CSIS!

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Here is the group that runs the simulations, "games" that are of a geo-political nature, having a military dimension? "Game" playing the participants of which are from the highest echelons of the U.S. government, elected and otherwise!

"Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)"

From the web site of CSIS listing just a smattering of "Simulations and Tabletop Exercises"!

(1) Steadfast Resolve.

"The Steadfast Resolve exercise was planned to address the concern that poorly designed government response to the next terrorist attack could disrupt America’s economy and society as much or more than the attack itself."

(2) Dark Winter: Bioterrorism Simulation Exercise

"Dark Winter simulated a U.S. National Security Council meeting at which senior officials were confronted with a smallpox attack on the United States."

(3) Silent Vector: A Critical Energy Infrastructure Simulation Exercise

"The events of September 11 and additional intelligence on al Qaeda demonstrate the potential for an attack against the infrastructure of the United States."

(4) Black Dawn: A Scenario-Based Exercise on Catastrophic Terrorism

"The exercise aimed to develop a set of actionable recommendations for the EU, NATO and individual European governments to prevent terrorists from acquiring and using WMD."

This is the type of simulation that Senator Obama and the congressman were involved in?

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Classified!

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From the Chicago Tribune today:

Trail Guide:

“Boy, did this congressman misspeak”

“Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) said he recently participated in ‘highly classified, national security simulation’ with Barrack Obama and added, “That boy’s finger does not need to be on the button.' Davis later apologized for the 'boy' comment, saying that ‘my poor choice of words is regrettable.’”

It is not so much the “boy” comment but the “highly classified, national security simulation” that I am interested in.

Simulations, “games”, of a geo-political nature, quite often having a military dimension to them of far-reaching proportions, are a common aspect of life for “authority” at the highest echelons of the U.S. government? For both elected and non-elected officials?

Finger - - on the button - - I would have to assume - - refers to the release of nuclear weapons! The military has been authorized, in the “game”, to use nuclear weapons!

Simulations, “games”, of a sophisticated nature, computer-generated, were a part of the Washington scene all throughout the Cold War? At any hour, an official could be called upon to be a participant in a “game”? Simulate scenarios, test hypothesis, in the process allowing officials, whatever their capacity, the opportunity to gain experience [even in a notional, make-believe world] in decision-making, the consequences of which could mean war or peace!

Obama, a man that is getting close to the Presidency, is “getting his feet wet”? Experiencing, if only in simulations, what goes on behinds the scenes. Finding out how decisions are made, and under what circumstances!

coolbert.

MOUT.

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From the Chicago Tribune today”

“Mayor stops Marine war game in city”

“Toledo, Ohio - -“

“Mayor Carty Finkbeiner said Sunday that he stands by his decision to stop a Michigan-based Marine battalion from holding an urban warfare training session downtown.”

“About 200 reservists, whose unit is based in Grand Rapids, had prepared to conduct the exercise at a vacant building Friday when city officials put a stop to it.”

“Finkbeiner said that more than 10,000 people would have been leaving downtown offices as Friday’s exercise unfolded.”

“The mayor asked them to leave because they frighten people”, Finkbeiner spokesman Brian Schwartz said.”

There is much more to this than meets the eye? I am afraid it may be so. The battalion was going to conduct a MOUT [Military Operations Urban Terrain] exercise and was prepared for the mission, and all of a sudden, it was called off? Something very fishy here. One abandoned building, 200 reservists, all pre-arranged presumably, and A CANCELLATION ALL OF A SUDDEN!!??

NO, something not right with the explanation given by the “spokesman”. NOTE - - you would think the mayor himself would give the response in person, but he did NOT even have the guts to show up.

I HAVE often thought that many of these depressed areas in American big cities with a lot of abandoned buildings make an excellent environment for MOUT training. MOUT must be well understood, prepared for, practiced. As was with the Fallujah operation. U.S. forces, overcame 2,000 jihadis, the latter well dug-in and prepared for months in advance, with relative low-casualties on the part of American troops. NOT the normal experience for troops engaging in MOUT warfare. Training, practice, well-thought-out doctrine and techniques go a long way.

Surely Maybe Finkbeiner understands this? Or was he persuaded by other concerns?

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