Troops on the Streets in Europe 2015 - France, Belgium, U.K. - Strategy of Tension ? France invokes EU Mutual Defence Treaty

[C. Flower]

On another thread I predicted that all the talk about personal freedom in relation to the Charlie Hebdo killings would be quickly followed by radical government moves to crush civil and human rights. The political background is Europe's deepening economic crisis and the political crisis for the establishment as electorates in Greece and elsewhere veer left, rejecting neo-liberal stagnation and inequality.

The week before the Charlie Hebdo attack, Hollande had already got thousands of troops and police out onto the streets on the pretext of a car ramming incident in Paris. . http://www.newsweek.com/55000-office...attacks-295954

Thousands of troops are being brought onto the streets in the UK, Belgian and France. This is without precedent.

New laws and increased surveillance are proposed in France. The French government has also voted for increased airstrikes on Iraq.

"A Odoxa poll published by Le Parisien today showed that 76 percent of the French favor exceptional security measures against terrorism even if that could limit freedom. "

In Spain, Rahoy's government is using the Paris attacks to justify a new laws criminalising access to websites deemed pro-terror and allowing the gathering of data on airline passengers - on top of the deeply unpopular new anti-demonstration "gag law".

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015.../spai-j17.html

http://www.yorktonthisweek.com/franc...road-1.1728841

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30774114

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30774114

As there has been an alleged Greek connection with alleged Islamicist cell members, will there be troops on the streets leading up to the Greek General Elections in the coming week ?

The slogan "we are not afraid" has been pushed aside by news media and governments in favour of "be very afraid".

And who are the real culprits? In all the reporting on returning fighters who have been in Syria, will there be mention that these fighters were publicly endorsed and openly funded by the US, with European support ? Unlikely, as all the emphasis is on emergency measures involving troops.

Belgium is deploying more troops on its streets to counter a heightened terror threat as the fallout from last week’s attacks in France led to arrests across Europe and fueled protests in several African countries.
Security forces have arrested at least 28 people across the continent after attacks in Paris last week by Islamist gunmen and a deadly police raid on Thursday in the eastern Belgian town of Verviers. The threat is an “urgent and very serious challenge,” Europol Director Rob Wainwright told Sky News today.
As many as 300 soldiers will be deployed in Belgium starting today, Prime Minister Charles Michel said in a statement. The troops will be deployed in Brussels and Antwerp as well as Verviers and other locations if needed, protecting potential targets such as Jewish neighborhoods and embassies.
... Read More

“There’s always been jihadi activity within Belgium,” said Pieter Van Ostaeyen, an independent historian who studies Belgian Islamists. “It doesn’t surprise me that right now we are facing this high number of Belgians going over to Syria and Iraq to fight.” The trend started in the late nineties, with fighters returning from wars in Algeria and Afghanistan, and may be linked with economic and social disenfranchisement, he said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-0...rom-syria.html

It seems likely that the events in France will be used to achieve the kind of militarisation of the public realm that has taken place in the US, with the Patriot Act and tooling up of the police into a military force, equipped with tanks and heavy weapons. Racial tensions are being stoked in the States to justify similar police state "tooling up". This American left blog makes the connection with the last weeks events in Europe.

http://www.greanvillepost.com/2015/0...ne-it-and-why/

Reporting of alleged Islamication of western based people of moslem background constantly and slanderously alleges that it is poor / working class moslems that are the basis of so-called jihadist gangs and organisations. In fact most migrant jihadist fighters are young graduates, and are middle / small business class. The constant implication that it is working class Muslims that provide most recruits to jihadism is a slur against the over 80% of French moslem background who are pro secularlsation and are politically socialist. It is also indication as to who will be the real targets of police/military state measures now being introduced.

"Strategy of Tension" was the term applied in Italy to measures that were taken at US behest to block the rise of the Italian CP to government in the early 1970s -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategy_of_tension

General Gianadelio Maletti, commander of the counter-intelligence section of the Italian military intelligence service from 1971 to 1975, stated that his men in the region of Venice discovered a rightwing terrorist cell that was supplied military explosives from Germany, and he alleged that US intelligence services instigated and abetted rightwing terrorism in Italy during the 1970s.^[6]

Whether the Paris attacks were or were not at any level instigated by covert agencies or whether the attacks are the result of "blow back" is not the issue here. The events in Paris are being used to the full as an opportunity to reduce civil rights and to remind us of the armed power of the State. By any standards, to bring troops onto the streets across Europe is a measure will that have a dampening affect on political opposition and tend to pressurise people to accept restrictions on their civil rights.

The fear of an imminent second stage economic collapse in Europe, as deflation makes trillions of debt unrepayable, is most likely the driving force of these measures. Even ahead of the Greek elections, two Greek banks have asked for emergency funding. Politically, the split between Germany and the rest in the EU renders it incapable of any coherent approach preventing to the imminent crisis. Supposed European QE it seems is now proposed to be by individual nation states, rather than the ECB: it is hard to envisage how that is possible to "ring fence" quantitative easing (money printing) within nation states without an end to the Euro.

Defence of democratic rights - not of rights to incite race and religious hatred - and defence of, and solidarity with, working class muslims in France and across Europe,- along with a resounding vote for the left in the Greek elections, is the best reply to these moves by European governments, which are co-ordinated at a high level .

[Ephilant]

As there has been an alleged Greek connection with alleged Islamicist cell members, will there be troops on the streets leading up to the Greek General Elections in the coming week ?

That would be a guaranteed recipe for revolution here... There is still vivid memory of the days of the χωντα, and we have looooooong memories. If Samaras did that for whatever reason, he would be signing his political death warrant and execution at the same time. And that of both government parties as well. There is a fear here that we could get military on the street after the election, but people are not talking about the Greek army. I doubt it they could find the street if they ever tried... The fear is that Europe/USA will not accept a "wrong" vote and might use the occasion to "safeguard" the rest of Europe against the big European fear of a free for all in terms of illegal immigrants.

[C. Flower]

That would be a guaranteed recipe for revolution here... There is still vivid memory of the days of the χωντα, and we have looooooong memories. If Samaras did that for whatever reason, he would be signing his political death warrant and execution at the same time. And that of both government parties as well. There is a fear here that we could get military on the street after the election, but people are not talking about the Greek army. I doubt it they could find the street if they ever tried... The fear is that Europe/USA will not accept a "wrong" vote and might use the occasion to "safeguard" the rest of Europe against the big European fear of a free for all in terms of illegal immigrants.

Is the Greek army a fully professional army, or conscript ?

Tsipiras undoubtedly aware about the kind of junta fantasies being had both among EU leaders and also the local elite is softening the approach as much as he can without losing his voters.

Our government in Ireland recently reminded us that the Irish army was readied to be sent on the streets in the event of a banks collapse. The current homeland deployments of EU armies acclimatises us to the presence of armed troops on our streets and would make it easier for a government to call them out again.

I would think that for EU troops to sent to Greece, it would have to be after an invitation from some kind of emergency national government.

Syriza is not putting forward a revolutionary programme, just wanting to reverse some of the worst damage of the crash and "austerity" reforms, but the prospect of a Syriza government must be giving the establishment nightmares.

[Ephilant]

The Greek army is, apart from a very expensive joke, both pro and conscript. If you want to do any kind of job relating to government, be it collecting rubbish, teaching or becoming a lawyer, then you must "serve" 1 year in the army. They have lots of toys, happily supplied to them by many German companies, and many bodies. Matching them always has been a problem. One of my neighbours sons spend his conscription year on Kos, which is not too far away from Turkey. Very important outpost, only the best and most alert get posted there. And they have lots of very expensive looking toys. But no ammunition... He once brought home a lump of meat from the kitchen, which had an abatoir stamp on in stating 1962. This was 3 years ago... We do however have many Nato soldiers in the country, and we are also polluted with quite a contingent of FRONTEX hitmen pouncing on illegal immigrants. If push comes to shove, that will be the excuse. Stem illegal immigration.

[fluffybiscuits]

Charlie Flannagan has also said that Ireland should tighten its security laws. Inept lawmakers will scramble to bring in an Irish patriot act. Who better to draft it than Sean Sherlock?

CF Do you see Ireland doing anything similar?

[random new yorker]

On another thread I predicted that all the talk about personal freedom in relation to the Charlie Hebdo killings would be quickly followed by radical government moves to crush civil and human rights. The political background is Europe's deepening economic crisis and the political crisis for the establishment as electorates in Greece and elsewhere veer left, rejecting neo-liberal stagnation and inequality.

I hope you don't fall for the same as Americans did after the Patriot Act.

I read somewhere Cameron was getting ready to do away w 'encryption' or something crazy of the sort (google to find links) - i am wondering if i am going to have to go the bank from now on.

[C. Flower]

Charlie Flannagan has also said that Ireland should tighten its security laws. Inept lawmakers will scramble to bring in an Irish patriot act. Who better to draft it than Sean Sherlock?

CF Do you see Ireland doing anything similar?

Irish "anti-terror" law is already high octane, with no jury courts etc. and Ireland tends to pass whatever the US, UK and EU ask it to.

There is debate at the moment on suspending the Schengen passport-free zone, but that is at the heart of the EU economy. Also arguments about retention of air passenger data. Ireland's "Digital Rights Ireland" has had a role in pushing back against privacy intrusion - http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world...rism-1.2065818

The EU Commission already had a security initiative on the go, before the CH and supermarket attacks. It is to be discussed tomorrow. "Temporarily introducing" documents checks is also up for discussion. Not something that people here are used to.

[Thom]

That would be a guaranteed recipe for revolution here... There is still vivid memory of the days of the χωντα, and we have looooooong memories. If Samaras did that for whatever reason, he would be signing his political death warrant and execution at the same time. And that of both government parties as well. There is a fear here that we could get military on the street after the election, but people are not talking about the Greek army. I doubt it they could find the street if they ever tried... The fear is that Europe/USA will not accept a "wrong" vote and might use the occasion to "safeguard" the rest of Europe against the big European fear of a free for all in terms of illegal immigrants.

First I was wondering of whom the people are talking about, then you gave some hints who that could be:

The Greek army is, apart from a very expensive joke, both pro and conscript. If you want to do any kind of job relating to government, be it collecting rubbish, teaching or becoming a lawyer, then you must "serve" 1 year in the army. They have lots of toys, happily supplied to them by many German companies, and many bodies. Matching them always has been a problem. One of my neighbours sons spend his conscription year on Kos, which is not too far away from Turkey. Very important outpost, only the best and most alert get posted there. And they have lots of very expensive looking toys. But no ammunition... He once brought home a lump of meat from the kitchen, which had an abatoir stamp on in stating 1962. This was 3 years ago... We do however have many Nato soldiers in the country, and we are also polluted with quite a contingent of FRONTEX hitmen pouncing on illegal immigrants. If push comes to shove, that will be the excuse. Stem illegal immigration.

Your scenario reads like an "occupation of Greece by NATO and EU". Frankly, I can´t believe that such a scenario might even be thinkable. Neither by NATO nor EU standards. It rather sounds like a nightmare from the former Warsaw Pact era, like the Red Army was "taking controll" over the renegate satellite states in 1953, 1956 and 1968.

Illegal immigration is an interesting point, because in recent times the news reports about illegale immigrants entering the EU came more from Italy, a couple of years ago it´s been Malta and Italy who dealt with the mass of them. Greece was rarely mentioned, up to the last incident that took place at the turn of the last year with wracked ships starting from the East of the Mediterranian brought near the coast of Italy and then left there drifting without a crew.

As I assume from your posts that you´re living right there in Greece, you know what´s going on there apart from the news reports. The only thing I could imagine, in case the Greek people decide to move far-left in the upcoming election is that the EU might consider to find a "way out of the EU and Euro" for Greece. That´s all in denial at the present time, but who knows what they´re up to after the elections.

[Ephilant]

i

Frankly, I can´t believe that such a scenario might even be thinkable. Neither by NATO nor EU standards.

Standards, what standards? When it comes to protecting their "interests", the EU is no worse or better than the USA. We experience that here every day. Here's a simple fact that you probably don't read about in the "international press". Today, Greece runs at an average of 2 suicides a day. And ALL of them are poverty related. Poverty imposed on the people by the EU through their bullyboy the TROIKA. If need be, boots on the ground is what will happen, make no mistake. There is far too much at stake here. This election is not just an internal Greek affair. It has the potential of causing serious upset throughout the EU, and force some changes the powers that be do not like. The latest opinion poll now puts SYRIZA a solid 4.2% ahead of the main government party. With 3 days to go, that is a lost cause, ND will lose this election. SYRIZA is 4 seats away from an overall majority. Apart from the upset this will cause in economic policies, read the SYRIZA program points I posted some time ago. Here are some of their objectives:

- tackle corruption and bribery head on. They are looking to investigate every weapons deal made over the last 40 years. Who are the main suppliers? Siemens, Rheinstahl, Atlas, Thyssen. Throw in a bit of Eriksson for good measure, the Belgian FN, a few Dutch electronics manufactureres, Vickers and you know who is going to be most upset about this. Germany flatly refuses to execute the international arrest warrant for the Siemens bigwigs who are known to have been personally involved is billions worth of corrupt deals. It really doesn't want more dirt dug up about their major industries...

- Nationalisation of the banks, and returning the banks to a service industry instead of a for profit at any cost industry. That is really not what the EU wants...

- Ending Greece's NATO membership and removing all NATO hardware and personel from our soil

-Reviving the Helios project, which was mothballed by the German consortium that bought it under the so-called privatization scheme. This consortium consists of mainly German energy providers who don;'t want to see their precious oil, gas and coal assets depreciate because we have too much sun and can produce RENEWABLE energy from it at a far better price, and in far bigger quatitites than they can.
These points alone are enough to set the complete Neo-Liberal bandwagon in motion. Do you really think these guys would even blink at sending in troops? We have first hand experience of what they are capable of doing to a people and a nation, and no reason to believe they will stop at this.
As for Illegal immigration, at this point in time, the main route taken by people fleeing their countries leads them in to Bulgaria, then Greece. You don't read too much about either outside of these countries, but believe you me, it's bad. Lampedusa is a club med holiday resort compared to some of the places these people are herded in to here and in Bulgaria. It is estimated that there are over 1.3 million illegal immigrants in Greece alone. Now just imagine Greece leaving, or being made leave the EU. That opens up one hell of border front for the EU to "defend", the Balkans. Have a good look at the map, there is no way of "defending" that without the cooperation of Greece. Willingly or otherwise...
As for the way out of the EU and the EURO, they have already shown their cards. Selective QE. The ECB has already threatened to close the money tap to Greek banks if we vote "wrong". And every time somebody makes such threats, the SYRIZA vote grows by a few thousand. You have no idea just how sick of all this we are here. And that will become apparent on Sunday, I'm sure of it. Apart form that, article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty actually paves the way for Greece to leave. It doesn't facilitate kicking out though. Having said that, more and more people here are beginning to think that leaving would not be such a bad idea anyway. If the EU/ECB/IMF/TROIKA are not going to see that the situation here is untennable and needs a totally different approach, then we will indeed just go. It means, amongst other things, that we can print our own money and take our destiney in our own hands. But it also means all of the points mentioned above. And that will not be allowed...

[Thom]

Standards, what standards? When it comes to protecting their "interests", the EU is no worse or better than the USA.

The standards the EU has at the core of herself which means that there is no way to ignore national sovereignty. As for comparing the EU with the USA, well you might be not far from being right in your statement but I place it more on Globalism what we see since the end of the cold war.

We experience that here every day. Here's a simple fact that you probably don't read about in the "international press". Today, Greece runs at an average of 2 suicides a day. And ALL of them are poverty related. Poverty imposed on the people by the EU through their bullyboy the TROIKA.

There are no more reports about suicides in Greece since a considerable time. We´ve noticed that when the crisis was at its peak and yes, the reasons for were as well mentioned, such as you said here already.

What we also noticed, and that was somewhat disturbing, was how some people in Greece received the pension from already deceased relatives. They simply didn´t report the dead of the pensioner and took the money for themselves. The next thing was that wealthy Greeks refused to pay their revenues / taxes and thus refused to "give their share" to the Greek society. Not that this would be just a phenomenon in Greece, we´ve had as well our rich people who were eager to place their money in banks abroad and avoiding taxation in Germany. The difference is just, that the effect this had here hasn´t got such a deep effect on our state.

It´s sad and I recognise that those who suffer at most are (as usual) those who don´t have much and the austerity measures put on Greece for the bailout distroyed existences among the Greeks themselves.

I´m no expert on Greece and my knowledge about that country is - as you rightly see it - based on news reports. I´ve been to Greece just twice in my live. Not on the mainland though, I´ve been to Kos the first time and to Crete the second, but that was in 2005 and then in 2009. That tells less about what one perceives as a tourist staying for a week each in some holiday resort in Kos and another place near Chania. Perceptions are always different from the outside and it might as well be different from the insight. So it´s interesting what you´re telling as an insider.

If need be, boots on the ground is what will happen, make no mistake. There is far too much at stake here. This election is not just an internal Greek affair. It has the potential of causing serious upset throughout the EU, and force some changes the powers that be do not like.

I´m aware that the election results in Greece will have some effect on the EU, in case that what is predicted will be the outcome of that. The EU and IMF have already put huge amounts of money into Greece to avoid the state´s bankruptcy. When SYRIZA wins the election with a majority to rule without a coalition partner, she will probably take every step needed to put an end to austerity and to leave the Euro. That of course will upset the whole club of EU and more to the point the IMF because some time in the future, Greece will have to pay back what was given to her. When Greece returnes to her national currency, the EU and IMF will either way or another lose money. The point in such a case will be the rate on which the Drachme will be trade as a currency to the Euro.

The latest opinion poll now puts SYRIZA a solid 4.2% ahead of the main government party. With 3 days to go, that is a lost cause, ND will lose this election.

Well, better you have SYRIZA than New Dawn.

SYRIZA is 4 seats away from an overall majority. Apart from the upset this will cause in economic policies, read the SYRIZA program points I posted some time ago. Here are some of their objectives:

- tackle corruption and bribery head on. They are looking to investigate every weapons deal made over the last 40 years. Who are the main suppliers? Siemens, Rheinstahl, Atlas, Thyssen. Throw in a bit of Eriksson for good measure, the Belgian FN, a few Dutch electronics manufactureres, Vickers and you know who is going to be most upset about this. Germany flatly refuses to execute the international arrest warrant for the Siemens bigwigs who are known to have been personally involved is billions worth of corrupt deals. It really doesn't want more dirt dug up about their major industries...

- Nationalisation of the banks, and returning the banks to a service industry instead of a for profit at any cost industry. That is really not what the EU wants...

- Ending Greece's NATO membership and removing all NATO hardware and personel from our soil

-Reviving the Helios project, which was mothballed by the German consortium that bought it under the so-called privatization scheme. This consortium consists of mainly German energy providers who don;'t want to see their precious oil, gas and coal assets depreciate because we have too much sun and can produce RENEWABLE energy from it at a far better price, and in far bigger quatitites than they can.

Thanks for that. I didn´t know about that involvement of German companies in Greece (although it´s no surprise to me re SIEMENS which is a global player). The call to leave NATO is a typical far-left demand (such as it is propagaded by their sister like party in Germany "Die Linke") and I would see it with regret if Greece would leave NATO.

Renewable energy by using the Sun is as well no surprise to me regarding the geographical advantages of Greece. What I understand from your post is simply that you and many others see your country "taken over" by foreign companies which leaves less space for your own to make profits. But that´s the usual thing within the EU since the 1990s. More privatisation, more international competition and increasing pressure from globalisation to remain competitive on the international market.

I see it that way, that what is going on in many EU member states when people become more and more inclined to follow political movements who - in their outset - have an anti-EU agenda, is their answer towards Globalisation in the wider picture, but more against EU regulations. The problem is just who to sustain the advantages the EU has brought for the common market and the common currency but to get rid of the regulations who bring more disadvanteges. I´m more for reforming the EU than to have it destroyed, but I´m also aware that to reform it is a big deal of an undertaking.

These points alone are enough to set the complete Neo-Liberal bandwagon in motion. Do you really think these guys would even blink at sending in troops? We have first hand experience of what they are capable of doing to a people and a nation, and no reason to believe they will stop at this.

It´s a big difference if the Greek government sents in the military against riots or if NATO troops would do the same. The first would be a harsh measure, the latter would be such a scandal that it would affect the grass-roots of NATO herself. I´d reckon with Greek military on the streets to support the police, but frankly I can´t believe that NATO troops would be sent in too.

As for Illegal immigration, at this point in time, the main route taken by people fleeing their countries leads them in to Bulgaria, then Greece. You don't read too much about either outside of these countries, but believe you me, it's bad. Lampedusa is a club med holiday resort compared to some of the places these people are herded in to here and in Bulgaria. It is estimated that there are over 1.3 million illegal immigrants in Greece alone. Now just imagine Greece leaving, or being made leave the EU. That opens up one hell of border front for the EU to "defend", the Balkans. Have a good look at the map, there is no way of "defending" that without the cooperation of Greece. Willingly or otherwise...

I was following the reports on illegal immigration when it affected Malta in recent years during the "Arab spring". The standards of accommodation were poor in the Maltese immigration camps. If Bulgaria has still to struggle with the legacy from the former Communist regime, I might imagine that the standards there would be even worse than in Malta or Lampedusa.

I know, there´s no way to have any effective control without Greek cooperation in the East Mediterranean, given the plenty of Islands belonging to Greece. Illegale immigration is a problem that affects many EU member states, but the EU isn´t that capable to sort out the quotas on which country should take how many of the refugees.

As for the way out of the EU and the EURO, they have already shown their cards. Selective QE. The ECB has already threatened to close the money tap to Greek banks if we vote "wrong". And every time somebody makes such threats, the SYRIZA vote grows by a few thousand. You have no idea just how sick of all this we are here. And that will become apparent on Sunday, I'm sure of it. Apart form that, article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty actually paves the way for Greece to leave. It doesn't facilitate kicking out though. Having said that, more and more people here are beginning to think that leaving would not be such a bad idea anyway. If the EU/ECB/IMF/TROIKA are not going to see that the situation here is untennable and needs a totally different approach, then we will indeed just go. It means, amongst other things, that we can print our own money and take our destiney in our own hands. But it also means all of the points mentioned above. And that will not be allowed...

When I read this paragraph of yours, I´ve to think about the way the EU treated the Republic of Ireland when the Irish electorate rejected the last EU treaty by referendum. They had to go again to vote on the same subject after some alterations have been made. I recognise that the EU as a body has some problems with democratic reached decisions who go against her wishes.

Interesting times ahead, one way or another, and I shall keep an eye on the elections in your country on Sunday and the reaction of the EU leaders on the results afterwards.

[C. Flower]

The EU is being destabilised by a combination of engineered refugee migration (the precursor being outside-funded civil war in Syria and Iraq, and massive cuts in UN cash supports to refugees in the Middle East) and a small number of terror attacks.

France has now invoked the Lisbon Treaty Mutual Defence clause. According to RTE, Ireland and all other states have agreed to it. No mention of 'Irish neutrality'.

President François Hollande said he will invoke the European Union's ‘mutual defence clause’ for the first time to combat the perpetrators of the Paris attacks, betting on EU support over NATO in the country's fight against the Islamic State.Speaking on Monday (16 November) during a joint session of both houses of parliament in Versailles, Hollande said that "France is at war" and that the jihadist group is “not only an enemy of France but an enemy of Europe”.Following the killing of 129 people on Friday (13 November), Hollande said that France is committed to “destroying” Islamic State.In a surprise move, he told lawmakers that France will invoke article 42.7 of the EU Treaty during a meeting of EU defence ministers on Tuesday (17 November). The article “provides that when a state is attacked, all member states must bring their solidarity to address the aggression”, Hollande reminded.Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told reporters in Brussels shortly after Hollande's speech that the activation of this clause “is possible, but it is not decided yet”.“We will take a careful look at this to come up with a follow-up to that,” Mogherini said, adding that discussions with French authorities on how to proceed will take place ahead of the Defence Council.

http://www.euractiv.com/sections/glo...-clause-319531

Won't affect Irish neutrality, according to Coveney. Hard to see what is neutral about endorsing a mutual defence pact.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/irela...lity-1.2433218

[pluralist]

Fwiw, a documentary on the original strategy of tension (Operation Gladio):-