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Vandenberg Air Force Base authorizes 'deadly force' against trespassing protesters
Fresno Bee ^ | Saturday, March 15, 2003, 7:25 AM | The Associated Press

Posted on 03/15/2003 11:36:22 AM PST by Amerigomag

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) - Security forces at Vandenberg Air Force Base may use "deadly force" against protesters if they infiltrate the military complex if a war starts, officials said. Some anti-war activists plan to trespass onto base grounds in hopes of disturbing Vandenberg's mission and to vandalize sensitive equipment they contend helps guide the war effort.

Vandenberg officials revealed Friday that military security police may shoot to kill, if necessary, to protect base residents and machinery.

The directive has always been in existence, but a base spokeswoman said it is more critical now that people understand its severity.

The deadly force policy will not deter protesters, said Peter Lumsdaine of the Vandenberg Action Coalition, one of the organizers of the planned trespassing.

"I think it does underline that people in the nonviolent resistance movement are willing to take some risks," Lumsdaine said.

A Guadalupe man jumped onto the base's entrance sign Friday and sprayed it with 4 ounces of his own blood in a symbolic gesture of his anti-war stance. Dennis Apel, 52, later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of trespassing and vandalism. He will be sentenced next month in a Santa Barbara federal court and faces a possible jail sentence or fine.

"We wanted them to see some blood," said Apel, a member of Guadalupe Catholic Worker, a social reform movement. "We wanted them to in some way visually experience the consequences of what they're doing."

(Excerpt) Read more at fresnobee.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; US: California
KEYWORDS: protestors; war

1 posted on 03/15/2003 11:36:22 AM PST by Amerigomag
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To: Amerigomag
Lock and load Airmen.
2 posted on 03/15/2003 11:44:33 AM PST by A Navy Vet
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To: Amerigomag
These folks don't give a hoot that their actions endanger American soldiers. They've been warned. If they cross the fence, they're enemy combatants. Whack 'em and stack 'em.
3 posted on 03/15/2003 11:48:08 AM PST by RedQuill
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To: Amerigomag
Open Season on anti-American maggots. NO BAG LIMIT.
4 posted on 03/15/2003 11:49:17 AM PST by BullDog108 (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: Amerigomag

In the Ukraine, it's authorized for shoplifting. Poor little kid :-(

5 posted on 03/15/2003 11:51:36 AM PST by struwwelpeter (kidding!!!)
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To: Amerigomag; blam
Paging blam.

(steely)

6 posted on 03/15/2003 12:01:00 PM PST by Steely Tom
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To: Amerigomag
On certain "Nike" sites, in the 60' and 70's the same order was in effect. There were rules. If they were on "our" side of the fence, at night, they were fair game.

There was one IFC Warrant Officer that was full of himself and in attempts to find "van guards" asleep, would jump the fence. He did this one night to a Buck Sgt. that was onto the WO's behavior. The Sgt., with a round in the M-16, made the "intruder" low crawl, at rifle point, about 50 yards on the ground to a lighted area where he could be positively ID'd (per Regs). The WO was ID'd and Hdqtrs MP's were summoned. The WO wanted to Court Martial the Sgt.. I know for a fact, the Sergeant wasn't and the WO was transferred out of the Nike system.

These situations with civilians need some well trained AP's and local LEO's with their heads out, to keep the PR on our side.

7 posted on 03/15/2003 12:21:07 PM PST by elbucko ('s shopping cart is empty.)
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To: Amerigomag
5.56

BANG

8 posted on 03/15/2003 12:22:58 PM PST by husky ed (FOX NEWS ALERT "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead" THIS HAS BEEN A FOX NEWS ALERT)
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To: Amerigomag
A Guadalupe man jumped onto the base's entrance sign Friday and sprayed it with 4 ounces of his own blood ...Dennis Apel, 52

Turns out this fellow is not a current Guadalupe resident nor a light weight in the international protest movement.

He's a buddy of Ramsey Clark, helped Clark write his latest anti US diatribe and was part of the recent peace delegation to Iraq.

9 posted on 03/15/2003 2:29:26 PM PST by Amerigomag
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To: Amerigomag
"I think it does underline that people in the nonviolent resistance movement are willing to take some risks," Lumsdaine said.

How can they not see that they could end up dead for doing something like this? I think this guy needs to go see the Wizard and get a brain!
10 posted on 03/15/2003 2:41:27 PM PST by Theresawithanh (A conservative from the PRC (People's Republic of California))
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To: Amerigomag
Now I've heard EVERYTHING... shoot these maggots and be done with it.
11 posted on 03/16/2003 3:15:47 AM PST by Terridan
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To: Amerigomag
The deadly force policy will not deter protesters, said Peter Lumsdaine of the Vandenberg Action Coalition, one of the organizers of the planned trespassing.

First, God bless and protect our troops from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Second, yeah right, this won't deter protesters any more than the threat of risk detered the "Human Shields". I mean, the ones who aren't being held prisoner at this very moment.

12 posted on 03/16/2003 3:42:42 AM PST by Caipirabob (Democrats.. Socialists..Commies..Traitors...Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Caipirabob
Second, yeah right, this won't deter protesters

The publicity may well not deter anyone but the policy will kill them.

Forced to choose, Id rather them absent than temporarily detered.

13 posted on 03/16/2003 7:50:31 AM PST by Amerigomag
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: Amerigomag
Oh God Please...Susan Sarandon, Martin Sheen, a Dixie Chick or three, Woody Harrelson, Sigourney Weaver et. al. et. al. et. al.

Is there any way we can get them to think there's a really big important protest going on inside Vandenberg?

15 posted on 03/16/2003 7:54:36 AM PST by Scott from the Left Coast
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To: Amerigomag
Lock, Load and FIRE when ready.........and it will help out the Gene pool
16 posted on 03/16/2003 8:52:59 PM PST by deadlywithapen
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To: Amerigomag
The deadly force policy will not deter protesters, said Peter Lumsdaine of the Vandenberg Action Coalition, one of the organizers of the planned trespassing

Yea, just like the threat of IDF bulldozers didn't deter the protesters in Gaza.

17 posted on 03/16/2003 8:57:32 PM PST by CommandoFrank (Saddam's ass is grass and we own the lawn mower...)
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