Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

The New York National Guard seems to be having an identity crisis. They just don't know where to go to carry out their mission of "defending" New York State. Like most National Guard troops, they're now playing double duty:  fighting on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan while also trying to keep the streets of Albany clear of drugs.

Employing new technology to sweep your car for drugs or weapons, the National Guard has recently been assisting the local police conduct checkpoints though Albany. According to this article, they use "ionization, counterdrug's machines can detect chemicals, explosives, narcotics on money, weapons, even fabric." So now with out even having to ask to open a door, they can scan your car and see if you're packing. The Guard must be trying to keep up its track record of "2,000 arrests last year, and ...almost $150 million in drug, property, and weapon seizures."

In addition to the flagrant violations to the 4th Amendment that these tactics pose, there's a clear contrast with current military policy of allowing of Afghan opium production.