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talkpoliticsFor background, the document, entitled FM 3-39.40 Internment and Resettlement Operations (PDF) was originally released on a restricted basis to the Department of Defense in February 2010. It has now, however, been leaked and can be found online. Unfortunately, so far it seems that only alternative media on the far right have offered any coverage on this.
Now the reason I feel this document is different and more significant than the host of other program operations manuals and directives being circulated within the military and federal response agencies is because within its 300 or so pages, for the first time that I can think of, it seems that re-education of detainees through psychological warfare ("psyop"), particularly those of the political activist variety, is being planned for implementation within internment facilities for U.S. citizens "within U.S. territories". If this sounds uncomfortably close to Soviet-style state-mandated indoctrination, you are not alone.
But, before any commentary, just look at these screenshots:
First off before you mention it, it is clear the manual primarily deals with enemy combatants captured and detained in foreign prisons run by the U.S. Military. However, the language used also applies to citizens detained within the United States, either DCs (displaced citizens) or “civilian internees" detained for, “security reasons, for protection, or because he or she committed an offense against the detaining power.”
So what I got from all that was that (page 56) detention centers (should I just go right out and call them "camps" or will that be too inflammatory I wonder?) will have PSYOP teams whose responsibility will be to use “indoctrination programs to reduce or remove antagonistic attitudes,” as well as targeting “political activists” with such indoctrination programs to provide “understanding and appreciation of U.S. policies and actions.”
Throughout the text there are references to how the U.S. Army would work together with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Custom Enforcement, and the Federal Emergency Management Response Agency (page 24) "within U.S. territory" in line with "civil support operations" in the wake of "man-made disasters, accidents, terrorist attacks and incidents in the U.S. and its territories” (page 38).
Page 33: “The handling of DCs (displaced citizens) is also a mission that may be performed in support of disaster relief or other emergencies within the United States or U.S. territories during civil support operations.” Page 56 also outlines that it is the responsibility of the PSYOP officer to “control detainee and DC populations during emergencies.”
It is also mandated that “Resettlement conducted as a part of civil support operations will always be conducted in support of another lead agency (Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security)” on page 37.
It has been pointed out that U.S. Immigration authorities have no role in detaining prisoners in foreign territories or some other agencies listed in the document like the Public Health Service on page 224. Pages 13 and 41 also contain clear references to U.S. citizens, including how “U.S. citizens will be confined separately from detainees" (by which I assume they mean from the foreign prisoners).
On page 146 of the manual, it is explained how prisoners in the camps are to be identified, and mentions the use of their social security numbers, which, as has also been pointed out by alarmed commentators, is not usually given out by the SSA to foreigners.
On page 193 the writer discusses how the policies can be implemented domestically, stating that as long as, for example, the President passes an executive order to nullify Posse Comitatus rights, the policies “may be performed as domestic civil support operations.”
So, has the U.S. Army really written a manual which details re-education camps, complete with what essentially constitutes brainwashing to abandon silly dissident ideas and "appreciate" America? Does it apply to U.S. citizens domestically? Can we expect to see these kinds of, frankly, police state measures, applied to protestors, dissident activists and the like in America? Is there a justifiable reason for this or has the interest of the state against social change gone too far?
(no subject)
Date: 6/5/12 20:35 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 6/5/12 21:26 (UTC)Upon what confidence do you accept the linked PDF as authentic?
(no subject)
Date: 6/5/12 21:32 (UTC)It appears this might be where it was first leaked, though I'm not certain: www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/pdf/mil_pol_operations.pdf
(no subject)
Date: 6/5/12 23:48 (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 7/5/12 10:41 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 20:48 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 10:45 (UTC)What it sounds like to me, as unlikely as it may seem, is responses to the potential for expressions of civil unrest such as the Occupy movement becoming further radicalized and belligerent. But that may be too far to reach just yet.
(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 10:50 (UTC)Just remember: You saw it here first! (TM)
(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 19:52 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 21:01 (UTC)Go on thinking conspiracies are absurd and when you end up in a detention camp you'll be sorry you didn't pay closer attention.
(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 23:11 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 00:42 (UTC)Enough weight of evidence to support plausibility and precedent to justify speculation, rather than wildly outlandish, completely off the board claims?
(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 00:41 (UTC)The document appears genuine and from the text it clearly is stated to apply to Americans within American territory, which should be surprising since, historically, the U.S. government, even though it has brutalized foreigners and even covertly a few of its own citizens (a la COINTELPRO), has avoided such a formal denial of legal rights.
I find that troubling. So get over it. You know the mark of a real flat earther? Someone who, despite evidence, denies the reality before them and believes a lie. And this document is just part of a larger continuing trend (http://www.activistpost.com/2011/09/in-wake-of-911-33-of-50-states-are.html) within the U.S. government of using the "war on terror" to, among other things, stifle domestic socio-political opposition.
(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 06:32 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 06:36 (UTC)If you did that for me, even though it might not be enough to satisfy my standards of credibility, I still wouldn't insult you as being a "flat earther conspiracy theorist", however, for simply looking at what appears to be a (to me) unsettling leaked program directives and asking questions about it.
(no subject)
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Date: 7/5/12 10:51 (UTC)???
(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 22:34 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 11:56 (UTC)There is nothing in that manual any different from other military manuals which for completeness are supposed to cover every potential possibility (real or imagined). It doesn't surprise me that some can fabricate "proof" of nefarious intent given such rich source material.
(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 19:25 (UTC)Btw I like your username! I'm a big David Lynch fan.
(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 04:02 (UTC)i bet 5 bucks you're probably right - one of my family elders was Army PSYOPs from way back when. boy what i wouldn't give to talk to the dead & be able to ask him if stuff like this went down during his term...
(no subject)
Date: 7/5/12 19:46 (UTC)But I don't think those programs would be equivalent at all to self-described psychological warfare ("psyops"), because if they did I imagine human rights groups would take an issue.
Also that still doesn't justify the, essentially, imprisonment of people for their political beliefs or being political activists. Usually we call that repression. Just saying.
(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 06:23 (UTC)So long as along with the understanding that the state-people covenant has broken down (although this term implies far too much consensus than I think the reality warrant...) and thus the state is "justified" in using war-time authoritarian measures against its own people, the people in turn are not vilified for carrying out violence against the state, whether in retaliation or self-defense.
(no subject)
Date: 9/5/12 17:23 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 03:58 (UTC)so...you got me stuck on this question for a moment. i mean part of me says these changes must have come about due to international affairs/procedures/dealings. but the other part of me wonders how/why are these measures being adapted domestically??
(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 06:31 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/5/12 20:56 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/5/12 17:29 (UTC)There is a justifiable reason for this, as far as the state is concerned, given we are at war and under heightened alert/security. But, we are always at war, and therein lies the issue.
(no subject)
Date: 9/5/12 20:41 (UTC)How does it make justifiable sense to target your own domestic population for repression when you are at war against a foreign enemy anyway?
(no subject)
Date: 9/5/12 21:06 (UTC)