I am in Denver for a few days, and we are all looking up

[deminks]

and not at the mountains.

http://cbs4denver.com/local/terror.exercise.denver.2.750216.html

DENVER (CBS4/AP) ― Military helicopters flew low over parts of Denver Monday evening in a training exercise. Authorities said it was designed to prepare for a possible terrorist attack.

Many people called CBS4 to report the activity and ask what was going on. Many more called 911 because they didn't know what was happening.

The department of defense claims it's simply a joint training exercise with local police and fire planned years ago to improve operations in populated areas.

"If we scared anybody in our training evolution that's going on, we deeply apologize for that," Lt. Steve Ruh with the Department of Defense said. "That is not our intentions at all."

The division said the training had nothing to do with this summer's Democratic National Convention in Denver.



http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/16636462/detail.html?rss=den&psp=news

DENVER -- The sight of Blackhawk helicopters scouring the skies over Denver Monday night looked like a scene from a movie. Instead, it was an anti-terror drill that surprised and concerned residents, who had not been warned about the exercise.

The choppers came in low, right on top of the buildings in downtown Denver, creating plenty of noise and attracting loads of concerned looks.

"It looked to me like they were Blackhawks and they were trying to practice dropoffs and pickups," said Baerbel Merrill, who saw the Blackhawks.

The drill was a multi-agency operation involving special forces in the military and Denver police. It was a training exercise that is not related to any security training for the Democratic National Convention in August, said Lt. Nathan Potter, with Special Operations Command.

"There were helicopters but there were no lights. And they were just practicing. They were going in between the buildings and they were very low," said Cindy Rodd, who saw the hovering choppers.



http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=93956

DENVER – Helicopters with U.S. Special Operations Command continued to fly low over downtown Denver on Tuesday night on the second of five consecutive training nights.


"The training exercises are designed to improve special operations forces' abilities to work within populated areas," said Lt. Steve Ruh, U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman. "We're doing some urban realistic training."

Dozens of 9NEWS viewers reported seeing low-flying helicopters flying in and around downtown buildings Monday night. Viewers again saw them on Tuesday night. The training will continue through Friday night.

"Their doors were open and people were hanging out and appeared to be looking down," said downtown resident John Daley.

"It was eerie. You had a sense something was up," said Daley. "It was a bit unsettling."

Ruh said the training is related to the continued fight against terrorism, but he declined to give any specifics.

(end snips)

It went on and on all night in the dark with no lights. No one knew what was happening, but after time went on, consensus was that it was some exercise.

[DebJ]

1. They should be flying over the Mississippi keeping a watch

[Raine1967]

2. Remind me... Where is the DNC convention?

And who put out the press release of a bunch of new weapons for the convention? Didn't They just buy a butload of new guns that put out plastic bullets?

[Hawkeye-X]

5. DNC Convention is in downtown Denver

and yes, they just bought guns to use plastic pepper spray balls with.

Linky here. http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=93956&catid=339
http://rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/17/denver-stocks-up-on-pepper-weapon/

[Wiley50]

13. I wrote this after the first chopper thread Monday night

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=125x210607

Black Spec-Op Choppers are So Funny!


You know, it wasn't so long ago that the police didn't train with Special Operations troops

in preparation for domestic response. It was simply understood that the military didn't operate domestically.

A little thing called Posse Comitatas.

now, that thread is full of oneliner jokes

and few really are seeing the seriousness of such foreshadowing.


The Convention in Denver will be full of almost all of the leadership of the party

as well as most of the other most active Democrats.

You know as I do, the last 7 1/2 years we have seen many things that we never thought could happen

and I, for one, wouldn't put anything past the Neocons at this point.

A terrorist attack that wipes out the convention or even a major riot which escalates

would set back this party for decades if not generations.



This morning there was a thread about a Special Operations (foreign) Internal Defence manual

that was posted by some whistleblower over at Wiki Leaks

that covers all kinds of procedures to do just these kinds of things.

Also, we have seen before (9/11) that staged attacks are likely timed along with excercises.

Yesterday's joint Spec-Ops/Police training excercise, perhaps, should raise our awareness.

[VP505]

3. Who are they really training?

The military for anti-terror ops or the civilian population for martial law? "There were helicopters but there were no lights. And they were just practicing."Practicing what for who?

[Hawkeye-X]

6. See above thread

Posted links from Denver..

[Bob Dobbs]

4. It is actually a little nerve wracking.

As, I'm sure, it is intended to be.

I am working near downtown, just down the street from Coors Field. I heard a couple of copters, or more, buzz over the building. As I was in the middle of a complicated video edit, I couldn't run right out to look up, and when I finally got outside for a break, I couldn't hear or see any in the vicinity.

Still, their presence is felt, and it doesn't feel real great.

How would you like to know that high tech military helicopters full of heavily armed tools of busholini, were flying over your head, literally?

Sux.

[Hawkeye-X]

9. They are training in Denver until Friday..

I just wish it'd go away completely - makes Denverites nervous.

Denver's finest can do the job without the fuckin' military getting in the way. Their HQ is not far from Civic Center Park - where most demonstrations will probably be held. A new jail is being built, but not sure if it'll be ready in August, just down the street from Pepsi Center (the old Rocky Mountain News building - for those who know where I'm talking about)

Hawkeye-X

[deminks]

11. It is unsettling. They are landing on top of the building near me.

Several at a time. I did try to grab some pics. I will upload them when I get back. Supposed to go on more nights this week. There are some pics at the above links. Believe me, I wish them all the success in the world with their training.

[Bluebear]

7. 'Many more called 911 because they didn't know what was happening.' - TERROR!

'No one knew what was happening'

Talk about terrorizing the populace.

[Hawkeye-X]

10. More reason to declare Denver a no-fly zone for ~ 50 mile radius except for a

NARROW airspace to land at DIA - fatcats with their own damn planes can go land in Colorado Springs, find a ride to Denver. Easier that way. No EHLOcopters allowed in the air. (two small airports near Denver - Centennial Airport for fatcats' Lears and Gulfstreams in Arapahoe County, and Rocky Mountain Airport for Cessna's and other fixed-wing airplanes smaller than say, a 737 in Jefferson County (Broomfield)

Hawkeye-X

Runway Layouts here:

(Centenniel Airport) http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAPA

(Rocky Mountain Airport) http://www.airnav.com/airport/KBJC

Another airport: http://www.airnav.com/airport/KFTG (Front Range Airport)

[KoKo]

8. BushCo preparing to "invade" the Democratic Convention?

I doubt that Howard Dean ordered those helicopters in to "Buzz" residents. Sounds like Bush/Cheney PsyOps...but then...who knows.

[kgnu_fan]

12. Welcome to Denver!!!!

Hello, there!

When you are in Denver for DNC and/or before and after the event, please tune in to 1390 AM or 88.5 FM or www.kgnu.org --- KGNU.

We are a volunteer powered, listener supported independent community radio station. We have been on air since 1978. This is our 30th anniversary year. We are one of the first stations to air Democracy Now! when it started. We have been pioneering our cutting edge free-form music programming.

We are puling out all the stop to provide the most comprehensive coverage of any local radio station when the Democrats come to Denver in August. Our ambitious plans include the largest team of KGNU reporters (volunteers!) ever brought together for a single project. And we plan to offer an expanded web presence to bring our coverage to the world.

We have already kicked off our election year coverage with our Super Tuesday coverage where we had live reports from caucuses all across the Metro area.

Also Swing Sate, every Thursday night at 6 pm, our election shows focusing on election issues.

See you all in Denver!!!! Tune in to KGNU!!!

KGNU_Fan (I am a volunteer dj for KGNU)