EDITORIAL: The Civil War of 2016: U.S. military officers are told to plan to fight Americans

The Washington Times ^ | August 8, 2012 | Editorial

[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.”

[PetroniusMaximus]

ping

[centurion316]

That might be me in at least one of those pictures. Proud veteran of 9/12

[VanShuyten]

Maybe he can write a paper detailing how the Armed Forces will put down an African or a muzzie rebellion in Detroit? What do you think would happen to his career if he did?

I think that's why he used the Tea Party and South Carolina. If he had used a more realistic scenario, such as a La Raza take over of some border town, he would have been crucified in the press.

[Uncle Ike]

” Notice that in the past, the government used FBI agents to crack down on citizens rather than the Military? “

Notice that in recent years, the FBI has become increasingly more militarized??

[DTogo]

#50, that about sums it up minus one critical item: a tactical move by Mordor against America's "Right" flank would seriously stretch and deplete ill-prepared/equipped local LEOs, leaving America's opportunistic "Left" flank off-leash. Most major metro areas would literally burn (LA riots nation-wide).

Once word got out that Mordor was tactically moving against the Right, it would be SHTF nation-wide. LEO morale would crumble with wide-spread desertion to protect their own families ("Honey, don't go out there, who's going to protect us?").

Dissention in military ranks would the erode command and control structure: zealous chiefs with very few indians interested in the fight ("Screw you sir, I didn't come back from Afghanistan for this.")

The world would witness and be amazed (our enemies terrified) by the true purpose behind the 2nd Amendment as Mordor's rule collapses in mere weeks if not days.

[SnuffaBolshevik]

"Notice that in the past, the government used FBI agents to crack down on citizens rather than the Military?"

True.

They'll shut down the internet (NDAA), arrest whomever they want, the LSM will do a report on Climate Change, and all will be well.

See you in the Gulag.

[danielmryan]

Benson is not the problem, he views this as an academic exercise.

In that spirit, allow me to present three difficulties he and his sidekick omitted:

1. Vidcams. There are lotsa videos about police brutality on Youtube, and any departure from restrictive ROEs will ignite a flurry of Youtube videos documenting it. Even if there are no incidents, more than a few Americans will (anonymously) claim that there are such incidents, which are being suppressed; if there's enough gumption for a domestic insurgency, it's a sure bet that there'd be widespread hostility to FedGov. Assuming that any such insurgency is more than a gang that ends up being carted off to the hoosegow by the cops.
   To bring in the Civil War, how would world opinion have reacted had there been vidcams, citizen journalists and Youtube at the time Gen. Sherman and his forces burned down Atlanta? The footage would have been much worse than the worst out of Vietnam - and all the world would have seen it. The Union's name would have been mud.
2. 1984. It doesn't take an interpretative genius to see that Winston Smith's job at the Ministry of Truth was based on George Orwell's own WW2 propaganda work. By doing so, although darkly, he poisoned the well of standard propaganda work. Once the insurgents are propagandized against, the comparisons to the novel will fly around the world. The Pentagon will be called the Ministry of Love, etc.
3. World opinion, especially in the anti-American part of the world. Any military attack on a domestic insurgency will be the "shot heard 'round the world." Foes of America will leap on the chance to portray "America" as a fascist tyranny, unmasked. Even if a Tea-Party-like group is cracked down on, few foreign lefties will resist the temptation to use the incident anyway for their own propaganda purposes. Even if FedGov succeeds in portraying the insurgents as neo-Nazis, which would quell sympathy for them in Europe, the Islamists will jump on it like the proverbial fatboy on a Twinkie. The more adventurous anti-Americans, betting on a new Civil War or quagmire, will jump on the chance to cause real trouble for the U.S., on the assumption that soldiers will have to be withdrawn from other theatres to aid in the domestic counter-insurgency.

FedGov will probably win, but it won't be easy for them. Sad to say, they'll have to win through massive censorship and intimidation of the general citizenry. And that's what Americans will suffer under afterwards, as demobilization has become one of those quaint customs from yesteryear.

[Steve Newton]

If we are talking in “the abstract” an actual constitutional revolution would be started by one step too far by the government. (ie: Taking our weapons)

Ordinary people would then use the OWS rule book. We occupy Washington. We live in the “peoples house.” We allow no government to meet until elections.

Uh...I mean in the abstract.

[FreedomPoster]

Good review of the history bump.

On the other hand, let’s not forget the Battle of Athens, TN. . .

[Travis McGee]

It’s a scenario that could never be contained. The COL (ret.) and his female “civil war expert” sidekick are idiots on the level of the picnickers who sallied forth from Washington in surries to witness the rapid thrashing of the rebels at Bull Run 1.

[Chode]

add to that, we know where many of them live/sleep at night...

[Labyrinthos]

In case you haven’t noticed, the GOP is nearly as nasty toward the tea party as the democrats. We threaten their power even more than we do the democrats.

The two worst words inside the Beltway these days are "crony capitalism." Both parties are infected. This is why Sarah Palin will not be offered a speaking role at the GOP convention. This is why we need to do everything we can to get Sarah Palin on the ballot in 2016.

[Lurker]

The concern is that a peer reviewed magazine saw fit to publish this monstrosity. Who do you think runs these little think tanks? Here’s a clue friend Centurion36. It ain’t the Tea Party.

I think Benson knew exactly what he was doing. It’s a calculated step to attempt to desensitize the American military to the thought of killing American citizens on American soil. The trouble is he got caught and attracted a lot of attention. Hell, the President has already claimed unlimited, unreviewable authority to kill Americans he “deems” to be an unlawful combatant anywhere on the planet. Why not Tea Party types in Darlington?

I will thank your friend for letting us see what’s behind the mask.

Next time you see him ask him this. How wold his little scenario handle Flag Officers catching bullets and blades in Texas, Georgia, and all over rural America in response? How would he deal with folks sabotaging rail lines 200 miles from Darlington so his troops can’t be resupplied in quantity? How would he deal with losing 25 or 35% of his troops because they told their Officers to go **** themselves?

Then carefully note the look on his face when he responds. It will be instructive.

[dynachrome]

I meant his current career as a writer of bad fiction. I am assuming he and weber got paid for writing that article.

[ctdonath2]

Google “shoot twice and go home.”

And consider some 18,000,000 participate in annual “Operation Deer Season”.

[Steve Newton]

Either that or the good Colonel was trying to warn us.

Hummm

[Sola Veritas]

“My son is in the Army, I can guarentee you that he stands with “the people” as per the Constitution as per his oath. I’ll have to ask him what he thinks the majority of his brother soldiers would do, though.”

I can answer that. They(we) would never fire upon U.S. Citizens. U.S.Army personnel are incalcated in the below:

Soldier’s Creed

I am an American Soldier.

I am a warrior and a member of a team.

I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

[semaj]

"Most of the “TEA” party is older, conservative, and set in their ways. That is not the group you turn to in a war. They have to much to loose."

Actually I think it is just the opposite of what you said. The older you get, the closer you are to dying anyway, and you finally realize there is really nothing to lose (you can't take it with you), and that there are some things worse than death.

[LucyT]

Article, then check out excellent comments/ data throughout thread.

[Travis McGee]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/aug/7/the-civil-war-of-2016/

Sorry, I tried to get cute and copy a link right to the comments, but it didn’t work. The link above is the article with comments below. Takes a long time to load....