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EDITORIAL: The Civil War of 2016: U.S. military officers are told to plan to fight Americans
The Washington Times ^ | August 8, 2012 | Editorial

Posted on 08/08/2012 4:50:24 PM PDT by EveningStar

Imagine Tea Party extremists seizing control of a South Carolina town and the Army being sent in to crush the rebellion. This farcical vision is now part of the discussion in professional military circles.

At issue is an article in the respected Small Wars Journal titled “Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A ‘Vision’ of the Future.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: 2016; army; banglist; civilwar; cwii; cwiiping; teaparty
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To: Steel Wolf

Excellent intelligent analysis.


261 posted on 08/09/2012 12:16:31 AM PDT by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office.)
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To: Steel Wolf

A cogent, and spot-on analytical analysis, Steel Wolf. Very well done.


262 posted on 08/09/2012 12:22:29 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Travis McGee

“And if it doesn’t happen naturally, they might give it some “help.”

Somewhere I heard a breakdown of all the “terrorist” arrests since 9/11.
There were two (count em 2!) terror attempts thwarted by American Citizens.
Something like 27 or so others that were instigated in some way by FBI/CIA. (Somebody please correct me or provide sources)

If there is another civil war it will be instigated by “them” not “us”.


263 posted on 08/09/2012 1:03:54 AM PDT by vanilla swirl (searching for something meaningfull to say)
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To: wintertime; Stonewall Jackson; x
Do you think the South may have eventually won if they had fought a guerrilla war rather than one using traditional methods?

It's something that would need to be wargamed out using historical knowledge (presence of U.S. Colored Troops -- always a morale-raiser for the Confederates, as at Palmitto Springs near Brownsville, Texas, in May, 1865, when Gen. Nathaniel Banks, in a display of hubris and contempt for the Texans who'd beaten him twice, landed with his Colored Troops regiments up front, enraging the Texans -- U.S. control of waterways, the sub rosa cotton-trade networks => scalawags and carpetbaggers, etc., viz., co-optation of certain RiNOid Southerners) and modern wargaming artistry. Several times (to compensate for enthusiastic Southerners, e.g., refloating their aircraft carriers like Adm. Nagumo did when he war-gamed Midway).

Gen. Lee, a few months before his death, no doubt of heart failure, did make a comment privately to a former Texas Confederate lieutenant-governor (statement sourced and cached on media) to the effect that, had he known the purposes to which the North intended to put their victory, would not have surrendered at Appomattox, but sought by any means to disperse his army, reach Bragg in Tennessee, and continue the war as a guerrilla contest.

Thus Marse Robert. I respect his judgment, while noting that heart disease does produce a certain melancholia and pessimism in sufferers.

264 posted on 08/09/2012 1:17:48 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: Steel Wolf
...the closer the fighting gets to our vital interests, the less direct force the government will be able to bring to bear.

You do not credit the blood thirst of Obama's circle. These people are ideologues and Communists. They're middle-class armchair executioners who seriously want Middle America to Go Away (the 25,000,000 remark, which has been bid up in the meantime to God knows how many).

Middle-class Communists are the worst, the most bloody-minded. Check your hole card; it might not be worth as much as you think.

NB, have you been following this thread?

265 posted on 08/09/2012 1:26:26 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: Doogle

“I can imagine the military encircling DC and frog marching Reid,Pelosi,Odungo and about 42 Czars to prison”

And after reading the article and thinking about it, I am becoming more and more convinced that something like this will take place.

The reason is this:
What does the government do with the Army/military?

By that I mean if there was somehow a growing populist movement that in some way tried to “Hold DC accountable”, that obviously tends to be a threat to the power base in DC.

Any possibility that the military could sympathize with the movement MUST (from DC’s perspective) be avoided.

The way to do that is through propaganda/false flag operations demonizing some people/part/cultural institutions in America, to change the focus of military thought away from DC and towards some poor sucker who in essence didn’t do a single dam thing to cause problems.

Many peoples comments in the article call it an unrealistic scenario.

I see it as a VERY realistic scenario!!!

How much/many of our servicemen/women would fall for it is an important question.

But one thing is certain - if you wake up in the morning and the internet is down and all you see on the tv is the Emergency Broadcast Signal, then it’s time to hunker down bigtime!


266 posted on 08/09/2012 2:01:04 AM PDT by djf (The barbarian hordes will ALWAYS outnumber the clean-shaven. And they vote.)
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To: EveningStar
This is what happens when the likes of the SPLC set the bar for "radical" and "terrorist", as they have been doing by proclaiming themselves experts to the intelligence and Law Enforcement community for a long time now.

While they legitimately point out some really radical groups, they also sweep in many others which do not constitute a threat to legitimate government.

This is also a measure of the decreasing Constitutional legitimacy of Government, that such blatant paranoia should abound.

For those knowledgeable about the TEA party movement, this is a serious flag, showing the TEA party groups have only skimmed the surface of the festering rot at all levels of government.

The sad effect, apparently lost on the writers of the scenario, is that they are alienating one of the greatest groups of people who support the military, simply by declaring us their enemy, even hypothetically.

Surely they don't think the donations to the USO, the DAV, The VFW, The Wounded Warrior Project, The BVA, and a host of other organizations which support veterans, wounded and otherwise, come from the OWS Obamite types?

Talk about crapping in your mess kit...

267 posted on 08/09/2012 2:07:06 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: Steel Wolf
Talking about an I/O plan that headlines Shows of Force (fighter jet flybys, etc) against the insurgents indicates an adequate understanding of counterinsurgency tactics, and a tragically flawed understanding of the strategies......

IOW, "shock and awe", misapplied against the owners of same, would degenerate to "awk! and pshaw!"

Hope you're right.

268 posted on 08/09/2012 2:34:56 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: djf
And after reading the article and thinking about it, I am becoming more and more convinced that something like this will take place.

Actually, the Army has no place in a political fight. They are not the "guarantors/saviors of the Constitution", the doctrine that lies at the heart of so many South American golpes de estado, juntas, and revolutions.

This is a matter between the People and their disobedient servants, and between the Taxpayers and the "Tax-Eaters and Takers", between the Solution and the Problem, people-to-people. The Army has no posse comitatus role unless a governor or legislature declares insurrection.

269 posted on 08/09/2012 2:41:11 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: lentulusgracchus

Did someone pay the authors to write the study/paper?

If so, then who? The federal government? The people? The military?

You can call it hypothetical all you want, but obviously SOMEONE is interested enough in it to produce serious results...


270 posted on 08/09/2012 3:00:02 AM PDT by djf (The barbarian hordes will ALWAYS outnumber the clean-shaven. And they vote.)
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To: Smokin' Joe
While they legitimately point out some really radical groups, they also sweep in many others which do not constitute a threat to legitimate government.

Bracketing. Black-propaganda technique. Thoroughly explained by adman Hunter Madsen, writing with psychologist Marshall Kirk, in After the Ball, about homosexual psywar against public mores and American sources of moral authority.

271 posted on 08/09/2012 3:15:47 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: djf
You can call it hypothetical all you want, but obviously SOMEONE is interested enough in it to produce serious results...

That's what I pointed out to my Dem friend, who was an Obama delegate to the state 'Rat convention four years ago, when I sent him a link and threw down.

In the end, all those 'Rat activists are responsible for this crap. They put that Kenyan Klown in office.

272 posted on 08/09/2012 3:19:45 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus
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To: Steel Wolf

That is a very good point. But I have looked at modern civil wars, and they don’t stay limited for long.

Tight ROE may be used at first, but as things esculate the State will start getting more and more bloody. If you look at Finland, Spain, the Balkans, and Greece (granted only the Balkan wars happened post WWII era), things get very bloody very quickly. Once everyone is forced to choose a side, the ROE will end.


273 posted on 08/09/2012 4:02:21 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: ScubieNuc
"My son is in the Army, I can guarentee you that he stands with “the people” as per the Constitution as per his oath. "

What does your son have to say about Article II and the natural born Citizen clause of our Constitution?

274 posted on 08/09/2012 4:12:39 AM PDT by Godebert (No Person Except a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN!)
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To: Godebert

Lol...so all military service members now have to pass your personal loyalty test? Some people on this site are unbelievable.


275 posted on 08/09/2012 4:17:48 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: spodefly

“The original article itself is PsyOps. Poke the nest ... see how riled up the hornets get.”

I agree. Psyops, plus meme planting.


276 posted on 08/09/2012 4:29:25 AM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: sickoflibs; stephenjohnbanker; NFHale

in case you guys missed it, the small wars journal article and a most excellent review by Travis @ 23... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2916269/posts?page=23#23


277 posted on 08/09/2012 4:31:50 AM PDT by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: Future Snake Eater
Lol...so all military service members now have to pass your personal loyalty test? Some people on this site are unbelievable."

How can you uphold your sworn oath to defend the Constitution and also serve in the Usurper's army? Col. Lakin upheld his sworn oath. Know any others?

278 posted on 08/09/2012 4:37:00 AM PDT by Godebert (No Person Except a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN!)
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To: Steel Wolf; DesertRhino; Lurker; centurion316; CodeToad
One ROE in the conflict zone would almost certainly mean outlawing the transportation or carrying of firearms by private citizens. After a few snipings of troops and officers, this is a certainty. How is that going to go over? As an abrogation of the 2nd Amd, the Constitution, and our social contract between the govt and the governed, among other things.

If they believe that they can simply announce ROE such as “Anybody outside carrying a firearm can be killed as a hostile,” they have just outlawed hunting. In hard times especially, a lot of folks hunt to put meat in the freezer.

I see this scenario repeated a few times. “Uncle Cletus was out turkey hunting, like every year. A drone dropped a missile on him and blew him to pieces!”

Word (and photos) of such incidents would spread by wildfire on the internet, all over the country. If they try to squelch the internet, it will just lead to disbelief in any govt pronouncements. After “collateral” strikes on innocent civilians, even the non-political will burn with hate against the fedgov.

As it's been mentioned, a few hundred active IRA tied down much of the British military on a small island for decades. Nobody has studied a modern dirty civil war in a nation where millions shoot scoped rifles for sport, among other things.

Once begun, CW2 might become Argentina's Dirty War X The Balkan Wars X Rwanda etc. It would be impossible to contain to a county in South Carolina. The Colonel's female sidekick “the Civil War expert” is tossing lit matches into dry tinder with this deliberately provocative race-baiting scenario. I question her motives.

279 posted on 08/09/2012 4:46:27 AM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: lentulusgracchus

The horrors of guerrilla warfare were well known and studied even in that era. I have read post-war comments by Marse Lee to the effect that guerrilla warfare always devolves to reprisals and atrocities, with “women and priests hiding bombs in their skirts.” Spain and the Peninsular Wars being the recent example they studied.

They knew that GW makes direct targets of noncombatants, leading to massacres of civilians, concentration camps etc. Lee felt an honorable defeat and national reconciliation was preferable to decades of dirty war, atrocities, and the much deeper national hatreds that would be developed. It’s been a few years since I read that in a CW1 history, don’t quote me!


280 posted on 08/09/2012 4:53:18 AM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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