ... most folk most time dance get well feed world round hundreds millions sick beds drifting tens millions spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail groups ... ''


'' ... eternity came to me once and said, i''m sick, i''m ill, i''m suffering, i''m dying, to which i replied: what do you expect me to do for you, your''e eternity: it''s all in your head ... so joking ... ''

'' ... they mug and kill alot of people, once in a while they actually get to mug or kill one of the tiny few trying to snatch their nukes, then they get to feel heroic and truly oppressed and righteous and vindicated and worthy ... for a few moments anyway ... ''

[whispyseas]

'' ... you deserve a quality medicl education for free, but if you don''t have any money your not getting it, you''ll have to settle for ca.ybull and that''s just wink wink we''ll educate you meaning we''ll throw ur *** in a dare house or a shock and awe house and shriek while you scream ... ''

[whispyseas]

'' ... if the top five hundred companys have at least five hundred branches in most major markets, and only a small percentage of the local population can be employeed by the top five hundred companys, then why do the vast majorty of people, not employeed by the top five hundred companys, bide their hob nobbing at the few hundred local malls passing all the local dough to the neighborhood strangers who have more money than most countrys put together yet cant even afford to feed the poor in their own country? ... ''

[dennyos]

Wouldn''t it make a lot of sense to work things out with Canddaq, so they apply the same restrictions to those entering Candda as we do, and then in a sense, we could have an open border? Maybe we could work out a joint deal so we pool the homeland security efforts to Canada''s coasts and airports.

It works well in Europe. You can travel fomr France to Spain and not go through a border checkpoint.

I can''t think of another country that makes me feel so muich at home as Canada. If you have not been to Canada, you should go, and you''ll find if you close your eyes to the odd red and white flag flying on the horizon, you''d think you were right back home! I really feel I am in America when I visit there. So, let''s just hook up with them, and it will make it easier to cross the border.

[erasmus6]

gkc99

Do you know how pathetic you are?

And the fact is you ARE primitive!

When I post, I am not out of control like you are. I am not ranting and raving like some lunatic. I am not constantly spewing verbal obscenities. I am NOT calling for all Muslims to be killed etc.......

You are one of the NUTCASES that post on this site.

[forthepeopl1]

YOU ALL NEED TO STOP TALKING ABOUT MY MOTHER LOAD OF MONEY I GET FOR HELPING ALL OF THEM ANYONE THAT WANTS TO PAY THE 25000 A HEAD I GET. AND IF YOU CAN ADD AT LEASE 10 TO 20 ADAY COMES IN...

THANKS BUSH FOR MY JOB..$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[gkc99]

"Let''''s hope the rest of the world doesn''''t judge the U.S. on the things that you say and do"--Posted by erasmus6


And you''re the kind of Canadian who complains, preaches and *** about the US, but is happy enough to hide behind the security we provide you. You criticize and tell us how primitive we are from your smug Great White Northland.

If it weren''t for us, the Russians would have seized your arctic regions long ago, tovarich! So shut up.

[Krazcarl]

wispyeyes your the reason LSD is illeagal we all know your a troll so give it up at least agmin tries to look sane he fails like you was this your lifes ambition to look sorry on a blog if your parents never tod you shoot higher.

[Krazcarl]

This is real a former Maine native you can easily get into our norther niehbor if there is a desire and believe they caught a car full of explosives and a friend of bins crossing over at Wa.. There should be reason for concern. This is not Bushes fault it''s real quit blaming and let us look for solutions.

[erasmus6]

Ahhhh yes, another stupid comment from ToolMangler.

[brianbwb-2009]

So lets just kill every one in all the other countries of the world, because there is a vague "threat", then after that, lets kill all the "blacks", then the rest of the "Injuns", then all the Jews, then the Catholics, then the "liberals", then the poor, then the Italians, then the homos, then the neighbors, then the women, etc...

What is the purpose of this story?

[alphaa10-2009]

The Department of Homeland Security pays people to identify such vulnerabilities as this, yet clearly they still have no conception of their mission.

Recall how long it took to get attention to the southern border! It required a literal act of congress to force the issue.

[danstoned]

Story should instead read: "The Threat from the South! Neocons have been terrorizing the USA since 1980. When they lose the elections in 2008, will they start a civil war with America?" An interview with some Yankees showed: "Let those Southern parisites start a war with US and we''ll kill everyone of those ungrateful scumbags. Those Southern Scum wil be shot on sight, no questions asked if they start fighting."

[whispyseas]

'' ... theres more english speaking chinese and indian capitalists in the world than u.s., and only because u.s. people starve chinese babys that don''t speak chinese and come with funding ... so the chinese and indians adopted the fascist policieys the u.s. forced them to adopt, and now they are starving and daring u.s. babies with u.s. policys ... ''

'' ... 300 folk x 300 weeks = 90,000 little museums for small tips ... ''

'' ... most girls most time dance dressed get sick tax world songs rallied round hundreds millions well beds racing, while most men most time dance get well feed world songs rallied round hundreds millions sick beds drifting tens millions spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail groups ... ''

'' ... don''t hike naked and dance dressed and don''t drip compost fertilize and drip water irrigate ... ''

'' ... eternal storyboards swimming infinite oceans of eternal storyboards ... ''

[ringading3]

Canadians rushing to buy American goods because of the bargins! Come on down and enjoy it while it lasts.

[starleo146]

Listen, I do not have all the ANSWERS, SO I PUT THIS OUT THERE FOR YOU PEOPLE WHO HAVE GREAT OPINIONS.Do you blame our Homeland Security at all? I think this is the biggest sham on our country, Congress has allocated God knows the amount to protect this country.I ask you do you feel safe at all? Our ports, stuff coming in here, never inspected, look at the China problem now. Our Borders, How many cell do you think we already have in this country? They still do not have that fence built, we allocated money for, and they are asking for more. We have not enough Border guards. I could go on and on you take up what I haven''t there are many failures. They Homeland Security probably Bush is robbing that pot for Iraq as well. Something like social security stealing. This should be looked at strongly and I wish there was an audit of this Dept. I bet you would find it to be worse than the Justice Dept scandal, which isn''t solved yet either. You might feel safe but I don"t, as long as Chertoff is there, look at Louisiana ,and all those trailers sinking into the ground that is our money folks.

[middleman8]

The real simplest answer to all the world troubles is, the U S should stop being such an A--H-- and start becoming a decent country. With some of these comments I doubt if that will ever happen.
Smarten up or I''ll yell BOO and yall will poop your pants, and scream for an air strike.

[toolmangler-2009]

And as for the border crossings, it is harder getting into Canada than it is the U.S. If terrorists should try to get into the U.S. from Canada, it would be the U.S. that would be letting them in.

Posted by erasmus6 at 08:29 PM : Sep 26, 2007


Really, they should never get into canada from the outside anyway. What did you all do? build them their own dock?

[feelfree1]

...THE CANADIANS ARE COMING...THE CANADIANS ARE COMING!!!