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TechnoratiWhy Is a US Army Brigade Being Assigned to the 'Homeland'?
Several bloggers today have pointed to this obviously disturbing article from Army Times, which announces that "beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the [1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division] will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North" -- "the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities." The article details:
They'll learn new skills, use some of the ones they acquired in the war zone and more than likely will not be shot at while doing any of it.For more than 100 years -- since the end of the Civil War -- deployment of the U.S. military inside the U.S. has been prohibited under The Posse Comitatus Act (the only exceptions being that the National Guard and Coast Guard are exempted, and use of the military on an emergency ad hoc basis is permitted, such as what happened after Hurricane Katrina). Though there have been some erosions of this prohibition over the last several decades (most perniciously to allow the use of the military to work with law enforcement agencies in the "War on Drugs"), the bright line ban on using the U.S. military as a standing law enforcement force inside the U.S. has been more or less honored -- until now. And as the Army Times notes, once this particular brigade completes its one-year assignment, "expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one."They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack. . . .
The 1st BCT's soldiers also will learn how to use "the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded," 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.
"It's a new modular package of nonlethal capabilities that they're fielding. They've been using pieces of it in Iraq, but this is the first time that these modules were consolidated and this package fielded, and because of this mission we're undertaking we were the first to get it."
The package includes equipment to stand up a hasty road block; spike strips for slowing, stopping or controlling traffic; shields and batons; and, beanbag bullets.
"I was the first guy in the brigade to get Tasered," said Cloutier, describing the experience as "your worst muscle cramp ever -- times 10 throughout your whole body". . . .
The brigade will not change its name, but the force will be known for the next year as a CBRNE Consequence Management Response Force, or CCMRF (pronounced "sea-smurf").
After Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration began openly agitating for what would be, in essence, a complete elimination of the key prohibitions of the Posse Comitatus Act in order to allow the President to deploy U.S. military forces inside the U.S. basically at will -- and, as usual, they were successful as a result of rapid bipartisan compliance with the Leader's demand (the same kind of compliance that is about to foist a bailout package on the nation). This April, 2007 article by James Bovard in The American Conservative detailed the now-familiar mechanics that led to the destruction of this particular long-standing democratic safeguard:
The Defense Authorization Act of 2006, passed on Sept. 30, empowers President George W. Bush to impose martial law in the event of a terrorist "incident," if he or other federal officials perceive a shortfall of "public order," or even in response to antiwar protests that get unruly as a result of government provocations. . . .As is typical, very few members of the media even mentioned any of this, let alone discussed it (and I failed to give this the attention it deserved at the time), but Congressional Quarterly's Jeff Stein wrote an excellent article at the time detailing the process and noted that "despite such a radical turn, the new law garnered little dissent, or even attention, on the Hill." Stein also noted that while "the blogosphere, of course, was all over it . . . a search of The Washington Post and New York Times archives, using the terms 'Insurrection Act,' 'martial law' and 'Congress,' came up empty."It only took a few paragraphs in a $500 billion, 591-page bill to raze one of the most important limits on federal power. Congress passed the Insurrection Act in 1807 to severely restrict the president's ability to deploy the military within the United States. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 tightened these restrictions, imposing a two-year prison sentence on anyone who used the military within the U.S. without the express permission of Congress. But there is a loophole: Posse Comitatus is waived if the president invokes the Insurrection Act.
Section 1076 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 changed the name of the key provision in the statute book from "Insurrection Act" to "Enforcement of the Laws to Restore Public Order Act." The Insurrection Act of 1807 stated that the president could deploy troops within the United States only "to suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy." The new law expands the list to include "natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or other condition" -- and such "condition" is not defined or limited. . . .
The story of how Section 1076 became law vivifies how expanding government power is almost always the correct answer in Washington. Some people have claimed the provision was slipped into the bill in the middle of the night. In reality, the administration clearly signaled its intent and almost no one in the media or Congress tried to stop it . . . .
Section 1076 was supported by both conservatives and liberals. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), the ranking Democratic member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, co-wrote the provision along with committee chairman Sen. John Warner (R-Va.). Sen. Ted Kennedy openly endorsed it, and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), then-chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, was an avid proponent. . . .
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, warned on Sept. 19 that "we certainly do not need to make it easier for Presidents to declare martial law," but his alarm got no response. Ten days later, he commented in the Congressional Record: "Using the military for law enforcement goes against one of the founding tenets of our democracy." Leahy further condemned the process, declaring that it "was just slipped in the defense bill as a rider with little study. Other congressional committees with jurisdiction over these matters had no chance to comment, let alone hold hearings on, these proposals."
Bovard and Stein both noted that every Governor -- including Republicans -- joined in Leahy's objections, as they perceived it as a threat from the Federal Government to what has long been the role of the National Guard. But those concerns were easily brushed aside by the bipartisan majorities in Congress, eager -- as always -- to grant the President this radical new power.
The decision this month to permanently deploy a U.S. Army brigade inside the U.S. for purely domestic law enforcement purposes is the fruit of the Congressional elimination of the long-standing prohibitions in Posse Comitatus (although there are credible signs that even before Congress acted, the Bush administration secretly decided it possessed the inherent power to violate the Act). It shouldn't take any efforts to explain why the permanent deployment of the U.S. military inside American cities, acting as the President's police force, is so disturbing. Bovard:
"Martial law" is a euphemism for military dictatorship. When foreign democracies are overthrown and a junta establishes martial law, Americans usually recognize that a fundamental change has occurred. . . . Section 1076 is Enabling Act-type legislation-something that purports to preserve law-and-order while formally empowering the president to rule by decree.The historic importance of the Posse Comitatus prohibition was also well-analyzed here.
As the recent militarization of St. Paul during the GOP Convention made abundantly clear, our actual police forces are already quite militarized. Still, what possible rationale is there for permanently deploying the U.S. Army inside the United States -- under the command of the President -- for any purpose, let alone things such as "crowd control," other traditional law enforcement functions, and a seemingly unlimited array of other uses at the President's sole discretion? And where are all of the stalwart right-wing "small government conservatives" who spent the 1990s so vocally opposing every aspect of the growing federal police force? And would it be possible to get some explanation from the Government about what the rationale is for this unprecedented domestic military deployment (at least unprecedented since the Civil War), and why it is being undertaken now?
UPDATE: As this commenter notes, the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act somewhat limited the scope of the powers granted by the 2007 Act detailed above (mostly to address constitutional concerns by limiting the President's powers to deploy the military to suppress disorder that threatens constitutional rights), but President Bush, when signing that 2008 Act into law, issued a signing statement which, though vague, seems to declare that he does not recognize those new limitations.
UPDATE II: There's no need to start manufacturing all sorts of scare scenarios about Bush canceling elections or the imminent declaration of martial law or anything of that sort. None of that is going to happen with a single brigade and it's unlikely in the extreme that they'd be announcing these deployments if they had activated any such plans. The point is that the deployment is a very dangerous precedent, quite possibly illegal, and a radical abandonment of an important democratic safeguard. As always with first steps of this sort, the danger lies in how the power can be abused in the future.
167 Comments so far
Show AllA message to all wealthy people,corporations,DHS,FBI,local Law Enforcement,IAFF, Infragard,Religious groups and communty watch groups that drank the Bush Patriot Act Kool Aid.
You are a bunch of arrogant stupid fools. You have created a nation wide spy network that can be a potential threat to the US government if united and organized.
Thats right , it is you that pose the threat that now has Army units
"beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the [1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division] will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North" -- "the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities."
It is your organizations that pose the real threat to these Natzi Fascists.
You have allowed your networks to grow using cointell pro tactics, warrant less surveillance, and small private army's of zombies.
You are the threat, civil disobedience is the excuse.
Lets face facts , once the Army rolls in, do you believe for one second that local law enforcement , or DHS , or FBI are going to call the shots.
" You are with us or against us" you had better get on the side of the Constitution fast. Stop warrant less surveillance , put the checks and balances back in to our system of government, and for Gods sake, realize that you are helping these fascists find a way to destroy your local and state powers and our Democracy.
BornFreeMen
One of the reasons for the 2nd Amendment was so NOT to have a peacetime standing army that could threaten our liberties. The federalists (e.g. George Washington) wanted a standing army because militia's didn't travel well; Madison said that a standing army was no threat because it would be vastly outnumbered by equally well-armed private citizens. (That doesn't apply to the army, but it would still be valid concerning the police -- provided the NRA has its way and private citizens can legally own and carry any weapon used by law enforcement).
My position is to support Posse Comitatus and the individual right to keep and bear arms. But so many people have been claiming that we no longer need a right to keep and bear arms because we DO have a standing army and National Guard. (The police are also a standing army -- especially if they're allowed weapons forbidden to ordinary citizens.) If you take that position -- if you feel we can trust government agents in the U.S. to be better armed than private citizens, you have no right to complain about army brigades being assigned to "Homeland".
This is nothing more than testing the waters of what Americans will now accept. If we have one set of troops "keeping peace" in one area, and that can be spun later on as a success, then it will become the norm.
I see this as the intentional destruction of America. I believe that if you look at what has happened since our current administration has been in office, you will not see anything that builds up America, instead step by step America is being dismantled.
I see this as a means of creating the "need for a new world order". We will "need" an independent world recognized body because the current one (the US) is no longer capable of doing it. This new world order will control everything everywhere.
Many see this as the first steps of the North American Union. The US collapse will usher the need in to create a "safe and stable" North American market, economy and security state.
I think many folks are looking for that one event that is going to bring about Armageddon. However those who are pulling the strings are trying to control and enslave everyone everywhere slowly so as not to cause insurrection.
Each thing that happens, we over time accept as the way it is. Then when we have no way to organize, communicate, and defend ourselves there will be no need for mass insurrection or civil war. It will just be too late.....
I want to know one thing.
Do you realize what you have said?
There is too much evidence to support your belief. Greenwald's admonition at the end is ambiguous in tone.
'We sleep in our boots.'
Peace
My grandfather escaped Nazi Germany in 1939. He stayed way past many earlier warnings to get out, because he was in denial. He told me that our family had been hard working good german citizens for generations. He stated that never in a million years did he think that what happened in Germany could have happened, and it did and it may happen here also.
Our country does resemble pre war Germany in many ways, and if unemployment worsens and our national image keeps deteriorating, many might look to a powerful leader to get us out of this mess. Beware.
Why do we have hundreds of detention facilities sitting empty, waiting for what?
Why is there a mercenary army being created and used in this country and elsewhere?
Why is the military developing more and more potent "non"lethal weapons for crowd control?
Who gave the national guard at Kent State live ammo and orders to shoot against an unarmed crowd demonstrating for peace?
Who ordered the killing of woman and children at Waco?
Open your eyes, there's some very confused pseudodemocratic idiots out there who get paid to follow orders.
Is there a plan for the few with wealth and power to try to survive what appears to be an end of life as we know it? The issues of world overpopulation, the inability stay the earthly destructive course we are on, the potential for massive loss of homes and lives due to the changing climate, these are the issues that are the elephant in the room. We really need to be in touch with each other and try to solve these problems, or at least try.
Dear Sir: I have read my share of military and books on the CIA/OSS. One thing I have notice from the very creation of America's Intelligence community is the concentration of the talent from Yale's and their Secret Societies like Skull and Bones. Prescott Bush, I believe, was a CIA recruiter at Yale: A school that has a long history of hiring people for the CIA, NSA, and the Military. No one knows what Prescott Bush did during WW1. We do know that he did not particpate in trench warfare. He had it easy, I would be safe to say! During WW2 he worked for the War department that put him in a good position to take care of his child, who was not able to avoid military service. But, he used his influence with in Skull and Bones to put little george, who had no college education, into America's US ARMY AIR Corp's. He was not allowed to go to the Europeans war because it was still progress. It took little george two years to learn how to fly before he fired his first shot at the enenmy. He went to every school his father could think of to keep him off the battle field. He,even, became a recon officer so he could take pictures from his plane. Little George was going to spend his time in the military in the United States hopefully to avoid death. But, when his father, Prescott Bush, was charged with trading with the Enemy Act,Lt. Bush found himself on a flat top heading towards the Pacific. They say he flew around 50 combat mission. He was a war hero! I would say that most of his missions were simple reconnaissance mission that kept him out of harms way. In fact, Admiral Burke complained bitterly about the pictures of the battle field he was getting. After the war Adm. Burke was well taken care of by the CIA by putting him on the board of a CIA front company called Freeport Sulfur and Mining Co. and the Moa Bay Mining Company who did business in Cuba, who over sold at a premium price Nickel and Cobalt to the United States tax payer. After Bush got shot down twice and he killed his crew on his last mission, he only served 8 months in the Pacific when he was allowed to go home to get married. For the next 6 months he did nothing but stand in line to wait for the war to end for he knew that the Atomic bomb was going to be dropped. All in all he only served 8 months out of the 4 to6 years people had to serve to fullfill their committment to the military. It is at this time during his tenure at Yale he became apart of the praetorian guard of the elite where Corporate America writes our foreign policy. Now, we come up to todays next gerneration carrier of the flame of elitism. How can a country elect a man, who has failed at everything in his life who has bankrupted all of his business while he walked out on his shareholders, who made a fortune off the Texas Rangers by borrowing $300,000 dollars to convert that investment into $14 million dollars. It is in my opionion that GW Bush is a covert CIA officer, who is apart of a covert domestic program created by former CIA Director Allen Dulles. After all it was the CIA and the State Department while under the leadership of the Dulles brothers, who allowed the thousands of Nazi's and Nazi's death squads, whom I believe murdered JFK because of Cuba. In fact, it was General Smeadly Butler, USMC, two time medal of honor winner, who warned the nation of a plot to kill FDR or to remove him by force by the International Banker's on Wall Street who were making a fortune off the war. As far as I am concern the same people who wanted to kill FDR were the same people who murdered JFK. The Presidency of GW Bush is illegal. You can not run for political office as a covert CIA officer. Bush has broken the law.It is a felony. I read where a Supreme Court justice of the United States during the FDR Adm. was on the pay role of the CIA. I wonder how many of Bush had on the Supreme Court who were in the CIA who voted for him to become the President.
The first day of martial law; that will be a good day to die.
The first day of martial law; that will be a good day to die.
Sioux Rose
This thread reads like "The Education of Thomas More," NEW-USA style!
METAL: Profound thread. I'd only add to it the "eminent domain" laws and obscure language that can fuse terrorist with political activist all too easily. The banks can no longer cover (via FDIC) our savings, insurance companies may not have the $ to cover in the event of environmental calamity, 47 million lack health insurance, 2 million incarcerated, NO checks and balances, disabled 4th estate... and some argue FOR this equation?????
WAGE LABOR: Good post.
bongofury, how right you are. chaos, guerilla warfare, coming soon to a street near you. even today, or in the wee hours of this morning, yet another financial giant professes collapse. how dense do americans have to get?
for those of you who don't own a gun, perhaps you might ask yourself why our founding fathers gave us that inalienable right. then, go out and buy one. don't forget the ammo, before martial law is declared. then practice. one shot. one kill. if the political/financial shenanigans of the last eight years, and specifically the last month, don't have you watching your backside, then best wishes. this thing is going downhill fast.
Ok citizens of the United States. The time is coming when you need to have your guns at the ready. They can use those non-lethal weapons on me if they want but I will be using real bullets. The fighting will be in the streets so get your guns ready people! We are one of the most heavily armed civilian populations on Earth. The Army, controlled by the traitors in Washington, will not get off without a fight. But, then again, Amerikkins are a cowardly bunch and not that smart or well informed. It may be that the people will bend over and take it up the ass again and again and again Just like they have been up to this moment in time. Can you say "Police State"? or FASCISIM? Or totalitarianism? Better get your dictionary out. You are going to need it. I doubt very much that today’s Amerikkins have any guts at all. The founding fathers would be ashamed of us all!
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” — John F. Kennedy
Enough said!
Dafoe
Expect a Red Alert any time, the GOP campaign is a schmozle,
can't tell their aspirin from their elbow, the bailout is stalled, a red alert would be the logical way to stay in power. The story line is familiar and here it is, a military/civilian takeover all they have to do is wave the flag, talk of your patriotic duty and supporting your troops and voila. Fantasy. Oh a few people will rise up and speak against it but that's what the poleese are for hustling off the complainers, they have been practicing for some years now. Any bets?
Ever since hearing that Bush had assigned himself 'emergency powers' in 2007, I have had my doubts about the coming November elections taking place. Why does Bush need 'emergency powers'? And I still stand by this suspicion and will only believe that a new president is in when I see him being sworn in on the evening news. NOT BEFORE!
Maybe it is time for all Americans to get up to speed on some of the more progressive concepts involved in military operations, peace operations and other unconventional approaches.
More on this in the article:
"Transcendent warfare: Human consciousness the key?"
Joint Recon Study Group
Sept. 11, 2008
http://jointreconstudygroup.blogspot.com/2008/09/transcendent-warfare-is-human.html
Don't tase me bro!
Joe
I think the key thing to worry about is that normally a martial law, insurrection suppression that actually just targets those doing what they actually have constitutionally protected rights for, ends up in the ones in power actually shooting their own foot, and creating more support for those oppressed and distrust of the government.
The problem, however, is that there are too many that have been marinated in right wing doctrine over the past 10 or more years that actually believe anyone protesting the abuse of the government is "supporting Al Qaeda" or are hindering the efforts to keep a nuke from blowing up at their local wallmart in BFI. I think in this day and age, the polarity would prevent and mass public outrage from anyone not on the left. The right would either not get the memo from their FOX propaganda stream, or be apathetic, or feel the perps "got what was commin to em."
If we look back at history and see how too much power led to horrific oppression, there should always be the vigilant, and any hint of this happening again should be cut off at the root before it's allowed to grow.
After seeing a gov this dishonest in order to make a buck, and avoiding justice and subpoenas to avoid accountability, it's just naive to think those in power wouldn't abuse it again to save their asses.
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it and then misapplying the wrong remedies. " Groucho Marx
"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people."
H. L. Mencken
The reason they’ve opted for the army rather than National Guard is that the latter are sort of more local guys and would probably think twice before they shoot you. Not the army.
They will deploy, say, a brigade from Alabama and send them to an unfamiliar area, say California. They will tell the brigade that those who are demonstrating are agitators and agents of foreign powers (or Al Qaeda) who hate our freedom and democracy and want to destroy our way of life. Shoot the motherfuckers!
I’ve been telling you that the system as a whole sucks. They are all together, and by “they” I mean: Military-Industrial-Congress-Media-Church Complex. Remember the military is in that equation to protect, not you, but the fascist corporate system.
Do you realize how many people own guns and other weapons in this country?
It's not like people don't use them either.
Will this stop the Army from attacking?
No. So if the Army did attack, the US will soon look like Iraq. A bloody mess.
I'm not sure what the purpose of that will be.
But I do think we can expect massive civil unrest as this ecomonic crisis unfolds. People will be homeless and starving. A first for most Americans, so they will be pissed off.
But, I do think this current regime would try to take the country over by force. I do think much of this "crisis" calling for a bailout is manufactured.
But nevertheless banks will fail because of it.
He stole two elections. Why not go for broke, no pun intended....
Who was it who put the Japanese Americans in Conventration Camps?
Who ran the concentation camps?
In their final mission rehearsal that was to have been conducted two weeks ago, according to the Army Times article, the First Brigade Combat Team was joined by members of several other units, including the 82nd Airborne Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Bragg, N.C.
The 82nd Airborne Combat Aviation Brigade, according to its own website (http://www.bragg.army.mil/82avn/) "deploys worldwide to find, fix and destroy enemy forces using aerial fire and maneuver to concentrate and sustain combat power." It does aerial assault missions including grabbing and transporting individuals and small groups--perfect for secret rendition of leaders of targeted groups.
Why do we need active military units PERMANENTLY dedicated to tasks more suitable for the National Guard who are more familiar with the States and localities they are called upon to serve? Why aren't more members of the military speaking out against this ominous development?
There have been over 36,000 illegal immigrants rounded up in raids since 2006. Are these practice raids slowly ramping up in scale? Privatized prison construction is one of the few big growth industries in the U.S.
There was also these news items from last month:
Postville Iowa Turned Into An Open-Air Prison:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/08/16/11032/
Dept. of Homeland Security has deported over 90,000 children under the age of 17 to Mexico without a parent or caregiver:
http://www.latinalista.net/palabrafinal/2008/08/dept_of_homeland_security_has_deported_o.html
I think the powers that be will soon unleash various infotainment and political propaganda "missions" to, first, subtly and, then, gradually more overtly encourage Americans to turn on each other, inform against each other, betray each other in various ways based on various social triggers including economic class (especially targeting the poor, hungry and homeless), race, religion, party affiliation, etc. Classic capitalist/fascist divide and conquer.
Lastly, consider that the 1st BCT will return to a deeply troubled Amurka after 35 months in some of the most harsh close combat in an illegally occupied country where they have been in untold confrontations with civilians. Think they might have high PTSD and suicide rates? Think they might be a little trigger happy? Especially when they are sent into U.S. States and localities whose people and lifestyles they are not familiar with?
The stupidity of all this is on its face like almost everything else this sordid Bush maladministration and its DLC stooges have done. The people who countenance this permanent deployment are fools begging for more abuses of innocent human beings and the Constitution.
This is history repeating itself.
This is exactly the same kind of actions Julius Caesar took when he seized power in Ancient Rome. This where the term 'Crossing the Rubicon'comes from
This is the end of the US as even a marginaly functional democracy.
Between this and the coming financial collapse symptomised by the implosion of Laymon Brothers, Merril Lynch and now Washington Mutual, the US is a hollow shell ripe for a dictatorial take over.
Don't complain you weren't warned.
Walk in peace.
Paranoia is rampant over this. How many instances of Kent State can you think of involving the military?
Waco...FBI
Watts....trops not comitted, they allowed them to burn the area out.
Ruby Ridge....FBI
How many instances can you really think of. And Kent state was National Guardsmen. Boys the same age as those students and scared. It was terrible but if thats your example of Storm Troopers....
Sometimes reality seems lost.
Only an idiot would suggest that our military would be ordered to fire on peaceful demonstrators or civilians and even if they were commanded by a madman, they wouldn't open fire. They are us, even though some seem to have a great deal of trouble grasping that simple fact.
Take the Storm Trooper talk, the Nazi garbage and shove it. Its comment beneath contempt.
"Only an idiot would suggest that our military would be ordered to fire on peaceful demonstrators or civilians and even if they were commanded by a madman, they wouldn't open fire."
I think you are exceedingly naive. Have you been paying attention to what they're doing in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Caspian basin? Do you think all that indiscriminate, unconscionable killing doesn't desensitize them to killing? Have you heard of Blackwater? Did you know that moral waivers are up sharply for Army enlistees? Did you know that Army enlistment of non-citizens is up? Have you seen how the police treat peaceful demonstrators these days? Do you understand that nobody in authority respects the Constitution anymore?
Please open your eyes, if only for your the sake of your own security.
Dave
http://daveeriqat.wordpress.com/
911 was an INSIDE JOB.
Whoops! There was also the U.S. Army's armed crackdown on the World War I veterans known as the Bonus Army--where young Dougie McArthur and Eisenhower made their nuts ordering Army soldiers to attack DECORATED VETERANS.
This also took place after a long period of militaristic jingoism, the Palmer Raids, etc.--similar to ours in many ugly and Constitutionally dubious respects. The U.S. press propaganda machine was then still learning from the aging British Empire. Now Amurka's networks are far beyond Goebbels' wildest wet fantasies in scale and "market penetration."
The country wasn't nearly as ideologically or economically divided before the last Great Depression as it is now on the edge of another one. It had half the population and most of them were one generation from the farm--or still owned farms and gardens and were prepared to grow some or most of their own food, or barter for what they didn't grow themselves. Now our urban centers are hugely overpopulated with people who know nothing about growing their own food and are dependent upon a far-flung food distribution system in turn dependent upon diesel-fueled tractor trailer fleets who already find the cost of fuel too high. We have growing gasoline shortages in my city starting to adversely affect the regional economy. We ain't seen nothing yet. Things could get very ugly, very quickly.
Moreover, most Americans under 45 are conditioned by gratuitously violent TV, films, video games and foreign policy to resort to violence to attempt to solve problems. Hundreds of thousands lined up to fight Bush's wars unquestioningly. Even when the Iraq War had been disgraced and Afghanistan turned into another quagmire more of them lined up to kill for the paycheck and benefits. Their suicide and PTSD rates are sky high and they will return to an Amurka with limited economic options that are about to get a lot more limited.
Thomas must be some rich man on the rural side who is either already prepared for the worst or who has the necessary resources close to hand.
In the event of economic collapse, spreading food riots and related civil unrest in the big cities I don't put it past Bush II or McCain to declare full scale martial law (since we already live under de facto martial law only limited somewhat by the degree of its implementation).
Concerns about realistic threats to life and limb are not paranoia: They are pragmatic.
This is Winston Smith - fight Big Brother before it's too late, please
These fascist, un-democractic, un-constitutional "laws" are passed in order to meet a urgent threat, as proclaimed by our dear leaders...but what these fools, in the gov and military/corporation alliance always dismiss is the huge opportunity for such things to be used and abused against Americans in the future.
It only takes a prez like nixon or bush to declare some group opposing the establishment are dangerous, inspired by al qaeda, hugo chavez, france, or socialism or any other excuse and is threat to the American Way of Life
It definitely looks like President Bush has no plans of giving up the Presidency when Obama wins in November; otherwise there would be no reason to be deploying a military brigade of 3,000 to 6,000 Army soldiers on the home front without cause for a complete 12 months beginning October 1st, since he is suppose to be out of there in January 2009, which is no more than 4 months. Why deploy troops a full 8 months after you are gone, if you are leaving? It seems the Bush administration doesn't actually plan on leaving. It does appear to be a precursor to Marshall Law.
President (sic) Bush has no intention of staying past January. He wants to spend his days cutting brush and riding bikes, with an occasional $1,000,000 speech to pay the bills.
Obama will take over seamlessly and run the imperial empire according to the wishes of his overlords. The military is there to enforce their will.
Resistance is futile.
The fascists are going to declare martial law. If Blackwater is called in, they get to kill with impunity and won't be held accountable. Why is the U.S. government so concerned with spreading democracy around the world when we don't even have it here at home?? Our presidential elections are starting to resemble ones in banana republics.
Weren't we "fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them over here"?
Looks like some of us are about to become "them".
Maybe the Bush/Cheney regime wants to start a revolution. Their bully side wants to provoke hostilities, and their massive egotisticalness (to coin my own bushism) wants to make some noise in the history books.
Seed
Scary indeed. Two headlines above this one Al Gore is urging civil disobedience to protest coal fired power plants. Good luck.
Seed
"Scary indeed. Two headlines above this one Al Gore is urging civil disobedience to protest coal fired power plants. Good luck."
If one wants to lead, then they actually have to lead. They can't just sit back safe and sound and urge others to take all the risks.
Lobo Gris
James Joiner writes this interesting post today on just where our country is headed. We haven't seen anything yet.
The construct of a domestic repression has been legislated via the Patriot Act for a few years now though it has not been necessary to implement it. With a failing economy that may quickly change as citizens lose jobs and homes and become increasingly "unruly." The ruling elites know this and are making preparations to "maintain order." Fear and intimidation are the only thing this ruling class has left. They've used it against most other countries and are perfectly willing to do the same here to maintain the illusion of power over our own crumbling empire.
Thomas wrote: "Our freedoms are still unparalleled in any other country."
I am a Canadian. What "unparalled freedoms" do you enjoy that I don't? Will you next be writing that my country (and others?) is jealous of your freedoms? You are good writer Thomas and I have enjoyed reading many of your posts here at CD but please think carefully before making such blanket statements. I understand that you have been indoctrinated since birth in the mythologies of American exceptionalism but I assumed that you were someone who could clearly see through these myths that far too many of your citizens accept as literal realities.
If I had money I would pay people to stand with poster signs outside of the first brigade's home base for this year, appealing to their humanity and their love for their country. Change the signs every day, with very human and very personalized messages. Try to reach a percentage the privates and sergeants. Write the soldiers' individual names on the posters. I'm sure somebody on the inside will supply a few of these names, or perhaps we can read the names on the fatigues.
If the dumbest recruits can be taught to hate their country then worse things will happen. If they instead listen to their parents and their forefathers and refuse to hurt or kill their unarmed countrymen and women upon a petty tyrant's orders, they will be Americans.
I find this an intriguing idea. Is it the "sign" or the act of actually stepping out of your normal path to take an impassioned stand that gives this form of protest its power? The whole notion of "hiring" someone to act out your beliefs on your behalf gives outsourcing a whole new meaning. I'm curious, who would you envision "paying" to do this? How much would you pay them? Actually, I might be interested. I have been lamenting the fact that I don't do enough protesting because I am always working. Now, if I could get someone to pay me to protest -- this might actually be my ideal job. Professional protester.
In and of itself it is of little concern. But when you look at the Big Picture, you can see that what has transpired over the last 7-8 years in terms of legislation, executive orders and signing statements is the legalization of a totalitarian state ala Nazi Germany or Stalins Soviet Union. Hitler was fond of saying everything he did was legal under German law.
Now, can anyone say with any certainty that the American people, as intelligent as they are (LOL), could not be duped into electing a wolf in sheeps clothing, who could then exercise their powers to become a "dictator".
Thats the point, and thats the concern the Founding Fathers had when they sought checks and balances within the Federal Government, and gave the state powers to offset federal powers. Thats all gone. We have a Federal Government on steroids with the Executive having virtually dictatorial powers whenever he deems it necessary to declare a National Emergency such as we are now in (Bush just continued it on September 18).
The military takes it's orders from their Commander in Chief. You do not become a General or Admiral unless you demonstrate loyalty to the Commander in Chief. Those officers and enlisted men take and execute orders. Anyone who has been assigned to a Homeland Tour has been subject to psychological profiling and answered questionaires to ensure they have no problems killing Americans if ordered to do so. They have been well trained in Iraq in crushing civilian resistance to an occupation. They are not the enemy, but if their Commander in Chief says Chicago is harbouring terrorists and needs to be treated as Baghdad was, they will execute their orders, and they will accomplish their mission.
At this point, there is little hope left. If you have kids, tell them to enlist, or join their local police force. If they go to a University, have them enroll in ROTC. Join a church even if you don't believe. Put up a flag if you have not already. Throw away any books that question 9/11 or the Iraq war. Be a good citizen and do not question your government.
It's over, live with it. If your neighbour disappears, pretend not to notice, he never existed. If you disappear, good luck, maybe we will be cell-mates or share a FEMA coffin.
Here he is. The panderer of fascism himself. The Mises Institute cheerleader of hate. Your fear and hate mongering need to go back under your rock.
This is no 'libertarian,' this is the product of an institute that shields its truth under the guise of libertarian and individual freedom. In reality it spews hate as protected free speech.
A word to the wise, this is a true toxic snake posing as freedom.
I'm sorry, I understand the position well but if I only manage to get off two shots before being cut down, that's the way it will be. I'll be a very small speedbump on the road to fascist suicide, but with enough speedbumps it's difficult to control the vehicle. Never imagined "Live Free or Die" as a progressive rallying cry, but we live in interesting times.
Methinks you be a wee bit paranoid, Mims!
Aside from the last 2 paragraphs, admittedly hyperbole, anything you disagree with?
It wouldn't be CommonDreams.org without paranoid left wingers.
Sioux Rose
Good posts: MISTER CHIPS, RICH M & WILMOOR.
Well it's about time look Key West tried to secede once and Alaska they just may if not for this type of leadership.
To me, the question Mr. Greenwald asks near the end of this piece is quite interesting. He asks that given the highly militarized nature of our 'police' forces, why is there a need to deploy an Army Brigade in addition to that.
To me, the rather obvious answer would be that they might not trust the loyalty of local police and a state's national guard. Especially if the local governor or mayor was objecting to what they planned to use the troops for. Thus, they want 'loyal' troops to be able to obey commands that others might reject.
Another long used tactic of tyrants is to bring in troops that don't have local ties when objectionable acts are to be ordered. They know that say a local national guard unit would be less likely to open fire or seize and torture people they view as their neighbors. A regular US Army brigade instead have an assortment of people from around the nation (and some non-citizens who join to get their citizenship). Thus, they would probably be more likely to obey an order to open fire on a crowd.
----------------------------
"To know, and not to do, is not to know"
www.samsonsworld.blogspot.com
Exactly. That's why we have Blackwater.
I know a man who grew up with a friend who ran the Phoenix Program in Vietnam. They watched for the most vicious soldiers and recruited them for the death squads. Negroponte and North were involved.
The same template was used in Nicaragua and Iraq.
Don't kid yourself that it won't be used here.
Actually, it probably came from here. The KuKluxKlan were death squads, anyway you look at it, used to enforce a brutal regime.
if the military is asked to kill too many citizens for its own appetite the pres can always get the boys from blackwater
they get paid more because they will do more
cheers, b
Sign up, dude!
Eisenhower sent the US Army 101st Airborne to Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957 to enforce school desegregation. He also federalized the Arkansas National Guard.
LBJ sent the 82nd Airborne to Detroit during the 1967 riot.
How can we say there is no precedent?
2007: Bush has brigade ready for Code Pink, the Irish(?) 5, Michael Moore, or the surviving Berrigan brothers? Can't be too careful!
In those two cases, and in every other previous case, there was specific mission. Now it's going to be a permanent 'standing' brigade.
Here's a two-minute video on this news item with a link to the Army Times article.
http://jurisvodcast.com/2008/09/25/us-army-vs-us-citizens/
"Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen. Everything is proceeding according to plan."
The Senate will go along with whatever the Emperor demands. Stormtroopers in the Republic?! The time is now to plan for a Rebel Alliance, to stand up to the Emperor and his Stormtroopers. Do not fear the Sith. Meet in secret, make alliances with all freedom seeking sentients, and when the time is right, Fight! There are no Jedi who can assist or fight for you. But Freedom can triumph when good people come together for a common cause.
if that doesn't work maybe we could borrow some tasers from the starship enterprise
cheers, b
I wonder if the government knows something we don't. A few months ago I read that two freeze dried food suppliers were cleaned out by a government agency, and not one that normally provides aid to the public, such as FEMA.
Dave
http://daveeriqat.wordpress.com/
The Statue of Liberty was originally called "Liberty Enlightening the World".
Report:
In a show of understanding as to how deeply America has fallen into financial trouble, CheneyOilCo has issued a demand to Congress that they quickly pass a bill to demonstrate corporatists' true commitment to solving the very real problems that plague this country.
As of November 1, 2008, the light in the Statue of Liberty's torch, will be turned off.
This model of conservation, in the fullest sense of the word, and the savings realized from eliminating wasted energy, will be used to instill a new sense of what America now represents.
An army battalion will be encamped on the island to prevent any terrorist organization from reigniting the flame.
And don't forget who gave it to us.
The new POLICE STATE is upon us. WE THE PEOPLE just don't know it yet. We'll finally figure this out after it's too late.
The new POLICE STATE is upon us. WE THE PEOPLE just don't know it yet. We'll finally figure this out after it's too late.
Yeah, like the analogy of the frog in the kettle of water where the heat is being slowly turned up.
That actually only works on people. Frogs are smarter and jump out.
Der Fuehrer is chuckling in his grave thinking about all of those American soldiers who fought WWII to keep the fascists from taking over the US, only to return to the US and vote for fascists that would take over the US.
Thank you, Mr. Greenwald, for possessing the humility to admit an overlook. I usually read your articles. Now, if all the acts passed since Bushie's election, that challenge the Constitution and civil rights, were all placed into one cohesive article, including this economic debacle, what would be an informed writer's conclusion?
I want to read that article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act#Homeland_security
Dear Ones:
The best we can do is to send this article to all of our friends and acquaintances with brief explanations.
The public needs to be made aware. Bullets do not stop at the foot of a protester. They can go for miles and the public needs to make a choice as to what kind of a country they want.
That election is only about WHO's going to get to screw us!
When news reporters get labeled as terrorists and "Shock Doctrine" tactics demand the people hand over the money, they are getting desperate and close to an election.
GG's right - no reason to panic. Yet. Just rehearsing, nothing to see here folks.
But GG overlooked this one: "The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed HR 1955 titled the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007...
"(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism' means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives."
And, as we - and GG first hand - have recently seen at the RNC, Amy Goodman's producers were slapped with the vague "suspicion of committing a felony riot," also called a “PC riot,” for "probable cause riot." How is that different from the "planned use of force or violence" enunciated in the above House bill?
And then there's this, don't forget: "A Halliburton subsidiary has just received a $385 million contract from the Department of Homeland Security to provide "temporary detention and processing capabilities.... The contract -- announced Jan. 24 by the engineering and construction firm KBR -- calls for preparing for "an emergency influx of immigrants, or to support the rapid development of new programs."
And this, too: "A later press release on Blackwater USA's web site confirms that their privately contracted forces are on the ground in New Orleans, being used to secure petrochemical facilities and provide security services for the federal government."
Again, no reason to panic. So big deal that any form of dissent can now be considered a felony and/or terrorism; so big deal that NORTHCOM is deploying troops on American soil; so big deal KBR has built detention centers for "new programs"; so big deal the Fed has deployed heavily-armed private mercenaries in a major city ---
No. Reason. To. Panic.
I believe it has not passed the Senate.
Whoa...
The crazies are out on this one...
I'll pass
(They don't want the Army over there and they obviously don't want them here either)
ESPECIALLY if they've been "over there".
The crazies huh? So how, being the Neo-Con you are, do you explain the presence of a full US Army brigade? Do you not see the implications? Do you not understand why there were laws in place to prevent just this kinda of abuse of power? I understand you don't fear these soldiers, but that is because you follow along perfectly in line. What happens when your son decides to protest some injustice and is beaten and thrown in a FEMA Camp?
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
--Niemöller
Yep
The crazies
Last time I checked the Army was on our side
Who are you trying to kid? Welcome to AmeriKKKa!!!
And so was the National Guard, but what happened at Kent State? There's a short scene in Michael Moore's movie, (free for 3 weeks starting Sept.23), "Slacker Uprising" where on the "getting folks/students to register, then vote" tour, he visits Kent State, 2004. He visits the spot where the National Guard opened fire on students protesting, peacefully, the war on Vietnam. A young woman with the older woman who is showing Moore the ground, asks, "what happened to the ...who did the shooting?" The woman says, "Nothing happened to the...who did the shooting."
Last time I checked the Police was "on our side" and that didn't stop them at the conventions and elsewhere now did it?
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Benjamin Franklin, 1759
Dude
Do you have ANY idea how many TENS of THOUSANDS of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are "in Country" right here right now? ...who could be mobilized at the drop of a dime for an Internal National Emergency? (Yes...that would involve "bang bang" not just passing sandbags on a broken levee)
The professional term for this article is FUBAR
They are usually stationed in their own neighborhoods. You do not kill your people in your own community.
They aren't going to kill "our people"...please
There isn't enough tin foil nationwide for you guys
Yeah, and Kent State didn't happen, and Gen Douglas Mac Arthur didn't attack WW1 veterans.
Let's just be honest and admit that the Army has been ABUSED by the neocon nazis.
Abused in what way?...
Overuse?...we used to have 18 Divisions and Clinton cut it to 10...which is why we've had to rely so much on the Guard and reserve...
I do not follow your line of thought....
This Country learned a great lesson from WWII...Germany lost because they couldn't fight a two front war...we maintained that capability until the latter '90s
Iraq is no WWII. That's for sure. I supported the war on Afghanistan and that was long overdue and yes, Clinton could have stifled the Taliban in that country back in the 1990s when it was rising while no one was paying attention. Iraq, on the other hand, is a failure like Vietnam. LBJ and GWB are both DISGRACEFUL presidentsfor starting wars were in countries that posed no threat to the US whatsoever. LBJ and GWB both lost their focus, stretched the military thin in both cases, and were later forced to admit their failures no matter how they spun it all.
Deleted Double Post (sorry)
It would be interesting to see a peaceful confrontation and watch the desertion rate. Maybe that is the experiment?
Why don't you send those Anarchists from Seattle and the Convention?
Fascinating how you capitalize "Anarchists". Like they were so many and the "big bad wolf(ves)"
Not to mention they were citizens expressing their Constitutionally protected right to free speech. The 'Anarchists' were the cops and politicos and operatives instigating violence.
of course they were...and I support their right to break stuff to express themselves...NOT
talk about your "Brownshirts"...only they wear Black...Kristalnacht
Well, snowflake freedom of speech protects you, too, dear. Now run along home body of a man brain of a child, we don't want to see you get hurt.