>such that any request for equipment to help "save" people has to be in quotes. Your impression has then taken it too far - yes, there's a lot of drug war stuf

>such that any request for equipment to help "save" people has to be in quotes. Your impression has then taken it too far - yes, there's a lot of drug war stuff, but USCG still does a tremendous amount of rescue work / assistance to mariners in distress / etc. (Source: a bunch of coastie friends and my dad was one; also sailed a lot and have had enough observation/interaction with them to get a sense of this). Saving people absolutely does not need to be "in quotes" in reference to USCG.