Coup d'Etat in America?

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Coup d'Etat in America?

by

Michel Chossudovsky

 

The URL of this article is:

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO407B.html

This article is a follow-up on an earlier text

entitled:

Bush Administration " Guidelines " for Postponing or

Canceling the November Presidential Elections, by

Michel Chossudovsky,

10 July 2004,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO407C.html

______

 

 

Based on so-called " credible " reports, Homeland

Security Secretary Tom Ridge has warned that Osama is

now " planning to disrupt the November elections. " A

large-scale attack on American soil is said to be

planned by Al Qaeda during the presidential election

campaign:

 

" …Credible reporting indicates that Al Qaeda is moving

forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale

attack in the United States in an effort to disrupt

our democratic process... This is sobering information

about those who wish to do us harm... But every day we

strengthen the security of our nation. " (Quoted in AP,

8 July 2004)

 

" Possible targets " include the Democratic National

Convention in July and the Republican Convention in

New York in August.

 

Barely a few days prior to Tom Ridge's spectacular

announcement, a spokesman of Northern Command

Headquarters at Patterson Air Force Base in Colorado

confirmed that Northcom (which has a mandate to defend

the Homeland) was " at a high level of readiness " and

was proceeding with the (routine) deployment of jet

fighters over major cities as well as the posting of

troops at key locations (Atlantic Journal and

Constitution, 3 July 2004).

 

 

Cancelling or Postponing the Elections

This new terror warning by Homeland Security, not to

mention the impending military deployment, has served

to create an aura of insecurity concerning the

November presidential elections.

 

Meanwhile, postponement of the election has become a

talking point on major news channels including CNN,

following the release of a letter by the Director of

the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to Homeland

Security Secretary Tom Ridge, calling for so-called

" guidelines " to cancel or reschedule the election in

the case of a terror attack

 

For details, see

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO407C.html.

 

Legal procedures for cancelling/rescheduling the

elections are under study, at the request of DHS

Secretary Tom Ridge, by the Justice Department's

Office of Legal Counsel, which is examining the legal

and constitutional implications. (Washington Post, 14

July, 2004)

 

The Military and Intelligence apparatus working in

liaison with Homeland Security and the Federal

Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) are indelibly

behind this process, pointing to the unthinkable: the

possibility of a coup d'etat in America.

 

Meanwhile, the cancellation / rescheduling of

elections issue is presented to public opinion as a

mere technical question, as a means of " protecting

democracy, " in the case of a terror attack. CNN has

asked people " to vote " on their website, on whether

they think the elections should be held in the case of

a terror attack. It all sounds very democratic.

 

 

Crying Wolf on Terrorism. Who is the Wolf?

The terror alert level has been raised to orange (high

alert) five times since September 11, 2001. There have

been numerous other terror warnings since the " color

coded " alert system was first established in the wake

of 9/11.

 

There is, however, evidence from police sources that

at least two of these five high profile post-9/11 code

orange terror alerts were fabricated: February 7,

2003, and December, 21, 2003.

 

For details and documentary evidence, see

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO402A.html.

 

There is also ample evidence that Al Qaeda is a

creation of the US intelligence apparatus and that the

terror network is supported by the Bush

Administration.

 

See:

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/11SEPT309A.html,

http://globalresearch.ca//by-topic/sept11/,

 

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CRG204A.html.

 

The most recent DHS announcement has all the

appearances of yet another fabricated report of an

impending attack by an illusive " outside enemy. " It is

already amply documented: Al Qaeda is a CIA sponsored

" intelligence asset, " and the disinformation regarding

the terror attacks emanates out of US intelligence.

 

See: http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO405E.html.

 

Details of the police/intelligence investigation

regarding Secretary Tom Ridge's July terror warning

have not been provided. Officials have said the USG

" does not have specific knowledge about where, when or

how such an attack would take place, " but the CIA, the

FBI and other agencies are said to be " actively

working to gain that knowledge. "

 

 

Code Red Alert and Martial Law

The possibility of a code red terror alert has been

announced time and again since September 11 2001, with

a view to galvanizing public opinion across the

country in support of an emergency situation, if and

when it occurs. The terror alerts have become part of

America's day to day life:

 

" at each threat condition [yellow, orange, red],

federal departments and agencies would implement a

corresponding set of 'Protective Measures' to further

reduce vulnerability or increase response capability

during a period of heightened alert. "

 

See: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/security.pdf.

 

Supported by a barrage of media propaganda, these

repeated terror alerts have created an environment of

fear and intimidation, a wait-and-accept attitude, a

false normality. US citizensare led to believe that a

military solution is required to protect democracy.

 

In other words, the possibility of an impending attack

on America by this " outside enemy " has been accepted

by the American public; this tacit acceptance has set

the stage for the adoption of " the highest threat

level " : code red alert.

 

What the US public is not aware of, is that a code red

alert suspends civilian government; it triggers a

whole series of emergency procedures; it is tantamount

to a coup d'etat -- although in many regards the coup

d'etat has already taken place under the post-9/11

anti-terrorist legislation and the rigging of the 2000

elections which brought George W. Bush intothe White

House.

 

 

Preparing for Code Red

Homeland Security (DHS) has in fact been contemplating

a code red alert " scenario " -- using Al Qaeda as a

pretext -- for more than a year. In May 2003, the DHS

conducted a major " anti-terrorist exercise " entitled

TOPOFF 2. The latter was described as " the largest and

most comprehensive terrorism response and homeland

security exercise ever conducted in the United

States. " The exercise was based on code red

assumptions involving a simulated terrorist attack.

See:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO402A.html. A

code red alert, according to the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA), would create conditions for

the ( " temporary " we are told) suspension of the normal

functions of civilian government, implying the

cancellation or postponement of federal and State

elections.

 

According to FEMA, code red would:

 

Increase or redirect personnel to address critical

emergency needs; Assign emergency response personnel

and pre-position and mobilize specially trained teams

or resources; monitor, redirect, or constrain

transportation systems; and close public and

government facilities not critical forcontinuity of

essential operations, especially public safety.(FEMA,

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/security.pdf )

 

Northern Command would take over. Several functions of

civilian administration would be suspended; others

could be transferred to the jurisdiction of the

military. More generally, the procedure would disrupt

government offices, businesses, schools, public

services, transportation, etc.

 

A secret " Shadow Government " under the classified

" Continuity of Operations Plan " was installed on

September 11, 2001.(See:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A205842002Feb28?language=printer

). Known internally as " Continuity of Government " or

COG, the secret shadow government would become

functional in the case of a code red alert,

redeploying key staff to secret locations.

 

Code red alert would, according to FEMA, also preclude

and repress any form of public gathering or citizens'

protest which questions the legitimacy of the

emergency procedures and the installation of a police

state. The emergency authorities would also exert

tight censorship over the media and would no doubt

paralyze the alternative news media on the internet.

 

Code red alert would trigger the " civilian " Homeland

Emergency response system. The latteris already in

place including DHS Ready.Gov instructions, the Big

Brother Citizen Corps, not to mention the USAonWatch

or Neighborhood Watch Program which has a mandate to

" identify and report suspicious activity in

neighbourhoods " across America.

 

 

The Role of the Military

What would be the involvement of the Military in a

code red emergency situation?

 

In theory, The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prevents

the military from intervening in civilian police and

judicial functions.

 

In practice, the Posse Comitatus Act is dead (see

Frank Morales at

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/MOR309A.html ).

 

The existing legislation inherited from the Clinton

administration, not to mention the post 9/11 Patriot

Acts I and II, " blurs the line between military and

civilian roles, " it allows the military to intervene

in judicial and law enforcement activities even in the

absence of an emergency situation.

 

The 1996 legislation allowed the military to intervene

in the case of a national emergency (e.g., a terrorist

attack). Clinton's 1999 Defense Authorization Act

(DAA) extended those powers by creating an " exception "

to the Posse Comitatus Act, which permits the military

to be involved in civilian affairs " regardless of

whether there is an emergency. " See ACLU at:

http://www.aclu.org/NationalSecurity/NationalSecurity.cfm?ID=8683 & c=24.

 

In other words, the Clinton era legislation had

already laid the legal and ideological foundations of

the " war on terrorism. "

 

In the context of the war on terrorism, the so-called

" exception " contained in the 1999 DAA legislation

nullifies the provisions of the Posse Comitatus Act:

 

" The new proposed exception to the Posse Comitatus Act

would further expand a controversial measure adopted

by Congress in 1996 that permitted military

involvement in 'emergencies' involving chemical and

biological weapons crimes.

 

" Under that new measure, which was proposed by the

Defense Department, the military would be authorized

to deal with crimes involving any chemical or

biological weapons -- or any other weapon of mass

destruction -- regardless of whether there is an

'emergency.' In addition, the new proposal would lift

requirements that the military be reimbursed for the

cost of its intervention, thus likely increasing the

number of requests for military assistance.

 

" 'Under this new provision,' Nojeim said, 'the mere

threat of an act of terrorism would justify calling in

military units. That represents a loophole large

enough to drive a battalion of army tanks through.'

 

" The defense authorization bill would also require the

Pentagon to develop a plan to assign military

personnel to assist Customs and the Immigration and

Naturalization Service to 'respond to threats to

national security posed by entry into the U.S. of

terrorists or drug traffickers.' "

 

Despite this 1999 " exception " " to the Posse Comitatus

Act, which effectively invalidates it, thePentagon and

Homeland Security, anxious to remove all ambiguities,

are nonetheless actively lobbying the US Congress for

the outright repeal of the 1878 legislation.

 

" New rules are needed to clearly set forth the

boundaries for the use of federal military forces for

homeland security. The Posse Comitatus Act is

inappropriate for modern times and needs to be

replaced by a completely new law...

 

" It is time to rescind the existing Posse Comitatus

Act and replace it with a new law... The Posse

Comitatus Act is an artefact of a different

conflict-between freedom and slavery or between North

and South, if you prefer. Today's conflict is also in

a sense between freedom and slavery, but this time it

is between civilization and terrorism. New problems

often need new solutions, and a new set of rules is

needed for this issue.

 

President Bush and Congress should initiate action to

enact a new law that would set forth in clear terms a

statement of the rules for using military forces for

homeland security and for enforcing the laws of the

United States. " --John R. Brinkerhoff, former

associate director for national preparedness of the

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),

http://www.homelandsecurity.org/journal/Articles/brinkerhoffpossecomitatus.htm

 

Senator Joseph Biden (a Democrat), former Chairman of

the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has

also being waging, since the mid-1990s, a battle for

the repeal of the Posse Comitatus Act.

 

 

The Patriot Legislation

In turn, the Bush administration Patriot Acts have set

the groundwork of a police state. In minute detail,

they go much further in setting the stage for the

militarization of civilian institutions.

 

The various provisions are very detailed and precise.

The USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001 entitled " Providing

Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct

Terrorism Act of 2001 " as well as the " Domestic

Security Enhancement Act of 2003, " (PATRIOT Act II)

create the conditions for the militarization of

justice and police functions.

 

Even under a functioning civilian government, the

PATRIOT Acts have already instated several features of

martial law. The extent to which they are applied is

at the discretion of the military authorities.

 

The 2003 Patriot Act II goes much further in extending

and enlarging the " Big Brother functions " of control

and surveillance of people. It vastly expands the

surveillance powers, providing government access to

personal bank accounts, information on home computers,

telephone wire tapping, credit card accounts, etc. For

further details, see Ratical.org at

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/USAPA2.html#DSEAanalysis

 

 

The Northern Command (Northcom)

The Northern Command (Northcom) (based at Peterson Air

Force Base, Colorado) was set up in April 2002

specifically in the context of the pre-emptive war on

terrorism.

 

The creation of Northcom is consistent with the de

facto repeal of the Posse Comitatus Act. In fact, the

position of a " Homeland Defense Command " leader " in

the event of a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, " had

already been envisaged in early 1999 by Clinton's

Defense Secretary William Cohen.

(http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Civil_Liberties/Posse_Comitatus_Law.html

).

 

Following the Bush Administration's decision to create

Northcom, the White House instructed Justice

Department lawyers " to review the Posse Comitatus law

in light of new security requirements in the war on

terrorism. " The 1878 Act was said to " greatly restrict

the military's ability to participate in domestic law

enforcement. " (National Journal, Government Record, 22

July 2002)

 

The role of Northern Command is defined in the

Pentagon's " Joint Doctrine for Homeland Security

(JP-26). " The latter constitutes a blueprint on how to

defend the Homeland. Even inthe case where the enemy

is fabricated, and this is known at the highest levels

of military-intelligence, a military coup d'etat would

become operational in terms of the detailed command

military/ security provisions contained in this

document (click here to consult JP-26).

 

 

Figure 1. Excerpt from J-36 " Joint Doctrine for

Homeland Security " (declassified public document)

 

According to Frank Morales, " the scenario of a military

take-over of America is unfolding. " And Northern

Command is the core military entity in this takeover

and militarization of civilian institutions.

 

Northcom has a mandate to " defend the homeland "

against this illusive " outside enemy " which is said to

be threatening the security of America. As indicated

above, however, it has been amply documented that this

outside enemy, Al Qaeda, is in fact a CIA

" intelligence asset. " There is an extensive

bibliography on this subject. See for instance

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/11SEPT309A.html;

http://globalresearch.ca//by-topic/sept11/;

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CRG204A.html.

 

The Northern Command Mission includes a number of

non-military functions, including " crisis management,

consequence management, and other domestic civil

support. " See:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/northcom.htm

This implies " military support to federal, state and

local authorities in the event of a terror attack. "

See: http://www.dawn.com/2002/04/18/int1.htm

 

Northcom has what David Isenberg describes as " a

Creeping Civilian Mission. " Since its inception, it

has been building capabilities in domestic

intelligence and law enforcement1. It is [through the

DoD] in permanent liaison with the DHS and the Justice

Department2. It has several hundred FBI and CIA

officers stationed at its headquarters in Colorado. It

is in permanent liaison, through an advanced

communications system, with municipalities and

domestic civilian law enforcement agencies around the

country3. (See Isenberg, op. cit.).

 

Meanwhile the CIA, which has a unit operating out of

Northcom, has extended its mandate to issues of

" domestic intelligence. "

 

According to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge (22

December 2003): " If we go to

 Red ... it

basically shuts down the country. " In which case, a

national emergency is declared. Northern Command

deploys its forces on air, land and sea. Several

functions of civilian government are transferred to

Northcom headquarters, which already has the

structures which enable it to oversee and supervise

civilian institutions.

 

In other words, Northcom's " command structure " would

be activated in the case of a code red terror alert.

But Northcom does not require, in accordance with the

provisions of the 1999 DAA, a terror alert, an attack

or a war-like situation to intervene in the country's

civilian affairs.

 

To prepare for new " law enforcement " missions for the

military within America, overseen by the Northern

Command, the Center for Law and Military Operations,

based in Charlottesville, Virginia has published a

" useful " handbook entitled Domestic Operational Law

for Judge Advocates. According to Frank Morales, the

handbook:

 

" attempts to solidify, from a legal standpoint,

Pentagon penetration of America and its 'operations

other than war,' essentially providing the U.S.

corporate elite with lawful justification for its

class war against the American people, specifically

those that resist the 'new world law and order'

agenda. " (Frank Morales, " Homeland Defense and the

Militarization of America, " Global Outlook, No. 6,

Winter 2004,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/MOR309A.html )

 

According to Morales, " the 'war on terrorism' is the

cover for the war on dissent. " (Ibid)

 

The jurisdiction of the Northern Command now extends

from Mexico to Alaska. Under ( " bi-national " )

agreements signed with neighbouring countries,

Northern Command can intervene and deploy its forces

and military arsenal on land, air and sea in Canada

(extending into its Northern territories), throughout

Mexico and in parts of the Caribbean.

(See:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/northcom.htm

)

 

Taken together, the existing legislation grants the

military extensive rights to intervene in any

" emergency situation, " in practice, without the prior

approval of the Commander in Chief.

 

 

Concluding Remarks

America is at the crossroads of the most serious

crisis in its history.

 

An Al Qaeda sponsored terrorist attack is being

contemplated as a " trigger mechanism " for carrying out

a coup d'etat.

 

Whether it is going to be carried out is another

matter. The statements of the Bush administration

regarding the possibility of a red code alert must,

nonetheless, be taken seriously.

 

The coded terror alerts and " terror events " which have

been announced by DHS are part of a disinformation

campaign carried out by the CIA, the Pentagon, the

State Department and Homeland Security.

 

US intelligence is not only involved in creating phony

terror warnings, it is also firmly behind the terror

groups, providing them with covert support.

( See:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO301B.html )

 

Documented by official police sources, at least two of

the DHS's high profile post 9/11 terror alerts were

fabricated.

(http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO402A.html )

 

 

Media Disinformation

A coup d'etat which suspends civilian institutions is

not only contemplated, it has become a talking point

on network TV; it is openly debated as a " solution " to

" protecting American democracy " which is said to be

threatened by Islamic terrorists.

 

The implications of a red code alert are trivialised.

Through media disinformation, citizens are being

prepared and gradually conditioned for the

unthinkable.

 

This ongoing militarization of America is not a

project of the Republicans.

 

The " war on terrorism " is part of a bipartisan agenda.

Successive US administrations since Jimmy Carter have

supported the Islamic brigades and have used them in

covert intelligence operations.

 

 

" Triggering Civilian Casualties "

In 1962, the Joint Chiefs of Staff had envisaged a

secret plan entitled " Operation Northwoods, " to

deliberately trigger civilian casualties to justify

the invasion of Cuba:

 

" We could blow up a U.S. ship in Guantanamo Bay and

blame Cuba, " " We could develop a Communist Cuban

terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida

cities and even in Washington " " casualty lists in U.S.

newspapers would cause a helpful wave of national

indignation. " (See the declassified Top Secret 1962

document titled " Justification for U.S. Military

Intervention in Cuba " 16 (See " Operation Northwoods " at

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/NOR111A.html ).

 

Both " the war on terrorism " as well as the domestic

war on terrorism are consistent, from the point of

view of military planning, with the logic of Operation

Northwoods. Civilian casualties are used as " a war

pretext incident, " to galvanize public support for a

military intervention.

 

Mentioned time and again by DHS Secretary Tom Ridge, a

" second 9/11 attack " is contemplated; Al Qaeda, we are

told, is preparing

" a large-scale attack in the United States in an

effort to disrupt our democratic process. "

 

What we are not told is that Al Qaeda is a creation of

the CIA, and that Al Qaeda remains a US sponsored

" intelligence asset. "

 

 

" Useful Crisis "

The assumptions and rhetoric behind Homeland Security

are nothing new. They echo an earlier statement by

David Rockefeller to the United Nations Business

Council in 1994:

 

" We are on the verge of global transformation. All we

need is the right major crisis and the nations will

accept the New World Order. "

 

Similarly, in the words of Zbigniew Brzezinski in his

book, The Grand Chessboard:

 

" …it may find it more difficult to fashion a consensus

[in America] on foreign policy issues, except in the

circumstances of a truly massive and widely perceived

direct external threat. "

 

It is worth mentioning that Zbigniew Brzezinski, who

was National Security Adviser to President Jimmy

Carter, was one of the key architects of the Islamic

brigades created by the CIA at the onslaught of the

Soviet Afghan war (1979-1989). (See Brzezinski at

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/BRZ110A.print.html

)

 

More recently, General Franks, the CENTCOM general who

led the military campaign into Iraq, pointed in an

October 2003 interview to the role of what he called a

" massive casualty-producing event. " (See " General

Tommy Franks Calls for Repeal of US Constitution "

November 2003,

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/EDW311A.html ,

see also

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO402A.html).

 

Franks identifies with cynical accuracy the precise

Homeland Security scenario whereby military rule might

be established in America using, as in Operation

Northwoods, civilian casualties as a trigger

mechanism:

 

" a terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event [will

occur] somewhere in the Western world - it may be in

the United States of America - that causes our

population to question our own Constitution and to

begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a

repeat of another mass, casualty-producing event. "

(quoted in Ibid, emphasis added)

 

General Franks' statement seems to accurately reflect

the mood within the US Military and Homeland Security

as to how events ought to unfold. The " war on

terrorism " is to provide a justification for repealing

the Rule of Law, ultimately with a view to " preserving

civil liberties. "

 

This statement, from an individual who was actively

involved in military and intelligence planning at the

highest levels, suggests that the " militarization of

our country " is an ongoing operational assumption. It

has become part of the broader " Washington consensus. "

It is a " talking point " not only in the corridors of

the Pentagon, Langley and Homeland Security, but also

in the mainstream media.

 

 

Democrats and Republicans

Some people think that a change in direction will

occur if the Democrats win the 2004 presidential

elections. Yet the Democrats are not opposed to the

illegal occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Nor are

they opposed to the militarization of civilian

institutions, as evidenced by their initiative to

repeal the Posse Comitatus Act.

 

While there are substantive differences between

Republicans and Democrats, Bush's National Security

doctrine is a continuation of that formulated under

the Clinton Administration in 1995, which was based on

a " strategy of containment of rogue states. "

 

In Fall 2003, the Democrats released their own

militarization blueprint, entitled Progressive

Internationalism: A Democratic National Security

Strategy. It calls for " the bold exercise of American

power, not to dominate but to shape alliances and

international institutions that share a common

commitment to liberal values. "

(See Mark Hand,

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/HAN403A.html)

 

The militarization of America is a project of the US

corporate elites, with significant divisions within

the corporate establishment on how it is to be

achieved.

 

The corporate establishment, with its associated think

tanks and semi-secret societies (The Bilderberg,

Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission,

etc.), is by no means monolithic.

 

Influential voices within the elites would prefer a

" softer " police state apparatus, a " democratic

dictatorship " which retains the external appearances

of a functioning democracy.

 

The Democrats' " Progressive internationalism " is

viewed by these sectors as a more effective way of

imposing the US economic and military agenda

Worldwide. For instance, the Kerry-Edwards ticket is

supported by billionaire George Soros, who has waged a

scathing denunciation of George W. Bush and the

Neocons.

 

While the US Congress and the bi-partisan consensus

constitutes the facade, the Military (and their

Intelligence counterparts) are, from the point of view

of the corporate elites, mere foreign policy " pawns, "

to use Henry Kissinger's expression, acting on behalf

of dominant business interests.

 

The Wall Street financial establishment, the

military-industrial complex led by Lockheed Martin,

the big five weapons and aerospace defence

contractors, the Texas oil giants and energy

conglomerates, the construction and engineering and

public utility companies including the biotechnology

conglomerates, are indelibly behind the militarization

of America.

 

 

Elections or no Elections

The " war on terrorism " is a war of conquest, which

supports American (and British) economic and strategic

interests. Its underpinnings are supported by both

Democrats and Republicans.

 

While a coup d'etat triggered by a code red alert is a

distinct possibility in the months ahead, we must

understand that the militarization of civilian

institutions in America is an ongoing process.

 

The coup d'etat entrenches the militarization process.

It suspends civil liberties and the antiwar movement

outright. It makes any form of reversal back to

civilian forms of government much more difficult to

achieve.

 

Militarization, however, as distinct from an outright

military coup d'etat, does not exclude the electoral

process.

 

Under a Kerry-Edwards administration, the

military-intelligence apparatus - which constitutes

the backbone of the " war on terrorism " and of the

police state - would remain functionally intact. So

would Northern Command and the various Big Brother

functions of the Department of Homeland Security.

 

One can indeed speculate on what might happen from now

until the November presidential elections.

 

Whether the elections take place or not, the contours

of a functioning police state under the facade of

Constitutional government have already been defined:

 

* the militarization of justice and law

enforcement,

* the disinformation and propaganda network,

* the support to terrorist organizations,

* political assassinations a " the Big Brother

surveillance apparatus,nd torture manuals,

* concentration camps, extensive war crimes and

the blatant violation of international law.

 

On the economic front, we can expect militarization to

accelerate the gamut of neoliberal economic reforms

both nationally and internationally (in the later

case, they would be implemented under the auspices of

the IMF, World Bank and World Trade Organisation).

 

Militarization will be accompanied by a new deadly

wave of privatization of public services, urban

infrastructure would be transferred to private

companies, local economies including small scale

enterprises and agriculture would be further

destabilized and deregulated, etc., leading to

increased levels of unemployment and the

impoverishment of millions of people.

 

Militarization is an integral part of the neoliberal

agenda.

 

Related articles at the Centre for Research on

Globalization:

 

 

Bush Administration " Guidelines " for Postponing or

Canceling the November Presidential Elections by

Michel Chossudovsky, 10 July 2004,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO407C.html

 

 

The Criminalization of the State, by Michel

Chossudovsky, February 2004,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO402A.html

 

 

Homeland Defense: The Pentagon Declares War on America

by Frank Morales, Global Outlook, Issue 3, Winter

2003, http://globalresearch.ca/articles/MOR312A.html

 

 

" Homeland Defense " and the Militarization of America

by Frank Morales, 15 September 2003,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/MOR309A.html

 

 

Will the 2004 Election Be Called Off? Why Three Out of

Four Experts Predict a Terrorist Attack by November,

by Maureen Farrell, April 2004,

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/FAR404A.html

 

 

Bush Regime working out Procedures for postponing

November Election by Webster Griffin Tarpley, 10 July

2004, http://globalresearch.ca/articles/TAR407B.html

 

 

Rumor Becomes Fact as Bush Administration Asks for

Authority to Suspend the Election by Michael C.

Ruppert , 13 July 2004,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/RUP407A.html

 

 

Bush backers discuss canceling elections, Emergency

Rule and Martial Law, by Webster G. Tarpley, 12 July

2004, http://globalresearch.ca/articles/407A.html

 

 

FBI points finger at the CIA: Terror Alert based on

Fabricated Information, 14 February 2003,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CRG302A.html

 

 

Bush's Christmas Terror Alert, by Michel Chossudovsky,

24 December 2003,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO312D.html

 

 

Manufacturing Hysteria: Bogus Terror Threats and

Bush's Police State, by Kurt Nimmo, 31 December 2003,

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/NIM312A.html

 

 

Orange Code Terror Alert based on Fabricated

Intelligence, by Michel Chossudovsky, 3 January 2004.

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO401A.html

 

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© Copyright MICHEL CHOSSUDOVSKY 2004.

 

1 " As DoD reorganizes the civil support mission, it

should consider carving out a significant role for

NORTHCOM in the planning, training, and day-to-day

management of operations. This would allow the

assistant secretary to focus more of his primary

effort on policy issues, a more appropriate role for

the secretariat than managing field operations. In

addition, placing NORTHCOM in the routine business of

coordinating these missions, even when a large federal

military presence is not required, will allow the

command to establish solid working relationships with

the other federal agencies and state and local

governments with which it will have to work intimately

in responding to a large-scale disaster or terrorist

attack. Placing NORTHCOM in the routine civil support

chain of command will help its staff develop trust and

confidence with other agencies. This will be needed to

operate effectively under the stressful demands and

pressing time-constraints of a major national

response. In particular, expanding NORTHCOM's

responsibilities for planning support for a range of

operations, such as preparation for the annual forest

fire season where military forces support state fire

fighting missions, might provide important dividends

in preparing to respond to more dramatic future

tasks. "

See:

http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publications/Archive/B.20030429.NORTHCOM/

B.20030429.NORTHCOM.pdf

[editor's note]

 

2The beauty of this de facto liaison is that its

existence is expressly forbidden, but just as

expressly provided for: out of vestigial respect for

Posse Comitatus, Northcom is forbidden to liaise

directly with Homesland Security - but the Defense

Department liaises with both, and in this capacity is

essentially a high-powered conduit between them.

" DoD's role in border security involves providing

support, particularly to the Department of Homeland

Security, when appropriate. DoD maintains

quick- and rapid-reaction forces for this purpose, he

added, and these Army and

Marine forces would operate under NORTHCOM's command

and control. " Peter F. Verga, Principal Deputy

Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Homeland Defense,

quoted in " DoD Ready to Assist in Event of Homeland

Attack, " by Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press

Service, April 12, 2004. See:

http://www.voicesofsept11.org/security_issues/archive/2004/041204b.html

 

" NORTHCOM's relationship with the Department of

Homeland Security (DHS) runs through DoD. A DoD

representative noted that NORTHCOM is not intended,

and lacks the capacity, to infringe on the role of

local first responders. This relationship is governed

by the Federal Emergency Response Plan. " See:

Matthew Foley, " The Role of the Military in Securing

the Homeland: A McCormick Tribune Foundation Cantigny

Conference Series Post-Conference Report, " National

Strategy Review, Volume 13, Issue 2, Winter 2003.

http://www.nationalstrategy.com/Winter2003/Role%20of%20Military.html

[editor's note]

 

3 " NORTHCOM has the primary mission of 'homeland

security' with a focus on coordinating with local,

state, national and international agencies rather than

commanding large combat forces as the other nine

unified commands do. It will undertake the land,

aerospace and sea defense of the continental United

States, as well as command U.S. forces operating in

support of civil authorities on 'homeland security'

tasks. It is located at Peterson Air Force Base, in

eastern Colorado Springs, Colorado. Under NORTHCOM's

jurisdiction are the continental U.S., Alaska, Canada

and Mexico, plus two portions of the Caribbean, and

the five hundred mile coastal area. NORTHCOM provides

assistance to civil authorities when directed by the

President or Secretary of Defense… Although the

Department of Homeland Security has been created with

Tom Ridge as its director, a functioning military

'homeland security' department is neatly tucked away

inside NORTHCOM. The Joint Force Headquarters Homeland

Security, established in January 2002, has 500

personnel assigned to NORTHCOM, but remains stationed

in Norfolk, Virginia. It coordinates the land and

maritime defense of the continental U.S. as well as

military assistance to civil authorities. " Marti

Hiken, " Military Reorganization: NORTHCOM - The New

Designer Military, " Guild Practicioner, a publication

of the National Lawyers Guild (Volume 59, Number 4,

Fall 2002).

archived at: http://www.nlg.org/mltf/northcom.html.

[editor's note]