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TechnoratiInvasion of the Sea-Smurfs
A little-noticed story surfaced a couple of weeks ago in the Army Times newspaper about the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team. "Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months," reported Army Times staff writer Gina Cavallaro, "the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks." Disturbingly, she writes that "they may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control" as well.
The force will be called the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive Consequence Management Response Force. Its acronym, CCMRF, is pronounced "sea-smurf." These "sea-smurfs," Cavallaro reports, have "spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle," in a combat zone, and now will spend their 20-month "dwell time"-time troops are required to spend to "reset and regenerate after a deployment"-armed and ready to hit the U.S. streets.
The Army Times piece includes a correction stating that the forces would not use nonlethal weaponry domestically. I called Air Force Lt. Col. Jamie Goodpaster, a public-affairs officer for Northern Command. She told me that the overall mission was humanitarian, to save lives and help communities recover from catastrophic events. Nevertheless, the military forces would have weapons on-site, "containerized," she said-that is, stored in containers-including both lethal and so-called nonlethal weapons. They would have mostly wheeled vehicles, but would also, she said, have access to tanks. She said that any decision to use weapons would be made at a higher level, perhaps at the secretary-of-defense level.
Talk of trouble on U.S. streets is omnipresent now, with the juxtaposition of Wall Street and Main Street. The financial crisis we face remains obscure to most people; titans of business and government officials assure us that the financial system is "on the brink," that a massive bailout is necessary, immediately, to prevent a disaster. Conservative and progressive members of Congress, at the insistence of constituents, blocked the initial plan. If the economy does collapse, if people can't go down to the bank to withdraw their savings, or get cash from an ATM, there may be serious "civil unrest," and the "sea-smurfs" may be called upon sooner than we imagine to assist with "crowd control."
The political and financial establishments seem completely galled that people would actually oppose their massive bailout, which rewards financiers for gambling. Normal people worry about paying their bills, buying groceries and gas, and paying rent or a mortgage in increasingly uncertain times. No one ever offers to bail them out. Wall Street's house of cards has collapsed, and the rich bankers are getting little sympathy from working people.
That's where the sea-smurfs come in. Officially formed to respond to major disasters, like a nuclear or biological attack, this combat brigade falls under the U.S. Northern Command, a military structure formed on Oct, 1, 2002, to "provide command and control of Department of Defense homeland defense efforts." Military participation in domestic operations was originally outlawed with the Posse Comitatus Act in 1878. The John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, however, included a section that allowed the president to deploy the armed forces to "restore public order" or to suppress "any insurrection." While a later bill repealed this, President Bush attached a signing statement that he did not feel bound by the repeal.
We are in a time of increasing economic disparity, with the largest gap between rich and poor of any wealthy industrialized country. We are witnessing a crackdown on dissent, most recently with $100 million spent on "security" at the Democratic and Republican national conventions. The massive paramilitary police forces deployed at the RNC in St. Paul, Minn., were complete overkill, discouraging protests and conducting mass arrests (National Guard troops just back from Fallujah were there). The arrest there of almost 50 journalists (myself included) showed a clear escalation in attempting to control the message (akin to the ban on photos of flag-draped coffins of soldiers). There are two ongoing, unpopular wars that are costing lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. Nobel-winning economist Joe Stiglitz estimates that Iraq alone will cost more than $3 trillion.
In December 2001, in the midst of restricted access to bank accounts due to a financial crisis, respectable, middle-class Argentines rose up, took to the streets, smashed bank windows and ultimately forced the government out of power, despite a massive police crackdown and a failed attempt to control the media. Here in the U.S., with the prospect of a complete failure of our financial system, the people have spoken and do not want an unprecedented act of corporate welfare. We don't know how close the system is to collapse, nor do we know how close the people are to taking to the streets. The creation of an active-duty military force, the sea-smurfs, that could be used to suppress public protest here at home is a very bad sign.
Denis Moynihan contributed to this column.
103 Comments so far
Show AllTHE ONLY FORM OF LOWER LIFE that i can think of, other than amy goodman is ted bundy, or gary ridgway,etc,etc,etc,
At least you chose an appropriate handle.
EKKK! How could I have missed this article last week!I passed it on to all of my friends.
Alan MacDonald
“Since the global corporate Empire's tumor which began its growth center in the US has already exploited the natural commonwealth of the US and it citizens to what the CIA identifies as a level endangering ‘social unrest” (GINI .45), any further economic exploitation would seem to be necessarily done beyond close proximity with the Empire ----- that is, remote in either time or space.
The only problem with running any global Empire which constantly increases private profits by dumping massively increasing negative externality costs on the whole world is that the people and countries being hurt the most may object strongly, and thus the need for what General Smedley Butler so impolitely called "military musclemen". But, of course, a global corporate/financial elite Empire which has set itself off on this expanding Ponzi scheme can't stop and doesn't want to actually have to pay for the military muscle, and that's where controlling a formerly sovereign nation-state that happens to be a 'super power' comes in handy.
In summary, the global Empire exists, and it "pays off" for the empire itself because they always pump increasing profits to themselves and in a one-way stream pump most costs on everyone else. And those who might argue with the empire's methods get a sharp lance in the eye --- at no cost to the empire. The lance is delivered by military force in wars (or domestic controls) that are justified as necessary in the vague (GWOT) Global War on Terror against terrorists everywhere, and this military power is endorsed by the political charade of a “Vichy America” government which is totally and guilefully controlled by the global Empire.”
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/opedne_alan_mac_070319__22economics_of_empire.htm
When I wrote the article, “The Economics of Empire”, from which these excerpts are taken, only 1 ½ yeas ago, it did not seem likely to me that the ‘corporatist Empire’ nominally centered in the US would be able to loot much more from the US’s own citizens (because of the already high GINI level caused by their previous looting). Nor did I imagine that within 2008 the ‘corporatist Empire’ would attempt such a massive and obvious looting of American citizens as Bush, Paulson, and the Democrats have just pulled-off that the ‘corporatist Empire’ would have to employ that “sharp lance in the eye” to our own people as they revolt against this crime.
However, it now appears that the time horizon of the corporatist/financial Empire’s Ponzi collapse is so near that the ruling-elite empire’s brazen, day-light robbery of trillions, and their certain need for "military musclemen" against US citizens is a boot already upon our throat.
This excellent article in ‘once upon a time’ by Arthur Silber, and the following by Alan Nassar in Counterpunch seriously address the likely fascist coup that we will have to confront from the ‘corporatist Empire’ with our continuation of the American Revolution to ‘rescue’ democracy from Empire’
http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2008/10/terrorist-state-abroad-and-at-home.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/nasser10032008.html
As Hannah Arendt presciently warned during the era of the Nazi Empire, “Empire abroad (always) entails tyranny at home.”
As the idiot faux Emperor Bush has said, “if we don’t fight them there we’ll have to fight them here.”
And now it appears ironically certain that we Americans will have to fight the beast of fascism right her in our own country --- but the beast of fascism is not in any way related to the phony term ‘Islomfascism’, but to the real bald faced fascism of the Global Terrorists: --- the ‘corporatist Empire’ in our own midst.
Good luck all you patriots and minutemen of democracy.
and
A lot of fol-de-rol about nothing. We've had more than a Brigade operational before and no problems.
During the Watts riots, the terroists bombings and assinations of policemen and firemen by domestic terroists, we had no active units deployed though they were ready. Only National Guardsmen and they were deployed later on.
We are not Germany and we have no SS to "inspire" our troops to obey. The comparisons to the SS and Nazi era are absurd.
No, we just have a military made up of a lot of people who think the President is great and still think Saddam and Iraq were responsible for 9/11. Don't think that just because they are well-trained that they are also intelligent and think rationally. The standards for enlisting have been dropping for years.
I'll have to disagree with this, at least as far as the Marine Corp go, his standing is far lower that his approval rating among the civilians and I would suspect that the percentage beleiving Saddam and Iraq were responsible for 9/11 ios much the same as the country as a whole.. And I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case in the other services.
"The standards for enlisting have been dropping for years."
Very true, but don't think for a minute those are leading. The men leading, sergeants and up would surprise you with their abilities and intelligence perhaps.
ive caught the master propagandist AMY GOODMAN lying so many times i dont even check her storys anymore. why she has any credibility continues to puzzle me.
Invasion of the SSea-Smurfs. Wow, sounds like a scary sciencee fiction.
I wonder if the SSea-Smurfs have got their brown shirts yet. But the Brownshirts in Germany didn’t have tanks, did they? Well, get your anti-tank weapons ready, just in case.
Hey, if impeachment is OFF the table, then Nancy Pelosi should be voted OFF the House.
anti tank weapons what? if amy goodman had her way you wouldnt even be able to own a slingshot!
Do not err on the side of denial. A legal structure has been put into place granting broad powers to the President. Any false flag operation could trigger it. Fear it. It is real. Make your plans accordingly. The dark side of Fascism is extreme brutality. History is replete with examples and it is upon our doorstep. It is happening now in America.
if this society collapses we will have more to worry about than a military unit made up of a few dozen soldiers, they will be running around like chickens with there heads cut off. There will be other forces to deal with also like the BLOODS,CRIPS,SURENOS,FAMINE,you name it will be hell. THIS IS TYPICAL unobjective,alarmist,commy propaganda. this woman is just as bad as rush limbaugh.
Your point about the vulnerabililty of the forces of evil is well taken. Armies not only travel on their stomachs (they need food) but they also are bigger peteroleum addicts than the rest of us. They are also in need of constant resupply of munitions which need factories and shipping to be delivered. In short an army with such dependencies is in its own ways as vulnerable as the rest of us--maybe even moreso.
That being said, this development does set a dangerous precedent for the dissolution of whatever is left of the posse comatatus laws against the use of federal armed forces within the nation they were suppossedly created to defend. Further, it is one more squirt of lubricating grease down the already too slippery slope of a democracy slipping into totalitarianism. Finally, it encourages repitition and institutionalization into the military command structure.
Four or five years ago many cities across the US saw their traffic interrupted and their streets populated by military men and women on exercise in their camo-fatigues. It was explained that this was to be a readiness exercise for when the Islamofascist hordes sought to sow chaos and unrest upon our land. Now we see ourselves as the enemies from which we must be protected.
My offhanded prediction is that the next step will be practice evacuation of populations to "holding areas" (translate concentration camps). When that happens my advice is "don't drink the Kool-Ade".
Poet
leftrighthater,
But it's true!
im more affraid of being thrown in prison for smoking ciggarets in front of my kids.
this military unit in the US is a very bad sign and the sign says F YOU
Sioux Rose
IOWA BLACKBIRD: Seems your voice in this forum and desire to be heard got you that "impromptu pulpit." You may have gotten lots of people thinking! I hope more of us find "a microphone" so we can reach those who have been so long bamboozled by the MSM only a hefty dose of truth delivered between the left and right temples can get through. Thanks for speaking for me and others in this forum.
Sioux Rose,
you're welcome.
i didn't mean to detract from the 'serious' nature of amy goodman's article w/ my personal antidote (consolidation of command and control coupled w/ elite army forces designed to respond to civil unrest - also in light of Earthian's excellent links concerning national directive 51).
but when we're talking about social disintegration, it's important to realize there are more working class people then there are upper middle class managers pulling down 6 digit salaries.
our power is in our numbers and our willingness to express social ills in social/economic terms (class warfare).
the elites are frightened of our numbers and the language/ideas of the left - specifically marx - proletariat, bourgeoisie, exploitation, class struggle, historical materialism.... (look what happened to the rnc welcoming committee in st paul)
the american masses have been spoiled w/ cheap food, soma and electronic distractions. these luxuries/poisons could vanish quickly. as they vanish, someone (hopefully we) needs to provide the masses w/ a script. progressive dems/socialists/greens will have plenty of competitors in the marketplace of ideas, as fundi christian ministers and armed survivalists will also be vying for the public's attention.
what was unsettling about my random encounter w/ the tv reporter, was the emotional disconnect. the reporter, from her tone, was very concerned about the little guy getting screwed, but i could see in her eyes as she asked the questions, a personal fear that that 700 point stock drop was effecting her 401k retirement account. it was a personal fear of 'what if i didn't have my nestegg', it didn't register as sincere concern about the people who already are living at the homeless shelter.
i don't think the reporter (on an emotive level) was connecting w/ me (a person who will be somewhat dependant on social security). i don't think she honestly (in her mind) has examined how we could effectively use $700 billion tax dollars for constructive social programs (like free socialized health care).
that disconnect is sincere/real (it's called greed), that's what's troubling to me, as i imagine many good managers/workers in nazi germany just ignored the living conditions of other human beings as they employed their nationalistic selfish racist ambitions.
governor palin's performance tonight (w/ her jingoist us/them.. judeo-christ/muslim worldview) just amplified the culture wars going on in this country.
i'm grateful for everyone who comments at this site. thank you Sioux Rose...
--------------
praxis...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praxis_(process)
"The concept of praxis is important in Marxist thought. In fact, philosophy of praxis was the name given to Marxism by 19th century socialist Antonio Labriola. Marx himself stated in his Theses on Feuerbach that "philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it." Simply put, Marx felt that philosophy's validity was in how it informed action.
Georg Lukács held that the task of political organization is to establish professional discipline over everyday political praxis, consciously designing the form of mediation best suited to clear interactions between theory and practice. As used by Paulo Freire, "praxis" is a synthesis of theory and practice in which each informs the other. Praxis is also a dominant theme in the political philosophy of Helmut Fleisher.[1]."
...peace...
Peace
Yes Amy is right, there is a real danger here.
Why do we need hundreds of detention camps scattered across our country.
Why do we need a mercenary army, ready to do the bidding of whatever corporation hires them.
Why do we have presidential directives for martial law, and under what circumstances this may be set in motion is not clear.
Why do we have an active army group ready to maintain order, whereas the national guard under state control performed this function in the past.
Why do I feel nervous about this, because my grandfather who excaped Nazi Germany told me that not in a million years did he expect the takeover of Germany by the murdering ruthless Nazi regime. As for 'stomping on the Average Joes', ask the brownshirts to give a history lesson.
Why is our liberal press being beaten and jailed.
Why the massive daily doses of propaganda. Why the illegal surveillance of our citizens.
Prewar Germany was in dire straights with high inflation, unemployment, and a poor national image. Yes the people did follow a crazy leader who promised food on every table and resurgence of national pride. It can happen here.
Yes there is a Dust Bowl happening now.
The entire Golf coast has been ravaged by storms, and that isn't going to stop.
Also, the Depression happened during a time when most people were living in rural communities, thus less dependent on cities and consumer stores like Wal Mart.
Also, the population of the planet now increases at THREE people Per SECOND.
Resources are running out. Much has been destroyed and poisoned.
We live on a finite planet. Breeding and shopping the world blindly into a corner, people now face the consequences.
The population of the planet increases at three people per second.
Besides the fact that back in the time of the '29 crash there were a LOT of small, family-owned farms and a large rural population that could depend on their neighbors' farms (trade services for food) - in other words, there were COMMUNITIES - there are several other significant differences between then and today:
-- the U.S. was not carrying such a huge debt;
-- America was still an industrialized nation (everything we needed or used was made here);
-- 100% of the oil we used came from U.S. wells (U.S. peak oil was still a half a century away); and, finally, (and this is just my opinion)
-- Americans we were a hell of a lot more self-reliant.
I gotta remove my shades just to see the present, let alone the future! Bright, my ass!
"no gods, no masters" --m. sanger
Imagine Sarah Palin flying low over your neigborhood while your friends are yelling for the two mile line to the soup kitchen to start moving. She has her pilot, named George, to tilt the wing a little to the right so she can get a clear shot with her 30-06 at the trouble-makers leading the "feed us" chant.
Yes, I think Sarah is up to the task.
"sea-smurfs" may be called upon sooner than we imagine to assist with "crowd control."
Don't know about you, Amy, or the rest of y'all, but tomorrow would not be sooner than I imagine.
Dafoe
Can it be what the GOP have in mind? A red alert with those three warriors, Bush, McCain and Palin leading us from the rear, defending us from ourselves. Can just see Palin with jaw set, warm live hands thrusting the moose gun up,like Heston did. Lord one cannot wait for the sequel. Who wrote this script, bolywood?
It gets stranger by the day
We in Los Angeles were the "test case" for the government in the chaos that erupted after the Rodney King verdict. The feds don't need sea-smurfs, they only need to do nothing and wait for people to beg for military intervention to alleviate the chaos and combustion that will occur if people act on their rage.
I'd leave SoCal, but I seriously doubt that there is such a thing as "safe harbor." Consquently, a friend of mine and I have been encouraging everyone we talk to to read Deep Economy, by Bill McKibben. Collapse, yes, but the very real possibility of creating something more sustainable. Fun, no. Possible, yes.
We in Los Angeles were the "test case" for the government in the chaos that erupted after the Rodney King verdict. The feds don't need sea-smurfs, they only need to do nothing and wait for people to beg for military intervention to alleviate the chaos and combustion that will occur if people act on their rage.
I'd leave SoCal, but I seriously doubt that there is such a thing as "safe harbor." Consquently, a friend of mine and I have been encouraging everyone we talk to to read Deep Economy, by Bill McKibben. Collapse, yes, but the very real possibility of creating something more sustainable. Fun, no. Possible, yes.
Alan MacDonald
Amy, thanks.
Bush (and all the political whores of this 'corporatist Empire' that rules us behind the facade of their two-party, 'Vichy' government) well realize that military force will be essential to deal with coming 'civil unrest'.
In fact, their own CIA publicly warns in its "Country Casebook" that "countries with a GINI Coefficient Index over .45 in inequality of income risk civil unrest".
The US is already far beyond any developed country in the world (which range between 0.23 and 0.32) while the US is above 0.48, and rising fast -- and this Wall Street 'bailout' will very likely push our GINI index beyond the level of Robert Mugabe's dictatorship in Zimbabwe (which, BTW, is ranked by the CIA at only 0.56, making it well within Bush's potential of beating, in his goal to become a real dictator).
The need for beating heads, and killing poor citizens to keep the screwed masses in-line is clear by the CIA's own advice!
[Note; the GINI Coefficient of income inequality goes from 0 (where income is equal among all citizens) up to 1.0 (where all income is in the hands of one person). Aside from the CIA's warning, even Alan Greenspan in his most recent (2007) "Age of Turbulence" admitted that the GINI index of the US was dangerously high.]
Is this military mission consistent with National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51?
Here is an article about it with a link to Directive 51 at the end.
http://www.progressive.org/mag_wx051807
Bush Anoints Himself as the Insurer of Constitutional Government in Emergency
May 18, 2007 By Matthew Rothschild
With scarcely a mention in the mainstream media, President Bush has ordered up a plan for responding to a catastrophic attack.
In a new National Security Presidential Directive, Bush lays out his plans for dealing with a “catastrophic emergency.”
Under that plan, he entrusts himself with leading the entire federal government, not just the Executive Branch. And he gives himself the responsibility “for ensuring constitutional government.”
He laid this all out in a document entitled "National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51" and "Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-20."
The White House released it on May 9.
Other than a discussion on Daily Kos led off by a posting by Leo Fender, and a pro-forma notice in a couple of mainstream newspapers, this document has gone unremarked upon.
The subject of the document is entitled “National Continuity Policy.”
It defines a “catastrophic emergency” as “any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government function.”
This could mean another 9/11, or another Katrina, or a major earthquake in California, I imagine, since it says it would include “localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies.”
The document emphasizes the need to ensure “the continued function of our form of government under the Constitution, including the functioning of the three separate branches of government,” it states.
But it says flat out: “The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.”
The document waves at the need to work closely with the other two branches, saying there will be “a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government.” But this effort will be “coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers.”
Among the efforts coordinated by the President would ensuring the capability of the three branches of government to “provide for orderly succession” and “appropriate transition of leadership.”
The document designates a National Continuity Coordinator, who would be the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.
Currently holding that post is Frances Fragos Townsend.
She is required to develop a National Continuity Implementation Plan and submit it within 90 days.
As part of that plan, she is not only to devise procedures for the Executive Branch but also give guidance to “state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure.”
The secretary of Homeland Security is also directed to develop planning guidance for “private sector critical infrastructure owners and operators,” as well as state, local, territorial, and tribal governments.
The document gives the Vice President a role in implementing the provisions of the contingency plans.
“This directive shall be implanted in a manner that is consistent with, and facilitates effective implementation of, provisions of the Constitution concerning succession to the Presidency or the exercise of its powers, and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (3 USC 19), with the consultation of the Vice President and, as appropriate, others involved.”
The document also contains “classified Continuity Annexes.”
The original link for Directive 51:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html
thank you cd editors for posting goodman's column,
i think amy's analysis is correct,
{"...If the economy does collapse, if people can't go down to the bank to withdraw their savings, or get cash from an ATM, there may be serious "civil unrest," and the "sea-smurfs" may be called upon sooner than we imagine to assist with "crowd control."}
also as the economy collapses.
a secondary economic 'crisis' (perhaps economic warfare against US elites) will emerge that will just amplify the impacts of economic meltdown on the average american - for example a concerted shift in trading oil from dollars to euros globally / say in direct response to further us expansionism in iran/pakistan - or a massive spike in oil prices in response to israeli air strikes against iran as the gulf of hormuz is lit on fire.
the weakness of our economy (due to greedy financiers and myopic consumers) exposes us to further economic deterioration, creating revolutionary conditions (france, russia, china).
obama (if elected) could through necessity implement broad social programs like roosevelt to subvert revolution (although i'm not holding my breath). the masses have to feel the suffering before any of these hypotheticals (civil unrest) play out. that suffering has always existed amongst the working poor, when the middle class begins to suffer - look for revolutionary change.
---------
on a personal note...
monday afternoon i was bicycling running errands. i stopped by the grocery store to by a bottle of beer, as i was leaving the store, unlocking my bicycle, i heard a voice...
"excuse me sir do you have an opinion on the house voting no on the bailout,"
i looked up and saw a reporter from my local cbs affliate w/ a camerman pointing a camera in my face.
"any comments"
this was the first news i had heard of the vote and the 700 point stock market drop.
i gave the reporter my reasons for opposing the bailout, - it rewards financial managers that created the problem, - it would be more effective to give the money directly to the people who are having trouble paying their mortgages, it doesn't solve the fundamental problems created by our american lifestyle.
the reporter asked me who i was,
i said i was a working class voter who lived in cedar rapids,
she asked me if i was concerned about losing my assets -
i laughed, and said many americans live week to week, they have no assets to lose.
then i mentioned that in my opinion the banking crisis is just a reflection of our own crisies as consumers, our personal debt for education, medicine, shelter - our addictive desire to consume using credit.
the camerman looked down, and i noticed the reporter cringing when i said the economic crisis should just play itself out without taxpayer intervention.
i jumped on the bike, said have a nice day and cycled home...
i didn't expect the reporter to use the footage, i don't have a tv, so it was kind of so what. the next day at lunch at pleasant surprise. my neighbor asked me why i was on tv, i explained my feelings about the economic bailout to her.
------------------------------------
the middle class has ignored the suffering of the working poor for a generation, the working poor barely grasp the mechanics of what is transpiring.
demonstrations in the streets are necessary, it's also important to raise the economic/ political discourse amongst the people we encounter everyday, that guy in the elevator, the woman standing next to you at the bus stop, our coworkers. we need to continue to raise consciousness as we take the hands of our brothers and sisters and lead them into the streets.
amy's correct, they will be more willing to dissent (like in argentina) when the bank machines don't work, and the county sheriff is evicting them from their suburban castles.
of course the police/army will protect property rights.
¡Ya basta!
...peace...
I wonder if Blackwater is part of this.
Of course they are.
The average American soldier earns about $20K and has been treated like shit for the past 8 years. Orders or not, it's probable many aren't in the mood to be "protecting" the bank robbers from the rabble, millions of whom are pretty well-armed themselves.
Not that said rabble will "revolt" - the 60s generation is too old, the Me generation is too selfish and has been pacified by "stuff," and Gen Xers have been raised to be compliant pussy consumers, over 60% of whom are fat, lazy and untrained.
Sadly, in the USA today, CodePink is about as close as we come to "revolt." I'm sure our soldiers are just craping their pants...
Just a correction to Amy, this is NOT an industrialized country anymore
Only if you discount the research, development and manufacture of weapons as an industry.
Or the preparation and consumption of fast food.
This is untrue.
There is still much manufacturing in the U.S. outside of weaponry.
It is just a smaller percentage of GDP than it was for many years, that's all. But this is true for most "developed nations" it is just exagerated a bit more here.
Appreciate the reality check. My exaggeration stems from being unable to remember the last time I read a label on a product that said "Made in the USA" (even something as simple and American as a baseball cap is produced abroad), and falling asleep whilst trying to digest the pink broadsheets.
Amy is quite right.
A broken and corrupt administration
A broken and corrupt legislature
A broken and corrupt rule of law
A broken and corrupt financial and banking system
What else do you need to compare to Argentina in the 90s, and if you don't think an economic collapse will lead to a breakdown in law and order in a country so militarized and so close to violence that it uses it for pleasure and entertainment, then you too are delusional. These people are citizens of a dying country, politically and economically, destroying itself, people being seduced again and again into self serving delusions, grabbing for the quick and easy fix of least pain, with as much thought and wisdom as heroin junkies and so they are led to their demise by the usual crew of sociopaths that have always been around ready to take their places at the head table of the infinitely hungry.
The world's most important country, if for no other reason, in terms of military destructive capacity (nothing to be proud of), having a tremendous show election to change from a teedledi-di to a twidledi-dum administration (the ultimate solution) each trying to perpetrate the same fears, the same delusions, and the same lack of leadership; a “Titanic” where captain and officers keep repeating “full steam ahead!” while raiding the strong box, and heading for the life rafts themselves, paying only lip service to a global sinking in terms of Climate Change, Millennium Goals, international security and global economic melt down, just to name a few holes in the hull.
What the credit squeeze really means is that the banks don’t even trust each others’ paper lies any more, and once the world “feels” broke enough to satisfy the big boys that are left, they can buy it all back, and you for that matter, all for just a song. But that is the next episode of lies and delusions…. Stay tune
Under the 'it couldn't happen here' category. Three weeks ago in my hometown, 24,000, the local police and the county sheriff's department, acting on erroneous information broke into a man's home and when he awoke dazed and confused at these armed strangers standing in his bedroom they tazed him. Even after realizing their error they still took him to the county jail, arrested for "resisting arrest"! This would have been unthinkable 10 years ago. The militarization of our streets began years ago and slowly but surely, like frogs boiling to death in water, we have become acclimated to accepting these atrocities. Nobody wants to be a chicken little but it is well to remember the lesson of the Jews who couldn't believe, and understandably so, that the holocaust was occurring until it was too late. 'Never again' might be a rallying cry for people who see this thing coming.
As for Blackwater, who needs them when these paramilitary training camps are sprouting up all over the country. Here in California a massive facility is being built and almost totally under the radar out in Riverside County.
I wonder where Blackwater will be, if (when) unemployment hits 12%, the bailout fails to stem the bleeding, credit becomes unavailable, and the out of work population for want of better things to do will pile into the streets?
Blackwater will be providing employment to a lot of unemployed people throughout this nation. They're going to need to hire a whole lot more employees in the coming years.
Where will they find the credit or capital to do so?
The Government that will face the wrath of the People?
Doubt it.
Banks? They're screwed in this scenario remember?
So that just leaves their own assholes, which would be interesting to see I admit.
GOOD LUCK SEA SMURFS!
Our high tech military cannot "contain" a tin pot ex dictatorship in a poor desert country, and that is with a free hand to bomb kill and burn at will.
Try containing amerykay from sea to shining sea, Who will do it? the military is broken, the gov is broke.
will it be the war of the rednecks against the will of the people? INSURRECTION I like the sound of that word.
Lets just see how this "disaster" that being manufactured by the banks/media spins out.
This is our media now folks, Let the transformation of our communities begin!
Alan MacDonald
Let the continuation of the American Revolution against Empire begin!!!
Get real Thomas More ! You and I know there is no economic crisis, however the Shock Doctrine strategy has beeen successfully utilized many times by Dubya and Company to create crisis where none exists and sucker 80% or more of the US electorate into drinking the kool-aid. It happened with tax cuts, deregulation, wiretapping, habeas corpus, torture, Iraq, offshore oil drilling, etc., etc. and is NOW happening with THE BAILOUT.
Emloying the Shock Doctrine to collapse U.S. productivity would have ginormous reprecussions on the economies of much of the other Nation-States of the World.
The U.S. is not some dink little "third-world" country with a 85% pure extraction economy.
Not to say they won't try it, just to say that they're insane to do so -even on their own "greed uber alles" terms.
We are about to find out if anyone in Congress has any courage at all. But you are right for sure.
Kucinich.
Alan MacDonald
Bernie Sanders does --- in spades!!
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=rHHUffxtqLU&feature=user
Bernie makes me proud ---- the others make me weep.
Go Bernie and Ralph (and the few other progressives on the left, who know we are facing a battle with this 'corporatist Empire' hiding behind the facade of its two-party, 'Vichy' government of co-opted political whores).
Amy is right.
I'm no survivalist, but I'd humbly suggest you take some extra cash out (you can decide what's good for you...a little or most) and stock up on some basic food staples and water. Top off the gas tank in the car. Just in case, until things calm down. If they don't you at least will have some food, water and transportation.
This really doesn't look good.
This whole nations economy is, and has been, on pins and needles for a long, long time. I believe them when say a crisis is at hand, although with this bailout, its only to protect themselves so they may survive--intact--or move completely offshore away from the fray.
I could certainly be wrong about this, but you and your family can at least be a prepared.
Storing extra food for the Winter has ALWAYS been, and will always be a good idea.
I'd just suggest people don't neglect it this year.
But remember that Wall Street and the Financial Industry isn't really "the economy" for most of us. It is the place where capital is raised and credit is lent for the large enterprises in our economy.
The problem when it fails is that many, many people are directly or indirectly employed by large enterprises, AND the failure of the lenders could lead to a cascading effect on monetary systems that could lead to runaway inflation, deflation, or a lack of legitimate currency in circulation.
So a lot of people are out of work, are holding worthless money, or can't get their hands on any money, that's all.
It could be bad, but would not be the doomsday that people seem to fear.
Remember a few things:
1. The failure of the credit and capital systems has NOT yet occured, and even when this happens there will be an interval period before most people really feel the hit. This period will be long or short depending on the level of panic -so don't panic.
2. The current crisis is from a combination of over investment in B.S. "derivatives" and the tying of same to home mortgages that were doomed to never be paid in full. If this thing is handled open-eyed and without greed, there need only be a long and deep recession until all these fake assets are worked out of the system and everybody knows what everything's really worth again. Downside to this is that the people who our "leaders" call "experts" are largely as blind and greedy as starving moles.
3. The "Dust Bowl" drought was a HUGE and often overlooked factor in the level of suffering for common people during the (last?) depression. Years of dry weather and a failure to understand the damage worked by mechanized tilling hit directly in the Heart of the U.S. agricultural regions, causing not just loss of land to small farmers but actual interruptions and shortages of staple foodstuffs. NO SUCH THING IS OCCURRING NOW! The droughts in the Southeast have for now lifted and have not touched the main Midwestern growing regions and the effect of mechanized farming is now understood and can be compensated for. As long as they all get their seed and stay afloat till Spring, the farmers won't even feel the hit until after the '09 harvest, and the '08 one is mostly in, stored, and ready for consumption.
Keep all this in mind everybody, but prepare for lean times, just as the previous 50,000 generations of Humans before you did EVERY Winter.
Don't Panic,
-matti.
My Y2K prep consisted only of the acquisition of 4 large bottles of Evian. >:-)
I might take my CCMRF prep a little more seriously.
couple of things:
during the vietnam war - towards the end of it - a "surge" was planned by the whitehouse which was rejected by the military as they felt they needed the troops on american soil for domestic security
resistance was growing
when the public realize they have been robbed by the bailout, and when their houses are foreclosed and their job disappear they may get upset - they may take to the streets to demonstrate
the government response will be to declare martial law, deploy the military to round the terrorists involved who will the be sent off the the fema prisons
read about them here, along with the powers that have already been ceded to bush to commence martial law, it an eye opener:
http://www.sianews.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1062
the nazis have landed
cheers, b
"resistance was growing"
It's difficult to convey in words, the extent that ordinary Americans realized that their only recourse was to take to the streets. The Executive branch would not listen and Congress was full of cowards who appeased lying administrations at every turn. The protests were effective because they gave lie to the spin that there was no opposition to what politicians were doing... and unlike today where most of the protest is hidden in a virtual world, the media could no longer ignore us.
Applying the "worth a thousand words" maxim, here's just one pic at one march in a long list of marches throughout the country. This was near the beginning of a march that lasted for hours.
http://www.knoph.com/pics/march.jpeg
This is what they are afraid we will resurrect. This is what can change history. This is why the fascists prepare.
Why are the NRA gun nuts so quiet about this?
They are always saying how they need guns for fightin' the government--so why aint they mobilizin'?
Too busy shooting deer I reckon.
Shooting deer is a wise thing to be doing at the moment.
A full larder reduces one's panic response.
Oakknot
I couldn't agree more
They have been trained to look the other way. In my place, Wall Street is treated as "patriotic" and as another church. Don't wake them up. They won't come to the polls. The only time they'll vote is if they're afraid they're guns are taken away. Sadly, some have been trained to vote only on the issues of gun control. I'm no fan of gun control but I finally decided to think beyond guns in 2004 when I was afraid things would get worse with another Bush term coupled with a GOP Congress. I voted for Bush in 2000, Kerry in 2004. Now, I really don't know who I want to vote for anymore or if voting is worth anything anymore. Nader looks promising but I don't know if he can handle a two party opposition.
Terrance Mitchell
Redfield, South Dakota
Posting active duty troops straight off the plane from a combat zone is crazy. Non-lethal weapons my ass. We hear about scores of soldiers returning home with PTSD and how hard it is for them to return to "normal" life. They will still be in their military mindset - only now they will be suspicious of Americans, not Iraqis, etc. When the first person dies at some "crowd control" scene, I hope the media doesn't twist the truth. But I'm not holding my breath.
These troops are not nut cases. Besises, do you realize how many other things would have to happen before a President could deploy regular troops? Its not that simple.
Concerns about the mental health of these troops is kind of beside the point, don't you think? The fact that they have been deployed here is unconstitutional, despite the spin regarding their function. Being frightened is not productive. BUT, nobody should be naive enough to think this administration, in the service of corporate interests, and fearful of the people it governs, is incapable of bringing down martial law, complete with whatever conditions they need to point to to justify it to the American people and the world. We're talking about a situation that walks, looks and quacks like a duck. Do you think it's impossible that it's a duck?
Where in the world did you get the idea that this is unconstitutional?
TM, you just said: "These troops are not nut cases."
Amy's article states: " These "sea-smurfs," Cavallaro reports, have "spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle," in a combat zone, and now will spend their 20-month "dwell time"-time troops are required to spend to "reset and regenerate after a deployment"-armed and ready to hit the U.S. streets. "
Dude, these guys spent 3 of the last 5 years in Iraq doing "full battle rattle".
You are nuts if this doesn't frighten you.
"You are nuts if this doesn't frighten you."
I'd have been scared to death every minute of that 3 to 5 years if I had been with them. If you show me a soldier that wasn't I'll show you a dead man or a soldier that was never anywhere near combat.
Am I scared because they have been in combat and are now here? Not at all. And they are not hitting our streets.
One BCT vs. the entire U.S. Population?
I guess I'm nuts, 'cause I ain't frightened.
Thomas -
I didn't say they were. My grandfather joined the army during WWII. He raised me, I lived with him on a daily basis, and I don't think he was a "nut case." That being said, he explained the mental transition period and how difficult that can be. He was shot in the chest, so he got to come home "early," but he still faced anguish.
And what part of this troop enactment do you not understand? Bush repealed the only safeguard we had against last year. It is a done deal. Blackwater has compounds in nearly every state. How does that play into this?
Absolutely! Coming back and readjusting is the hardest thing I can think of. When I got back, if someone dropped a book on the floor I'd hit the deck. If someone startled me I immediately positioned. Being shot just adds to it. Your first thought is "thats hot, then jesus that hurts, then why me"
You are thinking of the 2007 pentagon bill with the alteration of the Posse Comitatus Act I think. That was repealed by Congress in 2008 and the safeguards have been restored.
This is a quick summary of the Posse Comitatus Act:
"The intent of the act is to prevent the military forces of the United States from becoming a national police force or guardia civil. Accordingly, the act prohibits the use of the military to “execute the laws. Execution of the laws is perceived to be a civilian police function, which includes the arrest and detention of criminal suspects, search and seizure activities, restriction of civilian movement through the use of blockades or checkpoints, gathering evidence for use in court, and the use of undercover personnel in civilian drug enforcement activities."
I believe there has been some erosian of it, but not anywhere enough to warrent the concern she is talking about. Simply my opinion.
From Amy's article:
" While a later bill repealed this, President Bush attached a signing statement that he did not feel bound by the repeal."
Bush says law does NOT apply to him. HE IS THE DECIDER ! ! ! !
.
Unfortunately for him it does.
.
Nader says...
"Wake up Americans! Cut the crap and take over."
VOTE NADER/GONZALEZ 2008… You’ll be glad you did and so will I…
.
He lost in 1996
He lost in 2000
He lost in 2004
Can you help Ralph lose again?
VOTE NADER/GONZALEZ 2008… McCain’ll be glad you did and so will Palin…
This is also the first "war" fought AND paid for , by the poor.
The Natl. Guard and Reserve were never intended for 18 mo. "tours of duty", and it is illegal taht Bush order it. Some of these people are on their 4th tour. They were in Junior HS when 9/11 happened.
I wish one of our state governors had the balls to "recall" them.
Vietnam vets are treated liek trash, too. Hillary Clinton wants to re-visit that. Who knows.
Most vets who cannot PROVE "service connected diability" over 80% get NOTHING!! Not even medical care. I worked at a Vet Center. It is the shame of the nation. Among many other things,, of course.
The suicide rate is the highest its ever been. Rape is growing exponentially.
Its not that these people are inherently "nuts". Its that they are used and abused, and then denied that they were!
They did, however, drop IQ standards for the Marines (also high school diploma), are allowing violent, convicted felons in (like Robert Taylor--presiding over the Abu Gharib debacle), all to pretend to the uS citizen that "recruitment is just fine".
Gawd knows they dont want a draft, and to have their precious, rich babies have to file for deferrments, which could later prove embarrassing.
Unfortunately its like joining for a 4 year hitch, you serve at the pleasure of the President. Once they are activated, the Govenor has no more control of them. At least that was the deal last time I looked.
Mr. Moore, How much do they pay you for these posts?
Not nearly enough I'm sure. Could you arrange a raise for me? It would be much appreciated.
waiting for your list...
LIST:
Stock Market Crash
Setback in Iraq
Setback in Afghanistan
Setback in Pakestan
Setback in Congress
Setback in Tax Collections
Setback
Set
S
Frankly I regard this type of suggestion as fear mongering much akin to what Bush and Congress are doing in regard to the economy.
Our economy is nowhere near collapse, in fact this isn't much different than the S&L crisis and could be solved the same way.
The comparison to Argentina is absurd and I am surprised at Amy for the comparison.
I agree the comparison to Argentina is a bit much. Last time I checked, the U.S. was just a bit larger, more populous, and more productive. Argentina goes into the crapper and some IMF Globalizer-types make out like bandits, the U.S. goes into the crapper and so does everybody else -at least in the short-term. Who's gonna buy all of China's crap? Who's gonna feed all those tens of millions that get our extra commodity crops? Did Argentina's Navy control the World's Oceans? Did Argentina have 7,500 nukes pointed at everybody? Do you think if things get too nasty the U.S. is just gonna say "sorry" and go down quietly? They push us to hard and it'll make Germany's response to the Treaty of Versailles "reparations" look tame in comparison!
There are some underlying problems with the financial sector now that are quite a bit more fundamental and dangerous than what happened with the S&L debacle, but I also agree that this does not necessarily mean there is no way to avoid collapse.
But most relevant to this article, I would like to remind everyone that we are talking about ONE Brigade Combat Team here. What is that, a couple thousand guys? What exactly are they gonna do that's so scary? And since when does the U.S. need Active-Duty Army Brigades to keep the homefront in line?
Lots of the people that expect the jackboots to march down the street of their suburb tomorrow mention New Orleans, right? So yeah, let's remember New Orleans, no Army Brigades there, just the Arkansas National Guard and some Blackwater-types. And I seem to remember them mostly hanging around and keeping down abunch of peaceful folks around the Convention Center and in the Superdome while pretty much utterly failing to do much about the gangbangers who had taken over after the flight of the NOPD.
So exactly how is this relevant, and why am I supposed to be so scared? From where I live I could WALK to Canada without ever leaving treecover or mountain valleys, not that I think I'll ever have to.
I wouldn't call this "fear-mongering" like ~Thomas More~ does, but I would say it sounds a lot like the background fear and feeling of having no control that comes with living in a place as unnatural as New York City.
There's also a lot of "Leftist street-protester" paranoia here. Sure all the folks that go out into the streets wearing masks and demanding justice from some fascist in body armor are gonna have a hard time of it. But how exactly does that translate into an Authoritarian Police State for all of the "Average Joes" in the 'burbs?
They (Police, National Guard, Army) stomp on you all because they think you are all a bunch of spoiled-rich-college kid, commie-pinko-faggots who spit on the soldiers who "died for your freedom".
Do you REALLY see them stomping on all the "Average Joes" -many of whom are veterans or cops themselves- who just want their fair shake for the benefit of a small group of rich scumbags who are so Unpatriotic that they are willing to crush our Treasury with debt just so they can stay in good with the Central Bank of China?
Puh-lease!
Don't Panic,
-matti.
Not panicking is one thing, matti. Panicking is always counterproductive. But, being naive about what fascism really is is quite another. Suggest you read the book of the moment, "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein.
"wouldn't call this "fear-mongering" like ~Thomas More~ "
I'd agree, I could have been a bit strong there. Point taken.
I of course agree with the general line of your post.
The problem with the Internets is that "tone" is very hard to get across in short-form, high speed typing, y'know?
If we were sitting in a bar when you said that, everyone would have gotten how you ment it right away.
Thomas, please start paying closer attention. Amy Goodman is starting to put more of the pieces together. It happened in Argentina: it is happening here. It is global and it is matastisizing rapidly. The majority of the military is most likely loathe to participating in this scenario, but the New World Order (Global Fascism) has backup plans. "The Government is not your friend."--Infowars.com
Yes, there is fear-mongering, but FORCE is an integral component. Can you not see a pattern since 911 and the Patriot Act? It has happened over and over in history. It most certainly can happen here. There is not a government which represents We the People at this time.
Lerts all hope ya'll are wrong and I am right. The people here unlike Argentina are armed. You might not think it would make a difference, but it would.
Aside from the fact that I don't believe any politician would have much luck using our armed forces for that. Many of my old friends from Viet Nam are still serving, mostly upper tier officers, and many of the men they have trtained make up the non-commissioned officer corp. Based on that, all I can say is...its not happening.
It could go the other way however, if something like that were tried. Remember who is doing most of the fighting, the National Guard.
Yes I see the pattern developed by the lily livered cowards that have been in charge for the last 8 years, but they are on the way out. One way or the other.
You expose the underlying fallacy of this whole paranoid concept much more succinctly than I.
An armed general populace and a Military that would be very hard to turn on them.
I think this fear all comes from being "street protesters" practicing civil-disobedience and failing to recognize the special prejudice -rich college kids, anti-american, etc.- that the police and the military have against these groups.
Generalized use of repressive force against the general U.S. population?
Don't see it happening just because of some bank riots.
Don't Panic,
-matti.
Sorry, Matti, but martial law is still very much on the table. The banking crisis is only one piece of the orchestrated chaos. It could very well be another "terrorist attack, a pandemic disease--any one or more of many possibilities. The various presidential signings are there, including the secretive order of government continuity. Obama will not change anything. He will not be the ultimate Decider.
You are such a tool tommyboy.
What if your bank restricted access to your short term investment accounts beyond what had been previously agreed upon?... or perhaps said that they would only allow 10% on the dollar?
This economy is going down... the bailout won't prevent that. The forced dividend payout is just insurance that the corporatists can get a taste up front.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/education/02college.html?ref=us
Well I like to think I'm not a tool so I hope you are wrong.
I don't have any short term investment accounts or long term for that matter. I have enough cash to get by for a few months in case the banks go down, though my principal bank is conservative, locally owned and has no exposure to the mess itself.
The economy is of course not going down, into a recession, you bet and the rest of the world is about to find out the fallacy of delinkage. The bailout won't have any particular effect except to make a bunch of theives whole again at Anmerican citizens expense.
But if you are right, we won't have long to wait, it would happen within the month. We'll see I guess.
"The economy is of course not going down, into a recession..."
ha!
We're already in a recession. But I agree that it will be short lived... as it will quickly slide into a depression. The "tarp" that they are throwing over the truth will rot away soon enough.
This legislation insures the dollar will be devalued further. It most likely will be the last straw that pushes OPEC to eliminate supply that is denominated on a worthless dollar.
That will start the global feedback loop.
The reason that this legislation is being pushed onto the backs of taxpayers is that the Chinese and Saudis do not want to buy more worthless paper... especially to prop up companies that they can buy for pennies on the dollar when they fail.
And they will fail... no matter how much Congress would like us to believe otherwise.
I didn't word that very well, I meant to say the economy is not going into the dumpster, but we are going into a recession. And I agree we have been in one, since around December last year is my guess.
I don;'t knowe that they can delink from the dollar. Interesting to see what they do though.