From the AP:
The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday over judges' authority to limit the Navy's use of sonar to protect whales.The court heard arguments in a dispute between the Bush administration and environmental advocates over court rulings that restrict sonar in naval training exercises off the coast of Southern California.
The administration says the training is vital for teaching sailors how to find enemy submarines.
Are they out of their minds?
Look, I like whales. When I was in 3rd grade, I made a "Save the Whales" poster. I like sperm whales, killer whales. When I see one of those National Geographic specials, I never have even the slightest urge to root for the krill.
I like the Smithsonian blue whale. I like Minki whales, batter-fried. I like Fudgy the Whale. I like the Wailing Wall and I like gunwales.
But the life of every whale on the planet doesn't add up to the life of one US Navy sailor.
The numbers involved are on the order of a few dozen per decade. It's not as though the Navy is using whales for torpedo practice, or for targeting practice, even for sonar practice. They just happen to be in the way.
ASW is a skill, it's an art, and it takes practice. And if the other guys are better at it than we are, because they don't give a damn about their whales, and would just as soon that they get the hell out of the way and head for the safe pastures of California, our sailors are going to die.
Comments
Thanks Joshua. This battle has been going on for quite a while. What will eventually happen is some other country will allow us to practice off their coast instead and we will spend millions more sending sailors to the coast of some other country.
Posted by: Mr Bob | October 9, 2008 8:11 AM
"But the life of every whale on the planet doesn't add up to the life of one US Navy sailor."
You're a very sad little man.
Reply: Maybe so, but my life is still worth more than that of every whale on the planet. Of course, so is yours.
Posted by: MarkW | October 13, 2008 4:26 PM