Matthew Rothschild: What Is NorthCom Up To?

[marmar]

via CommonDreams:



Published on Thursday, November 13, 2008 by The Progressive
What Is NorthCom Up To?
by Matthew Rothschild


This week and into next, NorthCom and NORAD are conducting a joint exercise called "Vigilant Shield '09."

The focus will be on "homeland defense and civil support," a NorthCom press release states.

From November 12-18, it will be testing a "synchronized response of federal, state, local and international partners in preparation for homeland defense, homeland security, and civil support missions in the United States and abroad."

NorthCom is short for the Pentagon's Northern Command. President Bush created it in October 2002. (The Southern Command, or SouthCom, covers Latin America. Central Command, or CentCom, covers Iraq and Afghanistan. And the new AfriCom covers, well, you get the picture.)

Vigilant Shield '09 "will include scenarios to achieve exercise objectives within the maritime, aerospace, ballistic missile defense, cyber, consequence management, strategic communications, and counter terrorism domains," the press release states.

NorthCom's press release also says that other participants in the exercise include the U.S. Strategic Command's "Global Lightning 09," which is a plan to use nuclear weapons in a surprise attack.

The Pentagon's "Bulwark Defender 09" is also involved in the exercise, and it is a cyberspace protection outfit of the Pentagon. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/11/13-0

[unhappycamper]

1. These fuckers are absolutely crazy.

First the 3rd BCT being stationed permanently in the good of USA and now this? They're fucking nuts.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Those exercises have been held 3-4 times a year since at least 2004.

SF newspaper talking about 5 million people being involved at some level in the training this week.

I am not saying that I trust the guys with power to order the guys with the guns to knock down my door.
I find it real hard to understand why we can have years of national training and still let American citizens drown in hurricanes in La. and Texas.

edit to add:

How can you have a joint American/ Canadian exercise "within the maritime, aerospace, ballistic missile defense, cyber, consequence management, strategic communications, and counter terrorism domains,, AND a plan to use nuclear weapons in a surprise attack."

but then say

"We anticipate little to no direct impact on local communities." :wtf: