Camp USA

Last year, I ranted about the death of Posse Comitatus and the presence of an active-duty military unit inside the borders of the United States. If you missed these posts, come up to speed now – otherwise, you may not appreciate the full impact of what I’m about to tell you.

This active-duty military unit is US Army 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (otherwise known as the Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear, and Explosive Consequence Management Response Force or CCMRF – pronounced, strangely enough, “sea-smurf”). Last time I checked on the whereabouts of this brigade, they had returned home from Iraq (October 2008) to Fort Stewart, Georgia, which is their base.

I’ve now found them in Orlando, Florida. They’ve been on the move, toughing it out in ‘gator territory and running simulated exercises (the type that will give them very solid experience to react to social unrest rapidly and effectively). I’ve asked before why a highly experienced combat brigade has returned to the US – and is potentially giving the finger to Posse Comitatus if this brigade is going to be increasingly taking a role in domestic law enforcement (let us remind ourselves that the US Constitution limits the power of the Federal Government to use the military for law enforcement). To find out just how highly experienced this brigade is (they are known as “Rock of the Marne”) go here.

Of course, a Commander has been quick to state that the brigade is “…… not allowed to act in the place of law enforcement”. So they’ve been busy participating in urban search and rescue efforts along with local officials. Now let’s not lose sight of the fact that the CCMRF is a fully trained and experienced unit that has spent over 35 months in Iraq patrolling in “full battle rattle”. They are well used to confronting an enemy in a theatre of war – so why are they back in the States simulating search and rescue efforts? What are they going to be rescuing, searching for or getting control of?

Well, there’s a piece of US legislation I’m a tad concerned about. Representive, Alcee L. Hastings, D-Fla., (wasn’t this dude impeached?) has introduced to the House of Representatives a new bill, H.R. 645 –  National Emergency Centers Establishment Act – which calls for the Department of Homeland Security to establish no fewer than six national emergency centres on military installations. These centres will be FEMA camp facilities on military installations. Let’s pause for a moment – why are national emergency centres being built on MILITARY installations??

The legislation says that no fewer than six will be built, which means any number can be built as long as there are not less than six of these centres. I urge you to read Section 2 of the Bill, because aside from saying the centres would be used to provide temporary housing, medical and humanitarian assistance in the event of a national emergency – s2(b)(4) states: to meet other appropriate needs, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Frankly, I think this could be interpreted as anything the Secretary of Homeland Security believes to be an “appropriate need”. I find the language of the Bill too broad and vague (perhaps purposely so?). So, let’s play with some ideas – if the Global Financial Hissy Fit causes social unrest, could these centres become detention centres or camps to throw unruly US citizens into? Since the FEMA centres will be standing on military soil, does this not mean that the military could potentially be involved in domestic/civilian matters (which of course is against the separation of powers)? Would political dissent be seen by the Secretary as an appropriate need to throw citizens into a camp or two? Giving such sweeping authority to one office or person is surely a dangerous challenge to civil liberties.

Worse, it seems that this Bill extends the Presidential power. As I read it, the Bill would give Obama the authority to declare an emergency and direct all federal, state, local, territorial and tribal governments WITHOUT consulting Congress.

Some observers are equating these centres to Nazi concentration camps (political strategist Mike Baker for example). Whilst I’m going to stop short of suggesting this, I am going to suggest we need to ask some serious questions. If we couple the CCMRF brigade training exercises with news about HR 645 – could we draw the conclusion that the US Government is preparing to curb impending mass civil unrest by reinforcing what Bush already started – the militarisation of civilian State institutions?

Once a person is detained in a FEMA facility in a national emergency, considering these new centres will stand on military soil, does this mean military law will apply? If so, there goes any recourse to civilian law and habeas corpus.  Disturbing.

There have been rumours for some time that FEMA already has hundreds of fully operational camps staffed with guards and dogs. And in the middle of an economic crisis, the new centres will cost US $360 million just to get going.

Let’s also look at REX 84, which stands for Readiness Exercise 1984. Back in 1984 (what an Orwellian date!), FEMA and other Government agencies conducted a civil readiness exercise in the event of mass civil disturbance and protests. Basically, REX 84 tested FEMA’s ability to operate under martial law and was part of a Continuity of Government programme. I believe that REX 84 led to rumours of fully operational “concentration camps” in the US and most likely the rumours are also caught up in the immigrant detention centres Kellogg Brown and Roots (a subsidiary of Halliburton) started building in 2006. Here is a Google map of what people are increasingly calling the FEMA concentration camps. And here is a YouTube video showing one of the FEMA facilities.

I plan to look at all this in more detail but if the Bill is passed by Congress and a national emergency occurs in the US, then dear American readers, remember the words of Ronald Reagan:

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” – Opening Chicago press conference with acknowledgment of farmers’ need for federal assistance, August 12, 1986.

UPDATE: The American Civil Liberties Union is also asking questions – demanding information on military deployment within US borders.

Wake up America!

I blogged the other day about the death of Posse Comitatus and how the US Army 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team returned to the US and as of October 1st is effectively a standing army within US borders. We’re talking around 4,000 troops. If you missed this post, I urge you to read it.

I’ve been investigating further. Mainly, because I simply cannot believe the audacity of Bush and his gang. The US Prez can now command an army. Something Posse Comitatus was designed to stop happening. Now, a Vietnam veteran, a retired US Air Force Colonel no less is on record as saying that Bush should be impeached for striking down Posse Comitatus.

I have not been able to find out where exactly the brigade has been deployed within the US. But wherever they are, their weaponry includes both lethal and non-lethal weapons and they will have access to tanks. The brigade has been named the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive Consequence Management Response Force. The acronym, CCMRF, pronounced “sea-smurf”, is now used for this brigade, which spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq in a combat zone. I’ve also heard them referred to as The Raiders. Apparently, they have been very good at suppressing resistance in the city of Ramadi, Iraq.

Now, if this bunch of troops has been brought back to the US (as the official mantra says) for some R&R and be part of an on-call Federal response to natural disasters or emergencies, why the need for heavy artillery? This is not a bunch of boy scouts being deployed – it’s a unit experienced in fierce combat and trained to kill. Unless of course you are expecting a mass civilian meltdown to accompany the financial meltdown. If the economic crisis becomes grave, then people may not be able to get money out of an ATM. Civil unrest ensues and an army is needed to subdue the populace.

The really scary bit is that the Sea Smurfs are not answerable to Congress. They are at Bush’s command. The Vietnam veteran calling for Bush’s impeachment painted this scenario:

• if Bush commanded the brigade to arrest Congress, they would have to obey
• the brigade could arrest any voters (because the Act that killed off Posse Comitatus, HR 5122, loosely defines “insurgents” and “insurrection”. So a bunch of voters putting up a mild protest could be arrested and hauled off)
• if Bush directs the brigade to kill US citizens, they would have to obey (and if they refused, they would be treated as deserters and face up to 5 years’ imprisonment)

Did I fail Politics at University? Since when does “democracy” equate with having troops in the streets armed with lethal and non-lethal weapons and at the disposal of a President? Have the Americans lost what was once so dear to them – their fear and loathing of standing armies? British troops in colonial America was the very thing they stood up against.

There are some serious questions that need to be asked:

• under what circumstances exactly could the Sea Smurfs be ordered to act against US citizens?
• what would constitute unruliness, insurgency, unrest? Would a bunch of peaceful protesters hanging around a building with a few pathetic placards and chanting a protest slogan be defined as “insurgents”?
• what are the rules of engagement?
• how would a “public emergency” be defined exactly?
• what weaponry will the Sea Smurfs have at their command? How will the weaponry be used?
• why has the US Army been given what is (let’s be honest here) law enforcement duties?
• and if it came to the crunch, would US troops REALLY act against their own citizens?

Wake up Americans! This is surely not a path you wish to go down – a military state replacing a democracy.  Am I the only one worrying about this? I’ve only seen a few other bloggers talk about this but that’s about it.

Image credit. Inteldaily

Be afraid America!

Looks like Bush and his gang are up to their old tricks again. But this is potentially more worrying than any invasion of privacy if you ask me. The US Army is returning to the Homeland from Iraq. Alas, not all the troops just the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT), which has spent 35 months in Iraq patrolling here, there and everywhere.

They are not returning home for some R&R. Nope. They are returning home to….wait for it…..carry out homeland patrols in the US. What the? Yep. From October 1, for 12 months, the BCT will be under the day-to-day command of US Army North. So what I hear you say?

Well, let’s dig deeper. According to the Army Times:

“..this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.”

Note that last bit “coordinate defense support of civil authorities”. The article goes on:

“….they’ll learn new skills, use some of the ones they acquired in the war zone and more than likely will not be shot at while doing any of it. They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack.”

Great to see they’ll be learning new skills but what civil unrest and crowd control are they expecting to be handling??? Do Bush and his croneys know something we don’t (although suspect) – that the meltdown of the financial system will plunge the US into Depression and the country will face riots and civil tension?

Let’s get something straight – we are talking about a standing Army inside US borders. Now obviously Bush is once again giving the finger to the Rule of Law or he’s suffering amnesia. The US has a piece of legislation called The Posse Comitatus Act. This Act was passed after the American Civil War and expressly prohibits the deployment of the US military within US borders. There are exceptions to this – the Coast Guard is exempted and military personnel can be deployed on an emergency basis, such as in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Other than this, Posse Comitatus was expressly designed to limit the powers of the US Federal Government in using the military for law enforcement. Posse Comitatus is one of the keys to democracy ensuring the US Prez cannot command an Army at will.

Have I missed a major emergency in the US? Has there been another Hurricane Katrina? If there is no emergency that would call for the military to intervene, then what on earth is a standing army doing in the US for the next 12 months?

Actually, I’m too hasty. It’s not just for 12 months. The Army Times goes on to say that after the BCT completes its mission “… expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one”.  See the penultimate word? Permanent!

After reading the article, I had to pick myself up off the floor. And then I rushed to do some research. How had Bush overturned Posse Comitatus? Seems on October 17, 2006, Bush swept away Posse Comitatus when he signed HR 5122 The John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2006 (wasn’t this John Warner dude married to Elizabeth Taylor once?).

This Act allows the Prez to override State and local authorities to station troops anywhere within the borders of that grand old dame, the US of A. In other words, declare Martial Law. Jettison Democracy. Of course, Bush would argue that HR 5122 is a direct response to Hurricane Katrina, allowing more effective coordination in the wake of natural disasters. But if we read s333(A) of the Act it says:

“…restore public order and enforce the laws of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (Public Law 109-59; 119 Stat. 1650) shall be available forUnited States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident…”

Ah, so here we have it. HR 5122 is not about coping with natural disasters, it’s about broadening Bush’s powers by sneaking in that old chestnut “terrorist attack or incident”.

I am literally counting the days, hours and seconds until Bush departs the White House. But as I blogged about in a previous post, will Prez Obama or Prez McCain willingly give up expanded powers, particularly one that allows a President to act as a military dictator (for if you read HR 5122, that is what it comes to – the death of Posse Comitatus as a safeguard of democracy and the power to mobilise US troops within the US to put down any State or local act of insurrection, violence, civil unrest, unlawful combination, conspiracy and so on).

Where’s the valium??!!  RIP US Democracy.