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Emergency Preparedness against the "Universal Adversary" : Orwellian "Scenarios" |
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by Michel Chossudovsky Centre for Research on Globalisation Entered into the database on Wednesday, June 08th, 2005 @ 12:13:43 MST |
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Orwellian "Scenarios" A recent Report of the Homeland Security Council entitled Planning Scenarios
describes in minute detail, the Bush administration's preparations in the case
of a terrorist attack by an outside enemy called the Universal Adversary (UA). The Universal Adversary, is identified in the scenarios as an abstract entity
used for the purposes of simulation. Yet upon more careful examination, this
Universal Adversary is by no means illusory. It includes the following categories
of potential "conspirators": "foreign [Islamic] terrorists" , "domestic radical groups", [antiwar and civil rights groups] "state sponsored adversaries" ["rogue states", "unstable
nations"] "disgruntled employees" [labor and union activists]. According to the Planning Scenarios Report : "Because the attacks could be caused by foreign terrorists; domestic radical
groups; state sponsored adversaries; or in some cases, disgruntled employees,
the perpetrator has been named, the Universal Adversary (UA). The focus of the
scenarios is on response capabilities and needs, not threat-based prevention
activities." (See Planning Scenarios ) The domestic radical groups and labor activists, which visibly constitute a
threat to the established political order, are now conveniently lumped together
with foreign Islamic terrorists, suggesting that the PATRIOT anti-terror laws
together with the Big Brother law enforcement apparatus are eventually intended
to be used against potential domestic "adversaries". While the Universal Adversary is "make-believe", the simulations
constitute a dress rehearsal of a real life emergency situation: "The scenarios have been developed in a way that allows them to be adapted
to local conditions throughout the country" Fifteen Distinct Scenarios The scenarios cover the entire array of threats: 15 distinct threat scenarios to the Security of America carried out by four
categories of enemies: Islamic terrorists, radical groups, rogue adversaries
and labor activists. The scenarios simulate operations carried out by the Universal Adversary (UA).
They include inter alia a nuclear detonation (with a small 10-Kiloton improvised
nuclear device, anthrax attacks, a biological disease outbreak including a pandemic
influenza, not to mention a biological plague outbreak. Various forms of chemical
weapons attacks are also envisaged including the use of toxic industrial chemicals,
and nerve gas. Radiological attacks through the emission of a radioactive aerosol
are also envisaged. (See Text box below) What is revealing in the "doomsday scripts" is that they bear no
resemblance to the weaponry used by clandestine urban "terrorists".
In fact, in several cases, they correspond to weapons systems which are part
of the US arsenal and which have been used in US sponsored military operations.
The description of the nuclear device bears a canny resemblance to America's
tactical nuclear weapon ("mini nuke") , which also has a 10-kiloton
yield, approximately two-thirds of a Hiroshima bomb. That Homeland Security
should actually envisage a make believe scenario of large scale nuclear attacks
by 'domestic radicals' and/or Islamic terrorists borders on the absurd. With regard to the nerve gas attack scenario, in a cruel irony, it is the same
type of nerve gas (as well as mustard gas) used by the US military against civilians
in Fallujah. Building a Consensus These simulations are applied to sensitize and "educate" key decision
makers. The simulated data, the various categories of 'conspirators", the
types of deadly weapons envisaged in the simulations are part of this knowledge
base. The political objective of the Bush administration is to create a broad
consensus: a feeling of allegiance and commitment within the emergency preparedness
community. The nature of the adversaries and the dangers of the attacks (ranging from
nuclear detonations to nerve agents and anthrax) become "talking points".
In the scenarios, the conspirators including the "domestic radical groups"
and "disgruntled employees" are described as being in possession of
"weapons of mass destruction". In the comprehensive 2005 anti-terrorist TOPOFF-3 exercises , (similar to war
exercises, conducted recently under the auspices of Homeland Security) precise
data sources were simulated and used to identify potential conspirators. This "world of fiction" underlying the scenarios becomes real. The
data sources "replicate actual terrorist networks down to names, photos,
and drivers license numbers." The scenarios create for the more than 10,000 TOPOFF-3 participants, a carefully
designed "reality model" which shapes their behavior and understanding: "Planners included the threats they considered most likely or devastating,
said Marc Short, a [Homeland Security] department spokesman." The "reality model" script of threats and conspirators replaces the
real world. These fabricated realities penetrate the inner-consciousness of key decision
makers. The reality model script molds the behavior of public officials, it
builds a "knowledge" and "understanding", namely a shared
ignorance regarding the war on terrorism and the "adversaries" who
oppose the administration's war and homeland security agendas. A world of fiction becomes reality. The scenarios "enable exercise players
to simulate intelligence gathering and analysis", in preparation of an
actual emergency situation which, according to the scenarios' assumptions, would
lead to mass arrests of presumed terror suspects. Fiction becomes fact. Conversely fact becomes fiction. "Ignorance is strength". The "scenarios"
require submission and conformity: for those key decision-makers at the federal,
State and municipal levels, the US government, namely the Bush Administration
is the unquestioned guardian of the truth. The outright lies concerning Osama,
Zarqawi, the "rogue enemies" of America, "weapons of mass destruction",
not to mention 9-11, are upheld as indelible truths. What we are dealing with is a process of indoctrination, which develops a new
righteousness and which ultimately abolishes the Rule of Law. In the words of
Central Command General (ret) Tommy Franks: "A terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event [will occur] somewhere
in the Western world – it may be in the United States of America –
that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to
militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass, casualty-producing
event." (Cigar Aficionado, December 2003) "Reality Model" Script based on "Flimsy Intelligence" The process of emergency preparedness could be launched, even in the case of
a threat based on "intelligence", which proves at some later date
to be unfounded. In the scripted "scenarios", the pictures and IDs
of potential conspirators in police data banks are real, leading immediately
in the case of an actual emergency to mass arrests. Known and documented, several of the post-911 terrorist threats were in fact
based on fake intelligence. Several of the high profile code orange terror alerts
had been fabricated outright. (See Fabricating Intelligence as a Justification
for War, See also http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO505D.html ) Acknowledged by Tom Ridge, upon retiring from his position as Sec of Homeland
Security: "there was only flimsy evidence to justify raising the threat level…
Ridge [said] .he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to
elevate the threat level to orange, or "high" risk of terrorist attack,
but was overruled... There were times when some people were really aggressive
about raising it, and we said, 'For that?' " (USA Today , 10 May 2005) Fake intelligence is part of the disinformation campaign. It plays a key role
in building the "war on terrorism" consensus. It builds a justification
for war. The national security doctrine rests on the existence of an outside
enemy, which threatens the Homeland. The falsehoods created by this "flimsy intelligence" are embodied
in the terror attack "scenarios" and exercises. Lies are transformed
into indelible truths. The latter are shared by State officials, private sector
decision-makers and "first responders" in a national emergency situation,
if and when it occurs. In other words these Orwellian "scenarios" assume that the various
threats must be taken seriously, irrespective of the source of the intelligence
or the reliability of the intelligence. The scripted "scenarios" and
anti-terror TOPOFF exercises are based on fake terror threats, which requires
the production of fake intelligence. Martial Law Both the "scenarios" and the TOPOFF-3 anti-terror exercises were
barely mentioned in the media. In other words, we are not dealing with a propaganda
ploy directed towards the broader American public. The propaganda in this case
is targeted. It takes the form of "training" and emergency preparedness:
"We are moving forward in applying lessons learned to anticipate and address
all possible attack scenarios," an F.B.I. spokeswoman said, asking not
to be named because her department was not the lead author of the document.
"With enhanced law enforcement and intelligence community partnerships,
we are able to better detect terrorist plots and dismantle terrorist organizations."
(NYT 26 Feb 2005) The "Scenarios" were developed for "Use in National, Federal,
State and Local Homeland Security Preparedness". They instill in public
and private sector officials and participants a sense of responsibility, duty
and awareness in relation to something which is ultimately fictitious. The "scenarios" and anti-terrorist exercises develop observance and
compliance by public officials, law enforcement, intelligence, military and
civilian federal and State employees, etc. Moreover, the scenarios also envisage the circumstances under which Martial
Law could be triggered in the case of a threat by the Universal Adversary. In
other words, fake intelligence could indeed be used to trigger a martial law
situation in America, much in the same way as (deja vu) fake intelligence was
used "to fit the policy" of invading Iraq, as revealed in the controversial
Downing Street Secret Memo. In a real life emergency, instructed by the relevant authorities, law enforcement
officials would proceed to arrest the Universal Adversary, including members
of radical groups, labor activists, etc. Law enforcement officials would no longer be instructed to uphold the Rule
of Law. In fact quite the opposite. The arrests would be conducted on behalf of officials in high office, who have
broken the law, and who are known to have committed extensive war crimes. In the "reality model" script, the US State, its military-intelligence
apparatus and war planning machine become the guardians of the peace. The State
is above the law. The "reality model" script not only sets the stage for Martial Law,
it also constitutes an obvious political and legal safeguard against prosecution
and/or impeachment of the President and his entourage. Some 88 members of Congress, in a letter addressed to President Bush, have
recently demanded "whether there was a coordinated effort with the U.S.
intelligence community and/or British officials to "fix" the intelligence
and facts around the policy [of waging an illegal war on Iraq] as the leaked
document states?" Under martial law, the Rule of Law is banished. The lies, crimes and atrocities
of the real world are substituted by a "reality model" script of fictitious
attacks by fictitious "conspirators". Those who in any way question
to existence of the Universal Adversary would themselves be the object of possible
arrest or prosecution. Intelligence Disclaimer [ published at the Outset of the Report ] Financing the Police State Apparatus A large amount of "real money" from tax payers pockets is used to
protect America against a non-existent enemy, the Universal Adversary. Under the guise of emergency preparedness, the administration has allocated
more than of 40 billion dollars to beefing up the police state apparatus, an
amount broadly equivalent to the "official" budget of the CIA. The scenarios and exercises of terror attacks are being used by Homeland Security
Sec Michael Chertoff, to push "risk-based planning" as a central theme
of the DHS, also with a view to boosting the Homeland Security budget. Out of the $41.1 billion, some $27 billion are allocated to discretionary expenditures.
A hefty $3.6 billion are allocated "to train and equip first responders
[i.e. consensus building], such as police officers, firefighters and emergency
medical technicians." (http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0205/020705c1.htm
). A multibillion dollar Domestic Nuclear Detection Office is envisaged, with
a mandate to "detect and report attempts [by conspirators] to import, assemble
or transport nuclear explosive devices, fissile material, or radiological material
intended for illegal use" The ultimate result (and intent) of these various counterterrorism initiatives,
is not to "make America safer" against possible attacks by a non-existent
Universal Adversary. Quite the opposite, emergency preparedness is the pretext
for the militarization of civilian justice and law enforcement (See Frank Morales,
"Homeland Defense" and the Militarisation of America, Frank Morales,
Sept 2003 http://globalresearch.ca/articles/MOR309A.html The Homeland Security
agenda consists in breaking within America, all forms of social resistance and
opposition to the "war on terrorism". TEXT Box: "Scenarios" of Selected Threats In this scenario, terrorist members of the Universal Adversary (UA) group assemble
a gun-type nuclear device using highly enriched uranium (HEU) – used here
to mean weapons-grade uranium – stolen from a nuclear facility located
in the former Soviet Union. The nuclear device components are smuggled into
the United States. Plague is a bacterium that causes high mortality in untreated cases and has
epidemic potential. ... In this scenario, members of the Universal Adversary
(UA) release pneumonic plague into three main areas of a major metropolitan
city – in the bathrooms of the city’s major airport, at the city’s
main sports arena, and at the city’s major train station. Anthrax spores delivered by aerosol delivery results in inhalation anthrax,
which develops when the bacterial organism, Bacillus anthracis, is inhaled into
the lungs. A progressive infection follows. This scenario describes a single
aerosol anthrax attack in one city delivered by a truck using a concealed improvised
spraying device ... For federal planning purposes, it will be assumed that the
Universal Adversary (UA) will attack five separate metropolitan areas in a sequential
manner. Three cities will be attacked initially, followed by two additional
cities 2 weeks later. Blister Attack: Agent YELLOW , which is a mixture of the blister agents sulfur
Mustard and Lewisite, is a liquid with a garlic-like odor. Individuals who breathe
this mixture may experience damage to the respiratory system. Contact with the
skin or eye can result in serious burns. Lewisite or Mustard- Lewisite also
can cause damage to bone marrow and blood vessels. Exposure to high levels may
be fatal. In this scenario, the Universal Adversary (UA) uses a light aircraft
to spray chemical agent YELLOW into a packed college football stadium. The agent
directly contaminates the stadium and the immediate surrounding area, and generates
a downwind vapor hazard. Industrial chemicals: In this scenario, terrorists from the Universal Adversary
(UA) land in several helicopters at fixed facility petroleum refineries. They
quickly launch rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and plant improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) before re-boarding and departing, resulting in major fires. At
the same time, multiple cargo containers at a nearby port explode aboard or
near several cargo ships with resulting fires. Two of the ships contain flammable
liquids or solids. The wind is headed in the north-northeast direction, and
there is a large, heavy plume of smoke drifting into heavily populated areas
and releasing various metals into the air.... Sarin is a human-made chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent. Nerve
agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents.
... In this scenario, the Universal Adversary (UA) builds six spray dissemination
devices and releases Sarin vapor into the ventilation systems of three large
commercial office buildings in a metropolitan area. The agent kills 95% of the
people in the buildings, and kills or sickens many of the first responders.
In addition, some of the agent exits through rooftop ventilation stacks, creating
a downwind hazard.... Chlorine gas is poisonous and can be pressurized and cooled to change it into
a liquid form so that it can be shipped and stored. When released, it quickly
turns into a gas and stays close to the ground and spreads rapidly. Chlorine
gas is yellow-green in color and although not flammable alone, it can react
explosively or form explosive compounds with other chemicals such as turpentine
or ammonia. In this scenario, the Universal Adversary (UA) infiltrates an industrial
facility and stores a large quantity of chlorine gas (liquefied under pressure).
Using a low-order explosive, UA ruptures a storage tank man-way, releasing a
large quantity of chlorine gas downwind of the site. Secondary devices are set
to impact first responders. In this scenario, agents of the Universal Adversary (UA) use improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) to detonate bombs inside a sports arena and create a large vehicle
bomb (LVB). They also use suicide bombers in an underground public transportation
concourse and detonate another bomb in a parking facility near the entertainment
complex. An additional series of devices is detonated in the lobby of the nearest
hospital emergency room (ER). The event is primarily designed for an urban environment,
but could be adapted for more rural area events such as county fairs and other
large gatherings. Casualty estimates would be reduced as a function of a reduced
target population and less population density at target points. The fire is ignited approximately 1 hour after the start of the entertainment
event. The detonation of explosives is delayed approximately 10 to 15 minutes
after the ignition of the fire in order to allow for detection, evacuation,
and response of emergency services providers. The detonation of explosives at
the hospital site will be the hardest to time for maximum effect and may need
to be coordinated by some communication among cell members. In any case, the
hospital device should be detonated before the arrival of casualties from the
entertainment venue.... The U.S. food industry has significantly increased its physical and personnel
security since 2001. A successful attack could only occur following the illegal
acquisition of sensitive information revealing detailed vulnerabilities of a
specific production site [by terrorist plant workers]. However, in this scenario
the Universal Adversary (UA) is able to acquire these restricted documents due
to a security lapse. The UA uses these sensitive documents and a high degree
of careful planning to avoid apprehension and conduct a serious attack. The biological agent is delivered to terrorists (plant workers).... The UA
delivers liquid anthrax bacteria to pre-selected plant workers. At a beef plant
in a west coast state, two batches of ground beef are contaminated with anthrax,
with distribution to a city on the west coast, a southwest state, and a state
in the northwest. At an orange juice plant in a southwestern state, three batches
of orange juice are contaminated with anthrax, with distribution to a west coast
city, a southwest city, and a northwest city. In this scenario, members of the Universal Adversary (UA) enter the United
States to survey large operations in the livestock industries. The UA targets
several locations for a coordinated bioterrorism attack on the agricultural
industry. Approximately two months later, UA teams enter the United States and
infect farm animals at specific locations. In this scenario, the Universal Adversary conducts cyber attacks that affect
several parts of the nation’s financial infrastructure over the course
of several weeks. Specifically, credit-card processing facilities are hacked
and numbers are released to the Internet, causing 20 million cards to be cancelled;
automated teller machines (ATMs) fail nearly simultaneously across the nation;
major companies report payroll checks are not being received by workers; and
several large pension and mutual fund companies have computer malfunctions so
severe that they are unable to operate for more than a week. Individually, these
attacks are not dangerous – but combined, they shatter faith in the stability
of the system. Citizens no longer trust any part of the U.S. financial system
and foreign speculators make a run on the dollar. Source: The Homeland Security Council, PLANNING SCENARIOS Executive Summaries
Created for Use in National, Federal, State, and Local Homeland Security Preparedness
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