The Origins of the American Military Coup of 2012

[Guest Phantom6]

This is an interesting article which appeared in a 1992 issue of Parameters, the United States Army's Senior Professional Journal as displayed on the US Army War College website. In this fictional scenario a senior retired officer of the Unified Armed Forces is one of those arrested, having been convicted by court-martial for opposing the coup.

Prior to his execution, he is able to smuggle out of prison a letter to an old War College classmate discussing the "Origins of the American Military Coup of 2012." In it, he argues that the coup was the outgrowth of trends visible as far back as 1992.

These trends were the massive diversion of military forces to civilian uses, a monolithic unification of the armed forces, and the insularity of the military community.

Check it out. It'll make you think.

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Dear Old Friend,

It's hard to believe that 20 years have passed since we graduated from the War College! Remember the great discussions, the trips, the parties, the people? Those were the days!!! I'm not having quite as much fun anymore. You've heard about the Sedition Trials? Yeah, I was one of those arrested--convicted of "disloyal statements," and "using contemptuous language towards officials." Disloyal? No. Contemptuous? You bet! With General Brutus in charge it's not hard to be contemptuous.

I've got to hand it to Brutus, he's ingenious. After the President died he somehow "persuaded" the Vice President not to take the oath of office. Did we then have a President or not? A real "Constitutional Conundrum" the papers called it.[1] Brutus created just enough ambiguity to convince everyone that as the senior military officer, he could--and should--declare himself Commander-in-Chief of the Unified Armed Forces. Remember what he said? "Had to fill the power vacuum." And Brutus showed he really knew how to use power: he declared martial law, "postponed" the elections, got the Vice President to "retire," and even moved into the White House! "More efficient to work from there," he said. Remember that?

Read the entire article

[Guest Mugster]

Interestingly, the national guard can be federalized by the president and the state government can't stop it. That law was amended or added in about 1989 or 1990. It bothered me at the time, but the average civilian had no knowledge of it. Previously, the gov of the state was the commander in chief of the guard for that state. Effectively that is no longer the case, although most civilians might think this...federal pre-emption I think they call it.

[The Rabbi]

Interestingly, the national guard can be federalized by the president and the state government can't stop it. That law was amended or added in about 1989 or 1990. It bothered me at the time, but the average civilian had no knowledge of it. Previously, the gov of the state was the commander in chief of the guard for that state. Effectively that is no longer the case, although most civilians might think this...federal pre-emption I think they call it.

Um, that was always the case.

When George Wallace made his famous stand in the doorway of the schoolhouse he was protected by National Guardsmen.

The next day Kennedy federalized the AL guard and when the little girl entered the school she was protected by the very same members of National Guard.