Study: DoD May Act On US Civil Unrest
December 29, 2008
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

A U.S. Army War College report warns an economic crisis in the United States could lead to massive civil unrest and the need to call on the military to restore order.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Nathan Freir wrote the report "Known Unknowns: Unconventional Strategic Shocks in Defense Strategy Development," which the Army think tank in Carlisle, Pa., recently released.

"Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities ... to defend basic domestic order and human security," the report said, in case of "unforeseen economic collapse," "pervasive public health emergencies," and "catastrophic natural and human disasters," among other possible crises.

The report also suggests the new (Barack Obama) administration could face a "strategic shock" within the first eight months in office.

Fort Bliss spokeswoman Jean Offutt said the Army post is not involved in any recent talks about a potential military response to civil unrest.

The report become a hot Internet item after Phoenix police told the Phoenix Business Journal they're prepared to deal with such an event, and the International Monetary Fund's managing director, Dominique Strauss-Khan, said social unrest could spread to advanced countries if the global economic crisis worsens.

Javier Sambrano, spokes-man for the El Paso Police Department, said city police have trained for years so they can address any contingency, but not with the military.

"The police (department) trains on an ongoing basis as part of its Mobile Field Force Training," Sambrano said. "As a result, the police will be able to respond to emergency situations, such as looting or a big civil unrest. The police (department) does not train with Soldiers."

Earlier this year, Pentagon officials said as many as 20,000 Soldiers under the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) will be trained within the next three years to work with civilian law enforcement in homeland security.

Joint Task Force-North, a joint command at Biggs Army Airfield, which conducts surveillance and intelligence along the border, comes under NORTHCOM. No one was available at JTF-North to comment on the Army War College's report. NORTHCOM was created after the 9-11 attacks to coordinate homeland security efforts.

Soldiers under the former Joint Task Force-6 (now JTF-North) supported the Border Patrol in El Paso with its drug-interdiction operations.

In case civilian authorities request help or become overwhelmed, El Paso has several National Guard and military reserve units that can be called on. In 1992, National Guard and active Marine and Army units were deployed to help police control riots and looting in Los Angeles.

Charles Boehmer, political science professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, was skeptical about the Army War College report.

"The military was not called out during the Great Depression, and I don't think our economic problems are as bad as they were then," he said. "The military always has contingency plans. It's a think tank's job to come up with scenarios, but that doesn't mean it represents an active interest on the part of the (Pentagon)."


© Copyright 2008 McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. All rights reserved

And what do you think about this?

Interesting! Sounds like some "think tank guru's" got way to much time on their hands. How bout this one..... Pres Bush resigns. Cheney in sworn in as president. 3 days later he resigns, and the next in command is secretary of state Condolesa Rice. She gets sworn in and becomes the first female president and the first african american president, thereby stealing all the glory from Obama. (Maybe I have too much time on my hands too!!!

I think Nancy Pelosi would come before Condi Rice in succession.

Al Haig musta come up with this one.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Freethinker,

I really hope and pray this scenerio does not ever happen. But I can see where it might in the right conditions. God help us all.

We can run scenarios all day of what might happen. Although it is important to stay informed and not ostrich ourselves in current events, there is nothing to be gained by constantly running worst case scenarios in our minds.

Watchdog groups have been reporting the building of containment centers for several years now.

IMO we are mired down in war... we're incredibly in debt to unfriendly governments who have underhandedly, but quite predictably destroyed our production capabilities and put skilled and high-tech laborers in the streets... Wall Street vulgarly wealthy'd and party'd themselves into a black hole that is still siphoning what good money is even left....

We are ripe for a world of hurt coming down the pike.

I've spoken about many aspects of Obama's background and rhetoric that sent up red flags, and one would be his constant reference to the need for civilian armies for national security reasons... I care not to see us turn into another 3rd world country where the constitution has become quaint, and neighbor turns against neighbor in the guise of protecting the homeland.

Time will tell... I hope Nancy Pelosi stands up to her own better than she did to BushCo. I can't wait to see her reaction when she tries to negotiate with Obama on legislation, and he calls her sweetie. Honestly, I think he has very little respect for women in general.

It is all falling into place...one step at a time....until most are so use to it that they don't know any different....



With things like the real id, NAIS, NAFTA super highway, Speculations of fema camps popping up all over the place with large numbers of plastic coffins, the Biden comment about "something" happening in January.

Have you been practicing your "Sieg Heil's?"

LOL.

Nancy Pelosi is the heart of the problem in Washington. She has outside ties with Epa Groups like the Sierra Group. She has flexed her muscles, showing who is boss around there and has done nothing for the people. I don't know how you can say she let Bush got her to do nothing. She made it apparant that anything he wanted done was blocked and alot of things were not even put up to a vote. When Bush warned them about the financial problem 2 years ago, she didn't listen to him or the others saying the same thing. She is a wart on the butt of Washington and needs to be replaced.

When have any of them done anything for anyone other than themselves or various associates? She slurps from the same trough as all the rest.

She did upon taking over b-slap her fellow Democrats and put BushCo's war crimes off-limits. And she's done very little to stop the constant assault on our constitution, or on Cheney's re-defining of the office of the vice presidency as a fourth "untouchable" branch of government.

The article only enforces what the National Guard already do; except for the economic crisis.

I was living in Detroit when the riots broke out and the National Guard was there. My Oklahoma history book tells me that the riot in Tulsa had National Guard there to maintain control. We know they were called out when the F5 tornado hit OKC. And they were called out to the Hurricanes such as Katrina.

I'm probably reading more into this but I have a feeling what it is saying between the lines is, our government will have more control as the soldiers train the police depts and in time we will have a police state. Maybe, maybe not! Police depts will be placed under Homeland Security and the police will have more force as they will be considered a branch of the military.

Just ideas floating around in my head. No facts to back that up.

Homeland Security act should have been named kiss your rights good bye act. All the government has to do is say they suspect you of terroristic activities and they can bring and type of military force against you legally.I believe I looked up the law on it on another thread.
Supposedly much of this law would have expired by now. The Bush Administration who engineered it for our "safety" extended it though for our supposed "safety."
Once again i quote the brilliant pogo, " i have seen the enemy and he is us."

"Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities ... to defend basic domestic order and human security," the report said, in case of "unforeseen economic collapse," "pervasive public health emergencies," and "catastrophic natural and human disasters," among other possible crises.

unforeseen????

practicing away freethinker....

Heil Obama.....

Welcome to America the new Nazi Germany!

What cracks me up is here in Hot Springs if I say, "I am gonna kick your butt", I can be arrested for terroristic threatening. Give me a freakin break.

To be terroristic threatening I would think you would have to say something like, "I'm gonna bomb your school", or "Blow up a plane", or something in that line of thinking.