Are the Republicans Terrorists? Updated

The nation’s new intelligence chief warned today that the global economic crisis is the most serious security peril facing the United States, threatening to topple governments, trigger waves of refugees and undermine the ability of America’s allies to help in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

“Though we do not know its eventual scale, it already looms as the most serious global economic and financial crisis in decades,” said Dennis C. Blair, the director of national intelligence, in his first appearance before Congress as the top intelligence official in the Obama administration.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa If we don’t deal with climate change decisively, “what we’re talking about then is extended world war,” the eminent economist said. (Lord Nicholas Stern)

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It would “transform where people can live,” Stern said. “People would move on a massive scale. Hundreds of millions, probably billions of people would have to move if you talk about 4-, 5-, 6-degree increases” – 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. And that would mean extended global conflict, “because there’s no way the world can handle that kind of population move in the time period in which it would take place.”

“Projected climate change will seriously exacerbate already marginal living standards in many Asian, African, and Middle Eastern nations, causing widespread political instability and the likelihood of failed states…. The chaos that results can be an incubator of civil strife, genocide, and the growth of terrorism.

“The U.S. may be drawn more frequently into these situations, either alone or with allies, to help provide stability before conditions worsen and are exploited by extremists. The U.S. may also be called upon to undertake stability and reconstruction efforts once a conflict has begun, to avert further disaster and reconstitute a stable environment.”

(Source: (PDF)  National Security and the Threat of Climate Change. A report by 11 admirals and generals issued by the Alexandria, Va.-based national security think tank The CNA Corporation.

Eminent scientists, economists and the National Security Advisor all agree that terrorism itself is not the greatest threat to American National Security. They cite instead global instability, failed states and the chaos of mass migrations as the greatest threat to America.

As we all know, our current financial crisis is devastating, and will not end tomorrow. And if we do not act quickly and boldly to first stem and the reverse the damage ….that has been caused by Republican policies…. to the world financial system, it may not end at all. That is the threat and the cost of inaction, or insufficient action. As Blair says it threatens to topple governments, trigger waves of refugees and undermine the abilities of America’s allies.

Now add Climate Crisis, which is accelerating and whose effects are being felt more and more each day and the demands that it will put on America’s security Forces…to reiterate…

The U.S. may be drawn more frequently into these situations, either alone or with allies, to help provide stability before conditions worsen and are exploited by extremists. The U.S. may also be called upon to undertake stability and reconstruction efforts once a conflict has begun, to avert further disaster and reconstitute a stable environment

When these two forces, financial crisis and Climate Crisis are combined, the picture for our world and our country is grim.

Obviously we must act. We must act boldly and decisively to repair the damage to our economy that the Republicans created. And we must act boldly and decisively to make up for the critical eight years we have lost as Republicans denied and destroyed all efforts to mitigate Climate Change.

But there is a small band of insurrectionists, terrorists in effect, attempting to sabotage and defeat America’s efforts to address the very very serious dual crisis we face. A force driven ONLY by ideology and fundamentalist religious belief. A force that has, due to their efforts to obstruct and even prevent America from taking the actions needed, become a serious threat to America’s National Security and the worlds future.

If the greatest threat to Americas national security is identified, and a dedicated group of ideologues and religious fanatics attempts to sabotage ALL efforts to ‘defeat’ that threat, are they not in effect terrorists attempting to destroy America?

Who ARE these terrorists that hate America and wish to destroy it?

Why, they are the very same group of ideologues and religious fanatics who got us into this mess in the first place!

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee

“Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban,” Sessions said during a meeting yesterday with Hotline editors. “And that is that they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person’s entire processes. And these Taliban — I’m not trying to say the Republican Party is the Taliban. No, that’s not what we’re saying. I’m saying an example of how you go about [sic] is to change a person from their messaging to their operations to their frontline message. And we need to understand that insurgency may be required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with.”

The Republicans.

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Now some may say that framing these issues in this way is hyperbole…and I would agree. But it cannot be denied that The Republicans are trying to obstruct economic recovery. And it cannot be denied that Republicans are fiercely dedicated to opposing any efforts to address climate Change in any significant or effective way. And we have the statement of the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee that they will act as insurgents to defeat efforts to address what the experts say are the biggest threats to American…and world….security.

So I submit that it is not completely hyperbole, in light of the actions and statements of Republican leadership. It is merely a different way of thinking about their actions. In fact, given the evidence of the last eight years, I would submit that this is how these same Republicans would be framing the issues involved if the positions were reversed, and thus worthwhile to ponder in these terms.

Update:

When you add in to this mix the fact that the propaganda Arm of the Republican Party, Fox News, is actively fomenting revolution and civil war by broadcasting stuff like this….Glenn Beck: Prepare for Civil War….the question becomes even less hyperbolic.

Greenwald and many others also reported on this with a certain amount of alarm. And from Greenwald’s piece, even some of the most reactionary Republicans are viewing this with concern.

From the link above:

Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs and “Pajamas Media”:

   “Is it irresponsible for Fox News to be airing this over the top, creepy alarmist stuff during a financial crisis? Well, yeah, I think so.”