US Army to put down protesters?

[More_liberal_than_mo]

Have you noticed that those most critical of the financial power grab by the Bush administration are the most conservative of the Republican Party? Us liberals see this as yet another attempt to seize control of our government and economy by the Bushies, while the conservatives see it as “socialism“.

This Paulson Plan is “dead” according to just about everyone in Congress. There will be no agreement as to how to solve this crisis. Congress is supposed to go into recess tomorrow until after the election. Already today hundreds of demonstrations are breaking out throughout the country to protest this bailout and rape of the taxpayer plan. More demos are planned during the coming next few days.

Now I just found out that the U.S. Army will for the first time deploy an active duty Brigade combat unit domestically. This unit’s primary responsibility will be to maintain law and order in the event of domestic disturbances within the United States. http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/22/headlines#10
This is a clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act
The National Guards units of the various states have traditionally been used for this purpose until now and have only been called up as needed after the governor of a state has declared a state of emergency.

Reading from the Wikipedia entry I discovered that bill HR5122 was signed into law in October 2006 by G.W. Bush which repealed the Posse Comitatus act and allowed the President to deploy Army, Navy or Marine units in cases of public uprisings.

Now here’s where it really gets interesting. The new congress of 2008, now under democratic control, passed H.R. 4986 which repealed the part of the 2006 law that had repealed Posse Comitatus Act.
Guess what Bush did? He attached a signing statement which indicated that the Executive Branch did not feel bound by the changes enacted by the repeal. So is this legal or not?
Congress will not officially be in session until after the election to over-ride the president’s signing statement. If the protesters “get out of hand” GWB has the authority to order the 3rd Infantry Combat Brigade into action to put down the protest and restore order.

edited to correct: 2006 law (not 2007)

[snot]

1. k&r'd

[StopTheNeoCons]

22. Operation Garden Plot has been activated, kiss freedom goodbye

The United States Civil Disturbance Plan 55-2

The following information was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The original printing was of June 1, 1984. The information herein is UNCLASSIFIED and does not come within the scope of directions governing the protection of information affecting the national security.

It took a little more than three years to obtain a full copy of Operation Garden Plot from the U.S. Government, and was done so under the freedom of information act for unclassified documents. The implications within the full context of this document should make the hair on the back of your head stand on end!!!!!

In this document signed by the Secretary of the Army, is hereby assigned as DOD Executive Agent for civil disturbance control operations. Under Plan 55-2 he is to use airlift and logistical support, in assisting appropriate military commanders in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and US possessions and territories, or any political subdivision thereof.

The official name of this project is called "Operation Garden Plot."

Under this plan for the deployment of Operation Garden Plot, the use of CIDCON-1 will be mandatory. This direct support of civil disturbance control operations is to be used by the Army, USAF, Navy, and Marine Corp. with an airlift force to be comprised of MAC Organic Airlift Resources, airlift capable aircraft of all other USAF major commands, and all other aerial reconnaissance and Airborne Psychological Operations. This is to include control communications systems, aeromedical evacuation, helicopter and Weather Support Systems.

If any civil disturbance by a resistance group, religious organization, or other persons considered to be non-conformist takes place, under Appendix 3 to Annex B of Plan 55-2 hereby gives all Federal forces total power over the situation if local and state authorities cannot put down said dissenters.

Annex A, section B of Operation Garden Plot defines tax protesters, militia groups, religious cults, and general anti-government dissenters as Disruptive Elements. This calls for the deadly force to be used against any extremist or dissident perpetrating any and all forms of civil disorder.

Under section D, a Presidential Executive Order will authorize and direct the Secretary of Defense to use the Armed Forces of the United States to restore order.

2 TAB A APPENDIX 1 TO ANNEX S USAF CIVIL DISTURBANCE PLAN 55-2 EXHIBIT POR:SGH, JCS Pub 6, Vol 5, AFR 160-5 hereby provides for America's military and the National Guard State Partnership Program to join with United Nations personal in said operations. This links selected U.S. National Guard units with the Defense Ministries of "Partnership For Peace." This was done in an effort to provide military support to civil authorities in response to civil emergencies.

Under Presidential Decision Directive No. 25, this program serves to cement people to relationships between the citizens of the United States, and the global military of the UN establishments of the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern European countries. This puts all of our National Guardsmen under the direct jurisdiction of the United Nations.

Section 3:
This plan could be implemented under any of the following situation:

(1) Spontaneous civil disturbances which involve large numbers of persons and/or which continue for a considerable period of time, may exceed the capacity of local civil law enforcement agencies to suppress. Although this type of activity can arise without warning as a result of sudden, unanticipated popular unrest (past riots), it may also result from more prolonged dissidence.

This would most likely be an outgrowth of serious social, political or economic issues which divide segments of the American population. Such factionalism could manifest itself through repeated demonstrations, protest marches and other forms of legitimate opposition but which would have the potential for erupting into spontaneous violence with little or no warning.

(2) Planned acts of violence or civil disobedience which, through arising from the same causes as (1) above, are seized upon by a dedicated group of dissidents who plan and incite purposeful acts designed to disrupt social order.

This may occur either because leaders of protest organizations intentionally induce their followers to perpetrate violent acts, or because a group of militants infiltrates an otherwise peaceful protest and seeks to divert it from its peaceful course.

Subsection C: (2) Environmental satellite products will be continue to be available. (d) Responsibilities. Meteorological support to civil disturbance operations will be arranged or provided by AWS wings.

The 7th. Weather Wing (7WW) is responsible for providing / arranging support for Military Airlift Command (MAC) airlift operations. The 5th Weather Wing (5WW) is responsible for supporting the United States Army Forces Command.

(3) SITUATION. Civil disturbance may threaten or erupt at any time in the CONUS and grow to such proportions as to require the use the Federal military forces to bring the situation under control.

A flexible weather support system is required under control. A flexible weather support system is required to support the many and varied options of this Plan.

ANNEX H: XXOW, AWSR 55-2, AWSR 23-6, AFR 23-31, AR 115-10, AFR 105-3.

Subsection B:

Concept of Environmental Support. Environmental support will be provided by elements of Air Weather Service (AWS) in accordance with refs a-f. The senior staff meteorologist deployed int the Task Force Headquarters (TFH) will be the staff weather officer (SWO) to the TFH.

Centralized environmental support products are requested in accordance with AWSR 105-18. (4) Weather support is provided by weather units located at existing CONUS bases or by deployed SWOs and / or weather teams to the objective areas.

(5) Support MAC source will be provide in accordance with the procedures in MARC 103-15. MAC forces will be provided in accordance with the procedures in AFR 105-3.

(a) Air Force Global Weather Central: Provides centralized products as requested.

REFERENCES : JCS Pub 18 - Doctrine for Operations Security AFR 55-30, Operations Security

1. GENERAL Opposition forces or groups may attempt to gain knowledge of this plan and 'use that knowledge to prevent or degrade the effectiveness of the actions outlined in this plan. In order to protect operations undertaken to accomplish the mission, it is necessary to control sources of information that can be exploited by those opposition forces or groups.

OPSEC is the effort to protect operations by identifying and controlling intelligence indicators susceptible to exploitation. The objective of OPSEC, in the execution of this plan, is to assure the security of operations, mission effectiveness, and increase the probability of mission success.

2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR OPERATIONS SECURITY (OPSEC):

The denial of information to an enemy is inherently a command responsibility. However, since the operations Officer at any level of command is responsible to his commander for the Overall planning and execution of operations, he has the principal staff interest in assuring maximum protection of the operation and must assume primary responsibility instibility for ensuring that the efforts of all other staff elements are coordinated toward this
end. However, every other individual associated with, or aware of, the operation must assist in safeguarding the security of the operation.

3. OBJECTIVES:

a. The basic objective of OPSEC is to preserve the security of friendly forces and thereby to enhance the probability of successful mission accomplishment. "Security" in this context relates to the protection of friendly forces. It also includes the protection of operational information to prevent degradation of mission effectiveness through the disclosure of prior knowledge of friendly operations to the opposition.

b. OPSEC pervades the entire planning process and must be a matter of continuing concern from the conception of an operation, throughout the preparatory and execution phases, and during critiques, reports, press releases, and the like conducted during the post operation phase.

4. Specific operations orders and standard operating procedures "MUST be developed with the awareness that the opposition may be able to identify and exploit vulnerable activities.

Reference Material:

Released under Freedom of Information Act on March 30th, 1990. All material presented here has been declassified and supersedes USAD Operations Plan 355-10 of July 16, 1973. Information released by USAF under supervision of Alexander K. Davidson, BRIG. GEN, USAF, Dep. Director of Operations.

APPENDEX 5 TO ANNEX E TO USAF CIVIL DISTURBANCE PLAN 55-2 Annex Z. Other References: 10 United States Codes 331,332,333,8500,1385, MARC 105-1, MARC 105-18, AR 115-10, AFR 105-3, PDD-25.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Additional backup documents will be found on another site at

http://www.cafes.net/mo/Gardenplot.htm

That is a good site to read this type of material. Lots of curious stuff.

If I can give anyone credit for this great file, I give to the guys in the "cafes". Thanks, guys.

Please notice that your "faithful" political servants did not tell you about this law. But they wrote and passed it. It took someone about there years to find it. And they had to force it out into the open. Congressman Gonzalez admits that it exists. Gee, thanks a lot, you guys.

[readmoreoften]

2. Another thread noted from the article that it will be 13,500 troops 'helping us'

I don't think it'll be martial law as of 10/1 but it will eventually be something. We've got 1/10th of the 'surge' capacity coming in and that's not even including the military and police already here.

The question is: will they win our hearts and minds?

[More_liberal_than_mo]

24. There's more about the troop deployment

here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4095643

They will be on standby ready to act to stop us from marching in the streets to protest whatever Bush has in store for us. They have been training on use of the new crowd control technology (the latest microwave weapons to disperse crowds).

[JohnyCanuck]

28. Winning hearts and minds. Army philosophy is taser their ass and hearts and minds will follow.

Army deploys combat unit in US for possible civil unrest
By Bill Van Auken

It appears that as part of the training for deployment within the US, the soldiers have been ordered to test some of this non-lethal equipment on each other.

"I was the first guy in the brigade to get Tasered," Cloutier told the Army Times. He described the effects of the electroshock weapon as "your worst muscle cramp ever—times 10 throughout your whole body."

The colonel’s remark suggests that, in preparation for their "homefront" duties, rank-and-file troops are also being routinely Tasered. The brutalizing effect and intent of such a macabre training exercise is to inure troops against sympathy for the pain and suffering they may be called upon to inflict on the civilian population using these same "non-lethal" weapons.

According to military officials quoted by the Army Times, the deployment of regular Army troops in the US begun with the First Brigade Combat Team is to become permanent, with different units rotated into the assignment on an annual basis.

In an online interview with reporters earlier this month, NorthCom officers were asked about the implications of the new deployment for the Posse Comitatus Act, the 230-year-old legal statute that bars the use of US military forces for law enforcement purposes within the US itself.

Col. Lou Volger, NorthCom’s chief of future operations, tried to downplay any enforcement role, but added, "We will integrate with law enforcement to understand the situation and make sure we’re aware of any threats."

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/sep2008/mili-s25_prn.shtml

[SlowDownFast]

3. The Patriot Act

effectively suspends (or trumps) The Posse Comitatus Act as well as our Constitution.

We have lost many civil liberties these last 8 years.

[pokerfan]

13. Posse Comitatus?

We waved buh bye to that in 2006 with the John Warner Defense Authorization Act.

The President may employ the armed forces to restore public order in any State of the United States the President determines hinders the execution of laws or deprives people of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law or opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.

[More_liberal_than_mo]

23. But Congress overturned that Act .

The John Warner Defense Act of 2006 overturned the Posse Comitatus Act but the new Democratic majority Congress in effect restored it in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008.

When President Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 into Law, he made one of his famous ’signing statements.’ Here it is:

Today, I have signed into law H.R. 4986, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. The Act authorizes funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, for military construction, and for national security-related energy programs.

Provisions of the Act, including sections 841, 846, 1079, and 1222, purport to impose requirements that could inhibit the President’s ability to carry out his constitutional obligations to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, to protect national security, to supervise the executive branch, and to execute his authority as Commander in Chief. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President.

GEORGE W. BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE, January 28, 2008.

No where in the US Constitution does it allow the US President to change a bill by use of a signing statement. He can only sign it into law (which he did) or veto it. Why hasn't Congress or the Supreme Court acted to stop this signing statement bull shit?

The Army officially deploys on 1 Oct (next week) and it is clearly illegal according to the law Bush's signing statement not withstanding!

[Raksha]

27. So Bush nullified the law via signing statement.

Thanks for clarifying what I've been confused about until now, namely is this domestic deployment legal or not? NO WAY is legislation by executive fiat legal or constitutional, but I guess it stands until/unless the Supreme Court shoots it down.

[ManiacJoe]

31. You do know that Signing Statements are meaningless, right?

Legally they carry no weight.

[malaise]

4. COngress can call a session

any day, any hour. Dems are now in charge. Bushco has just taken down his own party. Let's see what they dare try now.

Please remember there are many loyal men in the army.

[lonestarnot]

25. Thank you 5 out of 6 supporting Barrack!

Wonder what they might do? LOL :evilgrin:

[tavalon]

5. No, of course it isn't legal

but if you want a list of illegal actions by the Bush Administration....................

[sarcasmo]

6. Kick, Martial Law is on the way, they new ahead of time the economy was in the tank.

When the populace hits the streets, watch the military do the same. Fema camp, here I come.

[AndyTiedye]

7. Kicked onto the "Greatest" Page

:kick: :scared:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. Things that make you go hmmm...

and I applaud you for exposing them to the light of day.

Welcome to DU.

Fasten your seatbelts, folks.

[EC]

9. This and other losses of our rights have been what so many of us

here have been trying to get the public to realize...but of course we are tin foil hatters...

[yowzayowzayowza]

10. A brigade izn't gunna pacify squat in this country.

Really, this kinda thing would be all show and lil substance in the event of widespread multi-city protesting.

[readmoreoften]

14. 13,500 infantry plus FEMA, SWAT, and the police we have? Not squat.

And it's the first. And how many people will there actually be in the streets? And they also have crowd control systems, both sound and microwave, ready for use.

Of course they can still call out the National Guard and put it under Exec. control.

[yowzayowzayowza]

18. What, 30k vs millions?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protests_against_the_Iraq_War

What National Guard? Sound & microwave on American citizens vs ubiquitous documentary capabilities? It would amount to an ugly show of force an lil more. They could certainly shut down localized protests, but nationwide not so much. They'd have a lot more success controlling the press. Sorry, jus not seein it. :shrug: I hope we don't have occasion to find out.

[Hubert Flottz]

17. It would be just enough power to wipe out the GOP forever if Bush

would try a stunt like that...

It wouldn't be the first time that a president used the military against American Citizens.

Battle of Blair Mountain

snip...

By August 29, battle was fully joined. Chafin's men, though outnumbered, had the advantage of higher positions and better weaponry. Private planes were hired to drop homemade bombs on the miners. On orders from the famous General Billy Mitchell, Army bombers from Maryland were also used to disperse the miners. A combination of gas and explosive bombs left over from the fighting in World War I were dropped in several locations near the towns of Jeffery, Sharples and Blair. At least one did not explode and was recovered by the miners. This famous ordinance was used months later with great affect during the famous treason and murder trials arising from the battle. This heinous act would prove beyond the shadow of doubt the first and only use of Air Power by the United Stated federal government against its own citizens. Sporadic gun battles continued for a week, with the miners at one time nearly breaking through to the town of Logan and their target destinations, the non-unionized counties to the south, Logan and Mingo. Up to 30 deaths were reported by Chafin’s side and 50-100 on the union miners side, with many hundreds more injured. By September 2, however, federal troops had arrived. Realizing he would lose a lot of good miners if the battle continued with the military, union leader Bill Blizzard passed the word for the miners to start heading home the following day. Miners fearing jail and confiscation of their guns found clever ways to hide rifles and hand guns in the woods before leaving Logan County. Collectors and researchers to this day are still finding weapons and ammunition embedded in old trees and in rock crevices. Thousands of spent and live cartridges have made it into private collections.

Following the battle, 985 miners were indicted for "murder, conspiracy to commit murder, accessory to murder, and treason against the State of West Virginia." Though some were acquitted by sympathetic juries, many were also imprisoned for a number of years, though they were paroled in 1925. It would be Bill Blizzard's trial where the unexploded bomb was used as evidence of the government and companies' brutality, and ultimately resulted in his acquittal.

Short term, the battle seemed to be an overwhelming victory for management, and UMWA membership plummeted from more than 50,000 miners to approximately 10,000 over the next several years. Not until 1935 did the UMW fully organized in southern West Virginia, after the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. MORE...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain

The Bonus Army March

The Bonus Army, some 15,000 to 20,000 World War I veterans from across the country, marched on the Capitol in June 1932 to request early payment of cash bonuses due to them in 1945. The Great Depression had destroyed the economy, leaving many veterans jobless.

Veteran Army Signal Corps photographer Theodor Horydczak, of Washington, D.C., photographed their camp site on the Mall. Six futile weeks of lobbying Congress raised government fears of riots, and on July 28, cavalry, infantry, tank troops and a mounted machine gun squadron commanded by General Douglas MacArthur and Major Dwight Eisenhower dispersed veterans and their families with bayonets and tear gas. Public opinion denounced President Herbert Hoover for the resulting bloodshed and helped force him from office. More...

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm203.html

Warren G. Harding, Herbert C Hoover both of these republicans called out the military against American Citizens. What would Bush or knee jerk McCain do?

[yowzayowzayowza]

19. Both of those were localized protests. I agree tho...

twould be political suicide in any event.

[flamingdem]

11. I call BS. It's not going to lead to that

No need to spread fear. Our goal is to get Obama elected not bring the system down my black masked friend.

[readmoreoften]

15. Huh?? Is saying you don't want 13.5K infantry on American streets 'bringing down the system'?

And how is this BS? It's in the Army Times. They openly say they're setting up a permanent division to quell dissent and "help". This is 100% against the law. Bush simply signed an EO saying he refuses to obey the law. The Democrats worked hard to make sure Posse Comitatus would be restored after the MCA and John Warner Acts in 2006.

This will get bad. Not immediately on Oct. 1st, but it will get bad.

[file83]

12. Notice how they make this move while everyone is distracted by the bailout?

I hope someone nails his ass to the wall for this unprecedented act of deploying US federal troops for actions against US citizens.

Unbelievable.

[OakCliffDem]

16. This move could be just in case the bailout goes haywire

[tjwash]

20. fear mongering--it's not just for republicans anymore

:eyes:

Ah well...I wouldn't know that I was on DU unless the first post I saw was something like this.

[Subdivisions]

21. What a complete and utterly ridiculous comment. You mean to

tell me that a combat unit being deployed to US soil is no cause for concern?

[lonestarnot]

26. I think you might be a slight bit confused.

When ostriches take their heads out of the sand, if they've been targeted by the tiger, they see that half their ass has been chewed off. :rofl:

[tomp]

29. i suspect the u.s. army doesn't know what it's getting itself into.

let's see them take new york.

[ManiacJoe]

32. NY City or state?

New York City would be relativily easy since the population is mostly unarmed.

[tomp]

33. nyc. and just let them try.

those fuckers can't secure but a small section of baghdad. we'll make weapons if we have to. you obviously have a higher opinion of the army than i do.

[intheflow]

30. "Error: You've already recommended that thread."

But that doesn't mean I can't give it a big ol' kick because this is some scary shit that really needs to be read by everyone in the country.