Civil libertarians have been concerned for years with the move toward greater use of the military in domestic operations by both President George W. Bush and now by President Barack Obama. The military continues to shift resources for prepare for large-scale domestic operations. Most recently, the Marines moved to create a battalion to allow the military to “be capable of helping control civil disturbances, handling detainees, carrying out forensic work, and using biometrics to identify suspects.” Now the Small Wars Journal, a respected publication closely followed in the U.S. military, has published an article entitled “Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A ‘Vision’ of the Future” by retired Army Col. Kevin Benson of the Army’s University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and Jennifer Weber, a Civil War expert at the University of Kansas. It lays out not just the military but the legal basis for military operations to crush domestic insurrections in the United States.
The authors write how the military must be prepared to act against citizens when they received orders regarding domestic threats to the government. What is troubling is the lack of balance in the article and the general assumption of legality in the full spectrum of such operations. What is clear is that, again, Congress is allowing for such preparations without any serious discussion or review. The assumption of legality will soon become the acceptance of legality in domestic use of military forces.
The article lays out how the existing policies regarding “full spectrum” operations require the military to prepare for internal campaigns against our own citizens: “full spectrum operations in the coming two decades (US Army Training and Doctrine Command, The Army Operating Concept 2016 – 2028, TRADOC Pamphlet 525-3-1, dated 19 August 2010, p. iii. Hereafter cited as TD Pam 525-3-1. The Army defines full spectrum operations as the combination of offensive, defensive, and either stability operations overseas or civil support operations on U.S. soil).”
The underlying scenarios are set for as soon as 2016 if the economy does not improve and unrest grows. Focusing on a town called Darlington, the article explores an order to “Fix Darlington, but don’t destroy it!” The authors write “We cannot discount the agility of an external threat, the evolution of Al Qaeda for example, and its ability to take advantage of a ‘Darlington event’ within U.S. borders.”
The authors write “once it is put into play, Americans will expect the military to execute without pause and as professionally as if it were acting overseas.” The article takes on a chilling tone, telling its many military personnel readers that “the Army cannot disappoint the American people, especially in such a moment.”
The authors spend comparatively little time considering the constitutional and legal barriers to the operations. They details how “Federal forces continue to tighten the noose as troops seize and secure power and water stations, radio and TV stations, and hospitals.” Yet, legal limitations are treated as largely irrelevant.
I have no problem with provocative articles exploring scenarios. This are issues that we should be discussing. However, the tenor and one-sided analysis of the piece is rather chilling. What is even more chilling is the lack of national debate as the Obama Administration continues the expansion of the military into domestic law enforcement and operations. It is indeed a “vision for the future” — the question is whether this is the vision that most citizens have for their government and themselves.
Source: Wasington Times
Well well, now more people will begin to live in the world I have lived in. I do not necessarily welcome having all the company, however…
Last Monday the administration was in court to overturn the stay on NDAA. They also refused to let the judge know if they had defied her stay and indefinitely detained a citizen living overseas in contravention of her legal order. It is the administration (not Congress) asking to overturn a legal order and further, refusing to comply with a judges’ order for evidence and stay of action. I ask the question, why this and why this now? (Of course, anything the administration wants as far as the abridgement of rights will be granted by this Congress.)
Apparently it never occurs to the powerful jerks running things that you could prevent social unrest by 1. addressing the actual economic needs of the people and 2. restoring the rule of law. However, these actions would require a genuine desire to make things work. That is obviously not the plan.
These people want power. To get it they have stolen public funds, they will abridge our rights, they have created a state of permanent warfare and are engaged in a strikingly effective propaganda campaign. It is all working.
Notice how al Qaeda keeps growing larger every day, moving in to all the places the US powers want under their thumb? Just as in 1984 the govt. created a permanent state of war to keep people in line, this wasn’t quite enough. The worst enemy was the “enemy within”. The 2 mins. of hate against anyone who questioned the govt. was necessary to truly keep people in line. Clearly, this playbook is being followed by US powers.
The one hope we have of confronting this utter lawlessness is to take off the blinders and see what is happening. This is a heavily armed govt. turned against its own people. People have been primed for our two minutes of hate, divided by race, class, and particularly by party. It is necessary to confront the hate priming that has gone on, reach out to others and use soul force to confront overwhelming military force.
One of the key elements of fascism is militarism.
One of the key elements of corporatism is allowing corporations to set national policy for their benefit.
One of the key elements of totalitarianism is brutal oppression of dissent.
This coup will be brought to you by Halliburton in conjunction with CCA.
So now that the sitting armed militia is ready, willing and very capable of shooting American citizens on American soil makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over……
The modern movement started with George W. Bush’s creation of NORTHCOM, and moves to undermine possee comitatus. NORTHCOM is active in Mexico under the Merida Initiative, and was active in the cleanup of the BP oil spill.
Under the 2008 NDAA, this movement was accelerated:
“For the last two years, the President’s Budget Submissions for the Department of Defense have included purchases of a significant amount of combat equipment, including armored vehicles, helicopters and even artillery, under an obscure section of the FY2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the purposes of “homeland defense missions, domestic emergency responses, and providing military support to civil authorities.” Items purchased under the section include combat vehicles, tanks, helicopters, artillery, mortar systems, missiles, small arms and communications equipment. Justifications for the budget items indicate that many of the purchases are part of routine resupply and maintenance, yet in each case the procurement is cited as being “necessary for use by the active and reserve components of the Armed Forces for homeland defense missions, domestic emergency responses, and providing military support to civil authorities” under section 1815 of the FY2008 NDAA.”
http://publicintelligence.net/u-s-domestic-contingency-purchasing/
woody voinche
1, August 13, 2012 at 10:39 am
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Thank You!
Agree totally w/ all that this is scary. However, what also scares me is how we Americans would react to a pandemic or economic conditions akin to the Great Depression. I don’t know the answer on how we should be prepared for those possibilities. You all do realize the civility of our culture since the 1918 pandemic and the 1930’s Depression has declined greatly. So, how should we prepare? This is not a sarcastic or judgemental question, I don’t know.
Congressman john lewis letter on FBI repression of anti-war activists…
… http://www.stopfbi.net/sites/default/files/john_lewis_20110513_163242.pdf …
mespo727272
1, August 13, 2012 at 10:26 am
I find this very planning unconstitutional and shocking.
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Mespo, what Lawyers organization is working to counter this? You know, in a time effective manner so that it does not become more moot history…..
‘To All Innocent Fifth Columnists’ excerpt:
“And if you — in the privacy of your own mind — believe so strongly in some particular good of yours that you would be willing to deprive men of all rights for the sake of this good, then you are as guilty of all the horrors of today as Hitler and Stalin. These horrors are made possible only by men who have lost all respect for single, individual human beings, who accept the idea that classes, races, and nations matter, but single persons do not, that a majority is sacred, but a minority is dirt, that herds count, but Man is nothing.” ~Ayn Rand
http://fare.tunes.org/liberty/library/taifc.html
I agree with her on this statement
Hasnt this been going on with FBI investigation of groups exercising 1st Amendment rights…and a violation of other rights…does a citizen have a case against the FBI when the FBI has investigated that citizen for exercising those rights … http://www.stopfbi.net/ …
Not only scary, but possible true.
You have to read he writing on the wall.
http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/5831
I find this very planning unconstitutional and shocking. We don’t need our military planning for ways to control Americans. It is supposed to work the other way around.
As Mike S. stated, I am surprised that this kind of planning was allowed to be made public. It is scary.
I’m assuming that when all this would be taking place it would be under martial law and there would BE on Constitution. Oh! Kind of like it is now!
It is also unfortunately related to Romney and Ryan emerging from a battleship, because their Ayn Rand philosophy will cause an uprising if implemented.
One cannot fully understand Ryan and this election unless they understand Ayn Rand:
(Ayn Rand: Patron Saint of The Plutocracy). She was so clueless that she called a psychopath “Superman”, “the perfect man”, and the ideal Amercian man.
That man, unbeknownst to fans, as psychopaths tend to be, cut off the legs of a young child he kidnapped, also robbed, pillaged, and murdered multiple times.
they didn’t see Ironman II????
apparently the 2012 apocalyptics were correct….
The only way I can put my reaction is that I’m shocked, but not surprised. I’ve expected that this type of thinking has existed in the Military, Intelligence and Industrial Complex for a long time. That they choose to publicize it now does add a chilling urgency.
Many of us have been wondering when they would blatantly come out of the closet.
Very timely post JT.