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Subscribe to RSSLOS ANGELES — A U.S. Coast Guardsman died and a second was wounded Sunday when they were thrown from a vessel that was rammed by a panga fishing boat under investigation for smuggling in the waters off the Southern California coast, officials said.
The Coast Guard Cutter Halibut was investigating a panga about 1 a.m. near Santa Cruz Island when it was struck by a boat suspected of smuggling drugs, officials said.
The guardsman was identified as Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III, 34, who was based in Marina del Rey.
During a press conference in Long Beach on Sunday, Capt. James Jenkins, the Coast Guard commander for the L.A. sector, praised Horne.
"Our fallen shipmate stood the watch, on the front lines, protecting our nation and we are all indebted to him for his service and sacrifice," Jenkins said.
Read more from NBCLosAngeles.com
Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Robert J. Papp said in a statement that the Coast Guard mourned his loss.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends and his shipmates aboard Coast Guard Cutter Halibut," Papp said.
The incident happened after a panga was spotted in the water near the island, the largest in the chain of Channel Islands in Santa Barbara County that sits about 20 miles southwest of Port Hueneme.
Mexican troops arrest 2 in killing of U.S. border agent
When the Coast Guard boat got closer, the panga motored toward them and struck the Coast Guard boat. The impact threw two of the four guardsmen from the boat into the water, officials said.
The other guardsman had minor injuries. He was taken to a hospital and released Sunday.
Read more US stories from NBC News
Horne died from severe head trauma.
The Coast Guard eventually stopped the fleeing panga, detained two people and seized drugs found onboard, officials said.
It's one in a string of cases in recent years — a nearly daily occurrence — in which boats are being found further north along the California coast ferrying both drugs and human cargo to evade a beefed-up law enforcement presence along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to authorities.
Editors note: In June, NBC News correspondent Mark Potter rode aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Halibut as Guardsmen pursued sea-faring drug smugglers. See his report below and click on his blog post for more on that story.
Drug smugglers are now moving their product across the ocean in the dark of night, coming ashore in Southern California, and showing no signs of backing down. NBC's Mark Potter reports.
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The superb surveillance and armament capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles,a.k.a. ''drones,'' should be put to use over these waters used for trafficking and/or smuggling......AND,for that matter, over any questionable or suspected drug/smuggling routes along the U.S/Mexico border. One can only imagine the fear these ''coyotes'' would experience if ''tagged'' by a drone!
Without going in to details, let me just say that there ARE drones and flights from various agencies (ahem) that monitor drug activity on the water. The problem is that maybe only 1/6th of them are pursued by the Coast Guard, due to a lack of manpower/boats on "the high seas." So we see the drug runners coming in. Oh, yes. As a matter of fact, you can get some damned good aerial photographs of the kind of boats they're piloting, pictures of their cargo and even their faces. But the Coast Guard doesn't have the ability to stop them all... or even half of them.
Oh no- using drones would be seen as cruel and unusual punishment and you'd see illegals in LA hitting the streets demanding a stop be put to this. Then the families of the fallen drug smugglers would end up receiving millions in compensation for their loss of life, boat they used to make a living with as well as the cargo. Then as a final gesture of peace they'd erect a statue commemorating drug smugglers from mexico on our soil along with a national holiday being instituted.
The only problem with drones is that you can't actually intercept the drug boats unless you resort to the Hellfire missile approach. I don't really have a problem with that, but the first time they blow an innocent boat out of the water will be the last time it would be used.
We are too busy trying to save Afghanistan and the rest of the world, we can't do much for our own borders? WTF, this country is a joke.
Perfect example where shoot first and ask questions later should be employed.
it is a war on drugs and people will die..
I've seen footage of the Coast Guard intercepting boats, and they way they pull alongside, and then cut in front, so I'm skeptical that they were "rammed".
Shoot first and ask questions later??? Sure, how would you like to be "confused" with a smuggler and be sent up in flames by a hellfire missile? What if your family was on the boat along with you? WTF???
Your family go boating in a panga, full of people or large bales of "product" in the middle of the night? It's a glorified row boat with a outboard motor. The Somali pirates use them.
They obviously needed a bigger boat...
If the people who were caught on that boat are not indicted for murder the entire government structure is lacking balls... which we all know is the case when we look at how it is taking YEARS to even get the court martial started on a freaking Muslim who killed fellow soldiers in cold blood in front of witnesses.
This was a deliberate act of aggression during the commission of a crime that resulted in murder.
erwache,Yes just what Californians need are drones patrolling our beaches.The better idea would be to stay aboard the bigger coast guard cutters and shoot these smugglers on sight.The drug runners have been so brazen to come ashore on some of our most popular beach fronts.Maybe it's time for Mexico to start patrolling their part of the waterways instead of relying on our country to do so.My condolences to this man who was just doing his job and speedy recovery to his partner.
The AngryGuy,I'm on the side of our coast guard.These smugglers try to ram their boats a lot of times because they didn't dump their drugs overboard fast enough.They know that they will be caught,tried and imprisoned for drug smuggling so they have nothing to lose.Would you rather our coast guard sits on heir thumbs allowing these guys to come ashore and commit a crime on an unsuspecting American citizen.That has happened and quite frankly as a Californian I would love for the coast guard to shoot these criminals and give them a burial at sea.
only two people were on the panga boat.. I wonder how many people and/or bales were dropped off? this is riducuolus.... It's lucky 4 people didn't die, and only one unlucky guardsman... I can't believe they are not safety harnessed to the boat..
If you can't use the front door, just toss it over the fence....... if this was legal.. import tax would be collected like a bottle of XX or Corona..
"This we do - so that others may live."
God rest him.
People shouldn't buy drugs. There would be no incentive to smuggle drugs. Grow a little pot and drink a few beers.
People shouldn't lie, cheat, steal, or run red lights. There would be no lawyers.
GM Denver Bill
Gee, no lawyers? To quote Louis Armstrong "Oh What a Wonderful World".
RIP Chief.
but takenada, how are you going to protect your "garden"?
gm jack, Tramp
Perhaps the better question is "How are ya gonna protect your Cheetos?"
Trouble is in my state they use FLIR to identify grow houses kick in your door, drag you off and you can't buy liquor on Sunday. Bassackward Indiana ruled by the Baptist Mafia.
Hell Devil's Son, I thought it was bad here in Texas where you can't buy liquor until after noon on Sunday. But not to buy it at all? Wow, just wow. I didn't know they were that screwed up farther up north.
looks like hes screwed either way bill.... what ya say takenada... what ya going to do?...call a cop?....
Jack that's my all time favorite mellow out song when i have had a tough day....
verno, You can buy liquor on Sunday at a restaurant/bar only no packaged booze. Even more stupid grocery stores can't sell cold beer at all.
If you are lucky and live on the border you can just slip into Illinois. Or just do what my husband does, stock up on Saturday if you think you might want one.
GA Scooter
Yeah and I always enjoyed it because through all the BS, Blood, Sweat and Tears - there is always something like that song that allows me to put a smile on my face, no matter the adversity being faced at the time! A little "mental health" moment in Oh What a Wonderful World!
We've gotten to the point in this country where you can rationalize laws you don't agree with instead of campaigning to change them. Just look to the Executive Branch if you need any examples. I for one don't believe in any end of days/judgement day scenarios. However, with daily examples of the decline of morality and the general apathy of the population towards them I don't see the US as being the "Shining City on a Hill" much longer. Sad that the population wants to take the easy way out instead of fighting for what's right.
Ah, yes, the right wing myth about our declining morality. Not too long ago, miilions of American citizens were denied rights supposedly guaranteed by the Constitution. They could not drink from the same water fountains, use the same bathrooms, live in the same neighborhoods or send their kids to the same schools. In many states they were not allowed to vote, were subject to lynching and were not even allowed to marry someone from a different race. And this is the morality that some of look back so fondly on?
Another "War" with no end and no victory.
Drug war is a moniker from a gubment guy that is supposed to resemble a marketing slogan. IT's just everyday police work - not a war. Imagine if they called the the chase of Bannie and Clyde a war ! OF the FBI campaign against the Capone or the NY mob, a war. It was just police work and well done in many ways.NYC police today have an anti-terrorism unit larger than some of the Fed agencies - but NYC doesn't call it a "war" on terror - the Feds do ! So the phoney baloney attempt to elevate or market the campaign by calling it a "war" makes people who take what they read at face value envision a Pentagon sized organization carrying it out. The Coasties are doing a great job, the guys flying the drones, the border patrol agents and many more are doing a great job. IF you want to help, tell yourself and your friends to stop doing drugs .
There is no war- only support for illegals entering the US and allowed to stay at taxpayer expense. This is what people want- they voted for it in the last election.
"-- in which boats are being found further north along the California coast ferrying both drugs and human cargo to evade a beefed-up law enforcement presence along the U.S.-Mexico border" Yep, profreedom, Obama has been so lax on enforcement the smugglers have had to change tactics. Loser.
Cap,
Before you can call something a "war" you have to have two sides who are or are willing to fight. But in this case the only side "fighting" is the cartels. All America is doing is following the "advice" of homeland security head parrot napolitano: "run away. If you can't then throw something". Of all the dumb-assed stupid ways to try to accomplish anything.
Four (4) more years of the dumbest, most lame leadership America has ever witnessed. My bet is the cartels will take the series 4-0.
If you REALLY want to help, END THE FAILED 'WAR ON DRUGS!'
Your need to oppress others is un-American and doomed to failure. WAKE UP!
You need to GROW up. Nobody voted for illegals to come and stay, we ALL want them to leave!
You miscalculated. With FORTY years behind us and not one clean HIGH SCHOOL to point at, we are now 40-0! Blaming Obama is simply ignorant in the extreme.
So your claim is he's so lax that the smugglers changed tactics when they had no reason to change tactics since their tactics were working? Really? They went out and bought a bunch of expensive boats and outboard motors for "no reason"? Really?
Really? I could have sworn that the only President in American history to grant amnesty to illegal aliens was Ronald Reagen...a Republican. The Republican party has always given border control lip service while enjoying the benefits of cheap illegal labor. So how does this "let's blame the Democrats" thing work exactly?
Hi IReadyou--I don't always agree with you, but I gotta say that I agree with your #3.1.
And to Fred Evil, I do agree with "If you want to help, tell yourself and your friends to stop doing drugs"--it's one of the most effective ways that individuals can help--it's a matter of supply and demand. I do not see an outside force implied in that statement, other than peer pressure. After all, peer pressure is what got a lot of people started in the first place. I agree with you regarding blaming Obama is ignorant--and I agree, the score is more like 40-0. I wish, how I wish, that the tactics we used in the "War on Drugs" had worked! It appears, however, that what we have done is given rise to the violent drug cartels the same way we gave rise to the violent Mob during Prohibition. And now we have a REAL war on our hands with the drug cartels--just look at what those cartels are doing in northern Mexico, and to the innocent Mexican Nationals in northern Mexico. What a mess, indeed!
@Ol_Doc- Whether or not that is true is of little significance: What is the current administration doing today about it? If anything they are in support of it just as much so your point is...
Devils son,they use boats because more of them are getting caught in the desert.They all turn around and come back eventually.If companies would stop hiring illegals and Americans would stop buying their product we would not even be discussing this event as it would not have taken place.
First off, condolences to the family of the Guardsman killed. Tragic no matter the circumstance.
To those blaming President Obama, blow it out you rear pieholes.
Ignoring that those profitting from drug smuggling include multiple US Agencies, no matter the Administration, and continuing to feign that the Drug War is protecting the American Public is as far fetched as claiming the EPA can protect us from our US Corporation-owned Oil, Gas, Pharma and Chemical firms that pollute the very ground we live on.
Americans need their drugs, oil, energy and food, but have little say in how it is protected or distributed. Profit will always win over protection. Common sense be damned. How it is obtained has become less an issue than receiving the 'fix', whatever the product. Much of the enforcement is but an act.
Enjoy your Monsanto poisons and 'Legal' painkillers!!!
As they are deporting considerably more illegal aliens than the last administration...look it up, that is my point. This story is about a Coasties death in the line of duty and you came up with a bogus political comment...that is my point...you have a nice day.
Makes you wonder why the suspects were apprehended instead of just shot?
Exactly. It sure would have saved the taxpayers a lot of money and improved the gene pool, wouldn't it?
Would just improve the Mexican gene pool.
Sure, and how many drug addicted Americans are polluting the gene pool on this side of the border??? Remember, without a strong market there is no production. But I know, I know, just blame everything on Obama and the Mexicans, right???
No it doesn't, we are Americans, we are the good guys, at least some of us are.
Because in addition to being part of the smallest Armed Forces service, Petty Officers in the US Coast Guard are also law enforcement officers. You remember the law right? Innocent until proven guilty?
@ Fred - They used their boat as a deadly weapon. It seems to me the CG would have been in their rights to use lethal force at that point. Frankly at that point I see no real reason to endanger the lives of more guardsmen. They should have just lit them up and collected anything that floated back up.
I can only assume then that you are NOT in law enforcement, because 'lighting them up' has yet to be identified as an acceptable tactic for law enforcement.
It works well in the military of which the CG is a part......
Not to mention if you have 20 police officers pointing guys and one guy and he fires his guy, they are going to "light him up" so to speak. He'd have 40 rounds in him before he hits the ground. So actually there are times it is an acceptable tactic for law enforcement. Just not in YOUR mind.
Or in the minds of those in charge NOW. Otherwise it would be SoP.
But it isn't.
Fred Evil
I can only assume then that you are NOT in law enforcement, because 'lighting them up' has yet to be identified as an acceptable tactic for law enforcement.
Actually Fred, when threatened with deadly force in the performance of their duty, it actually is legal for Coasties to "light 'em up".
The coasties showed a lot of self control. Condolences to the family, he most have trained his people well that they could continue after he fell. Thats a chief, not an E-7.
You are correct that the proper title is "Chief". A chief however is an E-7, E-8 or E-9.
Navy had the same system....ah the good ol day's...went in an E-1, came out an E-1, made it to E-4 in between though ( for about a week as i recall)...but man oh man..whatta ride.
HMC Farmer #5: Thank you for your comment. You are the first person to acknowledge CPO Horne's death and offer condolences to his family. My thoughts and prayers are also with his family and follow crew members.
I've noticed that in the litany of military that should be lauded for their service and sacrifices, one almost never hears the U.S. Coast Guard mentioned. The USCG performs dangerous tasks and missions along our coastal waters and in the Great Lakes every day, but without the fanfare, the praise or even a "thank you for your service."
Perhaps this incident will make a few people take notice and respond accordingly when they see a USCG man or woman in uniform.
An addendum and seconded motion to another comment made below:
Will right-wing Congressional members be as upset about this incident and death as they are about Benghazi? Not bloody likely.
Blame druggies, not the anti drug laws
You have it exactly backwards. The 'War on Drugs' has been a failure for over FORTY YEARS. I have nothing but sympathy for the gentleman lost, and the one injured, but they are pursuing a policy that has been forty years in the failing.
Can you name one clean state?
How about one clean CITY?
One clean HIGH SCHOOL?
No? Then man up, admit the 'War on Drugs' is lost, and STOP vilifying and incarcerating Americans while YOU make the cartels rich!
13 for nerf
0 for fred
Truth can take a while to settle in, it's been 40 years of ZERO progress, do you expect them to figure it out eventually?
By the end of Prohibition, most people felt that we had learned a valuable lesson that we would never forget. You CANNOT legislate morality. That was a terrible idea that ruined many lives, as is the "War on Drugs".
No amount of legislation is going to prevent people from drinking, any more than it is going to prevent people from using drugs. The major entity lobbying to keep the drug war alive is the for-profit prison system in the U.S.
It's time to end this debacle and legalize all drugs. Pot can be taxed and sold in liquor stores, along with the more dangerous alcohol. The harder drugs can be regulated and dispensed at licensed clinics, to registered addicts, for prices much lower than what the cartels charge.
The cartels would soon collapse for lack of a market. The prison system would soon shrink for lack of prisoners, and the taxpayers would save a LOT of money. Hundreds of thousands of essentially good people would avoid having their lives, and the lives of their families, ruined by these draconian laws that seem to do only harm to our society.
And hundreds of thousands of kids would over-dose.
Druggies won't keep this crap away from kids now. What would happen if it was legal and laying around the house?
@SingBiker, what do you mean You CANNOT legislate morality? The GOP tries to all the time, anything from birth control pills to gay marriage and GOD knows what else. But yes, you are correct, morality cannot be controlled by laws from anyone.
Each and every person who believes in God, will at judgement day, be responsible for their morality. Sure going to be a bunch of surprised bible thumpers on their days of judgement.
I wonder if Congress will have the same interest in the death of Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III as they did the death of Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens?
Arizona - Alcohol is readily available in every household that I know of. Hell, liquid detergent packs are left around the floor of laundry rooms for kids to get into. There are hundreds of ways children can overdose or poison themselves today, let alone in a world with legalized pot.
SallyAnn, be careful or you might be the most surprised.
Maddog--you took the words right out of my mouth.
drgerrow: And you want to add to that already huge problem?
When I was little my mom told me what would happen if I drank the drain cleaner. She didn't hide it under the sink and pray I wouldn't find it. Knowledge is power, AZ
That is what Ron Paul wanted. Decriminalize drugs but regulate them. Many innocents die in this war, perhaps equal to the lives that drugs claim. The difference is that the user chooses to harm himself, but in this senseless war on drugs the innocents are caught in the crossfire. If made legal, but regulated, you would not have drug lords going to such great lengths to protect their drug turf. Countries that have legalized drugs do not have more users, just less crime. The law protects the business instead of greedy heartless criminals/gangs protecting their own turf.
Luther-681,
"The difference is that the user chooses to harm himself..."? Ya, right! Just like alcohol does today. Legalizing drugs (and alcohol IS a drug) just means that more users are going to harm innocents.
What about organized crime if you legalize all drugs? A tad small bit of money could be made by them so I don't think legalizing all drugs actually equals less crime, just a different criminal operator.
No, we want YOU to ADMIT that our present tactics DO NOT WORK.
They didn't work during Alcohol's Prohibition ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, why would they work NOW?
Considering that organized crime makes a bunch of money on ILLEGAL DRUGS, legalizing them takes the market OUT OF ORGANIZED CRIME'S HANDS.
You assume there would be a huge increase in the number of people taking illegal drugs. If they were suddenly legal, would you run right out and buy drugs? It's like the whole argument against gay marriage that it would destroy conventional marriage...like men are going to suddenly divorce their wives to marry the guy next door. If that's true and we need a law to protect marriage, we've got bigger problems than we think.
Currently in federal prison right now are ~1.5 million. The breakdown:
States, of course, have far more. In the state of California more is spent on prisons than on education. This is all for a "sin" law. You can NEVER successfully legislative morality, and all it does is create an extremely rich and violent criminal class. This is just the utmost in stupidity.
@ #7, singbiker, and the criminals would be telling the lawmakers how to run the country in order for them to behave? Your comment is ridiculous. Just give in to these criminals and the world would be a better place? Get back to reality, my goodness, your scenario would have the wolves in charge of the henhouse.
I think Singbiker is just trying to make the point that the current "war" is not working and there needs to be a change in tactics.
Not saying he is right about legalizing all drugs (I personally think that's a bad idea), but it's time that we take a new approach.
Just me - You're calling someone a criminal fro consuming a plant. I've seen you right wingers get all upset if smoking is banned in restaurants. Seriously? You'll let someone endanger my life by smoking in close proximity as long as it's tobacco but you won't let someone smoke cannabis in their own homes because someone in Congress decided they didn't like it?
Huh?!-1550743: Tobacco companies have stock. Maybe we should change tactics... let them know they can all get in the ground floor of Marijuana Cocaine Inc. IPO.
Another life wasted in a foolish war we need to legalize and tax the use of drugs so we never lose another Coast Guardsman. Thank you for your service and Rest In Peace Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III.
@ #8, just me,
Not the criminals, the people of the United States - just like what happened at the end of prohibition. BTW, in case you haven't noticed, the wolves are ALREADY in charge of the hen house.
Why don't you do some actual research and learn the truth about what happened in the '20s vs what is happening now.
Your reply is not only ridiculous, it shows your ignorance of the reality of the current fiasco.
During prohibition many lives were saved. Only criminals drank.
My grand parents didn't drink, because it was against the law. My parents learned from them. I learned from my parents. I DO NOT DRINK.
It is about obeying the laws in place, not changing the laws to suit those who don't want to obey them. To think that is the cure for getting rid of the drug problem is ridiculous. How about people learn to follow the laws in place, just because they don't like them doesn't mean they should not be obeyed.
Tell that to the founding fathers. Sometimes laws are bad laws written and enforced by ignorant and/or fearful people. Just because a behavior is illegal doesn't make the behavior itself bad. People who think in that manner also think they can say the Bible is the absolute truth because the Bible says it is...it's called "circular reasoning".
Actually, Tumbleweed, drinking alcohol was not a crime during Prohibition. The manufacture, storage, transport, and sale of it was. So no, people who drank were not criminals. They were people who wanted a drink. That's all. Don't try to criminalize behavior that is not criminal.
Arizona,
"During prohibition many lives were saved. Only criminals drank." Gotta disagree with you on that. It actually cost more lives due to "private distillers" making less then healthy booze.
"Only criminals drank." EVERYONE drank. But what boils my peanuts is the way Congress and the other political entities conducted themselves during prohibition - they made absolutely sure they had their booze while telling Americans not to drink.
Kinda reminds you of the way JFK and his pals loaded up on Cohibas before putting a trade embargo on Cuba.
I could see legalizing pot, but not the rest of the additive drugs. Yes a new approach needs to be taken. Every person caught with drugs (not pot), no matter how much or how little, executed on the spot. Catch a big load of drugs, lace it with poison, then let the shipment through. The drugs will kill the users, and some of the users friends will kill the dealers.
All kinds of different new approaches could be possible. But what we now have isn't really working that good. We can do better, just need to get the trial lawyers out of the way, along with the bleeding hearts, and make this happen.
SallyAnn-4595694: Wow, that's harsh. But we could have fun with this and expand it a bit. Let's just shoot drunk drivers on site. Naw, just shoot drinkers because they might drive. People who drive through red lights are killer, let's just shoot them. Speeding is the number 1 reason for accidents. Let's just shoot all speeders. Pretty soon, no one left to do the shooting.
I guess legally sanctioned murder for a misdemeanor is just fine with you.
@ Dale - Think of all the positives if we shot drunkards and drug addicts; Lower population, fewer people out of work, less stress on our health care system, fewer crimes, less violence..... Wow this is fun. ;)
So sad that the Coast Guardsman lost his life, thoughts and prayers out to his family..
But, oh so glad they were able to catch the scum who caused it.......
why chase them??? you have the fire power...blow them out of the water...if anyone survives let them swim for home....oh sorry forgot...the usa wouldn't want to offend any other country
So, the "war on drugs" claims yet another victim. How many is that now... thousands.. hundreds of thousands? Pull your heads out of your rear ends, look at Washington and Colorado, and change out stupid, failed, corrupt drug laws now!
So illegal drugs killed another American hero.
No, the filth transporting the illegal drugs killed another American hero. Whether you agree with drug legalization or not, they were breaking the law, they knew it, and they felt they could get away with yet another crime. The Coast Guard was just doing its job to intercept and apprehend these cretins.It's just too bad the Coast Guard cutter, rightly following priorities to get their crew out of the water first, didn't have some more time and some serious missiles on board, and blasted the scumbags out of the water, letting their bloated carcasses wash up on the beach, or become dinner for seagulls.
So PROHIBITIONISTS killed another American hero. There, FTFY
Oh Fred get over it. They ARE illegal drugs. People use them illegally. There is something wrong with people willing to go to prison in order to use a drug. Anyone that is at that point seems to fit the definition of addiction and needs help. You are blaming the law for people's inability to follow it. In this case that's utter crap. I know, you just have to have that pot after a hard day's work. I'm sure your life depends on it and you don't want to be arrested. I get it. You can't help yourself so you want the law revoked. Tough.
Jazzman, this explains why they didn't weren't 'just shot'. I'm sure they would have, but were not given the opportunity. Thoughts and prayers to the family. "The cutter deployed its small boat which made an approach on the suspect vessel, which was running darkened ship, meaning it was operating without any navigational running lights or other illumination. When the Coast Guard small boat approached with its blue law enforcement light energized, the suspect vessel, identified to be a profile Mexican style panga, maneuvered at a high rate of speed directly towards the Coast Guard small boat and struck it before fleeing the scene."
Wasted life and effort in the US booze industry/ pharma lobby war to keep certain substances illegal.
Interesting that most comments are on the issue of legalizing pot (I couldn't care less either way) and not on the death of an American coast guard member. I would have made sure the smugglers were buried at sea. Our Coast Guard men and women deserve our support and respect for the fine job they do.
sarg-1000124, as a mom of a Coast Guardsman, I couldn't agree more. Thanks for hopefully bringing the discussion back where it belongs.
legalize drugs. Kick the GD illegal immigrants out of the country
Hopester84-My best regards to you and your family as you have every right to be EXTREMELY proud of your "COASTY". If I had it to do over again I would have spent 23 yrs in the Coast Guard and not the Army-well maybe as open ocean scares the heck out of me. The coast guard routinely put themselves in danger while rescueing people who had no business putting to sea with pending weather.
well said sarg
Notice there was no mention that the drug smugglers would be charged with capitol murder? Notice that the identity of the smugglers was not mentioned? That is the problem. These mopes will get first class lawyers paid for by, you guessed it, YOU. They will be kept in a nice warm cell and fed the good beans and rice. Then they will get good legal interpreters and they will plead stupidity and poverty so that they get a three year sentence and they can be back on the water in two and a half. If drug runners got what citizens would get drug running would slow way down but now they are often returned to Mexico within a week.
I would certainly hope the suspects in the drug running boat also suffered severe injury from the 'collision' with the Coast Guard. They should have been towed ashore at the end of a long rope -- without their boat.
R.I.P. Chief Horne.............nuff said..............
GM Scooter
Not a good day when a brother or sister in arms dies in the line of duty! RIP Chief.
Morning Scooter and Jack,
Condolences from me and mine as well.
My B-I-L is on interdiction duty in Hawaii, just left the keys a couple months ago. I really think those that think this is just a drug issue need to meet these folks that a smuggling all the guns, drugs, slaves, illegals, etc and open their eyes.
The Coastguard should have shot these criminal scumbags and fed them to the sharks. i say shoot to kill all drug smugglers if they refuse to comply.
Stop the madness. End the killing. Cripple criminals and cartels: legalize, commercialize, control and tax all substances. There are many more notable and important restraints to maintain than trying to outlaw naturally occurring substances.
Drug users answer - Legalize being stoned!!! Bad enough we have alcohol related traffic and work deaths. NOW you want to legalize another way to KILL!!! Go to Washington or Colorado or Mexico. BUT - Get out of my USA.
Open your eyes lbirdie, in states where they have legalized medical marijuana, DUI arrests and accidents are DOWN. I know this doesn't fit your theory, but the truth will set you free!
And how did outlawing alcohol 'work'? Why would it be any different with other drugs?
" SUSPECTED " - They rammed a US Coast Guard boat and KILLED a US serviceman. The politicians of this country WANT the drug war to continue!!! They make money of it - somehow. If the US government wanted to reduce the drug war in a BIG way. TWO things would do it. #1 - BLOW UP these suspected drug boats !!! Do not yell at them to 'STOP'!!! That will reduce a lot of drugs coming into this country, when you BLOW UP their people and boats. #2 - Death penalty for multiple drug trafficking convictions to children(under 18). YES - I said 'death penalty'. When these SCUM drug peddlers go to children and start them on drugs. They have MURDERED the possibility of a GOOD life!!! To me that is MURDER!!! Look what drugs have done to this society and the families of those that are LOST to drugs. Do those TWO things and the drug problem will go down - GUARANTEE IT!!!
Too bad you hate freedom so much.
Accidental check up of #25