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| Author | Topic: Delta Force Training in Asheville |
| Teryn Norris-Hale |
posted 6/20/05 1:22 AM
An elite U.S. Army commando unit, known as Delta Force (I own the PC game), hosted a training exercise in downtown Asheville in August, 2004. Not just any building, of course. The Army decided to target the courthouse. The Army also apparently didn’t seem to mind keeping the entire operation in secret. In fact, they convinced the mayor of Asheville (Charles Worley) to sign a nondisclosure agreement agreeing to a secrecy pledge for 50 years. Former city managers, attorneys, the police chief, and the sheriff also signed the agreement, among others. When asked for an explanation as to why Asheville was chosen, a U.S. Army official responded “We try our best to go to areas outside of the large population density, but sometimes there’s a building that’s just right for the training we’re trying to achieve, and the courthouse achieved that.” That sounds pretty calm. Nearby residents, however, felt differently. One local resident said “The jailhouse lights were off, and the courthouse lights were off. All you could see was flares.” In addition to flares were percussion grenades, gunshots, and the sound of three army helicopters including one Black Hawk. “It was frightening. … With the elevation of the terrorist threat, the first thing I was thinking was, we’re being attacked.” When asked why the Army didn’t inform local residents a spokesman said “The reason we do not normally put things in the newspaper is because, when we do that, we end up having a large crowd [of spectators] and that impacts the local police department, because they then have to worry about crowd control.” During the time of the operation, a reporter approached a group of police near the courthouse. When the reporter asked what was going on, a police officer replied “Just doing some military training.” What kind of military training? “Just good ol’ training.” We can only speculate what the motives of the Army were. What makes sense to me is that this operation was designed specifically to incite fear, awe, and intimidation into Asheville residents and local government. And the Army seems to have accomplished both. What kind of things must the Army have told the mayor and council members to get them to sign a secrecy pledge for 50 years? Whatever it was, it has made our local representatives betray us. And whatever it was, it allowed the Army to brush off local government, democracy, and public awareness as inferior and unimportant. http://systemevolution.net/wordpress/?p=25 System Evolution |
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