Rick Perry Raises Predator Drones As Possible Border Security Solution

Newly-minted Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry raised the idea of turning to Predator drones to help secure the country's border with Mexico during a stop in New Hampshire over the weekend, the Boston Globe reports.

According to the local outlet:

Perry noted many unarmed aircraft are already flown in the area each day as practice for the Air Force pilots who will guide them overseas.

The Texas governor asked, “Why not be flying those missions and using that real-time information to help our law enforcement?” He added, "Because if we will commit to that, I will suggest to you that we will be able to drive the drug cartels away from that border.”

It's not the first time Perry has floated the idea of incorporating Predator drones into efforts to secure the border. During an interview on Fox News last year, the Lone Star State Republican made the same suggestion. He said, "My question to this administration, how many Americans have to die on that border before you really understand we need boots on the ground, a law enforcement presence, National Guard troops, predator drones flying in the air, that technology that those pieces of equipment have to give real-time information to law enforcement, to the local police chiefs?"

Around the same time, Perry appeared to express a willingness to deploy U.S. troops across the border to bolster the fight being waged against Mexican drug cartels.

"I think we have to use every aspect of law enforcement that we have including the military," he said during an appearance on MSNBC. "I think we have the same situation as we had in Colombia. Obviously, Mexico has to approve any type of assistance that we can give them."

Below, video of what Perry had to say at the time.

WATCH:

UPDATE: Nathan Pippenger at The New Republic writes:

In fact, The New York Times reported on the use of unmanned aircraft at the border almost two years ago. And it’s been over six months since DHS Secretary Napolitano gave a major speech announcing that Customs and Border Protection had Predators covering the entire southwest border, from the El Centro sector of California all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. She even gave the speech in El Paso! This shouldn’t be news to the governor of a massive border state.

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Comments

[tbryant80]

12:49 PM on 08/19/2011

And what will Mr Perry do when the video feed of the UAV is commandeered by hackers? It only took $25 software for the Iraqis to figure it out.

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-12-17/us/drone.video.hacked_1_uav-systems-encryption-feeds?_s=PM:US

[tbryant80]

12:34 PM on 08/19/2011

Then they can be hacked, and turned back around on TX..

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126102247889095011.html

[Morgen13]

01:53 AM on 08/19/2011

I wonder if "real time information" is Perry code for 'armed' drones.

Let's bring our troops home from the wars with diminishing returns, in American body count (and civilians) and money. I do agree that we could have them patrolling our borders from the insanity of all the killing that is taking place in cities like Juarez.

[DianeB528]

01:28 AM on 08/19/2011

If Bush and Perry were brothers, Bush would be known as "the smart one."

UPDATE: Nathan Pippenger at The New Republic writes:

In fact, The New York Times reported on the use of unmanned aircraft at the border almost two years ago. And it’s been over six months since DHS Secretary Napolitano gave a major speech announcing that Customs and Border Protection had Predators covering the entire southwest border, from the El Centro sector of California all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. She even gave the speech in El Paso! This shouldn’t be news to the governor of a massive border state.

[tbryant80]

08:19 PM on 08/18/2011

Won't the cruise missile blow up the fence?

[OdinsEye]

08:48 PM on 08/18/2011

What do cruise missiles have to do with it?

[tbryant80]

11:53 AM on 08/19/2011

It was sarcastic humor. A Predator drone can and has launched cruise missiles.

[Savage Lotus]

03:55 PM on 08/18/2011

Perry is like the perfect charicature of the evil Republican. He's better than Dubbaya, but not as good as Dick Cheney. Old Sneerface was the best, but this guy could possibly be a runner up. At least Dubbaya cared about immigration reform in this country and the plight of people trying to immigrate here (One of the few things I actually agreed with him on). This guy has now actually suggested hunting them down with military technology! There is no way he's for real. I am thoroughly enjoying watching his daily antics though. Its highly entertaining. Its sort of like "he couldn't possibly get worse than that could he? Oh my, he did!"

[OdinsEye]

11:23 PM on 08/18/2011

The CBP has been operating their own Predator drones along the border since 2005. They have continued to expand the program with more drones under Obama.

[Craig Bovia]

03:03 PM on 08/18/2011

Perry with more hate. Let's get out there and do something that Presidents from Texas do well
Kill lots of people

[josh2082]

11:01 AM on 08/18/2011

Obviously, Mexcio has to approve any type of assistance that we can give them.

Sovereignty much? Man Perry, you jump on any possible overreach by our Federal government to meddle in states rights or in foreign wars...but as soon as your neighbor has problems affecting you, you have no rpobkem jumping on their soverignty as a nation.

[Darrion Dbecks Beckles]

10:12 AM on 08/18/2011

He's the real life Greg Stillson.

[kenneth wells2011]

09:33 AM on 08/18/2011

Why don't Perry and Bachman practice researching the facts before they give opinions and make idiotic comments. They may as well just reply "no comment" to every question since they never reveal any specific facts about how they can get this country back on the right path anyway and all the rest is either pure bull or just outright wrong.

[Morgen13]

02:10 AM on 08/19/2011

Agreed. I am waiting for all the republicans (I am not a fan of but open minded) and Obama to come up with what the rest of what people do....Leadership on a multi point plan..."These are our problems and here is the how we are going to do it." Here is my list:

1. Jobs & Wars
2. Housing
3. Clean up the wall street cheating (CDO's, Frequency trading, hauling the greedy folks who scammed us all into poverty to prison)

This could be handled in one year with the right leadership and conviction. President Obama, are you listening?
--Tr*lls need not reply--

[WaPoFan]

06:10 AM on 08/18/2011

OMG, so is Mr Perry praising the Obama administration for beginning to implement this policy?!

[OdinsEye]

01:27 PM on 08/18/2011

Actually the CBP drone program began flying in 2005.

[Redhunteur]

02:40 AM on 08/18/2011

Great googley-moogley… He actually said:

“Why not be flying those missions and using that real-time information…”

‘Why not be flying those missions’? Yeah, like we need another one of these people in the White House:

"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"

Obviously not in Texas.

Drones have been used for a while now Mr. Perry. In Texas in fact! How are you going to lead the country into the future when you don’t know the past history of your own state?

[Pete Wood]

01:39 AM on 08/18/2011

Trigger happy Texans would be cheaper... and probably more effective

[Cano]

12:44 AM on 08/18/2011

Rick Perry is Americans predator drone here to dismantle our nation and enrich those who fill his coffers with dough. I think Bush was enough for a long while. This guy is times ten, put on your boot and keep faking it up Perry. I say Perry for mall cop 2012. Who's with me?

[Morgen13]

02:12 AM on 08/19/2011

With you on that.

[Katzfey]

10:41 PM on 08/17/2011

He kind of reminds me of Martin Sheen's character in the movie "The Dead Zone"