Armed mercenaries guarding proposed mine site in Wisconsin

[Scuba]

http://idlenomorewisconsin.tumblr.com/post/54852931135/us-soldiers-deployed-in-penokee-hills-of-wisconsin

US Soldiers Deployed In Penokee Hills Of Wisconsin To Guard Future World’s Largest Taconite Mine?? — BUT, these are NOT U.S. Soldiers, or just they are hired guns from GTac’s Bill Williams. Governor Walker, and fellow Tea Party Senate, and Speakers of the Assembly should be proud? I bet they are.

“Wisconsin is open for business”
The company Gogebic Taconite (GTAC) purchased the mineral rights for a vast area in northwestern Wisconsin– 21,000 acres along 22 miles of the beautiful Penokee Range in Ashland and Iron Counties. In 2011, GTAC proposed to build what could become the largest open-pit iron-ore mine in the world (4 1/2 miles long, 1.5 miles wide and up 1,000 feet deep) to extract taconite, a type of low-grade iron ore.

Why are US soldiers gaurding this? Why are US soldiers deployed on US Soil to gaurd corporate interests? You know what that is right? Fascism, and I have been smelling it for awhile. To me, neither the patch or the gear looks regulation US Army. Plus, a state Gov. cannot order units under federal control to do anything. However, everything else about him looks US Army. If not US Army, than its some Merc company which could be scarier as they are not harnessed by the same leash as the US Army. Mercs owe their loyalty to the allmighty dollar, the same loyalty the comapny G-Tac has apparently. Hopefully someone will do some more investigating. -Mort

?e7960d

[WovenGems]

1. Pointless

We don't have working foundries so why do we need to mine iron ore? If this ore is to leave the U.S. then that company is an enemy of the people.

[hack89]

5. A map of all US steel mills - there are plenty of working foundries in America. nt

http://www.uprr.com/customers/ind-prod/attachments/metals/minimillmap.pdf

[WovenGems]

7. Nowhere

near the industrial capability to rebuild the infrastructure let alone become the arsenal of democracy again. To update the rail system we would have to refire the east coast mills.

[NutmegYankee]

11. Actually there are a lot in the East too

http://www.steel.org/en/Making%20Steel/~/media/Files/AISI/Making%20Steel/2010_SteelPlant_NorthAmerica_HypocycloidVersion6.ashx

I've actually worked with steel products from some of these companies.

[Berlum]

20. Pointed

Despite prettified propaganda pooh pooh-ing this pernicious program of corporate fascism in armed action against America, it is baldly, maliciously wrong on every level.

[think]

2. Nothing says USA like mercs in the hood....

[enough]

3. Who/what are they guarding it against? (nt)

[Scuba]

4. Protesters have been trying to disrupt the exploratory drilling.

Thank you protesters!!!

[enough]

66. Thanks Scuba, and thanks to the protesters. (nt)

[hack89]

6. They are private security - not US military. nt

[atreides1]

8. But some have probably served in the military.

Which makes them nothing more then mercenaries...

[hack89]

9. The term mercenary has a specific meaning under international law

I know private security sounds morally neutral and has less emotional impact but it is the legal and proper term.

[Scuba]

10. What's the point of your parsing of words?

[hack89]

12. I don't like to be emotionally manipulated

which is what this OP is trying to do. What we have is a company that hired private security guards - not "soldiers" not "mercenaries". Private security guards.

That's all.

[treestar]

13. +1

Always emotionally manipulating and exaggerating to find something terribly wrong!

[dembotoz]

14. i am sorry i live in wisconsin and the thought of masked gaurds up north makes me very ill

combat dressed thugs in masks????

yes that is a mercenary

[grntuscarora]

18. I have seen many private security guards here in the US,

but these "guards", dressed up in their special forces costumes, are clearly meant to scare and intimidate.
Pathetic.

[CoffeeCat]

23. Right, but "security guard" is a bit manipulate too...

When I think of security guard, I think of a mall cop. Most people conjure up images of a nice guy in
uniform, bearing no weapons, inside corporate offices or a mall.

This guy is outfitted in camo and he's sporting a large gun that looks like it could take down a herd of elephants in seconds. If you told me this was a picture of some rebel in Nicaragua, I would have believed you.

This guy is armed to the teeth in cammoflauge with a high-powered gun--and he's guarding U.S. corporate interests. I think that is the point.

We can argue about what to call him all day, but I think the point is--corporations are using heavily armed guards who look like they're suited up for war--and all of this is to protect corporate interests and profits from threats that they perceive to be from AMERICAN CITIZENS.

Fascism. No matter what job description you use.

[NutmegYankee]

28. To be honest, when I think of police, I think of this:

And not this:




Behold the militarization of our society...

[Ed Suspicious]

77. + another 1000. Their uniforms and ordnance are manipulating me emotionally.

[drokhole]

33. +1000!

[Ikonoklast]

17. Corpoarte interests in this country have always used deadly force for hire against both civilians

and workers.

Hired guns, then, not mercenaries.

But I bet military experience certainly helps in the hiring process of being a hired gun.

[NutmegYankee]

31. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain

In the past, it was pinkertons.

[Duckwraps]

26. Jeeze, I thought

the PMC designation was the "fashionable" term.

[Divernan]

22. US military provides free training program for private security corporations/businesses.

[Duckwraps]

27. INMO our own military

may be a mercenary force if you were to consider volunteers mercenary.

[NutmegYankee]

32. Ugh, no.

Most armies had volunteers form their ranks. And you aren't a mercenary when you join an actual state army.

[HardTimes99]

40. I would say the personnel deployed by a private-sector concern such as 'Xe' (pka 'Blackwater')

are mercenaries, using a stricter definition of the term. So my guess is the personnel in these photos qualify as mercenaries.

[NutmegYankee]

44. Blackwater was potentially a mercenary outfit.

Mainly because they were used in a war zone. Unless the environmentalists have formed militias and have begun to wage war on the mining companies, then these men are just security contractors in excessive garb.

[HardTimes99]

50. Yeah, this semantic quibbling over 'mercenaries' vs. 'security guards' strikes

me as a little silly. I meant only to suggest that volunteers who enlist in the U.S. military (or any country's military) can only be considered 'mercenary' if one uses the loosest, most metaphoric definition of the term, i.e., anyone who performs a service for money.

BTW, I like your 'security contractors in excessive garb' Has a nicely sardonic ring to it

[NutmegYankee]

56. Yep, sardonic would be apt.

How else can one describe men wearing Desert Camo in the middle of a forest? It's like Paul Blart:Mall Cop, but with boonie hats.

[Dash87]

16. They all look like a bunch of hicks.

I would ask for my money back.

[Civilization2]

19. Welcome to the Corporate-States of America.

For-profit, against democracy the 1% has private armies and they ain't shy about using them, never have been look to history.

[JayhawkSD]

21. This post is wierd.

The first paragraph contanis such poor grammar that it's hard to deciphere what he's saying, but he seems to be saying that what is posing as US Army is actually private guards. He is either posing this as a question or asserting it as a statement, but I'm not sure which. If they are private guards, then the governor and Tea Party should be proud of them, but the reason for that pride is left to our imagination.

The article he quotes thinks that 21,000 acres is a "vast area," which it is not, it's the size of a very small city. It also says that it would become the "world's largest taconite mine," which is laughable. Minnesota has taconite mines that cover hundreds of square miles.

Taconite is, as pointed out, low grade iron ore as is literally as common as dirt so nobody is going to be stealing it. If they did steal it they would not be able to do anything with it, because it's only worth about $30 per ton. It has to be extracted in the thousands of tons to be worth any significant amount of money.

Finally, the writer needs to look up the definition of Fascism, because this ain't it.

[Jenoch]

60. Minnesota's

largest taconite open pit mine is the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine near Hibbing and it has a footprint of about 1.5 miles by 3.5 miles and is about 600 feet deep.

[Art_from_Ark]

67. 21,000 acres is nearly 33 square miles

Roughly 6 miles X 5.5 miles. That is a vast area as far as mines go.

By comparison, Minnesota's largest taconite mine at Hibbing covers roughly 5.25 square miles.

[Vinnie From Indy]

24. Two questions spring to mind looking at those pics

One, are those automatic weapons and are private security guards allowed to carry full auto?

Second, why in holy hell would a company hire that kind of security to protect what exactly? Are they afraid someone is going to steal the taconite before they can start mining?

These assholes look like your typical moron that simply LOVES to dress up and play Billy Badass.

[Brickbat]

25. They're protecting the geologists, mining officials and equipment involved in taking bore samples.

And looking scawwy in the process.

[Scuba]

35. There are no threats against geologists or mining officials or any other people.

To suggest that these folks need protecting is disingenious.

[Brickbat]

38. Oh, I thought there was a disruption with some bore-hole drilling.

ETA: This is what I was thinking of:

http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/Protesters-confront-mining-co-at-Wisconsin-site-211239991.html

[Scuba]

39. True, but that does not constitute a threat to people.

[HardTimes99]

41. Isn't some of the included land contested Native American land? If so, anyone

violating that land probably is at some risk, however slight. Seems to me I read one of WI's Native American tribes will mount a challenge to actual mining operations.

[Scuba]

43. Many groups are working to stop the mine. None of these groups condones violence against people.

[HardTimes99]

46. I doubt 'violence against people' is the issue; probably more 'violence against

property' (mining equipment, vehicles) is at issue and these mercs are there as a deterrent.

Whether those mercs should be there is, of course, a whole other issue.

[Scuba]

47. My original reply was to BrickBat, who suggest geologists and other workers were being threatened.

[Brickbat]

48. I escalated the rhetoric, which I try not to do.

My apologies.

[HardTimes99]

53. Ah, got ya. I was thinking that possibly militant groups like the Earth Liberation Front might

have started nosing around or making noise.

[Scuba]

55. I don't know who they are, but if they advocate violence they are not welcome here.

[HardTimes99]

57. Those who would contemplate violence against property as an acceptable tactic need to study

very closely the example of the Army Math Research Center during the 60s at the U. of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. IIRC, the bombers thought the building was empty and had taken every precaution to avoid injuring anyone. Alas, there was a lone grad student in physics (or math?) working in the building at the time. He had absolutely no connection whatsoever to the U.S. military, other than being in the building. The bomb went off prematurely, before police could secure the building, and the grad student was killed.

The UW AMRC bombing is an incident where the bombers had zero intention of hurting anyone but, despite their best intentions, someone still got killed. Just one more casualty of the Vietnam War, I suppose, but an object lesson nonetheless in the potential true cost of violence as a tactic in any form.

[Scuba]

58. Bomb throwers of any ilk are not welcome here, but thanks for your concern.

[Jackpine Radical]

59. Robert Fassnacht was the victim. It was August 1970.

Fassnacht was a physics grad student, working in the lab in the small hours of the morning when the blast happened.

[HardTimes99]

61. It was and is so sad. When I was a much younger man (during the days of CISPES) and

more of a firebrand, I came into contact with a Buddhist who introduced me to the story as a way of illustrating how violent tactics can often backfire, even when those using the violence have the noblest of intentions. The story had a profound and lasting impact on me and, while I've since backslid from regular Buddhist practice in the years since, has remained a lasting part of my ethics ever since.

Thank you for also remembering.

[Jackpine Radical]

62. I was a grad student at Madison at the time.

I was out of town for the summer when the blast occurred. I remember when I returned to campus, everyone was still in shock. I hung out with a very anti-war crowd, and everyone was going around as if dazed, wondering if this meant the end of the movement. (It wasn't.)

[madrchsod]

83. i was up there several weeks before the bombing

yes it was a huge shock to see what happened. there`s still an unanswered question about who was all involved.

i did read on facebook that the area is next to a state park and there were concerns about one`s safety especially at night.

i wonder if perry sent some good old boys to help out his good pal walker.

[Jackpine Radical]

87. Copper Falls State Park, near Mellen.

[Duckwraps]

29. Can't tell if

they are true assault rifles, or not, from the pictures, But IIRC corporations may own assault rifles if they pay the tax and register them with the ATF and can afford the $30k plus or so price tag.

[hack89]

30. They are most likely semi-automatics rifles

Federal law does not permit private parties to buy and own automatic weapons made after 1986.

The only exemption that I am aware of is that private companies that guard nuclear power plants were specifically authorized by Congress to use automatic weapons.

[secondvariety]

34. They look like idiots.

[Courtesy Flush]

36. This looks more like an Infowars story than one worthy of DU.

I can't call bullshit, but it smells like it.

[Scuba]

37. Please explain?

[Courtesy Flush]

42. It looks like pure speculation

I remember a Youtube video of FEMA concentration camps. It was just footage of some industrial-looking place, with claims about it being prepared for use against citizens. Nothing to back it up, just pictures and outlandish claims.

All I see here are pictures of armed guards, and speculation about where they are, and why. Not a bit of evidence to support it.

[Scuba]

45. Google is your friend. So is the DU search function ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10848140

http://bloggingblue.com/2013/07/07/the-new-face-of-gogebic-taconite/

http://www.bluecheddar.net/?p=33877

[Pharaoh]

65. gawd man! do a little research before

you shoot off your mouth like that. Makes you look like an idiot. And I'm sure you are smarter than that?

[Courtesy Flush]

69. Really sick of this kind of thing.

I'm sick to death of people calling each other idiots online. It's extremely rude, and it reflects more negatively on the name caller than it does on the target of the hateful words. I wish people would re-assess their online behavior.

/rant

Now go back and look at the article. If you can call me an idiot for not doing my homework, why do you not hurl similar hateful words at the author of the story? You berated me for not doing research, but I'm not blogging a bunch of conspiracies. Where's the blogger's research? He seems to have done none at all.

He starts by saying that some guy on Facebook posted some pictures, which show armed military or paramilitary guards with no context. He does not mention any attempts to contact anyone for information or official statements.

Read this quote:

No way of telling if these guys are Homeland Security, employees of mining company Gogebic Taconite (GTAC), or KKK (yes they exist up here in the North).

"No way of telling". Not a single line about any attempts to find out. Don't bother calling the officials involved. Just speculate and run with the most incendiary theory.

I can't believe you'd demand that I research this, when clearly the author did none at all.

I'm not saying there are no armed guards at this site, and I'm not saying that they're not planning to strip mine the site. I'm just saying that there's a burden of proof involved when making statements like this. The story was loaded with button-pushing rhetoric, and nothing else.

If this story is true, I hope someone with some professional standards is covering it.

[Pharaoh]

70. try google!

[Courtesy Flush]

71. Seriously?

Why don't we ALL dump DU and just google things?!

Why doesn't the OP try Google, and post something of substance? I never said the story isn't based on some sort of actual events. I said it's lacking in credibility, which it is. And I said the author was being deliberately alarmist. KKK? Really?

DU really is going downhill. You guys used to have standards.

I'm done here.

[Pharaoh]

72. Ah.........because I usually don't have time

to do your research for you,

http://www.opednews.com/articles/GTAC-Mine-and-Scott-Walker-by-Eric-Nelson-130708-172.html

&feature=player_embedded

http://host.madison.com/news/local/environment/bulletproof-arizona-security-team-raises-hackles-at-gogebic-mine-site/article_24cb77d0-9444-5ba8-948c-acad96f5e315.html

http://www.bulletproofsecurities.com/

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/nw-wisconsin/Wis-State-Officials-Call-on-GTAC-to-Remove-Armed-Guards-214701121.html

http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/07/us-soldiers-deployed-in-penokee-hills-of-wisconsin-to-guard-future-worlds-largest-taconite-mine-2704586.html

http://www.popularresistance.org/armed-military-style-guards-patrol-large-mine-in-wisconsin/

[Courtesy Flush]

73. It's like your head is made of solid stone!

Whether the events are occurring is NOT the FUCKING issue! The issue is that DU has been reduced to posting cheap yellow journalism.

I'll post this three times, since it's so difficult for you to grasp. Read three times, and THINK...

ONE:

I already said I don't question the basic premise, but the article provides zero credible information, plus they use the most alarmist language possible (much like infowars), such as Gtac is willing to spill blood to achieve their goal

and Rumors that these soldiers are possibly from the 9th infantry division from Washington State. Possibly authorized by governor Walker.

and it is to little surprise that our fascist state is sending in paramilitary units to protect their investments,

and Why are US soldiers deployed on US Soil to gaurd (sic) corporate interests? You know what that is right? Fascism,

and I have been smelling it for awhile

and No way of telling if these guys are Homeland Security, employees of mining company Gogebic Taconite (GTAC), or KKK (yes they exist up here in the North).

People who want to be taken seriously in the arena of public discourse do not use this kind of alarmist rhetoric.

TWO:

I already said I don't question the basic premise, but the article provides zero credible information, plus they use the most alarmist language possible (much like infowars), such as Gtac is willing to spill blood to achieve their goal

and Rumors that these soldiers are possibly from the 9th infantry division from Washington State. Possibly authorized by governor Walker.

and it is to little surprise that our fascist state is sending in paramilitary units to protect their investments,

and Why are US soldiers deployed on US Soil to gaurd (sic) corporate interests? You know what that is right? Fascism,

and I have been smelling it for awhile

and No way of telling if these guys are Homeland Security, employees of mining company Gogebic Taconite (GTAC), or KKK (yes they exist up here in the North).

People who want to be taken seriously in the arena of public discourse do not use this kind of alarmist rhetoric.

THREE:

I already said I don't question the basic premise, but the article provides zero credible information, plus they use the most alarmist language possible (much like infowars), such as Gtac is willing to spill blood to achieve their goal

and Rumors that these soldiers are possibly from the 9th infantry division from Washington State. Possibly authorized by governor Walker.

and it is to little surprise that our fascist state is sending in paramilitary units to protect their investments,

and Why are US soldiers deployed on US Soil to gaurd (sic) corporate interests? You know what that is right? Fascism,

and I have been smelling it for awhile

and No way of telling if these guys are Homeland Security, employees of mining company Gogebic Taconite (GTAC), or KKK (yes they exist up here in the North).

People who want to be taken seriously in the arena of public discourse do not use this kind of alarmist rhetoric.

Yes, I said I oppose the practice of calling people idiots online, and I see that you're trying really hard to make me call you one, but I won't do it.

This is not about whether the events are true. It is about the irresponsible reporting of them.

[Pharaoh]

76. yeah right...

have a nice life numb nuts......

[Courtesy Flush]

81. I don't think you've read a single one of my responses.

You haven't even once addressed a single thing I've said. Your reading comprehension is nil. Then you once again resort to name calling.

I'm curious to know if you're over the age of 15.

[Pharaoh]

82. I replied to everything

what is your problem?

Give me 2 specific questions that you do not understand. And I will try to help you.

[Courtesy Flush]

84. You really didn't read my posts.

I didn't indicate in any way that I don't understand the story. Honestly, I get it. I got it from the very beginning.

My problem was with the outlandish reporting of the story. Did you really not understand that? I was very clear.

The author was blinded by tinfoil. Whether the story has merit or not is another issue. This particular article was just outrageous.

But if you feel a need to explain things, please tell me what the KKK's connection to this story is.

[leeroysphitz]

49. Just more dooshbags with guns. n/t

[Harmony Blue]

51. Here is the definition for mercs

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercenary

[quote]: one that serves merely for wages; especially : a soldier hired into foreign service[/quote]

So by definition those people pictured can be called mercs.

[bobclark86]

52. Let's look at these guys:

--No real uniform.
--Not US Army, National Guard, etc. issued weapons (the first one has a fake silencer to make the barrel long enough for civilian ownership and the army doesn't use the gun the bottom guy carries)

In fact, the guys remind me of this guy:


They're what we in the industry call "mall ninjas" or security guards.

[NutmegYankee]

63. Did you notice the Desert camo while in a forest? nt

[bobclark86]

64. But, but...

I'm wearing CAMO!!! How did you SEE me at ALL?!?!?!

I like the dude with the balaclava. I half expect him to pull it over his eyes and say "I can't see YOU: You can't see ME!"

[galileoreloaded]

86. ive seen a few Rangers with SCAR MK16 Mod 0's

in pics from AFG. they are fielded.

[Egalitarian Thug]

54. What could possibly go wrong?

[Brickbat]

68. UPDATE: Jauch and Bewley have asked the mine to remove the guards, who are reportedly from

Bulletproof Securities Force in Arizona.

[galileoreloaded]

74. Habitat for Humanity thinks they are great.

http://www.bulletproofsecurities.com/recommendations/Habitat.pdf

[Scuba]

75. Looks like the Central Arizona branch of Habitat for Humanity. Interesting.

[undeterred]

78. Freedom ain't free.

[RB TexLa]

79. No different than this

[ileus]

85. I've saw guys like this brought in against the UMWA

just without the weapons back in the 90's...

[NuclearDem]

88. As someone who used to wear the uniform...

...fuck these guys.