Posted by Varmint Al on February 14, 1999 at 00:24:53:
In Reply to: This stuff scares me. posted by Varmint Al on February 13, 1999 at 20:18:31:
THE ANDREWS OCCUPATION
The importance of the event was illustrated by similar remarks made by two women, on different days, who (we assumed) do not know each other: "I don't go there any more than I have to." Both people voluntarily compared the happenings at the nearby town with the movie "Amerika."
All reports were the same. Most of the local folks are sick and tired of being constantly bothered by these would-be military people.
"Helicopter traffic sometimes gets really heavy, even at night," one young married woman offered. "They land those things right next to the hospital and it can get really loud in there."
A newspaper reporter even described a customs chopper taking part in the exercises. Many helicopters used, however, are the very dark-green type currently favored by some Army units. Also seen were military medical evacuation choppers sporting the red cross designation of the medical corps.
The people being harassed by this ongoing quasi-military task force are Americans. The area under strict federal government supervision is Andrews, North Carolina. And this exercise has been in operation consistently, for a year.
Publicly, this militarized task force claims to be looking for bombing suspect Eric Rudolph. However, it's been many months since anyone has seen any sign of Rudolph in the area. Worse yet, police and military groups who best know that area -- such as the North Carolina State Police and the local North Carolina National Guard -- are, for some reason, deliberately excluded from participating in this so called "manhunt."
Instead, Federal Marshals, the FBI Hostage Rescue Team (of Waco fame) and a number of prison guards and police officers from Georgia, are rotated in for a couple weeks at a time. American Army personnel and equipment are also involved, which is an obvious violation of the law.
Many personnel are said to be carrying a Federal Marshal's identification card as their authority. However, people who actually saw these ID cards note that many of them look as though they were created on a computer with a cheap color printer, or perhaps reproduced on a standard copy machine.
Costs for this ongoing military exercise are said to exceed a million taxpayer dollars a day, and perhaps a great deal more at times. That means, of course, that the Justice Department has spent a few times more operating this task force than the $40-million liberals decry Starr spending investigating Clinton's wrongdoings. Congressional aides told Heads Up that they cannot get accurate costs yet, but are "working on the problem."
Most interesting to us are reports of men in full military uniform marching in platoon formation. Others were seen boarding helicopters dressed in full combat dress, including helmets, bullet-proof vests and carrying what appeared to be automatic rifles. (see links to pictures below)
All this, in the peaceful little city of Andrews, NC, where little if anything ever happens to attract the attention of police.
Clearly, something is going on in Andrews. But, it is not the manhunt the task force announced. People on Capitol Hill are starting to believe that FEMA is somehow involved, but they do not know exactly how or why. What is known is that personnel are regularly rotated in and out of the area. And, while there, these personnel go through a series of military style training exercises.
Worse, by all published accounts and private conversations, the attitude of this occupation force towards the residents of the area seems to be very similar to that of the Soviet Union military when they were stationed in various Iron Curtain countries: "We are in charge and you are to obey."
There is no reason for the federal government to station two to three hundred task force troops near the little town of Andrews. Nor is there any reason for these task force personnel to ever appear in public dressed in full battle regalia and armed to the teeth. Such oppressive actions were well settled in the law over 500 years ago when it was announced that knights may not enter populated areas in full armor and armed. That frightened the unarmed peasants, so was deemed unacceptable behavior, even for the King's defenders. Even back then, the sheriff was charged with handling criminal activity.
Evidently, something nefarious is afoot in Andrews, North Carolina. Perhaps this is a test of how much the American people will take without a major protest. Or, as some rumors have it, possibly they are building a permanent stronghold in those scarcely populated hills near Andrews.
Whatever the story is, they have a lot to answer for. Because, unless the Constitution was changed without notice, this rogue paramilitary contingent does not belong there. Finding Eric Rudolph is local police business. Besides, the task force has become very, very bad neighbor.
Americans everywhere should demand a Congressional investigation of this occupying quasi- military force in a peaceful civilian area. We need strong assurances that this type of foolishness will not happen in other areas of the country.
Glad it is not in my town. Varmint Al