Seven Days in May

It was one of the scariest movies of the 1960's and a cracking good novel, too. An army general decides that the president is weak and destroying the nation. His solution: a military coup and martial law. Could it be happening for real today?

It's possible to dismiss Chuck Norris when he talks about thousands of cells ready to rise up and take over the nation. Excluding the random rightwing terrorist like Tim McVeigh, I expect Norris' cells are like the border watching Minutemen of a few years ago - overweight louts who will only fight if they don't have to leave their lounge chairs. There is also a real threat.

• The Army, especially the Northern Command, has been war gaming a coup 'd etat since 1993 when Bill Clinton was elected.
  
• Some Republicans have been aggressively suborning revolt in the military.
• Factions of the military have begun toying with mutiny. Example. Another example. Yet another example. I can keep going, but you get the point.
  
• Thomas Sowell suggested a military coup in 2007 because George Bush wasn't conservative enough and he has recently reiterated that suggestion.
• The rebels may have found their real life James Mattoon Scott in Gen. Jack Keane. Keane seems to be trying to gather support in the army for open opposition to the President.
  

I am not the first to notice this dangerous convergence, Running 'Cause I Can't Fly was there before me. A military coup is a hazard of having a large, professional military (the phrase "all volunteer" is a misnomer) separated from the civilian society. While I have no doubt that most American servicemembers are loyal first to the country I also have no doubt that cunning commanders would be able to forge the religious fanatics and rightwing extremists in the ranks into an effective force to take over the government.