November 23, 2003
Conclusion: Bad, but not that bad
The assertion, by General Tommy Franks, that our Constitution will not survive a WMD attack is unsettling, to say the least. Franks fears that a military tribunal would assume rule; our experiment in republican democracy finished. Make that startling. Below, I tried to imagine a series of events, as they might logically unfold, to see if I could make his prediction work. I couldn't, but maybe you have different ideas.
| EVENT |
REACTION |
| Baltimore nuked when bomb held in Liberian registered freighter explodes in harbor. Death toll in the tens of thousands, (50,000 alone amongst spectators at a Ravens game) |
FBI immediately ties ship to al-Qaeda, and the bin-Laden family. |
| Bush orders terrorist bases in Iran and Syria destroyed. |
Euro's, principally France and Germany, protest our unilateral action; demand UN involvement. |
| DOJ arrests over 10,000 Middle East aliens; most Congressional Democrats agree with this action. |
Random street assassinations of Middle Eastern looking people begin. |
| Bubonic plague spores released in California,
Arizona and New Mexico. Death toll mounts daily. Citizens demand
borders closed. |
All borders closed in the U.S. |
| U.S. Embassies in Turkey and Spain truck bombed. Saudi based terrorists arrested. |
US bombs several Saudi buildings known to house Islamic fanatics. |
| Dirty nuke detonated in Tel Aviv |
Israel uses nuclear bombs on Syria. Orders all Palestinians found on street after dark shot. |
| Islamic-wide Jihad declared against all Westerners. |
Truck bombs/bio devices detonated in many European cities. Shia's in South Iraq, and other areas kill several hundred Brits and Americans in surprise attacks. |
| West Coast leftists mount protests |
Reps. Barbara Lee and Pete Stark shot dead after criticizing U.S. during rally. Riots break out. |
| Bush declares martial law |
Rioting spreads to East Coast. Bus carrying Freepers to Pro America rally hit by RPG. 80 killed. |
| Tactical nukes used by US against Muslims in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. |
Russian protests muted by slaughter of non-Muslims in many ex-Soviet regions. |
| War against Islam declared by Congress. |
Firing squads execute 200 protesters found carrying explosive devices. |
| American Muslims ordered arrested, detained in camps. |
Mostly cheers. Civil libertarians silenced by fear of vigilante action. |
| Domestic terror/protests subside | Peter Jennings denounces "American Imperialism" on news cast. |
| ABC studio in New York rocked by several blasts, destroyed. Jennings not there | Bush addresses nation, begs end of vigilantism |
| Eiffel Tower destroyed by French Muslims |
Chirac blames U.S. French citizens execute him on a Paris street. |
| A North Korean nuke, sold to al Qaeda, used against American forces in Qatar. |
U.S. uses seven nuclear cruise missiles on North Korea, killing an estimated 2 million NorK troops massed on 38th parallel. |
| Bush approval rating hits 92% |
Barbra Streisand found dead in apparent suicide. |
So, with no more loss of our liberties than occurred during WWII, our democracy continues in tact. Except in Vermont, where secession is voted for. Pat Leahy is elected King of the new state, "Commie Town". Nobody takes notice.
Posted by pecksnif at November 23, 2003 11:32 AM
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disclaimer: I don't know a damn thing about Franks.
Maybe it's not so much his fear but his sick fantasy.
Posted by: Dfenstrate on November 23, 2003 11:58 AMWhy can't Jennings be there?
Seriously, our Constitution contemplates such a possibility, so it would not be
'unconstitutional'. But we'd better get more serious about prevention.
Say; where WAS Jennings, anyway?
Posted by: Noel on November 23, 2003 04:00 PMMan Rodge...are you saying that all of us New Mexicans are going to die of the Buebonic Plague?? I didn't think Richardson's term was THAT long!
Posted by: Flag Boy on November 23, 2003 07:06 PMThe question I have isn't whether the military would take over in a crisis like that, but what leads to the conclusion that they wouldn't try to reconstitute a civilian government ASAP?
Posted by: SDN on November 24, 2003 07:23 AMHe forgot to mention that the Mexicans will create a new religion around the Bubonic Plague spores, slowing the movement north, and the border will be closed before it ever gets here. (Remember the glowing radioactive material that was passed around Mexico for months as a holy icon?)
Posted by: kenneth on November 24, 2003 10:03 AM