Recreational Boaters - Terrorism Fighters

The United States Coast Guard, a small but proud part of the Homeland Security Department (formerly of the Treasury Department, and the U.S. Navy during wartime), is asking the country's recreational boaters to keep an eye peeled for the occasional terrorist on the bounding main, or the little lake, or the tiny stream.

My first thoughts went to duct tape and plastic sheeting; just another lame attempt by the government to protect us. My second thought was much more profound.

This was a good idea, maybe a great one. Just as cops cannot be everywhere to deter crime and help change a tire, the USCG cannot possibly see all of the possible threats in our waterways. The Coast Guard points out that much damage has already been done by terrorists using boats, plus the recent threatening acts of small craft and swift boats that swarm around some of our warships.

It is not too much of a stretch to think that terrorists could sidle up to shipyards, government buildings, and other high-value structures on the shores of seas, lakes, and maybe even rivers. So why not ask boaters to just keep an eye out for anything suspicious (yet to be defined) and report potential nefarious activity to the authorities? Can't hurt and it might help.