Neo-Nazis working their way inside the military: Salon report has stunning details
By David Neiwert Monday Jun 15, 2009 3:00pm
[Shawn Stuart, Iraq War veteran, at a 2006 neo-Nazi rally in Olympia, WA.]
Remember how the right-wingers screamed and yelled about that Homeland Security bulletin which indicated that white supremacists might be recruiting Iraq war veterans or pushing recruitment within military ranks?
Remember how the ensuing hissy fit ended with Janet Napolitano apologizing (for a report that originated in the Bush administration)? Notice how even now, after the report has been proven prescient in its warning about "lone wolf" domestic terrorists, guys like Joe Scarborough are still trying to claim that it "insulted our veterans"?
Well, Matt Kennard at Salon has an eye-opening report that should permanently shut up the right-wing whining, because it demonstrates clearly the broad nature of the problem -- namely, not only are veterans being actively recruited, but neo-Nazis and other radicals are actively joining up to fight -- and the military is turning a blind eye to it:
Since the launch of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. military has struggled to recruit and reenlist troops. As the conflicts have dragged on, the military has loosened regulations, issuing "moral waivers" in many cases, allowing even those with criminal records to join up. Veterans suffering post-traumatic stress disorder have been ordered back to the Middle East for second and third tours of duty.
The lax regulations have also opened the military's doors to neo-Nazis, white supremacists and gang members — with drastic consequences. Some neo-Nazis have been charged with crimes inside the military, and others have been linked to recruitment efforts for the white right. A recent Department of Homeland Security report, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," stated: "The willingness of a small percentage of military personnel to join extremist groups during the 1990s because they were disgruntled, disillusioned, or suffering from the psychological effects of war is being replicated today." Many white supremacists join the Army to secure training for, as they see it, a future domestic race war. Others claim to be shooting Iraqis not to pursue the military's strategic goals but because killing "hajjis" is their duty as white militants.
Soldiers' associations with extremist groups, and their racist actions, contravene a host of military statutes instituted in the past three decades. But during the "war on terror," U.S. armed forces have turned a blind eye on their own regulations. A 2005 Department of Defense report states, "Effectively, the military has a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy pertaining to extremism. If individuals can perform satisfactorily, without making their extremist opinions overt … they are likely to be able to complete their contracts."
Carter F. Smith is a former military investigator who worked with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command from 2004 to 2006, when he helped to root out gang violence in troops. "When you need more soldiers, you lower the standards, whether you say so or not," he says. "The increase in gangs and extremists is an indicator of this." Military investigators may be concerned about white supremacists, he says. "But they have a war to fight, and they don't have incentive to slow down."
Tom Metzger is the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and current leader of the White Aryan Resistance. He tells me the military has never been more tolerant of racial extremists. "Now they are letting everybody in," he says.
Now, much of this, in fact, we have already reported at C&L. Indeed, this is not a new problem, as Kennard makes clear:
Following an investigation of white supremacist groups, a 2008 FBI report declared: "Military experience — ranging from failure at basic training to success in special operations forces — is found throughout the white supremacist extremist movement." In white supremacist incidents from 2001 to 2008, the FBI identified 203 veterans. Most of them were associated with the National Alliance and the National Socialist Movement, which promote anti-Semitism and the overthrow of the U.S. government, and assorted skinhead groups.
Because the FBI focused only on reported cases, its numbers don't include the many extremist soldiers who have managed to stay off the radar. But its report does pinpoint why the white supremacist movements seek to recruit veterans — they "may exploit their accesses to restricted areas and intelligence or apply specialized training in weapons, tactics, and organizational skills to benefit the extremist movement."
In fact, since the movement's inception, its leaders have encouraged members to enlist in the U.S. military as a way to receive state-of-the-art combat training, courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer, in preparation for a domestic race war. The concept of a race war is central to extremist groups, whose adherents imagine an eruption of violence that pits races against each other and the government.
And yes, the danger of returning veterans being recruited into extremist belief systems is also part of this picture. Because that recruitment takes on an added edge when those doing the recruiting are also their Army buddies.
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And yet, gays can't openly serve.
Yea. Because you know it's teh gays, not the conservative white supremacists in the ranks, who undermine unit cohesiveness and moral. Ask the hispanic, black and asian members of the armed services if they would agree with that.
friendly fire to take you out. Okay. I am officially declaring that we are all now in hell.
and the sooner you realize that the better off you will be. God didn't the jewish holocost leave any kind of impression . I am not a sheep that is going to be led to salughter.
(formerly known as "Blackwater"), I'm wondering...what happened to our country??
I heard a U.S. Army general saying the other day, "We'll be totally out of Iraq by the end of 2010". Of course what he ISN'T saying is that there will be 200,000 private corporate mercenaries there instead on the U.S. payroll from Xe, Triple Canopy etc.!!
This is all so embarrassingly horrid....and totally unacceptable.
from different races served, racist beliefs among white soldiers declined. Proximity tends to decrease ignorance. And another plus is that the non-racists in the military are also armed to the teeth.
To get our troops out of the Middle East, so we as a nation can retain good soldiers. We need to weed out these skinhead soldier-wannabees who if they take over our armed services will doom our entire country to a new fascism under Rush Hitler.
just can't be taught!
an eye-opening report that should permanently shut up the right-wing whining, because it demonstrates clearly the broad nature of the problem -- namely, not only are veterans being actively recruited, but neo-Nazis and other radicals are actively joining up to fight -- and the military is turning a blind eye to it..
More like they'll just do the same thing they've been doing and try to shift the blame on those who "dare" to compromise the "integrity" of the "War on Terror" and "true" "Patriotic" Americans, just like they've done in the past..
in 5...4...3...2...1...
Facts have never slowed them before, much less shut them up. I doubt this will make any difference.
"Facts have a liberal bias"
"...permanently shut up the right-wing whining..."
Ha-ha-ha. While I would love for that to happen, I don't think we'll see that!
"Most of them were associated with the National Alliance and the National Socialist Movement, which promote anti-Semitism and the overthrow of the U.S. government, and assorted skinhead groups."
Interesting assessments in deed. That sounds a little like the so called leftist(s) though primarily like a neocon with a libertarian twist, absent individual identities. It's all good until someone gets physically hurt for an ideology. As a matter of fact... It's down right childish!
Beck will think this sounds like an offshoot of the Obama Socialist wing of the Democratic Party. Never misunderestimate Becks lack of intelligence.
They always overlook the Republic in the Republic of China, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
I got out of the army 27 years ago. Nazis and white supremisists were present even then. Perhaps unorganized, but they seemed to find each other the way dirty water seeks its dirty level.
The armed forces have long been a haven for people who hate. They find that the army's system of seniority places them in positions of petty power that they can exploit almost without consequence. (Ask any female soldier how this works.)
But what studies fail to look for is the Nazi and Klansman in the officer ranks. While studiously observing the social niceties required of an officer and a gentleman thes people can wreck havoc on those in their command. AND provide the kind of "respected military" gravitas that can make the NeoCons seem less insane than they are.
We need to weed these out first.
and they were there then also, and back then blacks had their group also. I avoided both and picked my friends carefully both black and white
There shouldn't be too many of them in the officer ranks. You generally need a university degree to be promoted to Lieutenant (two of my cousins in the Army, went back to college so they could be officers, so I got that info first hand). And I doubt most of these inbreds have spent much time in a university.
Look for the Right Wing Crazies to demand an apology from Solon or look for Beck, Hannity and O'Reilly to try to change this to an attack on the liberals.
This is not to discount the issue of neo-nazis in the military....
Please don't be misled by that picture. The rally was widely reported months in advance, among the local rags & in the old media, The Olympian. The bigots he was speaking to were outnumbered by at least 4:1 by the anti-demonstrators. There were less than 20 racists present, surrounded by lefties, hippies, GLBT folks & a host of others. The whole thing was a joke. They were showered w/ love and they left w/ a lot of egg on their faces (figuratively).
This surprises anyone why? We have known for some time that the fringe right are looking to acquire military combat training and experience. We also know that the military is so desperate for enlistees that they will take anyone short of an acknowledged jihadi.
C'mon.
He was hooked up with a whole network of christo-fundie-dominionist-supremacist wackloon fucktards in a place on the Okie/Arkie line called Elohim City. I imagine it's still there.
I'm not going to smile or kiss his ass in the hope he doesn't kill me, I'm gonna see if I can't kill him first. He can bring his M-15 or whatever. At 250 yeards my 7mm winchester magnum rifle can reach out and touch someone. I qualified expert all 6 yrs in Corps. no problem
Your home now... :-O
Home Coming...
...[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9ay6dKKcxQ ]
I agree 100% I got a Lee Enfield in my closet that I keep in state that I can quickly unlock, and next to it are 10 rounds loaded into two stripper clips, plus I bought a "pig sticker" spike bayonet for it.
Yes I know my Lee Enfield is almost an antique, but as bolt-action rifle go, Wehrmacht troopers would attest that it's rate of fire rivals a semi-auto rifle. I take this thing to the range when I can, and I'm a decent shot with it. I've read that unless it has a trauma plate, body armor won't stop it's .303 British rounds.
I'm Asian-American, I'm not going to chance that some inbred racist (or anyone who breaks into my house) is not going to kill me for the fun of it.
I'll be smiling at him alright, with my SMLE.
that is why I keep a firearm nearby or preferably on me whenever possible. To protect myself, my family and others. And while white, I have lived in areas where I might have to worry about racists myself(Gary IN). And Enfields are fine rifles, but probably not my first choice for home defense but to each their own. And yes a .303 will penetrate soft body armor, it might even penetrate lower trauma plates. But most rifle rounds will, hell a .22 magnum rim fire will penetrate most soft body armor.
I would have bought a .44 magnum for home defense (though I've run into some functioning Old West stagecoach guns that have caught my eye). But while I still had a job before I went back to school I was starting to buy WWII and Cold War military arms. Got a full-size Mosin-Nagant and Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.I before I went back to school. So between the that and Mosin-Nagant, I went with the Lee Enfield.
...that people who torture have infiltrated our govt...
...bankers have infiltrated our govt...
...the military industrial complex has infiltrated our govt...
...the medical industrial complex...and the energy industrial complex have infiltrated our govt.
...a few dumbassredneck racists that the F.B.I. knows about...shouldnt be that big of a problem.
as a matter of fact Im beginning to think redneck racists are a big convienient distraction from the obvious problems listed above...
Don't forget Regent University graduates.
And does anyone get to power with a community college degree?
Unless you get a battlefield commission, you need to go to officer training school, and before you go there you need a bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
So if you're just some dumb inbred neo-nazi who shoots a derelict car in his backyard between rallies, you ain't gitin no ah-ficer cahmisshun.
Some people say that Al Qaeda is using the Iraq fighting to provide wet-fire training for new recruits, why not domestic terrorists?
I prefer wet t-shirt contests.
When I was in the Air Force at Edwards AFB I had to get on a waiting list to get one copy of the five they had of Mein Kampf. They were always checked out.
They also had a shit-load of books on Satanism.
.
got expelled for wearing this T-shirt to school??:
http://rlv.zcache.com/wanted_the_worlds_most_...
who was suspended for this one?
http://mrssatan.blogspot.com/2008/09/5th-grad...
Which was a objection over Obama's relationship with Ayers.
We should do what Germany did and crack down on it - make it illegal. The problem here is that our corporate owned-and-run media are complicit and hope for and encourage the hate, racism and violence of these groups.
*
Germany has a special sensitivity to Neo Nazi groups.
We would not be happy with their level of sensitivity and the constraints here.
Our corporate owned media encourage the confusion caused by these groups.
The larger issue is the anti social propaganda machine in full force since the invention of the national security state and perpetual war starting in 1947. This has made fertile ground for people like this, but they are not the real problem.
The real problem is the domination of the country in toto by corporations, their projects for perpetual war thus maintaing the Military Industrial Complex.
These people are like nasty fleas on the rabid dog.
End the 'wars', bring the troops home. NOW!
That should be the issue. Don't lose sight of it.
By Tom Engelhardt here
an important piece
...and I would take it a step further and say that certain elements in our own govt law enforcement "work with" the media...
as much as i agree we will never be able to shut down the largest running racket in this country. do you have ANY idea how much money we spend and how many jobs building these weapons and waging these wars ( and creating false enemies for said wars) the machine brings. it'll never happen.......just watch how hard and loud big oil goes kicking and screaming and times that by a million..............
all things come to and end
ours will be ugly
but we can delay it a little (enough for a couple few generations)
to drop the "neo" from these shwein - they are national socialists the same as 1938 - a nazi is a nazi is a nazi - no "neo" is necessary. The media IS complicit and provides the "neo" Goebbels (plural) with a platform. Disgusting
Air Force Academy was letting religious affiliation affect and determine promotion in favor of evangelicals; and officers in the other services were requiring attendance of the lower ratings at evangelical religious instructional services, how can we question that there is a movement to make our servicemen into dominionist evangelical crusaders.
Remember the end times video game where the object was kill hajji's and those who wouldn't convert to their brand of evangelism. These are their intended brown shirt troops.
I partied with a Nazi (unknowingly) from the Virginia Military Institute back in the mid 80's. Imagine my surprise when he put on an LP of a Hitler speech while I was blitzed (no pun intended) on some primo herb and asked me if I'd heard of the National Socialist Party. "Uh, I really have to be going now". I was shocked. Apparently, there was a contingent of them at VMI. They had a celebration on Hitler's birthday. Enough of them in the wrong place could say, send a cruise missile into the Pentagon or that homo ridden city San Francisco, the one O'Reilly likes to spew so much hate towards. Yes, domestic terrorism should concern us all. And O'Reilly and other propagandists should tone down the rhetoric or shut up. They are pouring fuel on the flames of hatred.
Blackwater, Haliburton, mercenaries of death? Looks like the army may be getting a better - and cheaper source of psychotics to arm, and teach the techniques of how to maximize death too.
It also means the greatest of our heroes, Beck, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, Cheney, and the Bushies will never have to go or send any of their kids to fight. War is a portfolio enhancer for these cowards. The real dirty work of soldiering needs to be done by the lesser's in our society.
"And so for the past decade and more, and particularly since 2005, the mainstream conservative movement has become a more and more comfortable home to a variety of right-wing xenophobes, who formerly were relegated to the Right's outer fringes.
Conservatives, however, uniformly reject this assertion, arguing that their movement is not home to a bunch of wild-eyed lunatics; they say it's the home of tax-paying, churchgoing, job-holding, productive members of society."
-David Neiwert... Chap.4 Pg.82
It is a national shame that our military even gives these inbreeds the time of day.
So does being a Neo-Nazi mean you hate "colords" but love the Matrix?
You're taking up the pathetic legacy of a group that utterly got it ass handed to it by Russian pesants who were more scared about what Stalin and his party commissars would do to them than what the Nazi's could do to them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG7bwK_P1YU
Is still unfinished.
I would take all the suspected neo-Nazis, put them all in the same units and either send them out ill equipped (like send them out into an open area without an M-14, so some Taliban with an old Mosin-Nagant that out ranges their M-4s can pick them off at his leisure) or just send them out on obvious suicide missions, with another squad following them with orders to shoot them all if they desert.
might not be the best idea.
It provides the opportunity to get rid of them all at once. Of course you're not going to tell them the enemy out ranges them or that they're going on a suicide mission.
The redneck racists have gotten college educations, sugar, even if they had to buy term papers. They have purchased or shoplifted the corporate culture uniforms. And bad news, grizzly bear, they are in the FBI and the CIA, bringing in heroin under the rationale that they can use it to subdue the darker races, while making huge money and laundering it overseas while in US employ.
I didn't vote for Gunny Bush or Ira KKK Bush's rich relatives. Their constituency already was in the gooberment.
These boys love the military, and have been there even before Vietnam. The old-line Southern judges used to sentence errant white trash or rowdy rednecks to either a jail term or to join the military and leave town.
We whipped the Nazis to a fare-thee-well several generations ago. Isn't there such a thing as treason or abetting the enemy in the Military Code of Justice?
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