ACLU: GOP DOCUMENTS REVEALS MILITARY INVOLVED IN CONVENTION SECURITY PLANNING

[kpete]

GOP DOCUMENTS REVEALS MILITARY INVOLVED IN CONVENTION SECURITY PLANNING

Minnesota ACLU - The American Civil Liberties Union recently came across a revealing RNC Homeland Security document that outlined the planning leading up to the Republican National Convention and how security forces would be working together during the RNC. Many federal, state and local organizations were mentioned in this document, a number of which the ACLU did not know were involved. A number of these agencies are military based, which may directly conflict with Federal law that prohibits the military from engaging in domestic intelligence gathering.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, is one of the organizations that is mentioned in the report that is particular cause for concern. NGA provides mapping tools and imagery intelligence that are obtained from the United State's military spy satellites which are controlled by the National Reconnaissance Office. In other words, during the RNC these top spying tools could have been used to gather intelligence on the homes of activists and media workers who were a part of the demonstrations. That information could have then been relayed to local officials.

A second agency that was involved in the planning is the Pentagon's Northern Command, NORTHCOM. Having NORTHCOMM at the table, assisting in the planning is troubling because it could mean that the military was involved in the crowd control strategies and dealing with potential civil unrest. According to a report in Army Times, it said that an active military unit has been deployed by NORTHCOM in the United States. This deployment marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment within U.S. borders.

"These behaviors are a radical departure from separation of civilian law enforcement and military authority, and could, quite possibly, represent a violation of law," said Teresa Nelson, ACLU of Minnesota.

http://www.aclu-mn.org/downloads/homelandsecurity.pdf
http://prorev.com/2008/12/gop-documents-reveals-military-involved.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. The military should be defending us from foreigners. The military shouldn't

be defending us from...us. They exist to kill people and break things--that's it (the only thing Limbaugh says that makes perfect sense). I hope Obama plans to roll this crap back.

[niyad]

2. on democracy now last night, I heard that the govt is planning on stationing 20,000 troops here

to act as law enforcement, increasing from the first group in georgia. storm troopers.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Yes--something about violating "posse comitatus", about military not

being allowed to be used to control its civilian population. Scary shit.

[aquart]

5. Check the pile on Georgie's desk.

I'm sure there's an executive order there somewhere that invalidates posse comitatus.

[napoleon_in_rags]

11. Its the Incredible Shrinking America phenomenon!

It started when Hannity and Rush redefined America to be a narrow set of policiy views, telling people who were previous known as Americans that they "hate America" if they don't agree (because America is no longer America, its a small subset of views and people) naturally, the military, who is sworn to defend America, must defend it against the previously called "Americans" by spying on them and preparing military operations, to defend the real America, which has shrunk to about 1 in every 20 people. Meanwhile, Republicans have been eagerly fighting for new America's financial interests at the cost of the previously known "Americans", creating the illusion that the American markets are crashing...But don't worry, that's no effecting America. :crazy:

[aquart]

4. Guilty consciences, maybe?

They seem to have been REALLY SCARED that we would be REALLY MAD at them.

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. It shows the incestuous relationship between elements at the highest

level in the Pentagon and the Republican corporatocracy, confirming the fears of the likes of Lincoln and Ike regarding the military-industrial complex and the rise of corporatism. Weren't they both Republican presidents? Ironical, to say the least.

No wonder the Republicans' corporate-media arm feel free to tout the grotesque line that they are the best, the only reliable party on defence. Would that it had been true these past eight years.

[greeneyedboy]

7. k & r - this is extremely important n/t

[annm4peace]

8. Please sign the petitions to St Paul and Minneapolis officials

the more people from out of state they here from the better.
Please sign each of these petitions. The court hearings have already started against those 100's who were arrested.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1170/t/5806/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1395

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/defendthernc8

Don't forget to call Ramsey County Attorney Gaertner 651.266.3222
St. Paul City Attorney Choi 651.266.8710
Mayor Rybak [phone]
Mayor Coleman 651.266.8510
ask them to drop all charges and protect the constitution

for extensive info on the battle at the RNC: http://rnc08report.org/

and have a fundraiser for those arrested by showing "Terrorizing Dissent"
http://www.terrorizingdissent.org/

It was very enraging to see your military being used against you. I'm a supporter of Veterans for Peace.. we work to bring the troops home and take care of them when they come home. Yet the day before the RNC at our State Capital.. the military flew 2 sets of circling chinook helicopters overhead of our rally that honor those killed in Iraq and Afganistan. and a couple blocks away from us, National guard troops were defending a make shift holding pen for "all the protestors" .

Some of these National guard troops had just come home from Fallujah.

[annm4peace]

9. documentary on some of the "defense" weapons for crowd control

http://rnc08report.org/archive/172.shtml

[mzmolly]

10. I wish this were unbelievable.

:(