The People vs. Mr. Big

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/23451

The People vs. Mr. Big
Submitted by davidswanson on Fri, 2007-06-08 18:38. Media

By Bruce K. Gagnon, http://www.space4peace.org

A heated battle in underway between local citizens and the U.S. Army. The Army wants more land for military maneuvers. In fact they want a half-million acres. The citizens don't want to give up their land. Some are even saying they might defend their rights to their land with guns.

Is this Iraq you ask? Italy, Guam, Australia, Okinawa, England, Czech Republic, Latin America? No, this battle is happening right here in the good ole USA. Colorado in fact.

The Army base at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs is a big base. But the Army maintains they need to dramatically expand their training operation - nearly tripling the size of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, and have said they might have to take private ranch land by forced condemnation - a process called eminent domain. The Army says that 10,000 more troops are expected by the end of the decade and that it needs more land to simulate the modern high-tech battlefield conditions of future combat zones.

The cattle ranchers, most of whom are conservative and pro-military, are furious. Yesterday at a public meeting in Trinidad, Colorado more than 500 ranchers turned out for another meeting to confront the Army.

"When are you going to get it through your head that we don't want you here!" one rancher yelled at the Army representatives. The debate was often filled with screaming and profanity.

What we are seeing is that as U.S. militarism grows the appetite for land also multiplies like a cancer. People around the world have been experiencing this phenomena for years but now the chickens are coming home to roost in a big way.

more...

in Kansas a few years ago. Fort Riley wanted to expand. If I remember right, they asked for an incredible amount of acreage then "settled" for taking the amount that they really wanted.

I wonder how many other places this has happened. Groom Lake in Nevada (Area 51) claimed not only their land, but any surrounding land from which the base could be viewed.

:shrug: