Retired Lt. Col, Mr. Nathan P. Freier, states in his article, Known Unknowns: Unconventional "Strategic Shocks" in Defense Strategy Development, which was written for the Army War College (11/04/2008), that the United States military establishment must be prepared for “an unforeseen economic collapse” or “loss of functioning political and legal order.”  The War College’s report also goes on to warn of a possible "rapid dissolution of public order in all or significant parts of the United States," and,  “The DoD might be forced by circumstances to put its broad resources at the disposal of civil authorities to contain and reverse violent threats to domestic tranquility. Under the most extreme circumstances, this might include use of military force against hostile groups inside the United States.”

Newsmax’s Jim Meyers reported in his article U.S. Military Preparing for Domestic Disturbances (retrieved on 12/23/08 from http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/military_domesticuse 2008/12/23/164765.html)  the Defense Department has made plans to deploy 20,000 troops nationwide. Meyers further reported that “Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Rep. Brad Sherman of California disclosed that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson discussed a worst-case scenario as he pushed the Wall Street bailout in September, and said that scenario might even require a declaration of martial law.”

Mike Sunnucks of the Phoenix Business Journal in his article entitled, Ariz. police say they are prepared as War College warns military must prep for unrest; IMF warns of economic riots  (retrieved on 12/17/08 from http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/12/15/daily34.html),  reports  that International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned Wednesday of “economy-related riots and unrest in various global markets if the financial crisis is not addressed and lower-income households are hurt by credit constraints and rising unemployment.”

Bob Burnett of the Huffington Post writes that Obama needs to enlist a broad coalition of spies in order to ensure domestic tranquility. In his article, Obama’s Crisis Presidency (retrieved on 12/12/08 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-burnett/obamas-crisis-presidency_b_150486.html , Burnett compares such an effort to the creation of American Coast Watchers from the WWII era. One would wish that Obama’s plan would be so patriotic, so benign. The Washington Times Bill Gertz (Obama, McCain Eye Better Use of Spies, 10/23/08 retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/23/candidates-eye-better-use-of-spies/ states that “Obama will use spies to keep tabs on his domestic opposition. ..”.  “Obama will develop new military and civilian capabilities to target terrorists”.  

Lest you think that these are the inane and insane ramblings of a “Chicken Little” with too much time on his hands, I would challenge you to follow the URL links and come up with another interpretation.

How bad will it get?  Part four of this series will connect the random dots that will form an understandable blueprint for America’s immediate future.