-Caveat Lector- U.S. Marines, Defeated in SF, Turn to Oakland OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - Faced with a mock invasion by the U.S. Marine Corps, the city of San Francisco drew the line. Too much mud, too many boots, too noisy no thanks. Oakland, San Francisco's neighbor to the east, proved not nearly as stand-offish, however, and has opened its doors to ''Operation Urban Warrior,'' a major land exercise next month designed to train U.S. soldiers in modern fighting techniques and disaster relief strategies. ``Combat operations in the exercise will be controlled and are limited in scope,'' the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory said in a news release on Thursday announcing the deal. ``These operations are designed to prepare Marines for the type of conflict they will encounter in foreign commitments in the early 21st Century.'' San Francisco's brief fling with the idea of a Marine invasion was cut short last month by officials at the city's famed Presidio park, who feared that hundreds of troops swarming ashore with Humvees, assault vehicles and trucks could damage the coastal environment. While military officials assured the city that the four day exercise which was to have involved five ships, 6,000 sailors and Marines, and four days of simulated combat using helicopters and F-18 bombers, tens of thousands of blank rounds of small-arms fire, and simulated explosions wouldn't be too much of a distraction, San Francisco decided that maybe it was better off uninvaded. That decision put some noses out of joint. Some critics said snooty San Francisco was being too politically correct for its own good. ``The great diversity hub, which doesn't mind being invaded by thong-wearing Rollerbladers in veils during the 114 annual Indigenous Peoples Day Parades, is saying that camouflage is not welcome at least when it's worn by real soldiers,'' sniffed Ken Garcia, a local columnist. Across the bay in Oakland and its smaller neighbor Alameda, officials saw an opportunity. ``If San Francisco didn't want it, we're happy to accommodate,'' said Stacey Wells, press secretary to Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown. ``Oakland has a long history of commitment to the military with all of its bases, and this is really just a continuation of that.'' Under the revised plan, Operation Urban Warrior will take place between March 15-18 involving approximately 700 Marines. ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at http://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
