Oil Shockwave  

Continuity Central (a web site for business continuity planners) reports on operation "Oil Shockwave" - an exercise to analyse responses to an oil supply crisis.

No doubt this will set alarm bells ringing in the 911 conspiracy theory community, given the oft noted coincidental timing of airborne anti-terrorism exercises in New York on that particular day. It doesn't sound like there are any physical exercises taking place though, so it would seem unlikely anything sinister is going on - unless its D-Day in Iran of course :-)

Top former US national security officials will take part in an oil crisis simulation on Thursday 23rd June that will explore the economic and national security implications of America's dependence on oil by simulating the consequences of a major global oil supply crisis.

This executive simulation will use sophisticated video and computer modelling where participants will assume cabinet-level roles, such as Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security, in a dynamic, unscripted, real-time environment demonstrating the impacts of major disruptions in the world's oil supply.

The event will feature three simulated global oil disruption events, with mock breaking news reports and policy briefings with participants.

Oil Shockwave will simulate a decline in world oil production due to instability and terrorism, develop likely economic and national security implications, and present the deliberations of a mock US government cabinet- level meeting whose task is to advise the president regarding a national response.

On a semi-related note, apparently the US Congress has approved legislation to quickly replace themselves if they are killed in a Sept. 11-type attack.

The House voted 268-143 to retain the plan, which was attached to a spending bill likely to be sent to President Bush within several months.

The measure, dubbed the "Doomsday" bill, requires special elections within 49 days if more than 100 of the House's 435 members are killed. Currently it can take 75 days or more for some states to hold special elections to replace a member who dies in office.

Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Florida Republican, noted the possibility that Congress could have been a target in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. "We could have been faced with a situation where Congress would not have been able to function and we have to do everything possible to prevent this from being a possibility in the future," he said during a debate on the provision.

Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, called the measure "an invitation to one man-rule and dictatorship" because at least seven weeks could elapse before the House would be reconstituted, leaving major decisions to the president.

Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California said the legislation was "a plan that will lead to martial law at exactly the time when we need Congress functioning to represent the interests of the American people."

Congress has been debating the need for new procedures since the Sept. 11 attacks when two hijacked airliners slammed into New York's World Trade Center the Pentagon. Another airliner, thought to be headed to the Capitol or White House, crashed in a Pennsylvania field.

And following on from the "dictatorship" fear expressed above, it has been noted that there is a proposal to repeal the 22nd amendment to the US constitution (which is supposedly the one limiting presidents to 2 terms) - see here and search for "22nd amendment" - by Reps HOYER, BERMAN, SENSENBRENNER, SABO, and PALLONE. So maybe Bush will be around for a lot longer than most of us hope...

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