Elliot D. Cohen: This Summer, Will America Officially Become A Totalitarian State?

[Elliot D. Cohen]

Submitted by BuzzFlash on Mon, 07/16/2007 - 10:26am. Guest Contribution
A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Elliot D. Cohen, Ph.D.

The unfolding of events over the past 7 years and the recent emergence of certain key facts point to the prospect of an ominous conclusion: before the summer is up, America will be brought under martial law with George W. Bush and Dick Cheney at the helm.

In May 2007, Bush posted a national continuity policy to the White House Web site that bypasses Congress and puts him in charge of all three branches of the federal government if there is a "catastrophic emergency" -- vaguely defined to include anything from a destructive hurricane to a terrorist attack. This leaves democracy in America dangling on a thin thread of chance that such a "catastrophe" doesn't happen.

On Wednesday, Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said he has a "gut" feeling that Al Qaeda will launch another terrorist attack on the U.S. mainland sometime this summer. Chertoff's "gut feeling" comes on the heels of the latest National Intelligence Estimate, which maintains that in the past year, Al Qaeda has reconstituted its core structure and has grown stronger along the Pakistan/Afghanistan border.

This information is disconcerting in itself. But it becomes even more so when considered in the context of the Bush administration's unrelenting quest for power. Consider these facts, for example: The September 11 attacks were foreshadowed by the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) in its report on Rebuilding American Defenses (2000) when it stated, "the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event - like a new Pearl Harbor . . ." This would not be significant were it not for the fact that the Vice President, among other key members of the Bush Administration, were founding members of PNAC.

This neoconservative organization also prescribed forced regime change in Iraq and buildup of a permanent U.S. military presence there. The primary goal for invading Iraq was not to quell tensions or stop the threat of terrorism posed by the Hussein regime but instead to advance U.S. interests in the region through military force. The 2000 report stated, "while the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification, the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam Hussein." Regime change was therefore pretense for the invasion.

Clearly, the invasion of Iraq was never conceived as a means of stopping Saddam Hussein from instigating terrorism. This was made plain in the official British documents known as the Downing Street memos, which said that Bush was attempting to make the facts "fit" the policy in order to justify invading Iraq -- since Hussein's WMD capability was in fact "less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran." The redeployment of U.S. troops and special forces to Iraq was done in spite of the fact that the hub of Al Qaeda was in Pakistan and Afghanistan. So the Bush administration permitted Al Qaeda to regroup and strengthen in Pakistan and Afghanistan to pursue its ideology of global dominance in Iraq.

Add to these facts that the Bush administration has displayed consistent disregard for the rule of law by canceling habeas corpus, disregarding the Geneva Conventions in the torture of prisoners of war, using signing statements to override congressional lawmaking authority, eavesdropping on Americans without court warrants, summarily refusing to comply with Congressional subpoenas, firing federal prosecutors for political reasons, outing a covert CIA agent, threatening to jail journalists for disclosing leaked government documents, censoring mainstream media and infusing it with government propaganda ("prepackaged news" staged by PR firms working for the government), placing "gatekeepers" in all federal agencies who report directly to the White House, eliminating legal protections for government whistle blowers, arresting peaceful protestors, manipulating the terror alert system to instill fear in Americans, and stacking the Supreme Court.

In a press conference on Thursday regarding the war in Iraq, Bush indicated that he will not be discouraged by what the American people believe. He said that, while he preferred to be loved, he had to do the right thing.

Do what is right by whose standards? Not those of the generals; and certainly not those of the majority of Americans. While the mainstream media brought out its analysts to comment on Bush's press conference, none drew the obvious conclusion. In a democracy, it is the will of the people, not that of a single man, that is paramount. But, according to Bush, respecting the will of the American people would be nice if it happened to accord with his own will, but not in the least essential to shaping U.S. policy, even if that policy happened to affect the lives and limbs (and tax dollars) of the American people. This is dictatorship (or "decidership") at its core, not democracy.

All of these facts, among others, point to the willingness of this administration to stop at little or nothing to advance its ideology. It has proven its resolve to lie to the American people, violate their civil liberties, and discount their will. It has shown little respect for the rule of law or the U.S. Constitution.

So, this summer (or sometime before the 2008 presidential elections), will America officially become a totalitarian state brought under martial law by a ruthless dictator? If Chertoff's gut is right, just add the current national continuity policy and the conclusion follows.

Like a game of chess drawing to a close, there is a chilling aura that the final checkmate is imminent. In the least, democracy in America is in grave danger and at best dependent on chance.


Elliot D. Cohen, Ph.D. is a media ethicist and critic. His most recent book is The Last Days of Democracy: How Big Media and Power-Hungry Government are turning America into a Dictatorship. He is also first prize winner of the 2007 Project Censored Award.

[redqueen]

1. I doubt anyone here would be surprised by anything these crooks do.

*sigh*

The people out there saying that tv news is 'too liberal', though... they may be in for a bit of a shock.

[Tansy_Gold]

3. Maybe not for a shock

I suspect there is a substantial segment of the 26-percenters who, in the face of ANY crisis, would welcome the dissolution of American democracy and the installation of a "strong leader" to pied-piper them out of the chaos. Democracy is messy, democracy is uncertain, and they don't like that.

[redqueen]

4. True...

sooo pathetic.

[Tansy_Gold]

2. K & R, with the hope that this gets wide dissemination

I was watching a repeat of "Hitler and the Occult" on the History Channel this afternoon and was, of course, struck once again by the parallels.

The difference between the two, I think, is that Hitler made his play for total power while his star was rising and while he still had the masses in his thrall. If boooosh had grabbed the imperial reins in 2001, I think he might have made good on the threat to become an American emperor. Lacking a similar crisis, I don't think he can do it now because the American people have turned against him. More important, they've turned against him for many of the same reasons that could have held their support six years ago: boooosh's war has turned a brighter light many of his administration's other claims to fame and shown them to be tarnished as well.

Again, however, the qualifier is the crisis. Could the administration manufacture another crisis, similar to or even worse than 9/11, in such a way as to restore the mindless confidence of the masses in them? Could such a crisis overshadow the faltering economy, the shift of wealth, the worsening health care apparatus, the cost of education, the dismantling of civil rights? In the sixteen months between now and the '08 elections -- or even the eighteen months between now and the end of the prescribed boooooosh presidency -- can the administration carry out a truly MIHOP attack on the U.S. without being discovered and then maintain the level of panic that would be necessary to install martial law and stay in power indefinitely?

If the administration hadn't alienated a sufficient segment of the military, I'd think they might be able to pull it off, but I don't think the military is behind them much any more. Besides, too much of the pre-invasion military is now out of commission, either dead, seriously injured, or too pissed off to come when booooosh calls. The unknown quantity, however, is the private military infrastructure on Blackwater et alia. Could they tip the balance? :shrug: I don't know.

But I do think the fact that we are even having this conversation indicates how plausible the scenario has become. I don't think any of us would have considered it within the realm of remotest possibility in October 2000. But since the 2000 (s)election, almost anything has entered that evil realm.


Tansy Gold

[reprobate]

7. Tansy, if it happens you realize that Bush/Cheney will be throwing in ALL their chips?

Personally, I have no doubt that CrashCart Dick has the stones to have Boy George declare martial law.

On the other hand, there are enough smart people in D.C. that would be in the loop, but let the cat out of the bag before it happened. But then they carried out 9/11 without being betrayed. Pardon me while I straighten my tin foil hat.

And both the Pretzeldent and the Dick know that they would HAVE to be successful. If anything stood in the way or delayed things so that the people got the word, they would certainly face charges of treason, of attempting to overthrow the government. And that's a capital offense.

Do you think they'd let an old ex-NCO lead the firing squad?

I sure can't think of a bunch that is more qualified to stand against the wall. And I'm not talking Pink Floyd.

[Tansy_Gold]

13. "But then they carried out 9/11 without being betrayed."

That's probably the single most-major reason why I don't think 9/11 was an inside job. Someone somewhere would have spilled the beans, to a wife, a hooker, someone. The temptation to brag would be irresistible. Or there would have been some shred of evidence that would have surfaced, tying the administration to the deed.

To do it now, when so many people are on the alert, would take absolutely miraculous luck, far beyond the "luck" of the original 9/11 hijackers. And I don't think very many people would believe it. Furthermore, another attack would be seen as the most abject failure of all the administration's claims of how safe they've made us.

You're absolutely correct, though, that if cheeeeeeney's coup attempt failed, they would be done for. I think then the American people, certainly the American people on the left, would literally be up in arms.

Sadly, though, there are enough on the far right who would, I sincerely believe, welcome a cheeeeeney/booooosh coup. And they are the ones we really need to fear.


Tansy Gold

[al bupp]

5. This is well written, sir

Here's to hoping it finds a wider audience.

[diane in sf]

6. It's Bushco's fantasy for sure. Who would cave in to them in congress and the military?

If they try this it might bring things to an open fight in a good way that even the densest of the 76% can't miss and lead to installing some safeguards to prevent any more stolen elections and "unitary executive" nonsense.

If you look at Germany now they have a pretty good democracy--provided they don't buy thier voting machines from fascists ike Mexico and France.

[tom_paine]

8. Sadly, all you say is most likely true.

The Totalitarian State is like an ignition waiting for a key to kick into action.

The sadly likely, soon-to-be-Bushies-unleash-nuclear (or biological) 9/11 #2, may be coming, if this extreme interpretation (and it happens to be one I also think likely if not highly likely) is true or close to true.

[Faygo Kid]

9. Martial law is possible. Can you see these guys giving up power willingly?

I can't. Some sort of attack is likely, and DC is the likely target, decapitating the other nationally elected officials (GOP included; the Repubs slavish following will not help them). Conveniently, a number of high officials would be among those killed. Bush? Possibly. Cheney? No chance. Rove? Not likely. There's a hell of a novel in this one. I work in DC, so I won't be around to see how it ends. One thing for sure: They are not likely to relinquish power easily. Rove failed in his clumsy attempt to place sycophants in the U.S. Attorney slots, where they would disenfranchise voters. Rigging the voting machines may have worked in the past, but too many people have to be involved. Not safe, even with the compliant media. So, a terrorist hit and martial law is probably right.

[libodem]

10. They want to get Iran

I don't put anything past them. Maybe they ARE blackmailing congress with stuff caught on NSA tapes? I fully believe that they would creat a disaster to terrorize the American public into handing over all the powers. With full power, Dick, could declare war with Iran, without congressional consent. KKKarl and Scooter are in the boiler room as we speak.

[CGowen]

11. It would be a heck of a lot easier........ n/t

[Knightly_Knews]

12. Excellent Rant Elliot...........

I never seem to be able to get the words out so smoothly...
But I have been telling everyone this was going to happen for 3 years now... wasn't exactly sure back then when it would occur, but due to recent events I agree whole heartedly.
An attack is imminent very soon. It's the only way these clowns can try to get away with the bullshit they have done.

But surely they must know that once that happens, they are going to have to kill very many US citizens.. It could very well be the Ethnic Cleansing of America soon.

Sadly, I think it will start with an attack on our troops with Bio-Weapons as a pretense to go to war with Iran, Next will come an attack within the US also blamed at Iran.

No matter what you people do, Do Not give up your arms!!!!!!!!(Protect your 2nd amendment rights while you still have them)

I am serious, this is going to happen...And Congress knows it!!!

Remember Bushy had a signing statement that said he was expecting a catastrophic attack on the US Government?... Well here it goes boys and girls... Before the end of the summer maybe, but surely before the elections next year.

Buckle Up!