But that's a big area out there. The border between Canada and the U.S. is about 4,000 miles long, with all kinds of "drive across" unsecured routes between the two countries, let alone where that helicopter might have gone. Because the northern coastline of Alaska and Canada is so irregular, that border on the Arctic Ocean may be twice as long. Now for a part of each year that border is open water. Ten or twenty years from now, it may be open water all year long. That's a heck of a responsibility for any border security agency, however good they might be. A whole lot of terrorism could eminate from four guys in a van with the right kind of weaponry obtained from "somewhere".

All I'm saying is that assuring our national security is far from a sure thing, even worse when we're facing a period when our expenditures on such things are going to have to compete with other important priorities.

You are right--those guys out there don't want to negotiate, they just want to kill as many of us as possible.

(Although I don't know why. You and I at least are really nice guys, I think. I know I'll vouch for you, sight unseen!)