LL:ART: Operation "Urban Warrior" - Troops on the streets.

[Communist Party of Australia]

The following article was published in "The Guardian", newspaper
of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday,
September 13th, 2000. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills.
Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795.
CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Webpage: http://www.cpa.org.au>
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Operation "Urban Warrior"

The Howard Government's "shoot to kill" legislation was passed
last week. The legislation gives the military wide powers that
could be used during industrial disputes and against legitimate
civil protests. As Greens Senator Bob Brown commented, "this bill
is open to abuse". The new legislation, which would give the
military "shoot to kill" powers with immunity from prosecution,
was opposed in the Senate by Greens Senator Brown and the
Democrats. The trend towards military involvement in civilian
life is not unique to Australia as VERA BUTLER explains:

"As the world marches into the new century, there is a growing
realisation in the US military that there will be an increase in
the type of military operations which have come to define the
latter portions of the 20th century -- "urban operations".
Although the US military for the most part continues to train,
organise and equip itself for operations outside of cities,
against a conventional foe, there is a growing element among the
forces which sees the imperative of training, organising and
equipping for the most likely combat environment, "the urban
battle space"."

Col. Randolph A Gangle, US Marine Corps (ret.)

Among the US military it is primarily the Marine Corps which
concerns itself with urban warfare. Since mid-1995 a Warfighting
Laboratory (MCWL) was established in Quatico, Virginia, with the
task of developing improved capabilities and skills.

A two-year phase of experimentation was initiated, designated
"Urban Warrior", which involved a number of allied nations,
foremost Britain, but also Australia, Canada, Holland and France.

"Urban Warrior" was conducted at various US Marine bases and
cities throughout the United States.

The stated purpose was to improve urban warfighting capabilities
while reducing friendly casualties, including non-combatants, and
collateral damage.

Subsequently training proceeded in the cities of Chicago (Ill.),
Jacksonville (Flo.), Charleston (Sth Car.), and the Californian
cities of Monterey, San Francisco, and Oakland.

Significant progress was made in a variety of technical areas,
but none was achieved in the reduction of friendly casualties.

The average friendly casualty rate in World War II, Korea and
Vietnam, was approximately 30 per cent. Casualty rates for "Urban
Warrior" stood at 40 per cent -- perspectives for the civilian
population appear grim.

Crime, insurrection, revolution

What is the rationale behind this planning for urban warfare
contingencies?

At the end of last century, the world's population stood at six
billion. Demographers forecast that this figure will increase to
eight billion by 2025. At the same time there is a growing
movement from rural areas into cities.

According to United Nations projections by 2025 there will be
more than 500 cities with one million inhabitants, and 30 cities
with over 15 million -- many of them in Third World countries.

It is argued that such mega-cities in Third World countries,
corrupt and without job prospects and facilities to accommodate
population increases, are the breeding place for discontent,
criminality, revolts, and revolutions.

Such examples as Rwanda, Kosovo, Croatia, Lebanon, Liberia, are
cited, where American and allied forces had to be committed to
maintain peace.

"Be prepared."

But is that all?

The passage through the House of Representatives, on June 28
2000, of the Defence Legislation Amendment (Aid to the Civilian
Authorities) Bill, with broad consensus between Government and
Opposition, appears in a different light when seen in the context
of Australian participation in the urban warfare training
programme by the US Marine Corps.

What if preparations are under foot to counter future civil
commotion in Australian cities?

If so, the Olympiad, or the "threat" of demonstrations against
the World Economic Forum in Melbourne, on September 11, are no
more than convenient "explanations" for an empowering legislation
with far-reaching applicability.

At the moment the trade union movement is justifiably concerned
with the prospect of the Armed Forces getting involved in strike-
breaking actions -- and one can hear Peter Reith sneering in the
background.

But what if we are standing at the threshold of a global economic
crisis that would destroy the wealth and jobs in the developed
industrial nations of North America, Europe, and Australia?

The Asian "melt-down" of 1997/98 was a foretaste, and there are
ominous signs that the speculative hysteria which is driving
stock exchanges and currency futures to unprecedented heights,
will collapse with a whimper, leaving millions of people without
jobs and bankrupt government treasuries.

Are the forward planners among the political, economic, and
military elites of the New World Order determined to prepare for
contingencies, regardless of potential "collateral damage", to
meet any attempts at insurrection head-on?

The first step is to provide a pseudo-legal basis for the
enforcement of law-and-order with military means, if need be.

As the boy scouts say: -- "be prepared!"


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