Conflict of a Different Sort
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 report: homeland security mesh woven so tightly that feet and fingers cannot grab cused on a 28-mile pilot project in the Border Patrol’s Tuchold, but it still...
...and the surveillance system was often ployed in the border region, especially in the most urban-rendered unusable by rain and other environmental factors...
...military referred to as liC was later and surveillance technology (e.g., sen-especially the more force-laden ones, subsumed under the mid-1990s doctrine sors, infrared radar, imaging equipment, have often led to significant (sometimes “Military operations other than war” cameras, helicopters...
...tween the military, intelligence bodies, “repatriated” to the united states, involvement in counterinsurgency wars and civilian police organizations, while specifically in the form of u.s.-Mexico in Central america, much of what the relying heavily on surveillance efforts border enforcement...
...in both cases, the goal is using military technology and contrac-as in Central america, and even in less to control targeted civilian populations tors, u.s...
...civilian work to demonstrate that elements of broke the story on liC with sara Miles’s authorities (e.g., during natural disasters, liC (and Mootw)—first deployed dur1986 article “the real war: low-intensi-but broader types of aid as well...
...veillance technologies whose collective data was to be sent These barricades are the intellectual offspring of a via wireless network to Border Patrol managers and agents in study commissioned by the INS in 1993...
...By summer 2007, Boeing lons are set close enough to stop a truck from bursting and its subcontractors (which include Elbit, an Israeli firm through, and two meters of reinforced concrete under-that has been involved in constructing Israel’s land-grabbing ground deters any tunneling...
...The varied topography of the borderthem into a single comprehensive border security suite for lands—ranging from steep mountains to deep canyons and the department...
...2 rivers—make building a barrier in some areas extremely difDHS outsourced the project to Boeing, which initially fo-ficult...
...ized areas, they have emerged with a vengeance since 9/11...
...Customs and Border protec-force-laden ones, tragically shown by and impose stability on u.s...
...liC/ tion clearly uses this approach, the con-the rising migrant death toll in the borMootw includes a wide range of ac-struction of hundreds of miles of border der region...
...The stated goal of In addition to technological challenges, the wallthe program, which DHS considers a “critical component” of building endeavor has faced many obstacles, from the SBI, is to deploy the “most effective proven technology, those of physical geography to financial and politicalinfrastructure, staffing and response platforms and integrate economic ones...
...terms...
...Steel py-son Sector in southern Arizona...
...Related to that is the sensitive nature of the varied Conflict of a Different Sort low-intensity conflict (liC) doctrine is tivities, including counterinsurgency barriers and the sBinet surveillance a broad-ranging military framework and insurgency promotion, counterter-project being just two present-day exdeveloped in the 1980s, most strongly rorism, shows of force, peacetime con-amples...
...1 In places like San Diego, “security” wall) had built nine 98-foot towers in the area...
...The study, done the field (with laptop computers...
...these ing the u.s.-sponsored wars in Central ty Conflict in Central america” (volume typically involve close collaboration be-america during the 1980s—had been 20, no...
...The study ure, however...
...timothy dunn’s 1996 book, The characterized by the military taking on tingency operations, peace-keeping, Militarization of the U.S.-Mexico Borpolice roles and the police acting more counter-drug operations, humanitarian der, 1978–1992, was the first published like the military...
...The pilot project ended in abject failpacity to apprehend unsanctioned entrants...
...One tower was placed 10 by Sandia National Laboratories (a nuclear weapons re-miles north of the boundary near the town of Arivaca, raissearch facility in New Mexico), recommended three tiers ing the prospect of ongoing camera surveillance of residents of barriers as a way of maximizing the Border Patrol’s ca-and arousing protests...
...liC-like activities, u.s...
...associated originally with u.s...
...JN & TD...
...While such technologies have long been de-the camera images...
...As a result of these setbacks, the deadline for the completion In 2006 Homeland Security initiated SBInet, a multiyear, of phase 1 of SBInet is now 2011, instead of 2009...
...the NACLA Report intervention, and support to u.s...
...presented as the friendly, humane alternative to physical the software Boeing employed did not integrate well with barricades...
...NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 report: homeland security mesh woven so tightly that feet and fingers cannot grab cused on a 28-mile pilot project in the Border Patrol’s Tuchold, but it still allows people to see through...
...Among the problems: The tower-mounted also recommended complementing the barriers with var-cameras, which were supposed to have high image resoluious surveillance technologies—the “virtual fence” now tion for 10 kilometers, only worked well at a distance of five...
...multibillion-dollar integrated system to “transform border control technology and infrastructure...
...multiple layers of barriers are the wave of the future and, They are topped by cameras, sensors, radar, and other surin many stretches, already present...
...as a police unit massive) human rights abuses, such (Mootw...
Vol. 41 • November 2008 • No. 6
