Could a Peak in Mexico's Oil Production Lead to Martial Law Being Imposed in the US?
by Matt Savinar
Let's connect some dots here:
1. Mexico's oil production is nearing its peak. It's super giant oil field, Canterrel, may be about to collapse. (Sources: John Robb ASPO, Rigzone.)
2. The Mexican economy, including its federal government, is heavily dependent on petroleum revenues.
3. If Mexico's oil production goes into sudden decline either due to geological or political reasons (see point #4) its economy will crash and it's likely we will see an emergency influx of immigrants into the states. (See also: "Oil Depletion and Illegal Immigration"
4. A massive but almost completely unreported (at least in the states) political crisis is unfolding in Oaxaca, Mexico as a result of Mexico's disputed 2006 presidential election. The New York Times is reporting that Vicente Fox has dispatched troops to put down the crisis. (Source) Fox News is reporting that the crisis has now turned violent. (Source) Narco News is reports the following:
. . . .while they continued urging listeners “to follow the
example of Santa Lucia del Camino,” on the streets of
Calicanto in this Oaxaca suburb, the so called “neighbors” –
as they were described on the pro-government radio station
– had AR-15 rifles with which they shot at APPO members
that had heard the alert call from the real neighbors of the
It's worth noting that a major point of contention between the two presidential candidates was what to do with Mexico's oil industry. Center-right Christian Democrat Felipe Calderón Hinosa,
who was eventually declared the winner, wants to privatize the industry and open it up to Western investment. (He served previously as Vicente Fox's energy minister.) Center-left candidate Andres Manuel López Obrad, who was eventually declared the loser, wants to use oil industry revenues to fund social programs ala Hugo Chavez.
5. In February of this year, Halliburton subsidiary Kellog, Brown, and Root signed a contract with the Department of Homeland Security to build massive detention camps for the housing and processing of "an emergency influx of immigrants." (Source)
6. A massive influx of immigrants will likely create major civil unrest within the American population. (Think Minutemen style vigilante groups.) It's not unreasonable to suspect a president, particularly one with Bush's heavy-handed leanings, would want to easily be able to declare martial law in such a situation.
7. On October 17, 2006 Bush signed into law the "John Werner Defense Authorization Act." According to Senator Patrick Leahy, the law makes it much easier for the President to be declare martial law. (Source) Mark Dixon, over at the Group Think Tank blog, accurately summarizes the changes made by this law as follows:
I compared the language amending 10 USC 333 in section
1076 of HR5122 ("Use of armed forces in major public
emergencies") to the existing 10 USC 333 and found what
Leahy is talking about. The Insurrection Act was designed to
give the president the authority to use federal troops in the
event of rebellion, insurgency or revolution. HR 5122 adds all
kinds of other situations where the White House can send in
federal troops including "a natural disaster, epidemic, or
other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or
incident." It also changes "insurgents" to "insurgents or
those obstructing the enforcement of the laws," giving it a
much broader (and, I'm sure Leahy would agree,
The exact text of Section 333 of the new law reads as follows:
'(a)(1) The President may employ the armed forces,
including the National Guard in Federal service, to--
`(A) restore public order and enforce the laws of the United
States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or
other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or
incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the
United States, the President determines that--
`(i) domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that
the constituted authorities of the State or possession are
incapable of maintaining public order; and
`(ii) such violence results in a condition described in
paragraph (2); or
`(B) suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic
violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy . . . .
Something to think about,
Matt
