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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (12985)	2/14/2003 7:29:22 PM
From: Crimson Ghost	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

CODE RED APPROACHING IN WASHINGTON? JOURNALISTS PLAN THEIR ESCAPE FROM MODERN-DAY ROME "The Washington Post newsroom had been blasé about the prospect of a terrorist attack, according to staffers working on contingency plans, but editors now seem to be in a panic to prepare for a scenario blasted across the paper’s front page all week" MID-EAST REALITIES - MER - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 2/14/2003: Who knows what and whom to believe anymore! And this is more statement than question at this point. Washington has never been at the top level, 'CODE RED', before; and few are sure just what it means with even fewer knowing just why it is being rumored here today. Is may well all be part of a psychological campaign to frighten the population in advance of war with Iraq, maybe simultaneous war with North Korea, and who knows what kinds of responses around the world from 'the other side'. Or...there actually might be some specific threats, matched by capabilities, the details of which are not being released. We do know, however, that government credibility is not very high these days -- the price for all the deceptions and distortions going way back at this point and most recently visited on us all by none other than Army General Secretary-of-State Colin Powell. And at the same time there are substantial new rumors here that some senior personalities on Capitol Hill are extremely displeased by what they have found out about past "alerts" as well as about the heightened dark secret conspiratorial activites of the CIA, now apparently extra busy manipulating and undermining the UN 'inspections' process in Iraq. Stay tuned...and check the MER WORLD section more frequently -- www.MiddleEast.Org. TAKE A DEEP BREATH, SAY HOMELAND OFFICIALS 14 Feb: Indications from government sources are that the already heightened Code Orange security alert Washington, D.C., is operating under may be increased to Code Red in the next 24 hours because of heightened concern about a possible terrorist attack. While a top Bush aide said that a change from orange to red–the highest alert–isn't imminent, other moves suggest otherwise. Whispers learns that lawmakers are being encouraged to send their families back to their home states. Other government sources are freely talking about the increased security alert possibly coming as soon as Friday. Also: Equipment that can detect chemical and biological weapons has been deployed in Washington. And some government workers have been warned that if terrorism strikes, agencies might not be able to provide enough water, food or clothing. Thus, they've been told to come to work with the following: * Change of clothes; soap; bath towel. * List of emergency contacts and family members. * Several bottles of water. * Several snacks (those that do not need to be microwaved or refrigerated). * Small blanket and pillow. * Flashlight. In addition, the feds have drawn up a list of Internet sites for employees to check in the event of terrorism. ["Washington Whispers", USNews & World Report - 14 Feb] DC JOURNALISTS HAVE ESCAPE PLANS IF NATION'S CAPITAL IS ATTACKED The Washington Post is moving its data center to Tysons Corner in Virginia. U.S. News has plans to send reporters and editors to hotels in Frederick, Maryland. The BBC would evacuate its staff to waiting boats on the Potomac River to avoid land-based escape routes that are likely to be jammed. The New York Times Washington bureau says it hasn’t a clue about what to do. As the threat of a terrorist attack on Washington occupies the front pages and airwaves, news organizations are trying to figure out how to keep going in a capital city where the air or water might be toxic. “We’re putting our plan together now,” says U.S. News executive editor Brian Kelly. “We have people here and in New York. If [terrorists] hit both places, we’ll be in Frederick.” The Washington Post newsroom had been blasé about the prospect of a terrorist attack, according to staffers working on contingency plans, but editors now seem to be in a panic to prepare for a scenario blasted across the paper’s front page all week. “They’re really taking it seriously,” says a member of the communications team. The Post has been doing some planning for worst-case scenarios for months. A move of its data center to Tysons Corner is scheduled to be done in June. But the pace picked up Thursday in meetings with top editors such as managing editor Steve Coll. Post Company chair Don Graham also has been involved in daily meetings. “We have a pretty well-developed plan to keep publishing the newspaper,” Coll says. According to internal communications, the Post is planning for three levels of trouble: l. A chemical or biological attack, such as anthrax, in the newsroom. 2. The downtown DC headquarters is uninhabitable but still standing. 3. The Post building is destroyed. ”We are working on plans to keep publishing at each level,” says one editor. “How do we recreate ourselves?” If the newsroom is out of commission, the foreign desk reorganizes in the Alexandria bureau. The national desk would reorganize in Silver Spring, north of DC in suburban Maryland. Coll calls it “a dispersal strategy.” The paper is also stocking up on basic survival supplies, like water. “We are preparing for lockdown,” one staff member said. USA Today is already about 14 miles west of the White House in Tysons Corner, but it has begun to plan for second and third publishing sites. “We will work out of these offices here as long as possible,” says director of communications Steven Anderson, “but we have offices in Silver Spring where we could publish if necessary.” USA Today also is setting up a potential publishing site farther away in Winchester, Virginia, 75 miles west of Washington. It already has moved some computers to Shenandoah University there. The BBC’s plan to evacuate its Washington staff by boat was explained to Post executives. BBC news editor Patrick Howse referred calls about the use of boats to corporate headquarters. At U.S. News, editors and managers were doing what they could to make sure their building and its ventilation systems were secure. “We’re trying to reassure people,” says Brian Kelly. “There’s not much more you can do.” —HARRY JAFFE - The Washingtonian MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org