Gen. Franks Doubts Constitution Will Survive WMD Attack

News Max.Com ^ | 11-21-03

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Gen. Franks Doubts Constitution Will Survive WMD Attack

John O. Edwards, NewsMax.com
Friday, Nov. 21, 2003

Gen. Tommy Franks says that if the United States is hit with a weapon of mass destruction that inflicts large casualties, the Constitution will likely be discarded in favor of a military form of government.

Franks, who successfully led the U.S. military operation to liberate Iraq, expressed his worries in an extensive interview he gave to the men’s lifestyle magazine Cigar Aficionado.

In the magazine’s December edition, the former commander of the military’s Central Command warned that if terrorists succeeded in using a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) against the U.S. or one of our allies, it would likely have catastrophic consequences for our cherished republican form of government.

Discussing the hypothetical dangers posed to the U.S. in the wake of Sept. 11, Franks said that “the worst thing that could happen” is if terrorists acquire and then use a biological, chemical or nuclear weapon that inflicts heavy casualties.

If that happens, Franks said, “... the Western world, the free world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is freedom and liberty we’ve seen for a couple of hundred years in this grand experiment that we call democracy.”

Franks then offered “in a practical sense” what he thinks would happen in the aftermath of such an attack.

“It means the potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western world – it may be in the United States of America – that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass, casualty-producing event. Which in fact, then begins to unravel the fabric of our Constitution. Two steps, very, very important.”

Franks didn’t speculate about how soon such an event might take place.

Already, critics of the U.S. Patriot Act, rushed through Congress in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, have argued that the law aims to curtail civil liberties and sets a dangerous precedent.

But Franks’ scenario goes much further. He is the first high-ranking official to openly speculate that the Constitution could be scrapped in favor of a military form of government.

The usually camera-shy Franks retired from U.S. Central Command, known in Pentagon lingo as CentCom, in August 2003, after serving nearly four decades in the Army.

Franks earned three Purple Hearts for combat wounds and three Bronze Stars for valor. Known as a “soldier’s general,” Franks made his mark as a top commander during the U.S.’s successful Operation Desert Storm, which liberated Kuwait in 1991. He was in charge of CentCom when Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda attacked the United States on Sept. 11.

Franks said that within hours of the attacks, he was given orders to prepare to root out the Taliban in Afghanistan and to capture bin Laden.

Franks offered his assessment on a number of topics to Cigar Aficionado, including:

President Bush: “As I look at President Bush, I think he will ultimately be judged as a man of extremely high character. A very thoughtful man, not having been appraised properly by those who would say he’s not very smart. I find the contrary. I think he’s very, very bright. And I suspect that he’ll be judged as a man who led this country through a crease in history effectively. Probably we’ll think of him in years to come as an American hero.”

On the motivation for the Iraq war: Contrary to claims that top Pentagon brass opposed the invasion of Iraq, Franks said he wholeheartedly agreed with the president’s decision to invade Iraq and oust Saddam Hussein.

“I, for one, begin with intent. ... There is no question that Saddam Hussein had intent to do harm to the Western alliance and to the United States of America. That intent is confirmed in a great many of his speeches, his commentary, the words that have come out of the Iraqi regime over the last dozen or so years. So we have intent.

“If we know for sure ... that a regime has intent to do harm to this country, and if we have something beyond a reasonable doubt that this particular regime may have the wherewithal with which to execute the intent, what are our actions and orders as leaders in this country?”

The Pentagon’s deck of cards: Asked how the Pentagon decided to put its most-wanted Iraqis on a set of playing cards, Franks explained its genesis. He recalled that when his staff identified the most notorious Iraqis the U.S. wanted to capture, “it just turned out that the number happened to be about the same as a deck of cards. And so somebody said, ‘Aha, this will be the ace of spades.’”

Capturing Saddam: Franks said he was not surprised that Saddam has not been captured or killed. But he says he will eventually be found, perhaps sooner than Osama bin laden.

“The capture or killing of Saddam Hussein will be a near term thing. And I won’t say that’ll be within 19 or 43 days. ... I believe it is inevitable.”

Franks ended his interview with a less-than-optimistic note. “It’s not in the history of civilization for peace ever to reign. Never has in the history of man. ... I doubt that we’ll ever have a time when the world will actually be at peace.”

Editor's note:
Check out "Resolve" with the official President Bush photo – Click Here Now

The Iraqi "Deck of Death" playing cards – Get yours today!

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
George W. Bush
Saddam Hussein/Iraq
Al-Qaeda
War on Terrorism

[fightu4it]

Some of the tin-horn dictators of the world would do well to ask themselves what this country's response will be if a major event ever occurs in this country.

We don't have to scrap the Constitution. There is language in the Constitution that allows our leaders to do what is necessary in extreme circumstances.

If certain dictators cannot control the extremists within their country and we are forced to act, there will be a terrible price to pay in human blood in those countries.

We, as a nation, will do what we must to survive. I am sure it would shock the rest of the world to find out what we are capable of if and when some idiots unleash forces that only this nation is capable of containing in this world.

It would be a black day for humanity but this nation would prevail and still lead the world.

[GatekeeperBookman]

Indeed. have we all been asleep here? Has the www.OKCbobmbing.org, the wwww.TWA800.org, Jana Davis, &etc meant nothing? I fear what would happen after another 911 occurrs & I think it very well may.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

What constitution? Some say the Articles of Confederation were the last thing we saw of freedom.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

This is NOT a democracy. It is a Constitutional Republic-that's why the judges can tell us all what to do!

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

When this story broke-the media mistakenly reported that Gen. Wesley Clark said these things. I heard them repeat this all day.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

Tell this to the jerks who pollute the federal bench.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

Excepting the economic consequences, I could entertain your thought.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

I wish you were correct-the truth however, is that WE ARE the world-the world's stability, inspiration & guide. Our dollar slips a few points ( vs the euro ) in last week & the world markets quiver. We are the least socialist nation-all the rest rot in their sordid stew of sewage.

If the 911 planes had hit the Exchange-we would all be eating tree barkl by now. We might not NOW fold like a house of cards-but we would all suffer beyond our worst dreams if they shut us down with bio-weapons or nukes. The Baltics 'leaked' back-packs when the Soviets collapsed.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

Why may one find white Humvees parked at some bases in the US?

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

Your dirty bomb is far, far larger than a real world scenario. I imagine a 10-50 mile radius sounds more practical. From anywhere in NYC, the markets are the real problem-a large per centage of the world's wealth would be reduced.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

Thanks-I agree. However, I fear he has good reason to say these things.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

Major BUMP. View this site & read what was said.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[Rider on the Rain]

a large per centage of the world's wealth would be reduced.

And don't you think that would result in Martial Law?

[GatekeeperBookman]

The 'stop' button stops your bothersome flashing. Too bad the Left won't react the same way.


"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

Now you are being RUDE. Pointing out oathes is so very unkind. I wonder if the AdmnMod will stop you?

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[GatekeeperBookman]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1030336/posts

( "Ignore GB; he's just a rude nut case" )

[GatekeeperBookman]

I hope we are functional to the point that martial law may be exercised. I do not look foreward to any martial law. I expect, in the event of another, more serious 911, the economic reaction may be far worse than we may imagine. Of course this all depends on 'what' is the target.

"The War does indeed have many facets; http://aztlan.net/ Look at your enemy."

[MeekOneGOP]

ha! ha! Thanks. First 'complaint' I've had on that gif. When Autoresponder first made it up for me I told him that it was like a gif that was OD'd on coffee ! lol! But it really is an eyecatcher, and I got used to it. Sorry for the bother. :O)

Thanks for the link ! ...

Here is one that begs FOR coffee, btw ...

Keep watching. It IS a gif. It WILL move ...

[reg45]

ALL WE ANCIENT ROME BUFFS CAN RETURN TO THE DAYS OF OLD! HAIL CAESAR!

Clintigula!

[GatekeeperBookman]

I should rather be 'bothered' by your bump than not. It was meant as a humorous reply. Thanks.