Bush Extends National State of Emergency - Military in Streets of DC

[leveymg]

Don't want to be alarmist about this, but these two simultaneous items together are really jarring.

* First, without any discussion or warning, Bush announced yesterday that he has extended the terrorism-related state of National Emergency he declared after 9/11.

* Second, a Washington Post columnist tells us that today is the kickoff of a massive Pentagon exercise simulating the declaration of a martial law in Washington, DC and that military special forces and intelligence officers have, in fact, been deployed in force in the streets of the capitol.

Of course, this comes on the eve of the largest anti-war demonstration in DC in 35 years.

1)
Notice of September 21, 2005--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism

Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

Notice of September 21, 2005

Continuation of the National Emergency With
Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or
Support Terrorism

On September 23, 2001, by Executive Order 13224, I
declared a national emergency with respect to persons
who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism,
pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers
Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706). I took this action to deal
with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the
national security, foreign policy, and economy of the
United States constituted by the grave acts of
terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign
terrorists, including the terrorist attacks in New
York, in Pennsylvania, and against the Pentagon
committed on September 11, 2001, and the continuing and
immediate threat of further attacks against United
States nationals or the United States. Because the
actions of these persons who commit, threaten to
commit, or support terrorism continue to pose an
unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States,
the national emergency declared on September 23, 2001,
and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that
emergency, must continue in effect beyond September 23,
2005. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of
the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am
continuing for 1 year the national emergency with
respect to persons who commit, threaten to commit, or
support terrorism.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register
and transmitted to the Congress.

(Presidential Sig.)B

THE WHITE HOUSE,

September 21, 2005.

Filed 9-21-05; 1:07 pm]

Billing code 3195-01-P
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/e ...

******

2)
Now, read this:

http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2005/09/to...
William M. Arkin on National and Homeland Security
Today in DC: Commandos in the Streets?
Today, somewhere in the DC metropolitan area, the military is conducting a highly classified Granite Shadow "demonstration."

Granite Shadow is yet another new Top Secret and compartmented operation related to the military’s extra-legal powers regarding weapons of mass destruction. It allows for emergency military operations in the United States without civilian supervision or control.

A spokesman at the Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region (JFHQ-NCR) confirmed the existence of Granite Shadow to me yesterday, but all he would say is that Granite Shadow is the unclassified name for a classified plan.

SNIP

When that "area of operations" is the United States, things become particularly sensitive.

That's where Granite Shadow comes in. U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the military's new homeland security command, is preparing its draft version of CONPLAN 0400 for military operations in the United States, and the resulting Granite Shadow plan has been classified above Top Secret by adding a Special Category (SPECAT) compartment restricting access.

The sensitivities, according to military sources, include deployment of "special mission units" (the so-called Delta Force, SEAL teams, Rangers, and other special units of Joint Special Operations Command) in Washington, DC and other domestic hot spots. NORTHCOM has worked closely with U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), as well as the secret branches of non-military agencies and departments to enforce "unity of command" over any post 9/11 efforts.

Further, Granite Shadow posits domestic military operations, including intelligence collection and surveillance, unique rules of engagement regarding the use of lethal force, the use of experimental non-lethal weapons, and federal and military control of incident locations that are highly controversial and might border on the illegal.

Granite Shadow is the twin to Power Geyser, a program I first revealed to The New York Times in January. The JFHQ spokesman confirms that Granite Shadow and Power Geyser are two different unclassified names for two different classified plans.

In the case of Power Geyser, the classified plan is CJCS CONPLAN 0300, whose entire title is classified. According the military documents, the unclassified title is "Counter-Terrorism Special Operations Support to Civil Agencies in the event of a domestic incident." It is another Top Secret/SPECAT plan directing the same special mission units to provide weapons of mass destruction recovery and "render safe" in either a terrorist incident or in the case of a stolen (or lost) nuclear weapon. Render safe refers to the ability of explosive ordnance disposal experts to isolate and disarm any type of biological, chemical, nuclear or radiological weapon.

SNIP

There's still time. The full-scale exercise of Granite Shadow's capabilities and procedures doesn’t start until April 2006.

A note to readers: Today begins a weekly feature of Early Warning, namely code name of the week. This will endeavor to discuss some secret program of the government, sometimes with an argument that the secrecy is excessive, sometime with far more questions than answers.

*******

So, Mr. President, who is it who still poses such an extraordinary, immediate threat to our lives and safety? I am not so bothered by your potential power to declare martial law -- you could always do that in a true emergency -- as by the demonstrated fact that terrorist strikes seem to shadow the very exercises that are designed to prepare us for them. I refer, of course, to what happened on both 9/11 and 7/7 during pre-scheduled simulated attacks in New York, Washington and London.

[demnan]

1. Well now I am freaked

but I'm still going. Nominated.

[me b zola]

3. Me too. All the more reason to go is to not let the bullies scare us

THIS IS STILL MY COUNTRY, even if it doesn't seem like it all that much.

[tk2kewl]

8. Bringing the video camera.

If the shit goes down there must be evidence.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Any and all cameras, incl. camera phones.

The higher quality the better.

Download frequently. Arrange runners to carry CF and SD memory cards back and forth to laptops away from the action to get backups.

Fully charge all batteries. Have extra batteries and memory cards so you can give a memory card to someone without a camera when it is full.

[AllyCat]

10. Godspeed Demnan!

Wish I could be there. I'd still go too if I had been able to do it.

[mmonk]

2. Neither link works for me

[leveymg]

9. They were working less than hour ago. I kid you not.

-Mark

[leveymg]

13. Here's the Declaration - it's a .gov site

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-19157.htm

Oddly, I could not find it posted at the WH site, which is SOP.

Also, seems to have been posted on 01/01/2005 - strange. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Not so worried about the WAPO article, that was definitely up at the Wash Post site.

[leveymg]

21. Here's the WAPO report

Scroll down to the second item down - copy it, we may not see it again.

http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/

Some interesting comments follow.

[onenote]

50. its easily found on the White House site

As I've previously posted, there is nothing particularly sinister about the fact or timing of the extension of Exec. Order 13224 -- the National Emergency declaration that was issued after 9/11/2001 and that expires every year in Sept. and is extended every year.

Here's the link to this year's extension: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050921-9.html

And the year before:http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040921-11.html

And the year before:http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030918-3.html

And the year before:http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/09/20020919-9.html

My point: there is no link between this weekend's demonstrations and the extension of the order. None. And while there will be loads of security in DC for the demonstrations, as there has been for prior World Bank and other demonstrations, the city is not under "martial law" or anything close. So I urge folks to come to DC and make their voices heard.

onenote

[Kagemusha]

4. Just understand, these people want to grab power, not use it

They're afraid of the political consequences of a Kent State in Wash. DC. so they just want to bluff, intimidate, be seen to be prepared, and then leave everything to police so that they take the blame for anything that goes wrong. To them grabbing statutory power is a substitute for doing something real, same as invading Iraq to fight the terrorists, it's a substitute for things they'd rather not attempt like crack down on the Saudis.

[abluelady]

5. Seems Strange to Me

I would think the administration would want as little publicity as possible. Anything they incite will get them a lot of attention. Doesn't make sense to me.

[mom cat]

33. They will say that we were the ones how incited any violence. Be wary of

insttigators who might be plants.
Bush is a cornered rat and he might be drinking again. Be disciplined in your rage, but use all the verbal force that you can muster!

[abluelady]

36. I have no doubt

who will be accused of inciting. I am just surprised that they would want the publicity that inciting will cause, regardless of who the inciter is!

[FVZA_Colonel]

41. The possibility of plants has become a serious concern of mine.

But how could it be proven that they were just that, plants?

[Griffy]

48. I've seen video of a plant spraying mace while walking in crowd..

I cant find the link right now... but He was later IDed as a cop!

so be wary... Ill be there and ill have my camera! I am not suprised they will try to scare us... but I will be there no matter what! this is my country too!

[Horse with no Name]

6. I have a feeling we are going to learn what they REALLY mean

when they say "You are either with us or against us".
"Us" being "them".

[Hissyspit]

7. You are not being alarmist. It is NOT a coincidence.

Of course, they know we are coming.

[TNOE]

11. I'm beginning to thing we are already under

martial law - the Pentagon STOPPING people from testifying in Able Danger - does the military own the congress people now? New Orleans, not there to help or save lives but to put in military order? Probably same coming to a town near you right after Rita strikes.... the media being owned by corporations and no longer being the fourth estate, Patriot Acts I and II, etc., etc., etc. They are slowing peeling off the mask - but sooner or later - we're all going to know in a flash.

[Jackpine Radical]

12. WTF does this passage mean??

"the military’s extra-legal powers regarding weapons of mass destruction"

[leveymg]

14. It means, unlike the cops, they can shoot first, and then make arrests

Plus, the fact that the military normally doesn't have arrest powers inside the US, thanks to Posse Comitatus.

[CoffeeCat]

15. Obviously...

...since they are issuing press releases, via the wires, about their "covert" actions--this is an attempt to scare people and to intimidate people into not attending these marches.

What a bunch of marketeering thugs.

We have the right to peaceably assemble and protest in this country. We know it. They know it. The story ends there.

All of this is nothing more than colorful marketing, designed to quell expression.

Don't waste your time feeling any emotion about this. It means nothing.

[leveymg]

23. But, they haven't widely publicized either of these items.

It makes me wonder whether this is an attempt to intimidate people or a very quiet way of preparing for martial law.

I hope it's neither, and is just a case of misunderstanding or gullibility on my part. Really, I do.

[McCamy Taylor]

16. The military is planting illegal surveillance devices.

On Saturday, smile! You will be on DOD TV, with all your info being fed into some computer owned by Choice POint, the outfit that couldnt even put together a valid felon's list in Florida, so you know they wont be able to ID who was and wasnt at the peace march. If you get paranoid, wear a big floppy hat.

[Lochloosa]

17. Who has seen the movie "The Enemy Within"?

If you have not seen it, rent it for the weekend. It will open your eyes...

[DemocracyInaction]

Now I understand why FuckHead was speaking on Terrorism today

I wondered why he gave a great big rip-roarin' speech on it. Even surrounded by Cheney, Myers, Condi, etc. Gots me a feelin' these people are gettin' jittery.

[jillan]

18. They are so fuckin stupid, it's unbelievable!!!

Here they are with their 37% approval rating.
And they think THIS is going to help them on Saturday?
When they show police harassing mothers of soldiers that have died in the "War on Terra"???

We have been so wrapped up in the hurricanes, but looking back, it was about the time Cindy went to Crawford that chimpies #'s started to fall.
Katrina just added to the fall.

If they do this, all hell is going to break loose.

I'm so glad ** is a uniter, aren't you?

[stevietheman]

28. Cindy precipitated a drop that had already began in earnest...

in June, with the DSM disclosure and Plamegate in full roar.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Make Levee, Not War!

[daninthemoon]

22. "Bring it On" Not my sentiment exactly, but this * answer to anything.

[RagingInMiami]

24. I guess this means DC cops will be implementing the "Miami Model"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=148&topic_id=1695&mesg_id=1695

[leveymg]

26. Doesn't mean that at all.

The Saturday and Sunday events have permits. The crowd is going to be huge. It'll be a nice day for a mass demo. The DC cops and Park Police will probably not be heavy-handed.

But, those who intend to remain for "direct actions" on Monday that have been referenced, should expect to be jumped by a lot of large body-armoured guys with all manner of pain-inflicting "non-lethal" weapons. We know from Seattle, NY and Miami what to expect.

[Peace Patriot]

25. Could someone provide urls to support services for 9/24?

I can't go, but I'm available Sun/Mon/Tues (and subsequent weeks) to make calls to authorities, media, elected reps and home contacts re: any who are arrested or hurt.

It's my experience that large antiwar marches like this are extremely peaceful and safe, and that civil disobedience (if it occurs) is also designed to be peaceful and safe, and that it is ONLY the police who make a situation like this unsafe--for instance, by pepper spray hosing peaceful sitting demonstrators (as they did in Seattle) and other brutalizations, by filling the air with toxic chemicals, by mass arrests and brutal detentions, by creating "no free speech" zones, and other police state tactics.

Be prepared. (Take kerchief and water, for sure.) Stay calm, stay alert. Enjoy being with the people of this country--the true representatives of the MAJORITY--a great people, on the whole. Generous, tolerant, peace-minded, justice-minded. Join with others to deal with any provocateurs. Take a small fit-in-your pocket camera (still or vid) and backups (like throwaway cameras). Be prepared to witness and document--very important. Stay connected to other people in the march (form an affinity group, if possible). Be sure to tell people at home where you're going; get a contact number at home, and a legal number, to call in an emergency.

I think it's very unlikely that the Bushites want a melee in the capitol--they have such grave public disapproval problems at present--but we can't know that for sure.

It strikes me as very....what is the word?.... strangely synchronous, that a SECOND category 5 hurricane will be hitting the Gulf coast during this march. It's like a vortex of public opinion and nature, swirling round the criminals and thieves in our White House. War, massive theft, stolen elections and global warming all coming home at once. What an incredible time we are living through!

I hope and pray that the end of it will be American democracy restored!

[swimboy]

29. Synchronicity--for sure!

No such thing as coincidence . . .

[ClayZ]

27. May the spirit of Peace, prevail in DC

We, in Seattle join in unity!


http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2005/07/321755.shtml



http://www.answerseattle.org/

[Nothing Without Hope]

30. ***PLEASE, PEOPLE - READ THIS THREAD ABOUT BUSH AND MARTIAL LAW***

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4790112
thread title: Missing A KEY POINT in *'s speech: POWER GRAB FOR POTUS AND MILITARY

Please read all of this, including the replies!!!! This could be THE crisis.

There is so much back story here in the opening post and throughout the replies. He can declare martial law over "civil unrest" and according to FEMA executive order #11921, Congress can't even REVIEW it for SIX MONTHS!!!!

Here's info on these FEMA dictatorial powers in one of the replies in the Bush martial law thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4790112#4790882

The Posse Comitatus Act, which the GOP have eroded and want to destroy, is all that remains standing between us and Bush being able to declare martial law and becoming a military dictator when and where he pleases. Read about it here (in another reply in the martial law thread):
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4790112#4790545

One of NorthCom's MISSIONS is to administer Martial Law. The first head of NorthCom was General Eberhard, the same man who headed NORAD during the 9/11 attacks, when every single interceptor plane were coincidentally called off so the hijackers could complete their long, long flights into the most protected airspace on the planet. You think these people put the Constitution first???

NorthCom has been preparing for martial law. Here's another reply in that thread on this subject:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4790112#4790793

There is much, much more.

At a minimum, this is deliberate intimidation of the Washington protestors. We must contact Congressional members and demand to know what the hell is going on.

[autorank]

37. Great initial post and great follow up above. Read it and weep.

I agree that this is horrible. The horror is the stupidity of these idiots to think that they can get away with this. Talk about a unifying event for all Americans. They forget that this country is an armed camp with all the "hunters". In addition to that, the military leaders kissing * tush, there is the military which does not appreciate being destroyed with an impossible assignment that turned out just the way they said it would -- as a disaster. He'd be invoking a power that would present a great danger to the country; not because he would succeed but because he would probably ruin the economy. Investors would flee and people would be so distracted nothing much would get done. This is so very sad, so very dangerous.

[political_invader]

49. Thanks for this post goes with this Please read people

Nuclear Terror Drill to Go Live? Let's Hope Not

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/august2005/110805terrordrill.htm

[leveymg]

51. WP: 8/8/05 - Military plans to conduct "crowd control" operations

This WASHPOST report was linked at the site. It says the Pentagon is preparing for domestic "crowd control" operations, not just a response to a nuclear attack. See, below.

Another alarming development is the announcement earlier this week that Bush plans to be at NORTHCOM headquarters in Colorado on Saturday. The Pentagon states that the President will be there to observe the military-led response to the Tina hurricane disaster response. NORTHCOM is tasked with control of Pentagon operations conducted within the United States.

The Pentagon and the White House appear to be treating Tina and the DC anti-war protest along the lines laid out in the military planning documents described in the following article:

washingtonpost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/07/AR2005080700843_pf.html
War Plans Drafted To Counter Terror Attacks in U.S.
Domestic Effort Is Big Shift for Military

By Bradley Graham
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 8, 2005; A01


COLORADO SPRINGS -- The U.S. military has devised its first-ever war plans for guarding against and responding to terrorist attacks in the United States, envisioning 15 potential crisis scenarios and anticipating several simultaneous strikes around the country, according to officers who drafted the plans.

The classified plans, developed here at Northern Command headquarters, outline a variety of possible roles for quick-reaction forces estimated at as many as 3,000 ground troops per attack, a number that could easily grow depending on the extent of the damage and the abilities of civilian response teams. The possible scenarios range from "low end," relatively modest crowd-control missions to "high-end," full-scale disaster management after catastrophic attacks such as the release of a deadly biological agent or the explosion of a radiological device, several officers said.

Some of the worst-case scenarios involve three attacks at the same time, in keeping with a Pentagon directive earlier this year ordering Northcom, as the command is called, to plan for multiple simultaneous attacks. The war plans represent a historic shift for the Pentagon, which has been reluctant to become involved in domestic operations and is legally constrained from engaging in law enforcement. Indeed, defense officials continue to stress that they intend for the troops to play largely a supporting role in homeland emergencies, bolstering police, firefighters and other civilian response groups.

But the new plans provide for what several senior officers acknowledged is the likelihood that the military will have to take charge in some situations, especially when dealing with mass-casualty attacks that could quickly overwhelm civilian resources.

SNIP

The command's plans consist of two main documents. One, designated CONPLAN 2002 and consisting of more than 1,000 pages, is said to be a sort of umbrella document that draws together previously issued orders for homeland missions and covers air, sea and land operations. It addresses not only post-attack responses but also prevention and deterrence actions aimed at intercepting threats before they reach the United States. The other, identified as CONPLAN 0500, deals specifically with managing the consequences of attacks represented by the 15 scenarios.

SNIP

The plans, like much else about Northcom, mark a new venture by a U.S. military establishment still trying to find its comfort level with the idea of a greater homeland defense role after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Military officers and civilian Pentagon policymakers say they recognize, on one hand, that the armed forces have much to offer not only in numbers of troops but also in experience managing crises and responding to emergencies. On the other hand, they worry that too much involvement in homeland missions would diminish the military's ability to deal with threats abroad.

The Pentagon's new homeland defense strategy, issued in June, emphasized in boldface type that "domestic security is primarily a civilian law enforcement function." Still, it noted the possibility that ground troops might be sent into action on U.S. soil to counter security threats and deal with major emergencies.

"For the Pentagon to acknowledge that it would have to respond to catastrophic attack and needs a plan was a big step," said James Carafano, who follows homeland security issues for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank. William M. Arkin, a defense specialist who has reported on Northcom's war planning, said the evolution of the Pentagon's thinking reflects the recognition of an obvious gap in civilian resources.

Since Northcom's inception in October 2002, its headquarters staff has grown to about 640 members, making it larger than the Southern Command, which oversees operations in Latin America, but smaller than the regional commands for Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific. A brief tour late last month of Northcom's operations center at Peterson Air Force Base found officers monitoring not only aircraft and ship traffic around the United States but also the Discovery space shuttle mission, the National Scout Jamboree in Virginia, several border surveillance operations and a few forest firefighting efforts.

SNIP

Military exercises code-named Vital Archer, which involve troops in lead roles, are shrouded in secrecy. By contrast, other homeland exercises featuring troops in supporting roles are widely publicized.

Legal Questions

Civil liberties groups have warned that the military's expanded involvement in homeland defense could bump up against the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which restricts the use of troops in domestic law enforcement. But Pentagon authorities have told Congress they see no need to change the law.

SNIP

The command's sensitivity to legal issues, Gereski said, is reflected in the unusually large number of lawyers on staff here -- 14 compared with 10 or fewer at other commands. One lawyer serves full time at the command's Combined Intelligence and Fusion Center, which joins military analysts with law enforcement and counterintelligence specialists from such civilian agencies as the FBI, the CIA and the Secret Service.

SNIP

[leveymg]

58. NYT: Bush will be at NorCom HQ, Col Springs Saturday

NYT: Bush will "ride out the storm" at NorCom HQ in Colorado Springs
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/23/national/nationalspec...

After today's Texas photo-op, according to the Times:


He then intends to fly to Colorado Springs, the White House said, to ride out the storm at the headquarters of the Northern Command.

Mr. Bush can monitor the hurricane from the Northern Command's operations center, where oversight of the military response to crises in the United States is managed. It is at an airfield just across town from Cheyenne Mountain, where the military once monitored the Soviet Union for nuclear missile launching.

[Nothing Without Hope]

59. Anything to do with NorthCom sounds very sinister to me. I'll post more

on NorthCom later at the martial law thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4790112
Thread title: Missing A KEY POINT in *'s speech: POWER GRAB FOR POTUS AND MILITARY

[converted_democrat]

57. NWH.........

I just wanted to say thank you for doing all this research, and compiling it so perfectly. I really do appreciate it. Thank you for all your hard work, it is greatly appreciated!!!



:yourock:

[Nothing Without Hope]

61. Thanks for your support. SOmetimes I think I'm a fool when I work on

a thread as much as I did that one (and I'm going to be posting MORE there over the next two days - so please check again). It seems to reach so few people and interest even fewer. So your words mean a lot.

[leveymg]

68. THANK YOU, NWH! Reposted it at DKos

:toast:

[Nothing Without Hope]

69. Got a link? I'd like to see it and I'm not so good at finding things

over there.

[leveymg]

71. Had over 400 responses - #2 on DKos Recommended list yesterday

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/23/102830/522

[paineinthearse]

60. Thank you for tying this together.

These are (were) our freedoms, people. Just in time for the weekend's demonstrations.

[cyberpj]

65. wonder which one of their new terrorist weapons the Pentagon w/try out?

the one that creates ear breaking noise?

or the one that zaps you from 100's of feet away?

kick and nom'd.

[Terran1212]

31. My sister works for Homeland Security

And I worked there for 8 hours (contracted) as a role player during one of their "counterterrorism" simulations. Basically, my job was to go to spots around the capitol building (in atlanta) and watch the building for a bit.

The entire way I was stalked, tracked, photographed -- and I didn't even know it. And the "counterterrorists" didn't know if I was even one of the "hostiles" either, considering how the only way they had to pick us out was our actions (didn't know anything about us in particular).


They perform these kinds of intelligence operations and warzone-like spying in the middle of thousands of people. If you go through a big city ever day, you've probably been in the middle of one of these simulations without knowing it.

The fact that this one was announced is a little strange to me.
I don't support their secrecy, but I don't see the point of this announcement, seeing as they usually keep things secret.

[EVDebs]

32. Foundations are in place for martial law in the US

Foundations are in place for martial law in the US
By Ritt Goldstein
July 27 2002
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/27/1027497418339.html

<snip>

""Recent pronouncements from the Bush Administration and national security initiatives put in place in the Reagan era could see internment camps and martial law in the United States. When president Ronald Reagan was considering invading Nicaragua he issued a series of executive orders that provided the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with broad powers in the event of a "crisis" such as "violent and widespread internal dissent or national opposition against a US military invasion abroad". They were never used.

But with the looming possibility of a US invasion of Iraq, recent pronouncements by President George Bush's domestic security chief, Tom Ridge, and an official with the US Civil Rights Commission should fire concerns that these powers could be employed or a de facto drift into their deployment could occur....

FEMA, whose main role is disaster response, is also responsible for handling US domestic unrest. From 1982-84 Colonel Oliver North assisted FEMA in drafting its civil defence preparations. Details of these plans emerged during the 1987 Iran-Contra scandal. They included executive orders providing for suspension of the constitution, the imposition of martial law, internment camps, and the turning over of government to the president and FEMA.""

SUSPENSION OF THE CONSTITUTION...

[oxbow]

34. THE NEXT DU ACTION SHOULD BE FULL SCALE MEDIA BLITZ ON THIS!!!!!!!!

We cannot let this happen without comment. I'm gona be in DC, and so are all my fellow Americans. We need to do everything we can to keep this from going violent. We need all eyes on DC to watch these bastards HARD this weekend.

[malaise]

54. As someone who has been tear-gased a few times

I recommend that you take small wet towels. Put them in zip lock bags and cover eyes and nose if necessary. I'll be watching. Please post radio and TV links.

[buzzsaw_23]

35. kick

I'm going.


"To live in this process is absolutely not to be able to notice it - please try to believe me - unless one has a much greater degree of political awareness, acuity, than most of us had ever had occasion to develop.  Each step was so small, so inconsequential, so well explained or, on occasion, "regretted," that, unless one were detached from the whole process from the beginning, unless one understood what the whole thing was in principle, what all these "little measures" that no "patriotic German" could resent must some day lead to, one no more saw it developing from day to day than a farmer in his field sees the corn growing.  One day it is over his head."

http://www.thirdreich.net/Thought_They_Were_Free_nn4.html

[onenote]

38. get a grip...

"* First, without any discussion or warning, Bush announced yesterday that he has extended the terrorism-related state of National Emergency he declared after 9/11."

Guess what...this is the fourth time that Executive Order 13224 has been extended. On its face,its only in effect for one year. So each year, in the third week of September, the President has extended it. It is about as unexpected an event as the occurrence of Labor Day or the end of the baseball season. Anyone who sees any connection between this and the demonstrations this weekend is imagining things.

* Second, a Washington Post columnist tells us that today is the kickoff of a massive Pentagon exercise simulating the declaration of a martial law in Washington, DC and that military special forces and intelligence officers have, in fact, been deployed in force in the streets of the capitol.


If there is a "massive exercise" underway "simulating the declaration of martial law" in DC, it turns out that martial law isn't what its cracked up to be. I work a couple of blocks from the White House and I regularly attend meetings all around town, including on Capitol Hill. I don't doubt that there is some kind of exercise going on involving the Pentagon...there were an unusual number of helicopters around the Pentagon yesterday morning and today traffic near the Pentagon was totally screwed up. But downtown, life was absolutely unchanged. If there are Navy Seals all over the place they must be scuba diving in the sewer system 'cause I haven't seen a thing. Again, I encourage everyone to come to DC and to protest the war. And don't freak out because of some overblown reports about special executive orders (that aren't special) and commandos "deployed in force" in the streets (when there isn't any sign of them.) Sure there will be security around Friday Saturday. But that's the case everytime there's been a demonstration, whether its about the war or the World Bank or whatever.

Relax. Come to DC. Make your voice heard.

onenote

[leveymg]

40. There is something going on here. Most Americans have for too long tried

to ignore it. The more knowledgable citizens, people who live and work near it, have rationalized the adoption of extraordinary powers as a "normal" response by government after 9/11, or have become so numb by the creeping incremental militarization of American society that it almost seems not to be threatening, anymore.

Suddenly, it doesn't seem so normal to me. These measures, and all the rest that suggest an instant and unchecked ability to invoke martial law, are extremely, urgently, compellingly threatening. You see, I too live and work in its midst. My office is blocks from the White House and I live a mere 40,000 feet from the inner-courtyard of the Pentagon. I've had an up-close view of how Washington operates, and how it has changed. What I've seen, particularly in the last five years, frankly scares the hell out of me.

I do not mean to suggest here that they have ringed the Capitol with tanks, or that law-abiding demonstrators face mass arrest this weekend, but that this is only one order away from being carried out. The legal apparatus to do such a thing is now in place, and I do not trust the judgment of those given the power to carry it out.

These "emergency powers" and preparations for extralegal military action are not normal. They have become intolerable.

What is to be done? I will exercise my right to protest, to show them that I will not be intimidated, that I -- and millions like me -- still retain a veto over their powers.

This is still my country, and my Constitution, and no one is going to get away with threatening to take my rights as a U.S. Citizen away from me.

[greyl]

47. Thank you ! :) nt

[Theres-a]

56. Thanks!

[RobinA]

39. Doesn"t Sound Like News

to me. I was in DC a year ago and it was an armed camp. Police everywhere now look like the SS or some third-world military mercenaries. I won't go back there until times change. And I'm not holding my breath 'til times change. We're done.

[kster]

43. Be very afraid *co when the military and the

veterans against this chicken hawk war come together and join forces, you (*CO) and you're LITTLE media freinds will be the ones that have to be very afraid, GOOD LUCK.

This time you will not SPIN your way out of it.

Remember Kerry, he chased the enemy into the jungle, he is on our side, and against you *co.

Who's afraid now NITWITS.

[applegrove]

42. Simple matter of priorities.

[ladylibertee]

44. Thank you....He just never makes sense. Oh, but he's not on drugs?

[applegrove]

45. We are all supposed to learn how to be afriad of the things Bush WH

is afraid of. And to not care for the people he does not care for.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh

I hear he is at 32% in the polls.

[ladylibertee]

46. Ba Ha Ha Ha .Oh snap for him.That makes me feel a lot better

[FormerOstrich]

52. I think something is going on, too...

and I think it's greed.

This sort of veers off the thread topic but it does tie in. I posted this on another site a couple of days ago:

I found it curious that nearly every state that accepted Katrina victims was declaraed a National Disaster. I have felt certain the reasoning would eventually come to light. This article doesn't mention the declarations of National Disaster. This article is speaking of declarations of National Emergencies.

Look at a few of our current national emergencies:

1. Protecting the Development Fund for Iraq , May 19, 2005
2. Threatened Peace in Western Balkans, June 23, 2005
3. Repression of Democracy in Burma , May 17, 2005
4. Undermining Democracy in Zimbabwe , March 2, 2005
5. The Liberian Illicit Trade in Round Logs and Other Timber Products, July 19, 2005

I think we will find out (eventually) the disaster declarations will have similar implications as being brought to light in this article.

Personally, I think this is so much more important than party affiliation territorial pissing matches. I don't see any democrats stepping up to the plate in what I perceive as an assault on the tax payers interests. The very few in Congress that do seem to work towards this end don't have the exposure or means for the task.

Countries much poorer than us are financing us and our current way of life (spending). Yet we keep plunging deeper into debt to them. How long is that sustainable? I'll stay off the "tax cut" soapbox for this thread but keep it in mind.


Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big federal contractors have scored a major victory with yesterday’s news that House Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) and Representative Kenny Marchant (R-TX) introduced legislation that will waive meaningful taxpayer protections and competition in contracting whenever Congress or the President declares a national emergency or there is a disaster. It is rumored that the legislation will be included in a manager’s amendment to the next Katrina relief bill. Project On Government Oversight (POGO) has dubbed the legislation (H.R. 3766) the “Disaster Profiteering Act.”

The Davis legislation would allow agency heads across the federal government to treat all purchases related to national emergencies as “commercial items,” meaning that contracts can be made under a no-bid process and that the government would not have the authority to audit purchases after they have been made. A second, unrelated provision deals with Katrina volunteers.

The President has at least a dozen current national emergencies according to annual filings made in the Federal Register including the national emergency which he renewed last week in response to terrorist attacks. Presumably, this would apply to all homeland security-related spending and broad swaths of national security spending.

Contracting officers already have enough authorities at their disposal to respond to the Katrina crisis. Senior procurement official David Drabkin underscored this after passage of the Homeland Security Act in a 2003 memo where he said: “Remember, you have many tools in your acquisition toolbox that allow you to respond to emergencies”. Brigadier General Scott outlined the flexible procurement authorities as well in an October 2001 memo written to assist contracting officers working on the war on terrorism.

Of greatest concern is the prospect that homeland security and defense contractors engaged in billions of dollars in contracts on major systems designed to address the war on terror or some other declared national emergency abroad will avoid competition and auditing. These taxpayer protection provisions were established after the notorious era of defense contracting scandals in the 1980s. Government-wide, 84% of all contracting dollars are spent on a non-commercial basis, according to the Federal Procurement Data Center .

http://www.pogo.org/p/contracts/ca-050903-katrinacontracts.html

[mtnester]

53. They know how many people are coming

The only benefit of this is that MSM will not be able to divide the protest numbers by eleven, subtract 2 and then multiply by 3 to come up with "several thousand" when it is more than a million.

This is out of fear, period. And if Pretzel Boy is even near DC this weekend, I will be amazed.

Take care everyone who is going. We cannot as hubby and I are on Red Cross call duty this entire month...since most all our county volunteers are in the South, we are covering our area for the things local Red Cross chapters do...fires, etc. That made the DC trip a no-go for us, as much as we wanted to be there.

Again, take care everyone, but make your voices and outrage heard for those of us unable to be there with you in person. But, we will be there in spirit.

[cyberpj]

55. TAKE CAMERAS. Also - here is my most used MEDIA ADDRESSES list

so we can write to request proper coverage of this event - especially if there will be trouble. I'm writing NOW.

DIRECT TO EMAIL ACCOUNTS:

GROUPS

Center for American Progress
[e-mail]
Progressive Dems of America
[e-mail]

TELEVISON

[e-mail]
[e-mail]
(World News Tonight)
[e-mail]
(World News Now)

[e-mail]
[e-mail]

[e-mail]

MSNBC
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

NEWSPAPERS

NYTimes
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

Washington Post
[e-mail]

USAToday
[e-mail]

Boston Globe
[e-mail]

LATimes
[e-mail]

[e-mail]

MAGAZINES

[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

FOREIGN

[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

[Beam Me Up]

62. .

[liberal N proud]

63. What are they about to pull?

Can't spin a natural disaster so we need some Terra?

[Your_Moment_Of_Zen]

64. not to be overly glib, but. . .

If FEMA is in charge of this police state I'm not overly worried. Maybe I'll have to cancel my weekend poker tourney with Osama, Kim Jong and the rest of the guys but otherwise life won't be too different. :evilgrin:

[Nothing Without Hope]

70. FEMA may look foolish, but read this and your smile will dim:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4790112#4790882

It's reply #31 from the martial law thread and cites an article with information that should curl your hair. And I haven't even really started posting on NorthCom itself yet. Any hair left uncurled after reading about POTUS powers under FEMA executive orders will definitely succumb to the info on NorthCom - and that's just the info that we KNOW about.

Did you know that the first head of NorthCom when it was set up in 2002 was General Eberhard, who was promoted by the grateful Bush Administration to this position from his previous gig: head of NORAD during the 9/11 attacks when every single interceptor/fighter plane was mysteriously and coincidentally called off during the long, long flights of the hijacked planes into and through the most heavily guarded airspace on the planet. Never explained - the explanations du jour kept shifting and changing. You'd think he would have been courtmartialed for such a murderous dereliction of duty - but no, he was promoted to this supremely powerful position. Clearly, the Bush Administration trusted that he would follow their orders no matter what.

One of NorthCom's stated missions is to administer domestic US martial law if it is declared, and the POTUS can declare it whenever he wants.

[seemslikeadream]

66. kick

[converted_democrat]

67. ..