Daniel Ellsberg: Bush will use next 9-11 to impose martial law

[cybildisobedience]

Daniel Ellsberg (Pentagon Papers) was in the area to give a speech, and said that he fears for democracy, and thinks Bush will use the next 9-11 (which is inevitable, he said) or natural catastrophe as an excuse for imposting martial law, shredding what's left of the Bill of Rights, opening detention camps and destroying democracy.

snip:
Daniel Ellsberg, who gained international fame 35 years ago by leaking the Pentagon Papers, accused President Bush of manipulating intelligence to go to war against Iraq and fears the lies will destroy democracy if another terrorist attack hits American shores.

But Ellsberg told a standing-room only crowd Tuesday night at Lehigh University that his prediction — which includes war with Iran, the destruction of the Bill of Rights, martial law, more wiretaps without warrants, a renewed military draft and a weakened First Amendment — is not partisan. He worked for a Democratic president, Lyndon B. Johnson, who also manipulated intelligence to war five decades ago.

more here:
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/all-b1-4ellsberg-5apr12,0,3104546.story?coll=all-newslocalbethlehem-hed

[stop the bleeding]

1. the beginning of the end n/t

[Wapsie B]

2. I can see that as a possibility,

because really, what else besides fear do they have to run on? However if there's another 9/11 it would destroy the myth that repugs are the ones keeping us safe. Just my 2 pennies.

[LiberalVoice]

9. It worked out pretty well for them the first time.

Can justice be served with a dumb downed majority?

[Wapsie B]

17. Yes it did work very well.

I wouldn't put it past any of them. What amazes me is the fact that the Bush and Bin Laden families have been in bed together for years and that doesn't cause a public uproar in the U.S. Keep people as ill-informed as possible and in fear of being in the unemployment line. They won't have time to worry about politics if they're concerned about paying the mortgage and the electric bill.

[katty]

3. Just watch "24" for the basic bushdrama

[0007]

4. This man had guts!

n 1971, Ellsberg, an economist, former Marine and policy analyst for the CIA, set off a chain reaction of epic proportions in Washington, D.C.

He leaked a secret study, commissioned by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, to The New York Times, Washington Post and 17 other newspapers. The 7,000-page McNamara Study of U.S. Decision-Making in Vietnam became known as the Pentagon Papers. The papers raised questions regarding the government's decisions and secret actions over the war.

Its leak led to a split Supreme Court decision that favored the media's right to publish certain information over governmental objections.

:redbox:For leaking the Pentagon Papers, Ellsberg gained international fame and a 12-count federal indictment. The charges were later dropped because then-President Richard Nixon's operatives broke into the office of Ellsberg's psychiatrist to discredit him.

Drawing parallels between the Vietnam era and today, Ellsberg made the crowd of young and old, liberals and conservatives laugh, think and sneer about the past and the future at 500-seat Packard Auditorium.

Ellsberg was supposed to focus most of his speech on the ongoing legal ramifications of the federal investigation into government leaks surrounding CIA operative Valerie Plame. Plame is the wife of former Ambassador Joe Wilson who questioned Bush's weapons of mass destruction rationale for war.

[katty]

6. he did, he went to the Rand bldg, in my SMonica,Ca hood and

took the Pentagon Papers and copied all of them for months-very, very dangerous

[EVDebs]

46. The 'executive orders' spelling out how martial law will be carried out

Executive Orders And Laws relating to National Emergencies Laws
http://www.disastercenter.com/laworder/laworder.htm

All Bush has to do is sign off on the paperwork.

[Joe Fields]

52. The way I read these orders is that Bush has ALL .....

overriding authority in what orders are carried out, and has the authority to issue new executive orders to cancel or amend any old ones that specifically aren't to his liking.

So basically we are at his mercy.

[myrna minx]

5. This is very disturbing.

It is so surreal. Things that we've been screaming about for years are actually receiving press. But I must admit, now that it is getting press, I am more terrified than ever, because our wildest nightmares may indeed come true. :cry:

[TAPat]

7. Our tinfoil hats aren't so

crazy anymore, are they?
I've always worn mine with pride :tinfoilhat:

[Jigarotta]

15. me too. ;)

I keep it bright and shiney and it's proven very useful to me. It grows bigger too with each new revelation of conspiracy and lies that come out to become true - mine's about the carman maranda size right now. ;)

[malaise]

24. Me three re 9/11 but

BUsh won't get away with much more. To use his words -bring it on!! To the Hague.

[AndyA]

8. I hope this is wrong - I think he would have a hard time imposing

Martial Law on the entire country, unless the devastation was from coast to coast. And if that happened, it would prove beyond any doubt that he and the Republicans are unable to defend and protect the country. That's all they have. They have NOTHING ELSE.

I think it would be too risky. Too many Americans are armed these days, thanks to the NRA. There would be a huge confrontation, I'm afraid. All that "They can have my gun when they pry it out of my cold dead hands" rubbish.

[giant_robot]

12. Not to mention the fact that even the National Guard is stretched

thin between the two wars we haven't finished yet.

[Stand and Fight]

14. Just what do you think martial law is?

If you think it is armed soldiers walking the streets you're wrong. The sad thing is that most Americans in their dammed dumbed down states wouldn't even notice it. From Wikipedia:

The martial law concept in the U.S. is closely tied with the Writ of habeas corpus, which is in essence the right to a hearing on lawful imprisonment, or more broadly, the supervision of law enforcement by the judiciary. The ability to suspend habeas corpus is often equated with martial law. Article 1, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution states, "The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

In United States law, martial law is limited by several court decisions that were handed down between the American Civil War and World War II. In Ex Parte Milligan 71 US 2 1866, the Supreme Court of the United States held that martial law could not be instituted within the United States when its civilian courts are in operation. In 1878, Congress passed the Posse Comitatus Act, which forbids military involvement in domestic law enforcement without congressional approval. The National Guard is an exception, since unless federalized, they are under the control of state governors. <3>


And an interesting article on the subject of martial law: http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO504B.html

Too bad for the majority of Americans. They'd be too busy thinking about who'll win American Idol and other silly shit. If this country loses its form of government it shall have no one to blame but itself -- not Bush, not Democrats, not Republicans. It's about taking personal responsibility, and the reality is that Americans have been asleep at the wheel far too long...... Oh shit, there's a cliff up ahead!

[Jigarotta]

16. it's been shown how easy it is to turn us against each other.

sadly lots of test samples lately (and even right here on DU), so why do they need boots on the ground military when we attack each other so viciously over planted stories to have us react just as we're expected to?

[endarkenment]

21. Good point.

martial law, unless they are stupid, would not mean humvees on every corner, it would mean the suspension of even token adherence to the bill of rights. It would mean quiet roundups of dissidents. It would mean the suspension of national elections. It would mean there would be a slowly growing number of 'disappeared'. It would mean that you tried to surf to DU and got a 404, and then a week later there would be a knock on the door at some hideous hour and whoosh off you go.

I just want to know, do you think there will be veggie meals along with all that chicken?

[Stand and Fight]

23. Veggie meals....

Veggie meals and -- get this! -- TWO, yes TWO!, kinds of fruit.

I think we've a lot to be concerned about...

[simonm]

35. I'm sorry to inform you

That meal contains no chicken. In prison terminology, it is called "mystery meat".

[petgoat]

43. Chicken? What makes you think we'll get chicken?

This is why 9/11 truth is THE issue of this time. Only widespread skepticism of the official
story of 9/11 will make it impossible for Bush to pull a 9/11 II.

Visit 911truth.org. Visit 911research.wtc7.net Visit the Scholars for 9/11 Truth site. Read
The New Pearl Harbor Learn the facts. Tell your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and liquor
store clerks. If we get the truth out, get people thinking, there's a chance that the five-year
retrospectives on 9/11 in September will be honest ones.

For an example, take a look at this recent article at Newsday:
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20060401224943948







http://www.911truth.org/
http://911research.wtc7.net/
http://www.st911.org/
http://vancouver.indymedia.org/news/2004/06/141355.php#notes2

[glitch]

50. Soylent. And they won't knock. nt

[smoogatz]

27. Well, I can speak from experience about Ohio in 1970

When several of the state university campuses were essentially under martial law at the order of Gov. Rhodes, complete with curfews armed Ohio National Guardsmen on the streets (bayonets fixed, mind you). And that was AFTER Kent State. If there's martial law, there will have to be shows of force here and there to enforce it and keep the populace quiet. You can't suspend elections and send people to concentration camps without arousing general protest, IMO.

[endarkenment]

30. Yes but that was protests followed by martial law to put them down.

Somewhat different situation. That could happen if there were widespread unrest to start with. I don't see that happening. I see another convenient terrorist strike, another dazed and confused population sitting home hoping they aren't next, and some proclamations about how due to the emergency elections are postponed. They might want to provoke general unrest to justify large scale roundups, but the stalinist model (see gulag archipelago) is to just disappear people, to quietly spread the terror in small doses, to let the fear penetrate slowly into every corner of existence, rather than confront the people with large scale acts of drastic brutality. That is also the model followed pretty much by our 'school of the americas' graduates.

having thought about it - I'll buy your scenario too. They like bluster and force. Some of the merc reports from NO gave a hint at what they have prepared. Either way I think we are pretty well fucked and totally unprepared. Oh well...

[Stand and Fight]

18. Just what do you think martial law is?

If you think it is armed soldiers walking the streets you're wrong. The sad thing is that most Americans in their dammed dumbed down states wouldn't even notice it. From Wikipedia:

The martial law concept in the U.S. is closely tied with the Writ of habeas corpus, which is in essence the right to a hearing on lawful imprisonment, or more broadly, the supervision of law enforcement by the judiciary. The ability to suspend habeas corpus is often equated with martial law. Article 1, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution states, "The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

In United States law, martial law is limited by several court decisions that were handed down between the American Civil War and World War II. In Ex Parte Milligan 71 US 2 1866, the Supreme Court of the United States held that martial law could not be instituted within the United States when its civilian courts are in operation. In 1878, Congress passed the Posse Comitatus Act, which forbids military involvement in domestic law enforcement without congressional approval. The National Guard is an exception, since unless federalized, they are under the control of state governors. <3>


And an interesting article on the subject of martial law: http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO504B.html

Too bad for the majority of Americans. They'd be too busy thinking about who'll win American Idol and other silly shit. If this country loses its form of government it shall have no one to blame but itself -- not Bush, not Democrats, not Republicans. It's about taking personal responsibility, and the reality is that Americans have been asleep at the wheel far too long...... Oh shit, there's a cliff up ahead!

[Iblis]

33. Wait a minute...

So, are you saying an armed populace is a bad thing? The Second Amendment was added just for times like this thread is talking about.

"Rubbish". "Too many Americans armed these days". There were Americans with rifles waaaay before the NRA. Exactly how many armed Americans would you be happy with? None?

Martial Law is certainly a probability, under the right circumstances.

L
(not an NRA member, but understands that it is better to die on your feet than live on your knees)

[killbotfactory]

10. Didn't Bush try after Katrina hit?

Or at least, trying to creep that way?

I thought the only thing stopping him was the Governor of Louisiana.

[1956]

22. I think you're right

I believe there was a "practice" of some kind of martial law going on down there during the aftermath. No other reasoning makes sense.

[rudy23]

32. Oh yes, that's why Blanco didn't cede control to *

Her advisors knew that * was itching to practice martial law in N.O. and that's why she didn't give up control of the National Guard.

Still, guardsmen were pointing AK47s at US CITIZENS and screaming at them, which prompted one of the commanding officers to scold them "This isn't Iraq!"

Still there are about 3,000 "missing" from Katrina. If we have martial law, expect there to be a lot of people shot for "not slowing down at a checkpoint", etc.

I still don't think people are wrapping their brains around what happened in one of the largest and most vital cities in America. This isn't some foreign country, and despite what you saw on cable news, not that much of N.O. was like a "third world country" This could and will happen anywhere.

[treestar]

54. There is also some talk of it in regards to the bird flu

They were hoping it would be a terrible epidemic :mad:

[pinto]

11. Interesting article. A brief aside - I don't see detention camps mentioned

in the quotes.

[cybildisobedience]

26. he did say detention camps in the talk

said it would most likely involved rounding up people of Middle Eastern descent, the same way we rounded up Japanese Americans in WWII.

very scary

[pinto]

29. Ah. Thanks for the clarification.

[confludemocrat]

49. and in the aftermath of 9/11, don't forget. Some not released for weeks/nt

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

13. I'd love to see him try.

Considering we'd most definitely blame HIM for the next 9/11, he can "bring it on". :grr:

[malaise]

25. I wrote almost the same thing

Let him try.

[Vinnie From Indy]

19. They must burn the village to save the village

Just like they must burn the Bill of Rights to save our freedom. These guys are nothing new. Leaders have exclusively invoked "security" when attempting to install dictatorship. It will certainly be a hot time in the old town if BushCo attempts to do this. America is armed to the teeth and I don't see how martial law could be imposed without an epic economic downturn. $50 for a cas eof beer might snap quite a few BushBots out of their

Limbaugh/CNN/MSNBC/FOX/Hannity/O'Reilly/Coulter/Kristol/Kurtz/Miller/
Clear Channel/G.E./Weiner/Boortz/Beck/North/Ingrahm/Novak/Leslie Blitzer/Daryn Kagen/Soledad O'Brien/Scarborough/Gannett/Washington Post/New York Times/AP/Gallup/Carlson/Free Republic/Newsmax/Gannon-Guckert/Bill Schneider/GOP/Millbank/Robertson/Fallwell/Dobson etc.

induced trances.

[zbdent]

20. I've been saying this for years

but did anybody listen? Noooooooo . . .

[thinkingwoman]

28. Imposing it, and keeping it going are two different things

Good luck to him. Seriously. He's going to need it.

Not even a heavy red state like Indiana will put up with martial law for any length of time (and by length I mean days/weeks as oppposed to weeks/months). It just won't fly.

[Strelnikov_]

31. Exactly. Our Entire Military Can't Even Keep A Lid On 8 M Sunni's

in what is essentially a free fire zone.

This country is not going from self-determination to martial law. All it would accomplish is acceleration of the collapse. Again, good luck to anyone who tries.

[RagAss]

41. Bring it On Shrub.....n/m

[Rose Siding]

34. SRO while Ascroft speaks to halls half filled.

It ain't all bad news.

[kohodog]

36. I just thought I was crazy.

But this scenrio has crossed my mind more than once. Bush is out of his gourd and I fear he will stop at nothing. The problem is that he has believers and handlers who have the power to enable him to make this happen.

This sucks.

[zulchzulu]

37. If he tries to bring in martial law when the next strike happens...

...you can bet there will be a revolt for all the World to see. And I personally think that when Bush does that, his days alive on this Earth will be numbered down to a dozen days or less.

Think of Nicolae Ceausescu lying dead in the street...

[lovuian]

38. Thats got it in a nutshell... I agree he is going Martial Law so

he won't get convicted... end of story... and we will have WWIII
but I don't think the American people will go charging into war yelling Viva bush...

I know I won't... He can institute the draft but that doesn't mean these kids are going to obey him... or us...

This has to be done BEFORE the elections... Its happening people get ready...

[RagAss]

39. you mean like a military occupation of America ???

....how's that working out in Iraq???

[petgoat]

40. Daniel Ellsberg has signed the World Can't Wait statement

http://www.worldcantwait.net/

He's also signed the 911 Truth statement:

http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20041026093059633

[tyedyeto]

42. Does he say * will 'Make it happen' or 'Let it happen? n/t

Wouldn't put it past KKKarl and the Dick to orchestrate it.

[4freethinking]

44. If we want to be honest

it can be done and it has been done. If we want to be honest about our history Abraham Lincoln set a president by suspending habeas corpus and by having citizens tried in military tribunals.

Bush is not above invoking Lincoln.

[Protagoras]

45. It would split the country because there are governors out there

who would tell him to stick it in his ear. There are also Mayors and City Councils that buck the system. That doesn't mean we'll win. It does mean that it won't happen without a fight.

[MadHound]

47. I don't doubt it for a minute

In fact I'm expecting another "terrorist" attack before Bush leaves, and the imposition of martial law.

However the real tragedy about this whole matter is that the vast majority of Americans will welcome it with open arms. I saw a poll a couple of years ago asking this very question, if there's another terrorist attack should the president declare martial law. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents were in favor of it:eyes:

[CoffeeCat]

48. I guess we can all SEE our futures, by going to the movie "V"...

...this is so disturbing.

When he describes Bush's plans, he's describing everything that was so horrific in "V."

I can't believe this is happening...

[Scriptor Ignotus]

51. hyperbole

the stability of this nation will snap like a twig if that happens. Bush and Rove will pull something else out of their arses to distract us, something we haven't even thought of yet (Venezuela?). Iran is lose-lose for them. Although like Mr. Pitt says, I do still wonder exactly "how crazy are they"?

[Flubadubya]

55. If you truly wonder...

then hyperbole it may not be. :eyes:

[BrklynLiberal]

53. No doubt that he and his cronies will try this. Will they succeed?

I wish I could be sure they will not.