Is the Air Force already using unmanned drones to collect images of American citizens?
When the Tea Party led House and the Democrat controlled Senate passed the FAA Reauthorization Act it included a provision to fund 30,ooo drones which would begin flying over the United States by the year 2020. These drones would be operated by Homeland Security and the Department of Energy (why does the Energy Department need any type of surveillance, nevermind drones?) as well as other government agencies.
The thought of a perpetual police surveillance state is frightening on it own accord, but it wasn’t long before the news got worse as some people began openly talking about arming some of these drones with rubber bullets and tear gas, how much longer before live ammunition is being used in these drones?
It can’t get much worse than this, or can it? According to this report it might already have gotten worse.
the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) domestically by the U.S. military — and the sharing of collected data with police agencies — is raising its own concerns about possible violations of privacy and Constitutional law, according to drone critics
We’ve seen in some records that were released by the Air Force just recently, that under their rules, they are allowed to fly drones in public areas and record information on domestic situations
This report noted that they are able to collect that information and then determine whether or not they can keep it
There is a link to the non-classified Air Force report in the article I linked to above and there is indeed some worrisome language contained within. The Air Force is indeed flying exercise and training missions with unmanned drones in United States airways and according to Article 9.6.1 they are allowed to collect data on United States citizens as long as they aren’t looking for specific information or targeting specific Americans. However Article 9.6.2 declares they may indeed conduct targeted surveillance on American citizens if it is authorized by the Secretary of Defense.
But wait, there’s more: Article 11.2.2.1 states that if the Air Force determines after 90 days that the information it collected was not collectible it must be either purged or TRANFERRED. Where would this ill gotten information be transferred to? That question is answered in 11.2.2.2: to either the Department of Defense or another agency which might find the information valuable.
The next question is, how is it allowable for the Air Force to hand over information on United States citizens which it wasn’t authorized to collect in the first place? This seems to be in clear violation of the fourth amendment which protects the people from illegal search and seizure, as well as the Posse Comitatus Act. This was all made possible by the FAA Reauthorization Act which could have been blocked by the Tea Party Republicans in the House but it was allowed to pass by the very same people who promised they would return America to its constitutional roots and the vision of our founding fathers. Somehow I don’t think this was the America our founders envisioned.
NH Tea Party Coalition
Yes! This is what I was warning about in my post today. Once again we are running on sililar tracks. This police state is getting way out of hand. I will bet none of the Republicans read the bill as you have done. Or, they are in favor of the police state. Onr thing is for sure. they are not listening to us.
Great catch, Steve.
Thanks Jim and you had a great post on this today as well, we are on the same page here. I can’t for the life of me figure out why the Tea Party Republicans allowed this bill to pass and we can see where it is headed. It wasn’t that hard to predict so I have to assume they are in favor of all of this.
Are we seeing less and less of a difference in the parties?
I think we are Lou, it seems to me as if there is not enough of a difference between the two parties to ever really expect real change.
Reblogged this on Freedom Is Just Another Word… and commented:
Remember to salute ..I.. and smile!!!
Be watch out for the flash…
Thank you for the reblog.
So much for needing a warrant. I’ve given up trying to figure out why the Republicans don’t block some of these laws.
It’s their need for “law and order” and fighting terrorism.
That’s the excuse, isn’t it? We let this happen with Bush and the PATRIOT Act and now this is merely an extention.
The worse part isn’t the fact that establishment Republicans went along with this, but that the Tea Party Republicans did as well. These were the people that spoke of personal liberty and the constitution and then they vote for something like this?
Here’s a Boeing drone that can stay aloft up to 4 days:
http://reason.com/blog/2012/06/04/your-domestic-drone-news-boeing-tested-a
It’s only a matter of time until we’re chipped at birth and tracked for life.
Thanks for the link Harrison, I saw that on Drudge this morning. It used to be a considered an outrageous tin-foil hat conspiracy theory to think that microchips may be used on Americans, but it doesn’t seem all that far-fetched anymore.
They will eventually let you pay for stuff by swiping your arm.
Well, they have gotten us used to chipping our animals and we liked it, right? Why would we not want them to start with our kids, to keep them safe, as well? Then we have the alzheimer patients and down syndrome babies, well you get the picture. They will get around to including ALL of us and we will just let them. Just like all the shots, do we know what is in them? No, but we let them give the shots to our children or they can’t go to school. Also, the shots that are pushed for the elderly. Do you trust anything the government does anymore for our safety?
And it will cost you an arm and a leg also!
Time is running out for us to get back in control, if not too late. Yet no one seems to care .
Nobody does seem to care, do they? I am afraid we have already reached the point of no return. As sad as it is, this is the best it is ever going to be.
I think we’re back to “nobody reads the bills.” I’m betting the laws and “authorizations” in this country would look very different if lawmakers actually read what they were voting for. I’m wondering if my congressman even knew this kind of thing was in the bill.