If one watched the videos of last week's assault on the
Capitol carefully, it was evident that within the larger mob there were
carefully organized military units, well equipped and with combat helmets, that
were working according to a plan. They
moved through the masses as a group. They
clearly came with the intent of capturing and hanging Vice-President Pence and at
least taking Speaker Pelosi and others hostage.
They even came equipped with a pre-fabricated gallows. The lieutenant colonel with the combat helmet
and bundle of zip=ties was just one of those involved. An important question that needs to be
answered is whether they were working in collaboration with someone in the
White House or elsewhere within the government.
The weakness of government preparations to protect the Capitol when
there was abundant evidence that an assault was planned strongly suggests that
there was insider involvement. How
widespread was it? Did it extend into
Congress? One can only hope that those investigating
the assault are able to find the answers.
But that raises a further concern. We don't really know to what extent Trump (who was probably a puppet in all this since he really isn't very bright) and others involved were able to hollow out the investigative and intelligence services, or pack them with sympathizers, in order to help conceal the real extent of this authoritarian conspiracy. We do know from earlier reporting, that a great deal of damage had been done to these parts of the Federal bureaucracy. The more I see and hear, the more convinced I become that there's a lot more to this than a mob that got out of control. The mob was simply used for cover. This was a carefully planned and organized attempt to overthrow the government.
