The Pentagon is preparing for societal collapse due to Climate Change

[geardaddy]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/11/1320245/-The-Pentagon-is-preparing-for-societal-collapse-due-to-Climate-Change?detail=facebook
Most of us on this site are well aware that climate change impacts will exacerbate marginal living in the southern hemisphere, particularly Africa, South Asia and the Middle East. These humanitarian and natural disaster impacts will be occurring in multiple places all around the world, possibly occurring all at once and on a scale human civilization has never seen before. But what about the developed world, particularly the United States?

National Security and the threat of Climate Change prepared by CNA and released in 2007 with an advisory board of 11 of the country's top retired generals and admirals summarizes those threats and how the military will need to adapt.

The report finds that in the US, security threats will consist of an unimaginable need for worldwide humanitarian aid and increasing migrations to the US from our neighbors to the south. This does not take into account that we will be dealing with our own catastrophic climate change impacts. There will be scarcity of water and melting of glaciers which currently provide water for millions of people. Drought and decreased rainfall will cause more severe droughts and devastate food production. For example, the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides 27% of the irrigated land in this country, is very stressed from human impact. The water table level is down 100 feet in some areas. Three of the top grain producing states, Texas, Kansas and Nebraska each get 70 to 90% of their water from the Ogallala which will be stressed even further with the predicted lack of rainfall. The Colorado River Basin, the source of water for 10's of millions of people, is already experiencing reduced river flow. The World Meteorological Organization predicts an increase in tropical hurricane speed strength and increased rainfall amounts potentially devastating coasts up and down the eastern seaboard, GoM, and the Caribbean as the climate continues to bake.

From Earth Island Journal:

"As greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, opposition to the fossil fuel industry has taken on a more urgent and confrontational tone. Some anti-fracking activists have engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience and the protests against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline have involved arrests at the White House. Environmentalists and civil libertarians worry that accusations of terrorism, even if completely unfounded, could undermine peaceful political protest. The mere possibility of surveillance could handicap environmental groups’ ability to achieve their political goals. “You are painting the political opposition as supporters of terrorism to discredit them and cripple their ability to remain politically viable,” says Mike German, an FBI special agent for 16 years who now works with the ACLU"

Much more at link.

[Faux pas]

1. Kickin'

[geardaddy]

2. Thank ye!

[Faux pas]

3. lol

ye welcome

[randome]

4. It's a hyperbolic, fear-mongering article, which is too bad.

Because climate change deserves immediate consideration. I still don't see why we can't install space mirrors around the planet to redirect heat away from us but let enough light in to sustain us. At least that would buy us some time.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]No squirrels were harmed in the making of this post. Yet.[/center][/font][hr]

[NickB79]

6. You seriously don't know why we don't build space mirrors?

It costs roughly $3,000-$10,000 per pound to reach high-Earth orbit with current launch systems. The newest-gen Falcon rockets can do it for closer to $1,000 per pound: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/07/21/138166072/spaceflight-is-getting-cheaper-but-its-still-not-cheap-enough

Given the many TONS of weight we'd need to lift, any idea what a functioning space mirror system large enough to work would cost?

[randome]

13. Might be cheaper to manufacture them on the Moon and ship them, then?

Besides, climate change is going to cost us trillions anyways, no?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Sometimes it seems like the only purpose in life is to keep your car from touching another's.[/center][/font][hr]

[zappaman]

18. Moon pollution!!!!

[NickB79]

19. And the cost of manufacturing them on the moon?

You'd need to set up an automated factory somehow, complete with robots to mine raw materials from the lunar surface (unless we first build a manned lunar base).

Besides, climate change is going to cost us trillions anyways, no?

Yes it is, so let's spend the money and time we have to invest in things that will give actual, tangible benefits today.

[randome]

41. Like...?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]If you don't give yourself the same benefit of a doubt you'd give anyone else, you're cheating someone.[/center][/font][hr]

[Orrex]

44. I think it would be cheaper to paint the entire surface of the Earth white.

[FSogol]

48. Or plant more trees.

[Orrex]

54. That's stupid.

The dark leaves will block all the white paint. Duh!

[FSogol]

68. What if they planted snow-covered trees? Or White Oaks?

[Orrex]

74. I love it!

And some white birch while they're at it.

We'll beat this "global warming" hoax yet!

[randome]

59. Cheaper still, ride Republicans out on a rail.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[Orrex]

69. That would indeed have longer-reaching benefits for all.

I'm sold!

[ChisolmTrailDem]

16. Thin film reflectors. But it ain't going to happen. nt

[BrotherIvan]

10. Can I have what you're smoking?

[Rex]

20. The OP seems anti-government, which means said poster will say something negative about it.

Said poster just LOVES them some govt.

[randome]

63. Oh, okay, you go ahead and solve climate change without government involvement, then.

Let us know so we can emulate you. All seven billion of us.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[NealK]

23. Same stuff as Palin.

[NuclearDem]

37. WERNSTROM!

[jtuck004]

58. "I still don't see why we can't..." Ok, stop typing for a moment. Raise your head and

look over your monitor.

Look to the Left. That's This Party. Look to the Right. That's Their Party.

That's what we have to work with.

Lower your head. You understand now, yes?

You can apply that in many, many situations, btw.

[randome]

64. At least climate change will completely decimate the Republicans.

Once people can no longer ignore that it was Republicans who made the situation much, much worse than it needed to be. At least I hope that's how this plays out.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[jtuck004]

65. Note: Climate change will decimate all of us, not just the deserving of either party. n/t

[PoutrageFatigue]

5. Excellent piece....

...interesting that their benefactors in the rethuglican party are busy pretending the CC isn't real, and yet the military sees it for the massive problem it is about to become...

[Skidmore]

7. In the meantime, until then, they'll just speed up collapse

a bit so there will be less work later.

[freshwest]

71. +1. Less people to deal with. That's why the GOP wants to destroy safety nets. Social Darwinism.

[NickB79]

8. As disturbing as this is, at least SOMEONE is planning for it

A Pentagon-inspired plan to keep some of our civilization intact is preferable to an all-out, uncontrolled collapse into anarchy and rule by regional warlords.

[Auggie]

26. +1 (I laughed when I read this initially, but it's too true)

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

31. Keep it intact for whom?

Unless you're a 1%er, I doubt they're going to keep it intact for YOU, and I know for sure I'm not going to be one of the ones kept safe and provided with food, water, and security.

[whatchamacallit]

9. I've long wondered if the War on Terror

had the dual purpose of securing the remaining oil and water and creating the pretext for stripping our rights and liberties for the coming totalitarian future.

[RobertEarl]

21. That suggests planning

It is a suggestion that the PTB have looked into the future with an eye on what the PTB might do to protect their security against the masses of refugees.

Some people would call that a conspiracy theory, eh?

[whatchamacallit]

25. Well

If one of the functions of government is planning and preparing for likely events and eventualities, what would planners do knowing we are running out of fuel and facing ecological disaster? How far would the US go to ensure survival of the nation? It's confusing how little the government seems to be doing about the grave issues already upon us. I contend they have been preparing, not with prevention, but with social engineering aimed at future control. Unfortunately that's the "plan".

[RobertEarl]

29. Like I said

They plan for the benefit of the PTB, the rest of us do as we are told.
They told us to go ____ ourselves and we are. Bareback.

[whatchamacallit]

33. yep.

[RobertEarl]

38. The anti-CT people are in denial

They deny that anyone could be smarter than they are. And since they can't see beyond the end of their noses, they deny that the PTB plan to ensure the PTB stay the PTB.

And they live amongst us!!

[Adam051188]

53. they're delusional, the ptb that is. some of them at least. others not.

some among them have, over the last half century, become incredibly isolated and insulated due to their increased socioeconomic status. they are surrounded by yes men and women.

any truly serious global ecological disaster will result in a nuclear holocaust and the extinction of humanity. i'm sure the billionaires think their bunker/silos/ships/whatevers will save them and they'll get to play house for a decade or three in a confined space and then it'll be like a space movie and they will explore the brave new world like an adventure guy or something.

[arcane1]

30. I'm glad I'm not the only one n/t

[whatchamacallit]

35. Moonbats Unite!

[arcane1]

36. It was a lot easier to be openly skeptical when a repub was in charge, sadly

[redqueen]

11. Kick. nt

[Iliyah]

12. H2O coupled with food resources will be the terror and what people around the world

will be fighting for. Our lovely planet Earth can only take so much drilling holes into while and our atmosphere can only take so much pollution. I always hear so called Christians say that GAWD will take care of the Earth, ummmmmmmmm noooooooooo. GOD gave mankind the brains and ability to take care of the Earth. If mankind ignores the warning signs than we are effed.

[Louisiana1976]

46. That's true. If we ignore the warning signs it'll be the end of the world as we know it.

[Hotler]

14. May be we should get up off our asses and....

take it to the streets now before they can get their shit together. strike swift and hard and don't let up. 5-1- million people on the Washington all at once might just get someone's attention.

[KansDem]

15. The US Navy is already preparing for the newly-emerging Arctic Sea

US Navy Arctic Roadmap: 2014-2030

...even though neo-cons and TeaPublicans still tell us that climate change is a hoax.

[NealK]

24. Climate Change Deniers are criminals.

[littlemissmartypants]

47. Yep

They love trickery and deceit, they are destabilizing forces like poverty, joblessness and ignorance.

They are classic abusers.

It is amazing how this chart applies to their actions.

[littlemissmartypants]

56. Actually the entire republican party may be using this chart.

With evil intentions, of course.

Love, Peace and the Righteous Fight.
Lmsp

[Amonester]

17. The "South" will not be just "Foreign" ...

~original
~original

[ancianita]

22. It might be nice to let the civilian population know about their "preparations."

Last edited Mon Aug 11, 2014, 06:01 PM - Edit history (1)

I'll bet their standards for labeling people 'terrorists' -- just because those protesters are trying to prevent the damage of climate change -- actually reveals that military "preparations" are for something other than societal collapse.

"Crippling political viability" is yet another way the military has seized control of this country from the civilian command structure. Glad somebody in the FBI calls them out.

[Adam051188]

39. "terrorists" means anyone who thinks 9/11 was a product of bushco's thinktank and saudi connections.

because yaknow, that could never happen.

and yes "crippling political viability" is an effect of their strategy for dealing with individuals who entertain the previously stated notion. the u.s. is not a police state, it's a mafia state effectively owned by the military industrial complex, the oil industry, and lastly but mostly the financial sector.

first hand experience

[merrily]

27. When Al Gore got a Nobel PEACE prize for his environment work, I was

posting on a board that welcomed people of all political persuasions. The rightist members could not understand why he got a peace prize for environment work. Small, unimaginative minds, they had.

[littlemissmartypants]

50. Indeed. eom

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

28. They're certainly not the only ones.

Does anyone really think that police departments across the country have been arming and armouring up with military gear and weaponry, simply because they 'like toys'? Crowd control and pacification gear.

[Louisiana1976]

49. Exactly. The fascist police state cometh.

[Auggie]

32. Societal collapse WITH a well-armed militia ...

Holy shit!

[maindawg]

34. The hotter it gets

The more people want to fight. There will be a world war over resources. There will be fighting between war lords and tribes. There will be no more need for wall street. No need for billionaires. There will be 10 or 12 billion people on the planet in 50 years, the earths supply of nitrates will be exhausted. Droughts are what have caused civilizations to collapse since the beginning of time. Floods and droughts will be the end of us. I am sorry for the furure.

[Louisiana1976]

52. I am, too.

[littlemissmartypants]

40. Fantastic catch geardaddy.

Thanks.
Love, Peace and Shelter.
Lmsp

[geardaddy]

45. Thank lmsp!

[geretogo]

42. The Rethuglicans will destroy this society long before the climate will .

[Louisiana1976]

55. And that's the truth.

[toby jo]

43. The insurance industry is also calling it real.

They are the ones doing the payout on these disasters. I think they may be the linch pin, the ones who push the righties into action. Money talks.

That is about the only wake-up call I've seen in all this.

Secondary markets are being affected. I put up hay in Ohio. We've had the wet, here. Prices have gone up from $2/bale to as high as $9-10/bale, depending on where you sell. In FL and NC a few years ago people were paying upwards of $15/bale. They were struck by drought. Anymore you can target who's getting the drought and sell your product there for a good mark-up. Or keep it home, like I do, and sell to a hungry market with reduced product for a mark-up.

Out west they irrigate from the aquifer. When that thing goes dry the shit will really start to fly.

Go green.

[belltower]

51. Near-term extinction

An excellent summation of material from http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/, that clearly states what the timeline is for our extinction, is below. It's happening now and will surely be abundantly clear in time for 2016.

[Louisiana1976]

57. Excellent post. K&R

[jwirr]

60. I do not know about the rest of you but if they are so worried I would think they would be working

on plans to grow food in areas that are not too dry to grow and encouraging alternative energy and conservation. They would be looking at availability of resources locally and government programs that provide services in long term crisis. I do not see any of this change even discussed let alone experimented with.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

61. The bottom line, if you want to save your collective asses

you need to become very aware and active.
Sadly, I don't see that happening.

[Hekate]

62. Back in the Bush-Cheney admin, when this was first made public, my thought was "They're not idiots"

Seriously, on the one hand we had Bush-Cheney and all their enablers in Congress and the media disavowing the validity of climate change and mocking Al Gore every time it came up.

On the other hand, the Pentagon, which apparently is NOT composed of idiots, was looking at the situation through their own lens and taking it very seriously indeed. They have acknowledged reality.

They (the Pentagon) cannot compel the politicians to behave rationally toward a necessary political solution. However, within their own boundaries they are tasked with certain things, and preparing for eventualities. Flooding coastlines and millions of climate-change refugees WILL create chaos and unrest. Then what?

In any case I took some comfort, ironic though it was, in knowing that our military command was composed of intelligent reality-based people.

[whistler162]

66. They also have plans for an invasion from Canada

Which given the track record of U.S.ofA verses Canada might be of more use, 0 for 3 maybe 4 war related encounters.

[belltower]

67. the folks that be sure buried this post very quickly

makes me wonder about this site - better to focus discussion on articles from The Onion - outrageous and disgusting.

[Duppers]

70. kicked & recommended

Thanks for posting this!

[kjones]

72. I just started reading this, but the Middle East is the Northern Hemisphere. nt

[Zorra]

73. Naturally. They will be protecting their 1% masters, who are responsible for these problems, from

justifiably angry people with torches, pitchforks, and guillotines.

Right now they are protecting the power of the 1% to desecrate and destroy the earth; later they will be trying to protect the 1% from the people who wish to make them pay for destroying the earth.

"When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money" ~ Alanis Obamsawin