Venezuela considers shooting down drug planes

[bemildred]

Source: AP (but we knew that)

CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez said Thursday he's mulling the possibility of allowing Venezuela's air force to shoot down suspected drug planes, but he is not convinced it's a good idea.

"We are studying it. This is something tough. There are countries that have it: authorization to shoot down planes," Chavez said. "I don't like the idea, but I'm thinking about it."

Venezuelan air force jets recently pursued a suspected drug plane, he said, but its pilot ignored orders to land the aircraft and continued flying undisturbed through Venezuelan territory.

"We detect many planes that are used for drug smuggling," Chavez said. "Sometimes they mock our pilots."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ip8fldZGBG5AJr7BMmhzIiiQVF9gD9APFL900

[Dreamer Tatum]

1. That's one way to make up a budget deficit

Buy Russian arms and use them to extort even more from the drug cartels.

[earcandle]

2. Don't they have pilot contact? If they don't respond, they should be escorted down

by fighter planes capable of taking them down.

I am sure they would listen then.  If they
fired, then shoot them down.  But that could be risky.

Well aren't their flying rules of the road that would 
indicate the pilot is legit or hiding something by 
his response to the call to decide the right course?  

[Regret My New Name]

30. I think the problem is that the drug runners know that even if they don't comply....

they won't be shot down.

[imdjh]

3. Chavez is a fucking genius. He thinks drug cartels can afford planes, but can't take his stupid ass

...out?

[EFerrari]

8. What Chavez and for that matter, Evo Morales know is that after kicking out DEA

drug interdictions have nearly doubled in both countries.

:)

[imdjh]

10. zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[EFerrari]

11. I thought so.

:)

[sabrina 1]

31. You think that's bad news?

Lol, it is for the fake war on drugs as it proves what a farce it is.

[DCKit]

15. I didn't know that. Shocking.... not. Thanks Liz.

I wonder how many of those planes are registered to no-name companies in Florida.

If Hugo starts shooting, a certain government agency is going to lose a lot of funding.

[EFerrari]

23. The US just threatened to decertify Bolivia for not doing its part

on the fake war on drugs. Morales said we should decertify ourselves for being the world's biggest consumer. And he talked about how well their own domestic interdictions were going now that they are directing them.

[Kurska]

4. Oh lord this just as case of mistaken identity waiting to happen. n/t

[earcandle]

5. Make sure Venezuela knows you are coming or risk your life?

[earcandle]

6. We just rented a movie about Chavez and what is happening in Venezuela. Haven't watched it yet, but

looking forward to seeing what a real progressive in an
authentic democracy looks like, or so I've heard.

[Demeter]

9. I Don't Mind If Chavez Takes Out a CIA Plane, Personally

Who else would be stupid enough to violate airspace with impunity?

Blackwater? That's a good target, too.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

24. Um-m-m...

President Obama runs the CIA and he most definitely is not smuggling drugs.

The wingnuts tried claiming Clinton was importing drugs during his time as governor in Arkansas. Let's not do their work for them.

Please.

[Vidar]

28. You have my vote, Demeter.

[dipsydoodle]

18. Not really

The offending aircraft do get the opportunity to repspond. Up to them whether they chose to do so or not and if not them fuck 'em.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. "Sometimes they mock our pilots."

Bad enough that they fly drugs over the country. We can probably ignore that.

But when they mock our pilots, they have gone too far. Time to shoot them down.

Sounds good to me.

:hi:

[JDPriestly]

12. Does a country have the right to require planes flying in its airspace to

request permission to fly there?

June 21, 2009

A U.S. military-contracted cargo aircraft carrying six persons and 2 crew members which violated Indian air space, near Gujarat was forced to land at Mumbai International Airport by Indian Air Force planes.

The Russian made AN 124 hired by the U.S., was transporting weapons and ammunition to its forces in Afghanistan.

. . . .

On being asked by the Mumbai Air Traffic Controller (ATC), whether it was a military aircraft, the pilot of the aircraft replied that it was a civilian aircraft.

The ATC called the Indian Air Force, after the intruded aircraft failed to give the code of verification.


http://story.chinanationalnews.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/b8de8e630faf3631/id/510112/cs/1/

April 26, 2009


An Air France flight from Paris to Mexico had to make an unscheduled stop in Martinique when US air traffic controllers notified the jet that it would not be receiving permission to fly over US airspace.

That's right - the plane was not en route to the US, just passing over some of it, on its way to Mexico.

On board the plane was Colombian Journalist Hernando Calvo Ospina, who works for Le Monde Diplomatique.

What makes the whole incident even more interesting is that Air France had only sent its passenger manifest to the Mexicans, but now it is clear that Mexico shares this information with the United States.

http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/26/air-france-jet-diverts-after-being-told-to-stay-clear-of-us-airs/

Apparently, countries have the right to deny use of their airspace to planes -- even U.S. and French planes. Note that the Air France plane had to ask for permission to fly over the U.S. I would assume therefore that Venezuela can ask planes to request permission to fly over its airspace.

[KelleyKramer]

13. Popcorn anybody?

This should be good for it.

[KelleyKramer]

14. Didnt a CIA cocaine plane get shot down in Mexico few yrs ago?

Hmmm, guessing the US will not like this policy at all.

[imdjh]

25. Yes, it was running a shipment of crack into LA

[IDFbunny]

35. It was shot down over Nicoragua.

It's sister plane was trapped in Costa Rica so they made a restaurant/bar out of it.

[bluestateguy]

16. The idea was floated during the Bush Sr. presidency

It was never implemented.

Now let's see what the Chavez apologists say when it's not the big evil United States, but their hero ramping up the "War on Drugs".

[Warren Stupidity]

19. Missionary plane shot down in Peru: collateral damage in US "drug war"

Following the revelation that a reconnaissance aircraft carrying CIA contract employees participated in the April 20 shoot-down of a plane carrying an American missionary family over the Peruvian Amazon region, Washington has attempted to pin the blame on the Peruvian military.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/apr2001/peru-a24.shtml

We do air interdiction and have been doing it for a long time. Yes it is wrong to shoot down civilian aircraft. I note that Chavez has not implemented the policy, he merely talked about the issue.

[imdjh]

26. Baptist evangelists taking Jesus to the savages

[Pavulon]

27. What good are new migs with nothing to shoot at..

castro got to use his on a cessna maybe hugo can bag a beech. It is a stupid idea and a stupid law on our side that continues to create demand. Pay for health care by insourcing the drug trade. Let GSk make quality coke and cvs sell it. Not like people are going to stop doing drugs.

[Warren Stupidity]

29. Actually we agree for a change. nt.

[Pavulon]

34. Drug law is the most regressive, destructive

policy in the US. They destroy minority and poor communities by dragging kids into a lifestyle with no hope for advancement. We lock up people for stupid non violent infractions. They waste money and police time we could be using to solve real crime. Current Drug law leads to murder and fuels gang war.

If we treated it like booze we would be better for it..

end rant.

[FiveGoodMen]

32. Thanks. I was thinking of the same incident but didn't get around to finding a link.

[dipsydoodle]

17. If they don't respond,

and they resist being escorted down then just shoot them down over a non populated area.

[Fumesucker]

20. This could be stopped in a single afternoon with the loss of no lives at all..

Just legalize and regulate "drugs" and the contraband flights will stop.

[provis99]

21. that doesn't make any sense at all.

If Venezuela legalized drugs, that would INCREASE contraband flights from Venezuela into countries like Columbia that still ban drugs.

[Fumesucker]

22. I guess it would be too much to ask to expect rationality to triumph everywhere

Best we stay in the dark ages..

[IDFbunny]

36. They wouldn't stop coming

but at least tariffs would be payed.

[Matariki]

33. Wonder how many cia/bcf agents that will take down...

just saying.