-Caveat Lector-
Begin forwarded message:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: July 23, 2007 8:52:21 PM PDT
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Essential COG in the Juggernaut's Wheel
Operation FALCON -
USA is turning into a Police State
Feb 28, 2007 - 07:43 PM
By: Mike_Whitney
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=431
On 29th June, 1934, Chancellor Adolph Hitler, accompanied by the
Schutzstaffel (SS), arrived at Wiesse, where he personally arrested
the leader of the Strum Abteilung (SA), Ernnst Roehm. During the
next 24 hours 200 other senior SA officers were arrested on the way
to Wiesse. Many were shot as soon as they were captured but Hitler
decided to pardon Roehm because of his past service to the
movement. However, after much pressure from Hermann Goering and
Heinrich Himmler, Hitler agreed that Roehm should die. At first
Hitler insisted that Roehm should be allowed to commit suicide but,
when he refused, Roehm was shot by two SS men.
(Spartacus.schoolnet.co)
Later, Hitler delivered a speech at the Reichstag in which he
justified the murders of his rivals saying:
"If anyone reproaches me and asks why I did not resort to the
regular courts of justice, then all I can say is this: In this hour
I was responsible for the fate of the German people, and thereby I
became the supreme judge of the German people. It was no secret
that this time the revolution would have to be bloody; when we
spoke of it we called it 'The Night of the Long Knives.' Everyone
must know for all future time that if he raises his hand to strike
the State, then certain death is his lot."
The Night of the Long Knives is seen by many as the turning point
where Hitler made it clear that he was above the law and the
supreme leader of the German people.
Operation Falcon: Blueprint for removing dissidents and political
rivals
The Bush administration has carried out three massive sweeps in the
last two years, rolling up more than 30,000 minor crooks and
criminals, without as much as a whimper of protest from the public.
So far, not one of the more than 30,000 victims has been charged
with a terror-related crime.Operation Falcon is the clearest
indication yet that the Bush administration is fine-tuning its
shock-troops so it can roll up tens of thousands of people at a
moment's notice and toss them into the newly-built Halliburton
detention centers. This should be a red flag for anyone who cares
at all about human rights, civil liberties, or simply saving his
own skin.
Operation Falcon was allegedly the brainchild of Attorney General
Alberto Gonzales and his counterpart in the US Marshal's office,
(Director) Ben Reyna. But its roots go much deeper into the nexus
of right-wing Washington think tanks where fantasies of autocratic
government have a long history. The name, Falcon, is an acronym for
“Federal and Local Cops Organized Nationally.” It relates to the
more than 960 state, local and federal agencies which are directly
involved in the administration's expansive criminal dragnets.
Typically, law enforcement agencies are protective of their own
turf and wary of outside intervention. The Falcon program overrides
these concerns by streamlining the information-sharing processes
and setting up a chain-of-command structure that radiates from the
Justice Department. This removes many of the traditional obstacles
to agency interface. It also relocates the levers of power in
Washington where they can be manned by members of the Bush
administration.
Dictatorships require strong centralized authority and the Falcon
program is a logical corollary of that ambition. It creates new
inroads for Bush to assume greater control over the nationwide
police-state apparatus. That alone should be sufficient reason for
alarm.
The first Operation Falcon took place during the week of April 4 to
April 10, 2005. According to the US Marshal's official website,
“The emphasis centered on gang related crimes, homicides, crimes
involving use of a weapon, crimes against children and the elderly,
crimes involving sexual assaults, organized crime and drug related
fugitives, and other crimes of violence.” More than 10,000 criminal
suspects were arrested in a matter of days. It was the largest
criminal sweep in the nation's history and, according to U.S.
Marshall chief Ben Reyna, “produced the largest number of arrests
ever recorded during a single initiative.” The Washington Times
noted, “The sweep was a virtual clearinghouse for warrants on drug,
gang, gun and sex-offender suspects nationwide.”
The emphasis was clearly on quantity not quality.
Still, this doesn't explain why state and federal agencies had to
be integrated with local law enforcement simply to carry out
routine police work.
More importantly, it doesn't explain why local police ignored their
duty to protect the public just so they could coordinate with
outside agencies. According to one report “162 accused or convicted
of murder” were picked up in the first sweep. That means that the
police had knowingly left murderers on the street and put the
public at risk until they orchestrated their raids with federal
agencies?
That's irresponsible. It also suggests that there may be a more
sinister motive behind the program than just ensuring public
safety. The plan appears to have been devised to enhance the powers
of the “unitary” executive by putting state and local law
enforcement under federal supervision. Once again, it's an attempt
by the administration to extend its grip to the state and local
level. We saw a similar strategy unfold after Hurricane Katrina
when the Bush administration used the tragedy to seize control of
local police and National Guard units so they could establish de
facto martial law. Troops, armored vehicles and mercenaries were
deployed to New Orleans to fight lawlessness and looting even
though desperate people were still stranded on their rooftops
waiting for food, water and medical attention.
Operation FALCON II was another massive dragnet which covered the
western half of the country and focused primarily on “violent sex
offenders”. The raids took place from April 17-23, and succeeded in
apprehending 9,037 alleged fugitives. The US Marshals web site
boasts that the operation “took some of the country's most
dangerous wanted criminals off the streets and made America's
communities safer”.
Nonsense. Despite the claims of success, only 462 “violent sex
crime” suspects were arrested, along with 1,094 “unregistered sex
offenders” and other minor “sex crime” suspects. That leaves 7,481
suspects who were rounded up for other unrelated reasons.
Who are they and what crime did they commit? Were these drug
violations, dads who were delinquent on child-support payments,
traffic tickets, jay-walking?!?
7,481 people who were incarcerated are unaccounted by the
government's estimate. This means that the bulk of them were
probably undocumented workers who were shunted off to the INS
(Immigration and Naturalization) or dispatched to Cheney's tent-
city gulags in western Texas. (See: Democracy Now “Human Rights
Groups Call for Closure of Texas Jail Holding Undocumented
Immigrants” 2-23-07)
Similar inconsistencies appear in “Operation FALCON III, which
covered the eastern half of the country from October 22 - 28,
2006.” State, local and federal police-units arrested 10,773
fugitives; including 1,659 sex offenders, 971 unregistered sex
offenders, 364 gang members, 140 homicide suspects, and 3,609 drug
violations. Once again, the US Marshal's official tally doesn't
pencil out. This time, 4,030 extra people were rounded up without
any further explanation.
Who are they and have they been charged with a crime?
Furthermore, sex offenders, drug users and gang-bangers are not
what we normally consider “some of the country's most dangerous
wanted criminals”. In fact, there are indications that the great
majority of these people are not violent at all. For example, of
the 30,110 total fugitives who were apprehended in all three Falcon
sweeps, a measly 586 firearms were seized.
Clearly, the people who were arrested for the most part were not
“armed and dangerous” nor were they a serious threat to public
safety. They were probably just the unwitting victims of an
overzealous US Marshals office and an ideologically-driven Justice
Department.
So, what was the real impetus for the Falcon raids? Was it just a
bean-counting exercise to see how many people would fit in the back
of a Paddy-wagon or are they a dress rehearsal for future
crackdowns on potential enemies of the state?
Bogus News Reports
The Falcon operation illustrates the incestuous relationship
between the media and the state. They are two wings on the same
plane. The Justice Department provided the TV networks with
official footage of policemen and government agents raiding homes
and handcuffing suspects; and the media dutifully aired the video
on stations across the country. The scenes were accompanied by a
reassuring commentary lauding the administration's new crime
fighting strategies and linking homeland security with the nebulous
war on terror.
Attorney General Gonzales told reporters, “Operation FALCON is an
excellent example of President Bush's direction and the Justice
Department's dedication to deal both with the terrorist threat and
traditional violent crime.” He added, “This joint effort shows the
commitment of our federal, state, and local partners to make our
neighborhoods safer, and it has led to the highest number of
arrests ever recorded for a single initiative of its kind.”
So far, not one of the more than 30,000 victims has been charged
with a terror-related crime.
The media-hype surrounding the raids has been celebratory and
uniform; cookie-cutter articles appeared throughout the US press
(most of them unsourced) highlighting the cooperation between the
divers agencies while providing an upbeat account of what amounts
to police repression.
Thousands of nearly identical articles appeared in the nation's
newspapers which seem to have been authored by high-ranking
officials at Homeland Security and protégés of George Orwell;
although the difference between the two is far from certain. Even
stranger, most of the articles in the mainstream media can no
longer be retrieved via a Google search. They seem to have vanished
into the black-hole of Homeland propaganda.
No matter. If the media was supposed to make Gestapo-like
crackdowns look like normal police operations; they succeeded
admirably. Mission accomplished.
Former Governor of Louisiana, Huey Long once opined, “When fascism
comes to America, it will come wrapped in an American flag.”
Indeed, he could have added that the corporate media will gladly
provide the flag and the public relations campaign as they have
with Falcon.
Falcon; new drills for a new world order
The Falcon operations can only be understood in the broader context
of the ongoing assault on the constitutional system of checks and
balances; including the repeal of habeas corpus, warrantless
wiretaps and searches, and the use of torture.
For the last 6 years, the Bush administration has been busy
dismantling the legal safeguards which protect the citizen from the
arbitrary and, oftentimes, ruthless actions of the state. To that
end, detention camps are being prepared by Halliburton within the
U.S., secret courts have been established which deny due process of
law, American citizens are arrested without charge, law enforcement
is increasingly militarized, and the media has strengthened its
alliance with the central government.
Additionally, in October 2006, George Bush quietly changed the
Insurrection Act, which prevented the President from deploying
troops inside the United States. Bush's revision effectively
overturns the Posse Comitatus Act which put strict limits on the
executive's power to use US troops in domestic situations. Just
days earlier Bush signed a similar bill, "The John Warner Defense
Authorization Act of 2007" which gives Bush the power to take
command of National Guard units across the country which are
traditionally under the control of the state governors.
Without fanfare, Bush has taken control of all armed forces and
militias inside and outside of the country and now has a monopoly
on all the state-sanctioned tools of organized violence. It's a
coup that could never have succeeded without the tacit cooperation
of the media.
Bush is now free to declare martial law in response to a natural
disaster, a pandemic or a terrorist attack. The congress is
powerless to stop him.
Also, Bush recently signed the Military Commissions Act of 2006,
which allows the president to arbitrarily declare citizens and non
citizens “enemy combatants” and imprison them indefinitely without
charge. The new law gives Bush the authority to disregard the
Geneva Conventions and the 8th amendment's ban on “cruel and
unusual” punishment and apply “harsh interrogation” which may
include torture. The act effectively repeals habeas corpus, the
cornerstone of American jurisprudence and the Bill of Rights.
The Military Commissions Act cannot coexist with the US
Constitution; the two are mutually exclusive.
The Military Commissions Act, The John Warner Defense Authorization
Act, the Homeland Security Act, the Patriot Act, and the myriad
presidential signing statements have conferred absolute power on
George Bush. The question is whether or not some incident will
arise that will persuade Bush to use his extraordinary new powers.
General Tommy Franks predicted that a “massive, casualty producing
event” might cause “our population to question our own Constitution
and begin to militarize our country;” a scenario that many see as
likely now.
Is that it? Will another terrorist attack provide the rationale for
overturning republican government and declaring martial law?
If so, then we should know what to expect.
According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) it would
mean “the suspension of the normal functions of civilian
government, implying the cancellation or postponement of state and
federal elections.” (Global Research) It would also “close public
and government facilities not critical for continuity of essential
operations.” (FEMA)
Northern Command would assume control and under “the classified
'Continuity of Government” (COG) Operations Plan' a secret 'shadow
government' would become functional, redeploying key staff to
secret locations.” (Global Research)
Also, “all forms of public gatherings or citizen's protests which
question the legitimacy of the emergency procedures and the
installation of a police state” would be banned. The military would
be deployed to carry out “police and judicial” functions.
Martial law in the US would be applied with the utmost attention to
public sensibilities and perceptions, avoiding the garish display
of force we see in Iraq. It would be a “kinder and gentler” martial
law with a limited number of military personnel on the streets
(just enough to remind us that things have changed) and an emphasis
on “preemptive” policing operations. (Expect Falcons' 4, 5 and 6
etc) It would probably be disguised by a carefully crafted public
relations campaign and a predictably cheery moniker, such as, “The
Security Enhancement and Homeland Fortification Act”. The
possibilities are limitless.
The Bush administration is also prepared if some unforeseen tragedy
befalls congress, like another anthrax attack.
In fact, the American Enterprise Institute, to which the Bush team
is closely aligned, has already "issued proposals for the operation
of Congress following a catastrophic terrorist attack". They
advocate the "APPOINTING" of individuals to the House of
Representatives, a first in American history," because COGC claims
the states could not hold special elections quickly enough after a
terrorist act to guarantee the functioning of Congress. *** "The
Continuity of Government Commission was neither elected nor
appointed by any government body and is mostly made up of
professional lobbyists". (http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/index.php?
name=News&file=article&sid=431)
(Coincidentally, Newsweek article “White House Rehearses for
Domestic Attack” 2-23-07; “The White House is staging a high-level
exercise Saturday to test responses to the prospect of a massive
domestic terrorist attack.” These drills are a critical part of the
C.O.G. regimen dating back to the Reagan administration)
According to the AEI's plan, the future United States congress will
be comprised of lobbyists and industry representatives. What else
would one expect from an organization that believes that corporate
interests should determine policy?
These are the chilling precedents which have paved the way for
further government lawlessness and abuse. They foreshadow the
ominous transition from representative government to autocratic
rule; from inalienable rights to martial law.
The Falcon operations are just a small part of this larger
paradigm. The program is not designed for rounding up minor crooks
and drug dealers, (which no one really cares about anyway) but for
removing leftists, dissidents and political rivals. These are the
real targets. The power of the state is measured in terms of how
effectively it defeats or eliminates its enemies. And, the Bush
administration has shown a remarkable aptitude for crushing its
rivals.
The Crawford Fuehrer
One day, after a particularly savage domestic purge; we can expect
President Bush to stride to the presidential podium and reiterate
the same words that were uttered by his German predecessor 60 years
ago:
"If anyone reproaches me and asks why I did not resort to the
regular courts of justice, then all I can say is this: In this hour
I was responsible for the fate of the American people, and thereby
I became the supreme judge of the American people….Everyone must
know for all future time that if he raises his hand to strike the
State, then certain death is his lot."
-------------------
***From Ron Paul, opponent of COGC: "Imagine a terrorist strike
kills a majority of members of the House of Representatives. 200
members survive, and 235 are appointed by state governors on a
"temporary basis." This new body considers a bill suspending civil
liberties and imposing martial law. The bill passes, with 195
elected members opposed and all 235 of the appointed members in
favor. Only 5 elected members support the measure. Would the
electorate consider this legislation legitimate and the new law
valid? Hardly. Yet this is exactly the type of outcome we must
expect under the COGC proposal."
Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com.
www.ctrl.org
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