Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) has introduced a bill that I think it’s important everyone know about.
You may remember that when then-candidate Barack Obama was running for office in 2008, he said, “We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”
Don’t believe me?
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Tt2yGzHfy7s[/youtube]
Believe me now?
Well, it seems as if the building blocks may be coming together if Lee has her way. She has introduced a bill that creates a “Department of Peacebuilding.” Seriously. You can read the thing yourself right here. The bill states, “There is hereby established a Department of Peacebuilding, that shall be a department in the executive branch of the Federal Government; and be dedicated to peacebuilding, peacemaking, and the study and promotion of conditions conducive to both domestic and international peace and a culture of peace.”
This is cabinet-level position. Its mission is multi-faceted:
1) the cultivation of peace and peacebuilding as a strategic national policy objective;
2) reduce and prevent violence in the United States and internationally through peacebuilding and effective nonviolent conflict resolution;
3) strengthen nonmilitary means of peacemaking;
4) work to create peace, prevent violence, prevent armed conflict, use field-tested programs, and promote best practices in nonviolent dispute resolution;
5) take a proactive, strategic approach in the development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict;
6) address matters both domestic and international in scope;
7) provide an institutional platform for the growing wealth of expertise in peacebuilding to dramatically reduce the national and global epidemic of violence;
8) support local communities in finding, funding, replicating, and expanding programs to reduce and prevent violence;
9) invest in nongovernmental organizations that have implemented successful initiatives to reduce and prevent violence, both internationally and domestically; and
10) consult with other Federal agencies to apply and practice the science of peacebuilding in their respective fields of responsibility.
That’s taken straight from the bill. You have to read the rest to fully appreciate it.
I found it kind of ironic considering that today the president also released a new Executive Policy memo called “Countering Improvised Explosive Devices.” Naturally, Americans would probably think of what a great and wonderful policy this must be. After all, the majority of our combat casualties in Afghanistan are a direct result of these indiscriminate and powerful explosives. But, that’s not what this policy is about.
A few sections of this memo stuck out to me:
5. Screening, Detecting, and Protecting Our People, Facilities, Transportation Systems, Critical Infrastructure, as well as the Flow of Legitimate Commerce. We will continue to develop and use advanced protection and detection technologies and capabilities by:
• Improving the performance of explosives screening, detection, and protection technologies through prioritizing and coordinating research within the United States and with our allies; and
• Effectively deploying and integrating these technologies and capabilities into our critical infrastructure and transportation systems to decrease the risk of an IED attack while facilitating legitimate trade and travel.
What exactly does this mean to the average driver? What is “legitimate travel?” How exactly is the government going to incorporate our “allies” in domestic protection programs?
The next section is even more worrisome.
6. Safeguarding Explosives and Select Precursor Materials. We will enhance our ability to identify, prevent, and interdict the illicit diversion or transport of select materials used to manufacture IEDs through:
• Promoting mechanisms for industry to better detect, report, and prevent the illegitimate acquisition, theft, or diversion of explosives and related materials;
• Enhancing enforcement of U.S. laws regulating commerce in explosives and materials that could be used as IED components;
• Increasing global awareness of actions to mitigate the use of munitions, precursor chemicals, and other components in IED construction;
• Evaluating methods to further restrict, control, or monitor select dual-use precursors and components; and
• Coordinating domestic and international efforts to investigate, disrupt, dismantle and arrest members of networks involved in the financing and illicit movement of IED components.
What are “related materials?” Common household chemicals could be deemed precursor materials for explosives. For example, hydrogen peroxide, acetone, vinegar, baking soda and even milk can be used to build explosives. Farms use ammonium hydroxide and other chemicals to fertilize their fields. Does the federal government know something we don’t know? Why would President Obama suddenly want to limit these “precursors and components” all of the sudden? We don’t have an IED problem here in America…yet. And if it is a problem, why haven’t the American people been warned about it?
Add to that the fact that the administration is releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants under the auspices of saving money because of the manufactured budget crisis and you have a perfect concoction of conspiracy fodder. Again, read the entire policy directive here.