Michel Chossudovsky / Global Research & Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich – 2011-04-23 03:05:06
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24351
When War Games Go Live:
“Staging” a “Humanitarian War” against “SOUTHLAND”
Under an Imaginary UN Security Council Resolution 3003
Prof. Michel Chossudovsky / Global Research
THE WAR ON LIBYA WAS KNOWN AND DECIDED WELL IN ADVANCE.
MILITARY PLANNING WAS IN “AN ADVANCED STAGE OF READINESS”.
UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1973 PERTAINING TO LIBYA WAS ALREADY ON THE DRAWING BOARD, MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF THE “PRO-DEMOCRACY” INSURRECTION IN EASTERN LIBYA.
Military operations of this size and magnitude are never improvised. The war on Libya as well as the armed insurrection were planned months prior to the Arab protest movement…. We were led to believe that the protest movement in Egypt and Tunisia had spread to Libya…. The insurrection in Libya was presented as a spontaneous response to a wave of pro-democracy activism which had swept the Arab World.
In turn, we were led to believe that “the international community” decided in response to these unfolding events, to “protect the lives of civilians” and refer the matter to the United Nations Security Council. The media then reported that it was only once the UN Security Council had adopted Resolution 1973, that the US and NATO member countries took the decision to intervene militarily in Libya under the “No Fly Zone.”
Read carefully:Quotations indicate excerpts from The Southern Mistral 2011 War Games Scenario.
(April 16, 2011) — On November 02 2010, more than four months prior to the onset of Operation Odyssey Dawn, France and the UK announced the conduct of war games under Operation “SOUTHERN MISTRAL 2011” against “AN IMAGINARY COUNTRY’ called “SOUTHLAND,” living under a “DICTATORSHIP” which allegedly “was responsible for an attack against France’s national interests.”
The Franco-British (humanitarian) air operation against “SOUTHLAND” was to be carried out pursuant to an IMAGINARY “UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO: 3003”.
The war games were scheduled to start on March 21, 2011. THESE FRANCO-BRITISH WAR GAMES NEVER TOOK PLACE. OPERATION “SOUTHERN MISTRAL” WENT LIVE ON MARCH 19, 2011 (two days prior to the scheduled date).
Below is the exact quote and colors from the Franco-British war games website which is hosted by France’s Air Force:
SOUTHLAND: Dictatorship responsible for an attack against France’s national interests.
FRANCE: Makes the decision to show its determination to SOUTHLAND (under United Nations Security council resolution n°3003).
UNITED-KINGDOM: Allied country as determined in the bilateral agreement. The United Kingdom supports France through the deployment of its air assets.” (Commandement de la défense aérienne et des opérations aériennes, Southern Mistral 2011: Scenario)
The war games were scheduled to take place from the 21st to the 25 March 2011.
“Six Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s, one tanker Vickers VC-10 and one Boeing E3D will be deployed together with French Air force Mirage 2000Ds, 2000Ns and 2000Cs operating with a fleet of around thirty aircraft including helicopters, Boeing tankers and AWACs radar aircraft.
Air Raid Southern Storm will be commanded and controlled by the National Air Operations Centre (CNOA) of Lyon Mont-Verdun air base (BA 942).
An Air Operations Cell deployed at Nancy air base (BA 133) will follow in real time all the air missions and reproduce the air raids.
Simultaneously, Paratrooper Commando Air 20 (CPA20) will receive its British counterpart in Dijon: the RAF Regiment. Together they will train for air base protection missions on operational theatres in compliance with what is achieved today in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, RAF Regiment members will train in Captieux to helicopters’ air policing measures. These specific procedures are implemented on a daily basis by the Quick reaction Alert FAF air defence helicopters to intervene against “slow movers.”
Welcome to Southern Mistral 11 An adapted scenario was developed for the exercise.
Based on Western geography, France mostly, an imaginary country was created: SOUTHLAND. An artificial border was drawn inside France to simulate this country.”
SOUTHLAND: Dictatorship responsible for an attack against France’s national interests.
FRANCE: Makes the decision to show its determination to SOUTHLAND (under United Nations Security council resolution no. 3003).
UNITED-KINGDOM: Allied country as determined in the bilateral agreement. The United Kingdom supports France through the deployment of its air assets.
NAVARRE: Allied country giving clearance to French and British aircraft to overfly its territory.
(See Commandement de la défense aérienne et des opérations aériennes, Operation Southern Mistral: Scenario)
THESE FRANCO-BRITISH WAR GAMES NEVER TOOK PLACE.
OPERATION “SOUTHERN MISTRAL” WENT LIVE ON MARCH 19, 2011 AGAINST “SOUTHLAND”
“OPERATION SOUTHERN MISTRAL” = “Operation Odyssey Dawn”
“SOUTHLAND” = “Libya”
“Security Council Resolution 3003” = “Security Council Resolution 1973”.
“DICTATORSHIP” = “Qadhaffi Regime”
Under the war games scenario Security Council Resolution 3003 was proposed by France, whereas “the real life” UN Security Council Resolution 1973 was proposed by France, the UK and Lebanon.
The only difference of substance is that “SOUTHLAND” (aka Libya), the so-called imaginary Southern country for the war games was inserted inside the territory of Southern France (See Map above THE UK IS GREEN, FRANCE IS BLUE, SOUTHLAND IS RED AND NAVARRE IS ORANGE).
(Navarre ‘Navarra” designates a region of Northern Spain).
The imaginary location of this imaginary Southern country called “SOUTHLAND” was not really an issue, because the war games were postponed….
The French Air Force announced (in English) the “Suspension of exercise Southern Mistral 2011 [against SOUTHLAND]… Due to the current international events [BOMBING OF LIBYA], exercise Southern Mistral has been suspended.” Suspension of exercise Southern Mistral 2011. The French version uses the term Mise en veille which means “put on standby” (Mise en veille de l’exercice Southern Mistral 2011)
What can be said regarding these war games, the attacks on Libya and United Nations Security council resolutions 3003 and 1973?…. We invite our readers to think and reflect on the logic of military planning. Military operations of this size and magnitude are never improvised. The war on Libya, as well as the armed insurrection, were planned months prior to the Arab protest movement. In the words of Rep. Denis Kucinich:
“While war games are not uncommon, the similarities between ‘Southern Mistral’ and ‘Operation Odyssey Dawn’ highlight just how many unanswered questions remain regarding our own military planning for Libya.
“The ‘Southern Mistral’ war games called for Great Britain-French air strikes against an unnamed dictator of a fictional country, ‘Southland.’ The pretend attack was authorized by a pretend United Nations Security Council Resolution. The ‘Southern Mistral’ war games were set for March 21-25, 2011. On March 19, 2011, the United States joined France and Great Britain in an air attack against Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1973.
“Scheduling a joint military exercise that ends up resembling real military action could be seen as remarkable planning by the French and British, but it also highlights questions regarding the United States’ role in planning for the war.”
President Had Time to Consult with International Community, But Not Congress?
Coincidental Timing of French, British War Games
Points to Critical Lack of Information
Congress Must Protect Constitutional Authority
As a Coequal Branch of Government, Cut off Funds for Libyan War
Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich, Press Release
WASHINGTON (March 29, 2011) — Dear Colleague:
As you consider supporting an amendment to cut off funds for the war in Libya, I want to call to your attention to the stark lack of information provided to Congress and the American people about the war.
Last night the President said it took one month to put together a response to the situation in Libya. During that time the President consulted with 28 member nations of NATO, 22 member nations of the Arab league and 15 members of the UN Security Council, ten of whom approved the resolution. There was also time for extensive coordination with France and Great Britain. The President had time to consult with the international community, but had no time to come to the United States Congress?
There is no question that the Administration should have followed the Constitution and received the approval of Congress before starting a war. Consulting with a few members is not the same thing as following the Constitutional requirements of Article 1, Section 8.
Further complicating the Administration’s failure to come to Congress prior to ordering an attack is the fact that our primary partners in the war against Libya, France and Great Britain, had, according to a French military website, planned certain war games which now may have significance.
On November 2, 2010 France and Great Britain signed a mutual defense treaty, which paved the way for joint participation in a military exercise called ‘Southern Mistral’ (www.southern-mistral.cdaoa.fr). While war games are not uncommon, the similarities between ‘Southern Mistral’ and ‘Operation Odyssey Dawn’ highlight just how many unanswered questions remain regarding our own military planning for Libya.
The ‘Southern Mistral’ war games called for Great Britain-French air strikes against an unnamed dictator of a fictional country, “Southland.” The pretend attack was authorized by a pretend United Nations Security Council Resolution. The ‘Southern Mistral’ war games were set for March 21-25, 2011.
On March 19, 2011, the United States joined France and Great Britain in an air attack against Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1973.
Scheduling a joint military exercise that ends up resembling real military action could be seen as remarkable planning by the French and British, but it also highlights questions regarding the United States’ role in planning for the war. We don’t know how long the attack on Libya has been in preparation, but Congress must find out. We don’t know who the rebels really represent and how they became armed, but Congress must find out.
With so many unknowns, Congress’ only path to protect both the Constitution and the institution of government of the people is to cut off funds for the war in Libya. A cutoff of funds would require the President to follow the Constitutional process with respect to going to war. He would have to seek Congressional approval.
Otherwise, we will have given our tacit consent to a policy that undercuts Congress’ constitutionally-mandated role as a coequal branch of government. Moreover, since the Founders established Congress under Article 1 and the Executive under Article 2, Congress is first among equals, unless we refuse to be.
Please join me in cosponsoring an amendment to the next continuing resolution or omnibus appropriations bill that would prevent any US funds from being used for the war in Libya.
Sincerely,
Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress
