|
CounterPunch
September
6, 2002
Homeland Security
Department
Another Production from the Real
Shadow Government
by John Stanton
The frightful Department of Homeland Security
currently promoted by the Bush Regime and its disciples, and
recent converts, has its genesis in defense and security study
"think tanks" in Washington, DC. These groups wield
enormous influence on local, state and national policy and arguably
constitute the real shadow government of the United States. Eliminate
the US Congress, Presidency and Supreme Court, and the three
branches of government could just as well be the Center for Strategic
and International Studies, the ANSER Institute for Homeland Security
and the Center for Security Policy. Add the Institute for Defense
Analysis as a place for the "nonprofit" government
to hold "classified" meetings and most Americans would
probably not notice any substantial difference.
These defense and security nonprofits--far
removed from any public accountability--serve as a carving knife
used by the most callous of interests in and out of government
to slice away at the public good. Whether it's to pocket some
hard cash for missile defense, get a piece of the Homeland Security
action, fix a troublesome regulation that penalizes government
contractors for providing poor working conditions, rid the world
of that pesky rule that cuts into executive compensation, or
promote an outdated weapons system, the nonprofits stand ready
to undertake these actions not only because it makes "good
business sense" but because their operatives take a patriotic
view of the "bottom line".
Defense and security nonprofit organizations
house former elite US civilian and military officials---always
a short step away from return to government service and available
for consulting fees--many whose worldview closely approximates
those of the character General Jack Ripper in Stanley Kubrick's
famed classic Dr. Strangelove. Obsessed about the "purity"
of America's vital essence, Ripper launches an unauthorized nuclear
attack on the "godless commies" in the USSR and seeks
to rid the world of the "commie bastards" and, in the
process of the retaliation that's sure to follow, cleanse the
United States of its "impurities" and reboot the country
the white and right way.
Such a mentality is likely to dominate
the impending 170,000 employee internal security apparatus known
as the U.S. Homeland Security Department. Union and whistleblower
averse, all U.S. citizens, all certified "grade A"
loyal by the loyalty police, all "pure in essence",
mostly white, mostly jingoistic, all ready to report "adverse"
information on their fellow employees and citizens to the appropriate
taskmaster.
Sweet Charity
Clues as to who will run America's Gestapo
agency and their thought processes can be gleaned from the operations
and staff of organizations such as Anser's Homeland Security
group, the Institute for Defense Analysis, the Center for Strategic
and International Studies, and the Center for Security Policy.
These "Institutes", "Centers" or "Foundations"
operate under an Internal Revenue Service 501 c (3) designation
which means they are "charitable, non-profit, non-partisan
and educational"--it also means they carry the .ORG tag.
While the IRS regulations state clearly that "a §
501(c)(3) organization may not engage in carrying on propaganda,
or otherwise attempt to influence legislation as a substantial
part of its activitiesand must not be organized or operated for
the benefit of private interestsor persons controlled directly
or indirectly by such private interests", the reality is
that these shadowy organizations are powerful interest groups
who are ultimately funded by taxpayer dollars awarded in the
form of government contracts, grants and sponsorships.
Some of them like the Institute for Defense
Analysis (IDA) hold Secret or above facility clearances which
means that they are authorized by the US government to hold US
government classified meetings. According to IDA's website, "The
work often requires privileged access to sensitive information,
including highly classified and industry proprietary data not
normally available to non-government organizations." How
very convenient and very much out of the public eye.
Funded by US government agencies such
as the Department of Defense, federal employees (often through
membership and meeting fees), and corporate donors who live off
of federal largesse, the nonprofits are adept at pushing their
member's or meeting attendee's interests in the halls of Congress
and within Federal agencies. Many Americans would perhaps be
surprised to learn that the bulk of what is presented via the
media as novel presidential and congressional "thinking"
for policy, budgets, proposals, speeches, and legislation all
derive from the analysis and proposals of nonprofit think tanks.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the defense and security
nonprofit arena.
A personal visit by a senior nonprofit
official--normally a retired US military officer or former high
ranking civilian official--to "educate" the uneducated
active duty general, admiral, undersecretary or congressman are
little more than lobbying efforts on behalf of the private and
self interests that the nonprofit represents. And the vanguard
of the defense and security nonprofits have a virtual Who's Who
of heavyweight retired US military and former high ranking civilians
on their governing and advisory Boards who can ratchet up the
political and budgetary pressure on a defense program manager,
senator or congressman.
One of the more insidious and accepted
practices involving defense and security nonprofits is the use
of these organizations retired military and civilian staff by
active US government officials in the advancement of their own
internal government programs and agendas, often enlisting nonprofits
in public education campaigns. Frank "missile defense"
Gaffney's Center for Security Policy is a case in point. That
group also serves the nefarious interests of conservative militants
in the US government like Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle. Indeed,
Richard Perle is still listed as an active member of the Center's
National Security Advisory Council as is missile defense maven
and elected official US Congressman Kurt Weldon.
Through it's many advisors and Board
members, the Center, like all defense and security nonprofits,
have links to the key players in and out of the US government,
the defense and security industry, and at other like minded nonprofits.
IDA's president and CEO is everyone's favorite Defense Board
chairman, retired USAF General Larry Welch. On IDA's Board of
Trustees is Robert Prestel, former deputy director of the US
National Security Agency, along with the president and CEO of
the Army Association of the United States, a former US Secretary
of the Air Force, and a former US Deputy Defense Secretary, among
others.
ANSER's Institute for Homeland Security's
Board of Advisors includes John Hamre, former US Deputy Undersecretary
of Defense, who just happens to be the President and CEO of the
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Also on
ANSER's Board is the current chairman of the US Army Science
Board and a retired US Navy Admiral. With the director of ANSER's
Institute a former USAF officer, all US armed service branches
can be effectively lobbied for business by "one of their
own kind who served".
Way back in December of 2000, CSIS was
one of the first out of the starting gate to propose the creation
of a Department of Homeland Security in its Homeland Defense:
A Strategic Approach. The 2002 Homeland Security Department proposal
sent to the US Congress by the current regime is based almost
entirely on CSIS's proposals. Why so much influence from this
particular 501 c (3) that has a paltry operating budget of US
$17.5 million? CSIS boasts on its Board and Advisory Board former
US Defense Secretaries William Cohen and Harold Brown, former
Senator Sam Nunn, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger,
retired USAF General Brent Scowcroft, and former DCI James Woolsey,
among other US military and civilian "retirees". Also
on the CSIS staff are six Military Fellows representing the US
Coast Guard, Marines, Air Force, Army and Navy.
You'll Sleep Better at Night
The grunts who churn out reports and
are the advance teams in these powerful nonprofits are made up
of those who never quite made it up the military chain of command
or never got the hot political appointment. These intellectual
and power broker wannabe's are culled from the mid-ranks of government,
military, industry and academia. Attend a high level briefing
with these folks and, for the most part, survey-shows they are
white, aging, paranoid and believe that the 1950's was the greatest
decade in memory gleefully ignoring the wretchedness of those
years. They deplore the browning of America, despise the Pakistani
running the local 7-11 or McDonald's, bemoan the presence of
Chinese and Indian students at US universities, and worry when
African American's or Latino's move into the neighborhood. They
still opine on welfare mothers and how Unions have destroyed
American economic competitiveness. employees. They are quick
to remind the listener that America rebuilt Europe and Japan,
but claim "that's different" when posed with the question,
Why not Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Afghanistan, Chile, Nicaragua,
Cuba? In short, they are just a few brain cells removed from
being whole-hearted supporters of the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan
Nation.
As reported by Counterpunch, Tom Ridge,
apparently one of the folks fitting the description above, and
current Homeland Security Czar (with an unsettling resemblance
to Fox's Simpson cartoon character Chief Wiggam)--recently telegraphed
what Homeland Security's more sinister functions may become.
One of them is Union busting. Ridge made a telephone call to
the International Longshoremen Workers Union warning them that
any large scale strike contemplated against Pacific Maritime
will be viewed as a threat to national security. A veiled threat
of police action and subsequent arrest if there ever was one.
Finally, Counterpunch reported that a Phoenix Project (an assassination
program in Vietnam) operative, Major General Bruce Lawlor (USA),
will play a key role in US Homeland Security prevention and protection.
And so it's just these type of folks
who will be recruited for and make up the US Department of Homeland
Security and its affiliates at the state and local levels. The
prospect of a national internal security agency staffed by such
people should be the stuff a national debate. But with the US
disinformation campaign on Iraq in full-gear and 911's anniversary
sure to stifle needed debate, you can bet your last George Washington
that one of the big ticket lines in Bush II's next State-of-the-Union
address will be, "America is safer thanks to the creation
of the Department of Homeland Security"
John Stanton
is a Virginia-based writer specializing in national security
matters. He can be reached at: cioran123@yahoo.com
Today's Features
Jeffrey St. Clair
Stolen
Trust
Gale Norton, Indians and the Case of the Missing $10 Billion
New
Print Edition of CounterPunch Available Exclusively
to Subscribers:
- War Talk As White Noise:
Anything to Get Harken and Halliburton
Out of the Headlines;
- First Hilliard, Then
McKinney: Jewish
Groups Target Blacks Brave Enough to Talk About Justice in the
Middle East; Intimidation
is the Name of the Game; Smearing
"Insane" McKinney As Muslims' Pawn;
- The Missing Terrorist?
Calling Scotland
Yard: "Where's Atif?"
- They Never Booed Dylan!:
Tape Transcript Shows
Famed Newport Folkfest Dissing of Electric Dylan Not True. The Catcalls were for Peter
Yarrow!
- New Shame from the Liffey
Shrike
Remember, the CounterPunch website is
supported exclusively by subscribers to our newsletter. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe
Now! Or Call Toll Free 1-800-840-3683
home / subscribe
/ about us
/ books
/ archives
/ search
/ links
/
|
September
6, 2002
Jeffrey St.
Clair
Stolen
Trust
Gale Norton, Indians and the Case of the Missing $10 Billion
September
5, 2002
Ben Tripp
Jesus vs.
George the Second
William Hughes
McKinney's
Defeat:
Undue Meddling
Gavin Keeney
Beaux
Reves, Citoyens!
Wayne Saunders
War
Begins; Nobody Notices
Irit Katriel
Drunk
with Power:
Israeli Chief of Staff Calls Palestinians a "Cancerous Demographic
Threat"
Gary Leupp
Who's Afraid
of Iraq?
September
3, 2002
Nabil Amro
Leadership
& Legitimacy:
An Open Letter to Arafat
Robert Fisk
A Forgotten
Holocaust:
The British in Palestine
Uri Avnery
The Return
of the Dinosaurs
September
2, 2002
Francis Boyle
Flashback:
US War Crimes During the Gulf War
Lou Cohan
Confessions
of a Downloader
Philip Farruggio
Labor
Day Antidote to Apathy
William Blum
Cuban Political
Prisoners
in the US
September
1, 2002
Dave Marsh
No Surrender:
Springsteen's The Rising
August 31,
2002
Gavin Keeney
Return to the
Charterhouse of Parma
David Vest
Porkland:
Confronting Republicans & Police in Portland
Ralph Nader
The Highway
Lobby
M. Shahid
Alam
CNN Reporting
(poem)
Neve Gordon
Sharon's
Subjugation Strategy
Dr. Susan
Block
The Gangbang
Asthete
The Sexual Life
of Catherine M.
Kurt Nimmo
Clueless
at the State Dept.
August 30,
2002
Alexander
Cockburn
American
Journal:
Hitchens, Kissinger, Springsteen, Haggard & Elvis
August 29,
2002
Chris Floyd
The Secret
Sharers:
The CIA and the Murder of Frank Olson
August 28,
2002
William Ring
War on Iraq:
The Brightest Scenario
August 27,
2002
Sam Bahour
The Violence
of Curfew
Wenonah Hauter
From Johannesburg:
Pacts with the Devil: Public-Private Partnerships and the Global
Environment
Jerre Skog
Wanted:
"Our Kind of Guy"
in Iraq!
Uri Avnery
Letter
to a Pilot
August 26,
2002
Sami Al-Arian
Fighting
for the Right of
Dissent and Due Process
Ruebner /
Turaani
What
is Israel Hiding?
Norman Madarasz
Brazil
and the IMF:
Democracy and Emerging Market Liberalism
Robert Fisk
War Crimes:
Reporters Aren't Prosecutors
Douglas Valentine
Phoenix,
CIA and Maj. Gen. Bruce Lawlor: From Vietnam
to Homeland Security
August 24
/ 25, 2002
Susan Davis
Proverbial
Wisdom:
Of Clogs and Enron
Falk / Krieger
No War
Against Iraq
Ceylon Mooney
Fasting
for Iraq
Jonathon
Wright
Police
Brutality in Atlanta
Ralph Nader
Congress's
Pay Raise Scam
Jeffrey St.
Clair
Chainsaw
George
Alexander
Cockburn
Alterman
Cheapens Holocaust
August 23,
2002
Dave Marsh
Selling
Out?
Anthony Gancarski
Super-Duper:
Oil, al-Qaeda and a West African Adventure
William Hughes
Lieberman's
Conflict
of Interest?
Kurt Nimmo
The Lapdog
Conversion of CNN:
They Didn't Want to "Criticize" a Popular War
Sean Donahue
Hardline
in Colombia
Resources:
100s of Links
About 9/11
CounterPunch:
Complete
Coverage of 9/11 and Its Aftermath
Five
Days That
Shook The World:
Seattle and Beyond
By
Alexander Cockburn
and Jeffrey St. Clair
Photos by Allan Sekula
(Click Here to Order from CounterPunch
Online at 20% Off Amazon.com's price!)
Read
Whiteout and Find Out
How the CIA's Backing of the Mujahideen Created the World's Most
Robust Heroin Market and Helped to Finance the Rise of the Taliban
and Osama bin Laden
Whiteout:
CIA, Drugs & the
Press
by Alexander
Cockburn
and Jeffrey St. Clair
|