In intellegence parlance a smoke screen is an obvious operation designed to divert attention away from a more important undertaking. While the world watched with great expectation the impeachment proceedings against Clinton, (I won't use that man's name and the term President in the same sentence.) he secretly signed several executive orders. These orders would give him dictatorial powers should he decide to declare a national emergency.
He doesn't actually have to sign anything: The country has been under a state of national emergency since World War One. Consider the Y2K problem, and the looming spectre of a global resession. What if they hit at the same time? If people are uncivilized and undiciplined enough to turn over cars and set fire to them just because the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl, just think what would happen if computers crashed, at the same time as a mild recession hit!
Clinton would declare a national emergency and our Constitutional rights would go out the window: No Second Amendment to keep and bear arms, no First Amendment right to free speech, and no Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seisure.
Sound far-fetched? Consider the following questions given to our Marines and Navy Seals at Twenty Nine Palms. This was a multiple choice survey. The answers were, Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Stronly Agree, and No Opinion. Here are some of the questions:
U.S, combat troops should participate in U.N. missions under U.N. command and control.
It would make no difference to me to have U.N. soldiers as members of my team (e.g. fire team, squad, platoon.)
46) The U.S. government declares a ban on the possession, sale, transportation, and transfer of all non-sporting arms. A thirty day amnesty period is permitted for these firearms to be turned over to the local authorities. At the end of this period, a number of citizen groups refuse to turn over their firearms. Consider the following statement:
I would fire upon U.S.citizens who refuse or resist confiscation of firearms banned by the U.S. government.
It's not at all far fetched.Here's a quote from the Wall Street Journal on March 15, 1993:
. . . On Feb. 27, black uniformed men of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobbacco, and Firearms, wearing "coal-scuttle" helmets and carrying German-made machine pistols attacked the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. Fifty years earlier, in January 1943, black-uniformed men of the SS wearing "coal scuttle" helmets and carrying german-made machine pistols attacked the Jewish compound in Warsaw, Poland.
. . . The BATF men were searching for illegal weapons reported by a paid informer to be in the Branch Davidian compound. The SS men were searching for illegal arms reported by a paid informer to be in the Warsaw Ghetto.
. . . Reports from Texas indicate the Branch Davidians kept to themselves and harmed no one out side their compound prior to the BATF assault. History tells us the Jews kept to themselves and harmed no one outside the Warsaw ghetto prior to the SS assault.
. . . The U.S. broadcast media tell us that the Branch Davidians practice contemptable sexual rituals involving children, so they are an evil cult. Nazi news media told the German populace that the Jews practiced contemptable sexual rituals involving children, so they were an evil religion.
. . . The BATF invited the U.S.news media to document the BATF assault to document how dangerous the Branch Davidians are. The SS had propagandists document its assault to show the German public how dangerous the Jews were.
. . . The BATF called up military unitis with armored vehicles to finish off the Branch Davidian compound after encountering fierce resistance against the initial assault. The SS called up military unitswith armored vehicles to finish off the Warsaw Ghetto after encountering fierce resistance against the initial assault...
. . . Fifty years have passed, but little has changed.
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
--Patrick Henry.