Maritime Security: The Soft Underbelly by Jayme Evans

by Jayme Evans

Maritime Security: The Soft Underbelly

June 18, 2007 01:54 PM EST

The most important element of any national security strategy is border security. Borders are one of the primary ways we are distinguished as a nation. A border is solemn. It is not an abstract notion; not something to be held as inconsequential or violated any time a foreigner chooses to do so.

On June 10th, 2007, while Congress was ratcheting up the rhetoric to try and convince the American people it was serious about border security, I personally witnessed my borders being repeatedly violated by foreign nationals coming ashore undetected by law enforcement or military personnel. This time, the violators were probably the harmless crew of a foreign cargo vessel. Next time they could be al Qaeda-linked terrorists.

The Columbia River is one of the busiest transit points for maritime cargo in the United States. It has vast port facilities, one of which is the port of Vancouver, in southwest Washington state. This port connects incoming cargo vessels with huge networks of railway hubs serving the entire country.

Last weekend, while walking along the riverbank next to one of the gigantic cargo ships lined up in the channel, my wife and I observed the launch of a small boat from a Korean-flagged vessel. The boat headed towards the bank with about 8-10 occupants. Being a former sailor, and having observed port berthing and security operations in over a dozen US and foreign ports, this raised numerous red flags.

So did the big, huge sign on the riverbank warning boat operators not to come ashore.

Other people there that day began to point to the boat -which was about 100 yards away- and whisper amongst themselves. I could read surprise and concern on their faces, but they seemed paralyzed by political correctness. They knew it wasn't right, but didn't want to jump to conclusions. The boat came ashore, and the occupants stepped off and began walking towards the parking lot. They got into a blue van, and drove off. I called 911 and told a Portland, OR area dispatcher what I had seen, gave her the vehicle license and description, and told her that the foreigners had simply driven off.

To paraphrase her response: "Well, you don't really have any proof they were illegal immigrants, do you?"

After some time (and considerable effort), I was able to convince her that whether they were illegal immigrants or not was irrelevant, and that boatloads of South Koreans coming ashore was suspicious. She finally agreed to alert the Coast Guard. As I waited for a call from the Coast Guard by the water, along came another group of what I presumed to be the ship's crew. They had armloads of shopping bags from Macy's, Sears, and a unique combination of other stores that are conveniently found over 12 miles away at the area mall. They got on the small boat clutching their booty, and headed for the cargo vessel.

About that time, the Coast Guard called me. A USCG Petty Officer told me that the vessel was a known frequent traveler. He said that it was checked and cleared in Astoria, OR., a distance of roughly 90 miles down river from its present location, that it was a largely Filipino crew with a few South Korean officers, and that on occasion they come ashore to purchase their meat and other essential provisions. He went on to admit that normally the vessel contacts them prior to launching their boats, and that this time, they didn't. He apologized for any alarm, assured me they were on top of things and thanked me for my report.

A trip to Macy's is not an excuse to violate the sanctity of my borders. EVER. Whatever they purchased there was hardly "essential".

This episode did not even register on the national security radar. But it highlights the potential for a nightmare scenario.

The Columbia River is the border between most of Oregon and Washington. This vast distance is saturated with many narrow sloughs and channels that are only a good swim or short boat ride from shore. In the case of this South Korean vessel, If I hadn't alerted the Coast Guard, they may never have been aware that these foreigners had come ashore. How many times have they come here without telling us? How do we know exactly where they go? How can we be sure that none of them stay? Or that they don't leave anything behind?

We can't.

This is a major loophole that MUST be closed now. Congress is making much noise about all of the radiation detectors, check points, and other security measures being implemented at the nation's ports, as well as it's southern border. But if foreign nationals from ANY country can come ashore and disappear undetected into the Pacific Northwest, our country is in serious danger.

Congress is hyping a Mexican guest worker program with a yellow brick road to citizenship as the magic bullet to secure the borders and address the country's immigration woes. Unless that comprehensive strategy involves a plan to address US maritime security issues such as these incursions, it is doomed to failure, much like all of the narrow-minded solutions put forth by this entire generation of cowards.