Open Skies.

This is coolbert:

"Developing Trust - - One Frame at a Time"

My, how times have changed since the unmanned balloon flights of the WS-119 program.

Today, fifty years later, we have the:

"Treaty on Open Skies"

"The Treaty on Open Skies entered into force on January 1, 2002, and currently has 34 States Parties. It establishes a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants. The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information about military forces and activities of concern to them."

Signatories - - at any moment- - but with nominal and minimum time pre-approval - - can overfly with reconnaissance aircraft the territory of any other signatory, gathering "intelligence". And do so unmolested, with a free range of movement, uncontested!!

"Open Skies aircraft may have video, optical panoramic and framing cameras for daylight photography, infra-red line scanners for a day/night capability, and synthetic aperture radar for a day/night all weather capability. Photographic image quality will permit recognition of major military equipment . . . thus allowing significant transparency of military forces and activities."

Is this treaty really being utilized by the participants and WORKING as advertised?

Trust and "transparency" are a result?

coolbert.