America's enemy within

[UpInArms]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1093249,00.html

excerpt:

Last week, Bush's two sons joined forces to try to usher in that new world by holding the FTAA negotiations in Florida. This is the state that Governor Jeb Bush vowed to "deliver" to his brother during the 2000 presidential elections, even if that meant keeping many African-Americans from exercising their right to vote. Now Jeb was vowing to hand his brother the coveted trade deal, even if that meant keeping thousands from exercising their right to protest.

<snip>

The FTAA Summit in Miami represents the official homecoming of the "war on terror". The latest techniques honed in Iraq - from a Hollywoodised military to a militarised media - have now been used on a grand scale in a major US city. "This should be a model for homeland defence," the Miami mayor, Manny Diaz, said of the security operation that brought together over 40 law- enforcement agencies, from the FBI to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

<snip>

But more was borrowed from the Iraq war than just money. Miami police also invited reporters to "embed" with them in armoured vehicles and helicopters. As in Iraq, most reporters embraced their role as pseudo soldiers with zeal, suiting up in combat helmets and flak jackets.

The resulting media coverage was the familiar wartime combination of dramatic images and non-information. We know, thanks to an "embed" from the Miami Herald, that Timoney was working so hard hunting down troublemakers that by 3:30pm on Thursday "he had eaten only a banana and a cookie since 6am".

...more...

[grytpype]

1. This is very frightening.

The latest techniques honed in Iraq - from a Hollywoodised military to a militarised media - have now been used on a grand scale in a major US city. "This should be a model for homeland defence," the Miami mayor, Manny Diaz, said of the security operation that brought together over 40 law- enforcement agencies, from the FBI to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

It's like they're preparing to suppress mass dissent. It's incredible that they are passing this off as preparation for a terrorist attack.

What do they have in mind that would require these measures?

[UpInArms]

2. a thread that ties to another mostly unrelated thread

was about Jim Wilkerson - see:

Former spokesman for Gen. Franks named to White House communications post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=240616

James R. Wilkinson, top spokesman for Gen. Tommy Franks during the Iraq war, has been appointed deputy national security adviser for communications, the White House announced Tuesday.

and then re-read the last paragraph of this article:

Already, Jim Wilkinson, director of strategic communications at US Central Command in Doha, Qatar (the operation that gave the world the Jessica Lynch rescue), has moved to New York to head up media operations for the Republican National Convention. "We're looking at embedding reporters," he told the New York Observer of his plans to use some of the Iraq tricks during the convention. "We're looking at new and interesting camera angles."

The war is coming home.

and I say, be very afraid...

[Voltaire99]

9. Embeds - corporate journalism's equivalent of colon cancer

Already, Jim Wilkinson, director of strategic communications at US Central Command in Doha, Qatar (the operation that gave the world the Jessica Lynch rescue), has moved to New York to head up media operations for the Republican National Convention. "We're looking at embedding reporters," he told the New York Observer of his plans to use some of the Iraq tricks during the convention.

Please. How can reporters be embedded any further than is already the case in the national rectum that is conservatism? Already they're little better than polyps...

[schultzee]

3. wake up liberal brothers, the fascist corporatist state is here

[Judi Lynn]

4. How many people know Jeb signed an "executive order" on 9-7-2001?

relating to the Florida National Guard? I heard people starting to compare it at the time to a prelude to martial law.


EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER
01-261
WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard has the statutory responsibility to provide support to law-enforcement personnel and emergency-management personnel in the event of civil disturbances or natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard has the responsibility to provide training support to law-enforcement personnel and community-based organizations relating to counter drug operations; and

WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard must train to meet such responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard is funded for any such training by budgetary appropriation or grants before any such training; and

WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard must conduct such training in active service of the state, as defined by Section 250.27, Florida Statutes (also known as active military service and state active duty) for members of the Florida National Guard to be covered by Section 250.34, Florida Statutes; and

WHEREAS, as Governor, I may delegate the authority contained in Section 250.06(4), Florida Statutes, to order training to help respond to civil disturbances, natural disasters, and counter drug operations to The Adjutant General of the State of Florida; and

WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the State of Florida that I delegate such authority, so that the Florida National Guard is adequately trained to meet its obligation to help respond to civil disturbances, natural disasters, and counter drug operations and so that members of the Florida National Guard performing such training are covered by Section 250.34, Florida Statutes; and

WHEREAS, the Governor may order the Florida National Guard to provide extraordinary support to law enforcement upon request and such a request has been received from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to assist FDLE in performing port security training and inspections.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JEB BUSH, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, and by Section 250.06(4), Florida Statutes, and all other applicable laws, do hereby promulgate the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:

Section 1.

Based upon the foregoing, I hereby find that the public welfare requires that the Florida National Guard train to support law-enforcement personnel and emergency-management personnel in the event of civil disturbances or natural disasters and to provide training support to law-enforcement personnel and community-based organizations relating to counter drug operations.

Section 2.

I hereby delegate to The Adjutant General of the State of Florida all necessary authority, within approved budgetary appropriations or grants, to order members of the Florida National Guard into active service, as defined by Section 250.27, Florida Statutes, for the purpose of training to support law-enforcement personnel and emergency-management personnel in the event of civil disturbances or natural disasters and to provide training support to law-enforcement personnel and community-based organizations relating to counter drug operations.

Section 3.

The Florida National Guard may order selected members on to state active duty for service to the State of Florida pursuant to Section 250.06(4), Florida Statutes, to assist FDLE in performing port security training and inspections. Based on the potential massive damage to life and property that may result from an act of terrorism at a Florida port, the necessity to protect life and property from such acts of terrorism, and inhibiting the smuggling of illegal drugs into the State of Florida, the use of the Florida National Guard to support FDLE in accomplishing port security training and inspections is "extraordinary support to law enforcement" as used in Section 250.06(4), Florida Statutes.

Section 4.

The Adjutant General shall not place members of the Florida National Guard into active service for longer than necessary to accomplish the purposes declared herein.

Section 5.

This Executive Order supersedes Executive Order Number 01-17. Executive Order Number 01-17 is hereby revoked.

Section 6.

This Executive Order shall remain in full force and effect until the earlier of its revocation or June 30, 2003.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and have caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 7th day of September 2001.

http://www.state.fl.us/eog_new/eog/orders/2001/september/eo2001-261-09-07-01.html

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. I remembered thinking after September 11, 2001, what did Jeb know...

...and when did his brother know it.

Do you also remember the Dan Rather interview of the FEMA official in New York City? Very interesting:

FEMA IN NEW YORK THE NIGHT BEFORE 9/11?
<http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fematape.html>

"Click HERE for a RealAudio recording of a statement made by FEMA spokesman Tom Kenney to Dan Rather on Wednesday, September 12th.

In this interview, Tom states that Fema was deployed to New York on Monday night, September 10th, to be ready to go into action on Tuesday morning, September 11th.

Needless to say, this recording has caused quite a stir. The official reaction is that Kenney was simply confused about the dates. However, Kenney is complaining on the recording about not gettng full access to the site until "today". Kenney talks about a Monday, a Tuesday, and "today". That's three days. If indeed the above recording was made on Wednesday, September 12th as claimed, then the explanation that Kenney was simply confused about the days doesn't work, because there is one more day than can be accounted for.

Mr. Kenney has since been ordered not to discuss this incident."

Another thing that has gotten my interest was the statement that Dubya made to a group in the White House:

President Bush Holds Town Hall Meeting
Aired December 4, 2001 - 15:18 ET
<http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/04/se.04.html>

"QUESTION: One thing, Mr. President, is that you have no idea how much you've done for this country, and another thing is that how did you feel when you heard about the terrorist attack?

BUSH: Well...

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you, Jordan (ph).

Well, Jordan (ph), you're not going to believe what state I was in when I heard about the terrorist attack. I was in Florida. And my chief of staff, Andy Card -- actually I was in a classroom talking about a reading program that works. And I was sitting outside the classroom waiting to go in, and I saw an airplane hit the tower -- the TV was obviously on, and I use to fly myself, and I said, "There's one terrible pilot." And I said, "It must have been a horrible accident."

Okay...which was it? Was he in the classroom with the kids, or outside the classroom? If he was in the classroom, Dubya couldn't have seen the plane hit anything because the television had not been turned on in that room. If he was in the hall, to what television did he have access that would have actully shown the impact of the first plane? Another point to consider is the fact that Dubya was told by Andy Card about the second plane, and he continued to sit in his chair in the classroom without access to a television.

So, when did he actually see a plane hit the WTC? Keep in mind that Dubya was on his way to the school in his limo when the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. That limo is outfitted with all of the latest of everything...to include the capability for closed-circuit television. If someone was at the WTC with a camera trained on the WTC with the transmission going to the limo, that would imply prior knowlege of not only where the event was going to take place, but also the time of the event. There was no live coverage of the first impact, and the television cameras didn't get into position until sometime before the second impact on the South Tower.

[Zhade]

8. Holy Operation Northwoods, Batman!

Based on the potential massive damage to life and property that may result from an act of terrorism at a Florida port...

Dusting off the old plans - staged attack, blame it on Cuba, and *bang* instant clamor for regime change...?

[Paschall]

11. A caveat

This executive order was discussed here at DU shortly after 9/11. As I recall, Jeb simply re-issued an executive order that had been longstanding. With one exception: He added the reference to terrorism.

Which--given that this order pre-dated 9/11--was the cause of quite a bit of... uh, shall I say surprise among DUers.

[Paschall]

6. And people wonder where the $87 billion for Iraq went

In fact, $8.5m spent on security during the FTAA meeting {in Miami} came out of the $87bn Bush extracted from Congress for Iraq last month.

I guess this was justified as a "training exercise?"

[7th_Sephiroth]

7. is civil war

not that far away? i have a feeling athat if they go any further it might be open season on cops, and, as much as i hate the police, i dont want to see people dieing on the streets every day cause of some stupid chimp

[northernsoul]

13. a war requires two sides capable of putting up a fight

personally, I don't have any skills or equipment that'll do much good if I wake up one morning to find a gunship hovering over my house, Israeli-style.

[rjbcar27]

10. Fucking hell. Not a peep of this in the UK.

I'm stunned, but sadly not surprised. We had over 100,000 protestors in London last week and I don't remember any beatings or shootings.

[Nihil]

12. Yeah ...

... must be all that media control here in Britain that covered up
the bloodstains in Trafalgar Square and the broken bodies along the
route. There again, maybe it was the fact that (despite my occasional
comments on the subject) the UK plods aren't anything like as rabidly
fascist as the US equivalent. (And that many of them resented losing
time off for the sake of the uninvited tosser that turned up to hide
over here.)

(Memo to self: You really can't talk to coppers in other countries
like you can at home.)

Nihil

[northernsoul]

14. I'd take Old Bill over Ashcroft's Stormtroopers

any day of the week.

Now, granted, your RUC and SAS are capable of playing it a bit rough in Ulster. But like my Lancastrian grandad told me: "In heaven, the cops are British, the cooks are French and the mechanics are German. In hell, the cops are German, the mechanics are French, and the cooks are British."

[Bridget Burke]

15. The RUC are gone but their memory remains.....

The Royal Ulster Constabulary have been disbanded & a Police Service formed to take their place. Many surplus RUC uniforms have been re-purposed--by strippers.

Last March, the Observer's Ireland Editor reported on the phenomenon & interviewed Geoff Dowey, owner of Angels Promotions in North Belfast.

"'I think the reason why there has been an upsurge in demand for the RUC strip show is that people in Northern Ireland like to laugh at themselves. Even former enemies of the police can do that, and surely that's a healthy sign,' he added.

"Dowey could barely be heard over the roars and cheers inside the Pavilion Bar, a pub with a religiously mixed clientele. Most drinkers only had eyes for Angela Woodage, a slender 6ft stripper in an RUC woman's uniform.

"She said she was still surprised at the popularity of the uniform: 'In the hardest republican and loyalist areas they just want me as the RUC woman. The boys ask me to handcuff them and caution them. It's as if they miss the thrill of it all.'"

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4636730-102285,00.html

Two questions:

1) When's Ian Paisley's birthday?

2) Should we send a female stripper--or a male?

[northernsoul]

16. I believe Rev. Paisley is actually undead

and hence birthday-less.
I'm a bit torn as to which stripper to send, I'm sure the male one would mortify (but perhaps secretly thrill) his icy
Calvinist soul, and I want the one that'll create the most discomfort for the evil fucker.

[psychopomp]

17. This is too much

-snip-
The FTAA Summit in Miami represents the official homecoming of the "war on terror". The latest techniques honed in Iraq - from a Hollywoodised military to a militarised media - have now been used on a grand scale in a major US city. "This should be a model for homeland defence," the Miami mayor, Manny Diaz, said of the security operation that brought together over 40 law-enforcement agencies, from the FBI to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
-snip-

Defense from what? Leftist activists? Have leftist activists been a threat for the last, say, seventy years?

-snip-
With the activists recast as dangerous aliens, Miami became eligible for the open tap of public money irrigating the "war on terror". In fact, $8.5m spent on security during the FTAA meeting came out of the $87bn Bush extracted from Congress for Iraq last month.
-snip-
Sweeeet. Gotta hand it to these Bushes, they really know the con job.

[JaySherman]

18. Kick! WAKE UP!

"wake up liberal brothers, the fascist corporatist state is here"

God(s) help us all. :kick: