American Insurgents [Army colonel ignites firestorm with article on crushing the Tea Party]

Imagine a group of individuals seizing an American town or city, disarming the local law enforcement agency, apprehending and imprisoning citizens who pose threats to their agenda, and taking over the local government. Such a scenario may seem unlikely to the average American unless one were to consider a group composed of something like Islamic extremists or foreign nationals who are anti-American with a political agenda.

No doubt the guardians that we task to protect and defend our freedoms, our lives, and our property consider such a scenario as well as many potential other ones that can pose threats to our welfare. And among them are those who think and draw up contingency plans to address such situations. Preparations are made in logistics, in training exercises, and in instructional sessions in the military. As it should be, right? But imagine this scenario featuring American citizens as the threat instead of foreign nationals.

One retired Army colonel, Kevin Benson, who teaches at the University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas does imagine such a situation, and has written a paper titled “Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A “Vision” of the Future” which is posted on the Small Wars Journal (online at http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/full-spectrum-operations-in-the-homeland-a-%E2%80%9Cvision%E2%80%9D-of-the-future). In an excerpt from the paper he writes:

“The Great Recession of the early twenty-first century lasts far longer than anyone anticipated. After a change in control of the White House and Congress in 2012, the governing party cuts off all funding that had been dedicated to boosting the economy or toward relief. The United States economy has flatlined, much like Japan’s in the 1990s, for the better part of a decade. By 2016, the economy shows signs of reawakening, but the middle and lower-middle classes have yet to experience much in the way of job growth or pay raises. Unemployment continues to hover perilously close to double digits, small businesses cannot meet bankers’ terms to borrow money, and taxes on the middle class remain relatively high. A high-profile and vocal minority has directed the public’s fear and frustration at nonwhites and immigrants. After almost ten years of race-baiting and immigrant-bashing by right-wing demagogues, nearly one in five Americans reports being vehemently opposed to immigration, legal or illegal, and even U.S.-born nonwhites have become occasional targets for mobs of angry whites.

“In May 2016 an extremist militia motivated by the goals of the “tea party” movement takes over the government of Darlington, South Carolina, occupying City Hall, disbanding the city council, and placing the mayor under house arrest. Activists remove the chief of police and either disarm local police and county sheriff departments or discourage them from interfering. In truth, this is hardly necessary. Many law enforcement officials already are sympathetic to the tea party’s agenda, know many of the people involved, and have made clear they will not challenge the takeover. The militia members are organized and have a relatively well thought-out plan of action.

“With Darlington under their control, militia members quickly move beyond the city limits to establish “check points” – in reality, something more like choke points -- on major transportation lines. Traffic on I-95, the East Coast’s main north-south artery; I-20; and commercial and passenger rail lines are stopped and searched, allegedly for “illegal aliens.” Citizens who complain are immediately detained. Activists also collect “tolls” from drivers, ostensibly to maintain public schools and various city and county programs, but evidence suggests the money is actually going toward quickly increasing stores of heavy weapons and ammunition. They also take over the town web site and use social media sites to get their message out unrestricted.

“When the leaders of the group hold a press conference to announce their goals, they invoke the Declaration of Independence and argue that the current form of the federal government is not deriving its “just powers from the consent of the governed” but is actually “destructive to these ends.” Therefore, they say, the people can alter or abolish the existing government and replace it with another that, in the words of the Declaration, “shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.” While mainstream politicians and citizens react with alarm, the “tea party” insurrectionists in South Carolina enjoy a groundswell of support from other tea party groups, militias, racist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, anti-immigrant associations such as the Minutemen, and other right-wing groups. At the press conference the masked militia members’ uniforms sport a unit seal with a man wearing a tricorn hat and carrying a musket over the motto “Today’s Minutemen.” When a reporter asked the leaders who are the “red coats” the spokesman answered, “I don’t know who the redcoats are…it could be federal troops.” Experts warn that while these groups heretofore have been considered weak and marginal, the rapid coalescence among them poses a genuine national threat.”

Like many of the individuals who posted their comments on the paper at the website I find the article offensive. Obviously one reason is the manner in which he demonized tea party organizations, and his demonstration, inspite of his possession of a Ph.D., of his lack of knowledge of such organizations. More detestable is his apparent lack of regard for the oath he took as an Army officer. Perhaps he was a special case, or absent in sick call when they swore him and/or his little group in. Perhaps he felt that that oath didn't apply to him. Whatever the case there is no excuse.

Mr. Benson's paper does have some value in illustrating the cancer that has spread in our government. To give some clarification of the disease, here's an excerpt from an earlier article from this blog:

“You're probably a terrorist if you supported former presidential candidates like Ron Paul, Bob Barr, or Chuck Baldwin. The guy with the flip-charts doesn't count. Yet.

“You're probably a terrorist if you're against the New World Order, the North American Union, and those united numbskulls, the UN. Reading Tom Clancy novels doesn't help your case.

“You're probably a terrorist if you're against abortion, against illegal immigration, and against gun control. If you're just against paying taxes you could be a terrorist unless you're a member of the presidential cabinet or a congressional representative, then you're excused.

“You're probably a terrorist if you're against RFIDs (Radio Frequency Identification) and universal service programs. You're probably a terrorist if you're for the US Constitution, for property rights, for national sovereignty, and for Christian ideologies.

“You're probably a terrorist if you've seen Aaron Russo's "America: Freedom to Fascism". Same goes if you've watched "Zeitgeist". Got to wonder if "V for Vengeance" is on the list.

“You're probably a terrorist if you stock up on things like water, baby formula, ammo, cigarettes, alcohol, denim jeans, and medicines. And for all you folks rushing out to buy guns and ammo out of fear that the current administration will enact severe gun restrictions, hey, you may have made the list as well.

“You're probably a terrorist if you go around carrying things like cameras, binoculars, hand held tape recorders, maps or charts, sketch pads, notebooks, SCUBA equipment, or disguises. Or a tourist.

“So far Mom and apple pie aren't on the list, and if you think that all the above is utter nonsense, think again. And while you're at it, scrape off those bumper stickers, hide your flag collection, and get rid of your gold lest those things also give you away as being a terrorist.

“This "nonsense" comes from sources such as the Missouri Information Analysis Center Strategic Report: The Modern Militia Movement (dated 20 Feb 2009), the "If you encounter" pamphlet from the Phoenix branch of the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Criminal Law Enforcement pamphlet titled "Terrorism: What the Public Needs to Know", and Virginia's "Terrorism & Security Awareness Orientation for State Employees".*

Simply put the majority of Americans living in this country have been identified as potential threats to a government that has grown beyond its constitutional limits. It could be you that is considered a threat, or maybe someone in your family. Perhaps it's the neighbor next door, your pastor, or some little old lady down the street who does nothing radical other than to make popcorn balls for the kids as Halloween treats.

This attitude isn't novel to our current administration, it is just more blatant. Earlier administrations have made contingency plans for civil unrest and/or rebellion. We do have legitimate threats to our national security and welfare; however, most of those dangers are from foreign nationals within and without our borders, yet our government seemingly pays little attention to them. The government is more concerned about its continuity than it is about the people, failing to understand that its true guarantee to its life and its true army are the people themselves, and not a ruling minority and the military it maintains.

I don't see the likelihood of a scenario like Mr. Benson paints. Rather what I see is the likelihood of some organization subscribing to some leftist ideology staging such an event or a false flag operation for some political agenda. One problem that Mr. Benson should consider for his scenario is the likelihood that some troops in his Fifth Army may lay down their weapons and refuse to act against American citizens. Perhaps there won't be as many to do it nowadays as there would have been when I was in the service, but there will be enough to present a problem to the command. What would be your contingency plan for that situation I wonder?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_security_strategy.pdf

MacArthur is said to have said that he swore an oath to defend the Constitution, not to defend the men who temporarily hold office under it. For this he was called an American Caesar, a threat to the Republic. Too many officers in the military today acts as if their oath was to their command-in-chief. But Our President is the one who acts like Caesar, promising free bread to the “proles” in return for their loyalty. Except of course he could not lead a troop of Boy Scouts on a camping trip.

IMHO the reason is simple.

The New Black Panther Party and Nation of Islam are Holder’s “people”, the Tea party (in the view of the liberal-progressive-socialist-dimocrat cabal) aren’t.

According to the Rules for radicals, among the first acts to take against a group opposing you is to rob them on any legitimacy they might have through lies and other acts.

Any more questions?

This is a half-baked thought piece about how the Insurrection Act might be invoked in the future. It has ignited a firestorm but I can't find anywhere this author has responded to his critics. Hopefully it was a case of temporary stupidity.

Still, it is very disturbing he settled on the tea party for his scenario. Why not choose the Occupy movement, which in contrast has actually occupied parts of cities???

RobbyS — When the “Bonus Army” demanded payment for their military service, in 1932 though their bonuses weren’t due until 1945, please remember it was MacArthur who commanded the infantry, cavalry and tanks to demolish their camp in Washington, D.C., and burn their belongings.

Would the military follow orders and attack American citizens? Yes, I do believe enough would to make things very messy.

From the article / scenario: “nearly one in five Americans reports being vehemently opposed to immigration, legal or illegal,”

Yes, and so what is wrong with this attitude? We are being overrun. A drive through the small towns of Texas is more like a drive through Matamoros, Mexico. Why do non-citizens have and when were they ever given rights as citizens? NO other country in the world allows such in any shape form or fashion to my knowledge. It is simply wrong and a burden to the citizens, tax paying or not. This is yet another example of right becoming wrong and vice versa.

The creeping cancer of lax immigration and control of our sovereignty has become a full blown rout and attack, indeed a usurpation, on the rights of citizens and the unique status of being a citizen. Instead of carrying rights to protection from enemies foreign and domestic it has become an obligation to protect and pay for them and in fact a burden without significant rights and privilege at all.

Also from the article: “and even U.S.-born nonwhites have become occasional targets for mobs of angry whites.” Yes, maybe, when the element of the subject are citizens in name only and in reality just Hooker Babies that are a convenience of their parents and the subjects of an ill informed and wrong interpretation of the stupid 14th amendment.

The Republic is not sacred, the Constitution is. The Constitution is the contract of We the People with the Republic and the Republic is in violation of the contract. The Republic only exists at the pleasure of the governed. It has become unpleasant to say the least and is becoming more repugnant with each passing day.

The context of the bonus army was a situation in which radicals held mass rallies in New York and Chicago, which somehow did not get reported to the public, by the press or by the newsreels. Which was, of course, the same as the Communist and Nazi rallies in Berlin. but scary enough.Early we had the use of the army to break strikes during the previous Great Depression and during the labor wars of the 1870s. McArthur’s mistake was owing to his vanity and love of theatrics. Ike was there, but pictures taken of him clearly show him embarrassed.

When I see statements like this scattered among the writings, I have to wonder if the objective isn't quite what a superficial reading would lead you to believe.

What happens where the elites and ordinary people simply do not look at the world in the same way. On the other hand, it was our choice not to produce enough children to fill the jobs required, for our desire to pamper our children, so they didn’t need to soil their hands. Went to a summer graduation at Texas Tech on Saturday. The majority of degrees in engineering went to dark-skinned persons with hard to pronounce names. The degrees in finance, accounting etc. went to white kids. But long ago, we decided that OUR kids need not be carpenters, bricklawyers, plumbers. etc. Put an ax into the hands of the average high school boy, at tell him to chop down that small tree. He will swing it like a girl. Which is why we have all those Mexicans, and by that I mean people FROM Mexico and central America.

If anyone thinks that some in the military won’t just blindly follow orders, feel free to watch this clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wfp7qBAgGM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Qx0cTze0M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tbp1hERZjI&feature=fvwrel

The whole thing is a travesty, but the truth comes out at about the 1:46 mark. Dumb f**ks don’t even know what they’re doing. Just blindly following orders.

But then you have this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLaKsbM0x3g&feature=related

Maybe there is hope.

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