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Contemplating the Threat of a Coup D`Etat

With a coup in Thailand in the news, and the suppression of democracy there taking center stage, it is sometimes of use to wonder ?What if?? regarding our own countries. No matter how democratic or well-established, plots can often go unseen for long enough to pose a threat. There were those who, during the days of the American Revolution, contemplated sending troops to barricade the Continental Congress in order to get soldiers their pay. Could any sort of similar military coup happen in the America of today?

Imagine the following scenario: ?The roar of F-15s overhead brought everyone?s attention to the skies, and disbelievingly, tourists and Washingtonians watched several missiles slide off the wings of three warplanes flying in the direction of the White House. Seconds later, muffled explosions elicited screams from many of those present witnessing the event. As anti-aircraft missiles fired by the Secret Service flew up and smoke began to rise from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, sirens began to wail, and those who were in Washington, D.C. on that day had the distinct sense that history was in the making.?

Such is very much how a coup d?etat in the United States could be carried out, if the American military grew frustrated with the manner in which the civilian government was running military operations abroad. It isn?t inconceivable that such a coup could occur in the United States, though the chances of it actually ending with success for the coup plotters would likely be very low due to public opposition. America is a diverse enough country, and Americans have held the values they cherish for so long, that support for such a move would be low.