Terrorist drill in Seattle May 1 - 8

[The Blue Flower]

I just sent this letter to both Seattle papers in response to an email I received from Rich Lang, pastor and activist at Trinity UMC. If you live in Seattle, you might want to make some noise to our local governments and media about this:

Dear Seattle Times Editors: Are you aware that from May 1 through 8 Seattle will be the site for a major terrorist drill? While I'm aware that the military and our security agencies run such exercises regularly, these are also the same type of exercises that took place on both 9/11 (in New York) and on 7/7 (in London) when the exercises suddenly became shocking reality.

The Mayor’s office seems not to have information about it. Emergency Management is giving out vague information. It seems to me that the people of Seattle should be fully informed about these exercises. How will they affect traffic? Will there be highway closures? Will EM personnel or equipment be accessible as usual or will they be sidelined for the exercise? How will we be able to distinguish between exercises and genuine emergencies? Who can we call for additional information? What State, City, and County agencies will be involved? What will be the cost to the local economy? What will be the cost to taxpayers? How will the Mayor's office be involved? What disruptions in service can we expect? And this is only a partial list of questions we need to be asking--and demanding answers to.

Considering that such exercises in the past became smoke screens for actual harm to innocent people going about their daily lives, the people of Seattle should be fully informed in order to be fully vigilant.

xxxxxxx

[gateley]

1. Where did Pastor Lang get his info? Thanks. nt

[The Blue Flower]

3. This was included in the email

The overall exercise scenario unfolds as a Category 4 hurricane threatens the National Capitol Region (i.e. Washington DC) while events in the Pacific Northwest include terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the state of Washington and an accidental release of a chemical agent at chemical stockpile facility in Umatilla, Oregon. The scenario culminates with the hurricane's imminent landfall combined with a credible terror threat which causes the federal government to invoke continuity plans and capabilities. (i.e. martial law)


>>> National Level Exercise 2-08 (NLE 2-08).

The Department of Homeland Security's National Exercise Program (NEP), the nation's overarching homeland security exercise program, will conduct a combined exercise in May 2008 that will test hurricane preparedness planning, assess federal interagency Continuity of Operations (COOP) procedures, exercise a response to terrorist attacks in Washington State and test Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA). These linked exercises are referred to as National Level Exercise 2-08 (NLE 2-08).

The exercise takes place May 1-8 with a wide range of participants from federal and state departments and agencies.

NLE 2-08 will consolidate into a single exercise the following:

Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Continuity Programs' (NCP) Eagle Horizon 2008;

U.S. Northern Command's (USNORTHCOM) Ardent Sentry 08 exercise;

FEMA's Disaster Operation's Hurricane Preparedness Exercise (HPE);

The Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program and Army Service Response Force tests for emergency plans, procedures, skills and equipment in response to an accidental chemical agent release.

Planning for NLE 2-08 began in late spring 2007 and is designed to achieve the following objectives:

Exercise and evaluate federal government continuity capabilities and management of emergencies from dispersed locations.

Exercise our response to terrorist WMDs threat and attack capabilities with integration of Defense Support of Civil Authorities; and Exercise hurricane preparedness and response capabilities.

For more information on NLE 2-08 please contact FEMA Office of Public Affairs at 202-646-4600 or USNORTHCOM Public Affairs at 719-554-6889.

[gateley]

5. I just phoned Northcom -

I was told it was for Washington and Oregon. I was referred to their site

www.northcom.mil

and it generally gives the same info as you have.

It doesn't sound as though they're trying to hide it -- although the very thought of "exercises" like this make my blood run cold and set the alarm bells ringing.

When they had one in Oregon previously, it seemed as though EVERYONE knew about this -- but I haven't heard a peep, except from you, about this one. :scared:

Thanks so much! -- I'll let my friends and family in Seattle know.

[lonestarnot]

6. Man yer "duck" tape Washington and Oregon, Quack alert!

[NightWatcher]

2. looks like maybe more than just Seattle

http://estrecho.indymedia.org/newswire/display/73661/index.php

Ya gotta love the May-day tie in. Lets happen to have drils and response in place on a day when we'll have public protests

[suffragette]

7. May Day tie in

That's a great point, especially with a major march planned and a possible ILWU shut down of the ports.
And both of those events are planned all down the west coast.

[gateley]

8. From your link:

Strategic Signals

Yesterday an American-flagged ship fired on the Iranian Navy, and now Pentagon sources say that they have been ordered to prepare attack plans. Admiral "Fox" Fallon, the Centcom commander who opposed war with Iran, has been ousted in favor of Bush loyalist General David Petraeus, who has spent the last month accusing Iran for our increasing problems with the Iraqi resistance.

:scared:

[tnlurker]

4. This could also be a smokescreen

To launch the attack on Iran. That way everything is in place if there are any serious demonstrations.

[CJCRANE]

9. Here's the official FEMA link

http://www.fema.gov/about/training/exercises.shtm