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Noble Resolve - Open Letter to Peter Defazio
Fear No Terror
NO NOBLE RESOLVE FOR OREGON
July 24, 2007
Rep. Peter DeFazio
2134 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3704
Eugene, OR 97401
Dear Congressman DeFazio:
The Oregonian recently reported on your investigation of President Bush's "continuity of government" Executive Order, and on how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) thwarted your request for details. As I am sure you are aware, DHS will be leading two emergency response drills in Portland over the next 3 months: "Noble Resolve" in August and "Top Off" in October. Just as you rightly sought details on the Bush Executive Order, Oregon citizens need and deserve information about these military exercises.
We are concerned that federal, state and local agencies will not plan and conduct these "terrorism drills" with sufficient transparency and public oversight. To address this need for local awareness of, agreement to, and participation in exercises ostensibly designed for local security, safety and welfare, we propose the immediate formation of a Portland Citizens' Oversight Committee to represent citizens' interests.
We request your endorsement of this reasonable request and hope you will assist us in establishing such an oversight committee. We hope you will agree that when a Federal agency such as DHS seeks to conduct exercises in Oregon, full transparency to the public and oversight by Oregon citizens is essential.
Our initial research on the Top Off exercise revealed contradictory statements and a disturbing lack of openness on the part of local officials. We do know that Portland will receive $2 million for the Top Off exercise alone. No such figure has been publicized regarding Noble Resolve. The Top Off drill, which DHS calls a "terrorism drill" (but local officials refer to as an "emergency preparedness exercise") will begin on approximately 10/5/07, to last for 9 to 10 days. Though Noble Resolve is scheduled for August, no similar details or schedule have been released. We therefore have a series of immediate concerns about this exercise:
* what will be the precipitating event?
* will there be enhanced police presence?
* will the National Guard be involved?
* will there be contractors involved (e.g., Blackwater)?
* and will either or both drills involve rehearsals of local and federal response to a "catastrophic emergency," as defined under NSPD 51, up to and including the declaration of martial law?
With the Bush track record on disaster response and media manipulation, Oregonians are not naive enough to trust the Federal government to adequately inform and interact with Portland residents prior to these terrorism drills. Case in point, as of now, there has not even been an announcement about Noble Resolve, and it is due to take place in August, just days or weeks from now.
Another general concern is that the Mayor's office seemed almost unaware of the recent Presidential Executive Orders: NSPD 51, 5/10/07, "... allows the sitting president to declare a "national emergency" without Congressional approval, leading to the de facto closing down of the Legislature and the militarization of justice and law enforcement"; and the amended International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 7/17/07, "allowing the US regime to seize the property of anyone found to be interfering with the reconstruction of Iraq." In correspondence with both the Mayor's office and Commissioner Sam Adams' office, I have provided material to round out their knowledge of these Presidential directives.
We would be glad to discuss this matter with you or your staff further, and/or supply resources in addition to those referenced below, that will corroborate the concerns expressed in this letter. We will copy this letter to other Congresspersons, Senators Wyden and Smith, Governor Kulongowski, Mayor Potter, members of City Council, and a variety of local press and online media, to raise awareness of these drills and our urgent proposal for enhanced transparency and public involvement, given the current political climate. We hope to receive your response this week, given the exigency of the August drill. Please inform your staff that we will make a follow up call on this matter if we do not hear back from you.
Thank you and we look forward to talking with you or a representative.
Best regards,
Informed Dissent
CC:
Office of Mayor Tom Potter,
Sam Adams,
Erik Sten,
Dan Saltzman,
Randy Leonard,
Governor Ted Kulongoski,
Senator Ron Wyden,
Senator Gordon Smith
Representative Earl Blumenauer,
Representative Darlene Hooley,
Representative David Wu,
~~Media
Oregonian
Willamette Week
KBOO
KPOJ / Air America
REFERENCES:
NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51 - http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html
Message to the Congress of the United States Regarding International Emergency Economic Powers Act - http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070717-4.html
USJFCOM gears up for Noble Resolve - http://www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2007/pa033007.html
JFCOM brings virtual world closer to home - http://www.fcw.com/article98147-04-04-07-Web
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Bush Directive for a "Catastrophic Emergency...", Prof. Michel Chossudovsky - http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=6134
The "Use of the Armed Forces" in America under a National Emergency... - Prof. Michel Chossudovsky - http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=6169
Brzezinski Suggests False Flag Event Could Kick-Start Iran War - http://www.nowpublic.com/brzezinski_suggests_false_flag_event_could_kick...
Wake-up Call: Watch for Another 911/WMD Experience, Paul C. Roberts - http://www.vdare.com/roberts/070718_wakeup.htm
Impeach Bush and Cheney Now, Paul C. Roberts -
http://www.vdare.com/roberts/070715_impeach.htm
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Today is the deadline for DeFazio's response...call the #'s below and pressure!! 27.Jul.2007 07:49
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No word from DeFazio's office yet, but people, Oregonians or not, might call the pols listed on the cc: list, to push for adoption of the idea of a Portland Citizens' Oversight Committee on Terrorism Drills.
I believe that Alex Ansary made this list of phone numbers available on his "Outside-the-Box" show last night, but for your dialing convenience/pleasure, here it is==>>
Representative DeFazio, (541) 465-6732
Representative Blumenauer, (503) 231-2300
Representative Hooley, (503) 588-9100
Representative Wu, (503) 326-2901
Senator Wyden, (503) 326-7525
Senator Smith, (503) 326-3386
Governor Kulongoski - (503) 373-3111, 373-1565
Mayor Potter, 503-823-4120
~~or email City Council and follow-up with a call!!
Sam Adams, commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us - 503-823-1120
Erik Sten, info@erikforportland.com - 503-823-3589
Dan Saltzman, dsaltzman@ci.portland.or.us - 503-823-4151
Randy Leonard, randy@ci.portland.or.us - 503-823-3001