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**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-** 
-                                                            -
-                  How to Overthrow a country                -
-         An objective essay written by Senator Bunker       -
-                                                            -
**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**


Introduction by Someone Else
----------------------------

     I've  been  meaning to write this file for  months,  but  it 
looks  like  the good Senator from California has put forth  that 
extra  effort  I was too lazy to make in putting  this  together.  
This is not a humorous article, to bluntly say; it is designed to 
inform  you of proper execution of coup d'etat,  that 'stroke  of 
state' that topples governments so often these days.  Enjoy.


I. Before you begin
-------------------

     Subjugation   of  a  nation  is  a  tremendous   undertaking 
requiring foresight,  ingenuity,  and careful thought.  The first 
task  of  many  is to decide whether the country  is  a  suitable 
candidate  for a drastic and sudden change  in  government.   The 
degree  of  difficulty varies with  size,  population,  political 
awareness, and literacy.

     The  large  state,  tending to contain a greater  number  of 
persons,  differs substantially from the small state in that  the 
body  politic  is much more complex and hence more  difficult  to 
seize control of.  It is generally advisable to tackle a smaller, 
unimportant regime rather than a country that,  if seized,  might 
draw a foreign power into the coup hence rendering it a failure.

     One  thing to do before attempting anything of this kind  is 
to  make  sure  who your friends and allies are.  With  a  little 
effort,  it is possible to gain a mass of supporters such that it 
is quite difficult to quell your actions.  A way to do this is to 
select  (if  possible) a nation whose government  does  not  have 
support  of all of its  classes  (poor,  rich,  middle).  Or,  if 
neccessary,  lure  to your cause a religious minority,  or ethnic 
minority, that already has grievances against the current regime. 
Perhaps  you  might  form  a  coalition.  Summarizing,  it  is  a 
requisite  to get at least some support besides from soldiers  of 
fortune, who are generally "gung-ho" incompetents anyway.

     Ideally,  you  should  be part of some branch of  the  armed 
forces,   police,  national  guard,  or  some  government  agency 
equipped  with personnel trained in the use of weoponry.  In  the 
public's  eye,  you  already have some sort of  authority,  so  a 
little more authority couldn't hurt, could it?

     So,  now  what  kind  of  government  should  we  tackle?  A 
democratic?  Maybe. They are usually fragile, anyway. But much of 
the  international community will frown on your taking  a  small, 
helpless, struggling democracy, and perhaps take actions that are 
unfavorable. How about a Marxist dictatorship? Now, that's a good 
idea. Most of the time these are anti-communist, even though they 
receive  aid from the U.S.S.R.,  so it is a very good probability 
that Russia will not jump to help them. The Soviet Union waits to 
see if the new government will be pro-Soviet, not pro-Marxist, so 
you will be safe for the first few days.  Also,  not much of  the 
world likes Marxist dictatorships.

     If  you  have  a  choice of which nation to  put  down  (you 
usually  don't),  do  not select a NATO country,  or  some  other 
nation that receives $4 billion annually,  because superpowers do 
not  like  to see their money to go down the drain  so  suddenly. 
Pick Martinique,  Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, or Surinam. If you're 
white,  don't go in an African dump unless you have a  deathwish. 
Plus,  if  the  country has low literacy levels,  good,  for  the 
people there won't know what is happening.

     Things to avoid:

          -   High literacy rate
          -   Large per capita income
          -   Voter participation
          -   An "established" nation
          -   Countries with allies

     Things to look for:

          -   Civilian unrest
          -   Minority in control
          -   Centralized government
          -   Political apathy

     Note: An OK from Washington or Moscow couldn't hurt.

II.  The Mechanism of the Coup d'Etat
-------------------------------------

     The first thing that should be done is the neutralization of 
all   relevent   political   forces,    including   the   general 
infrastructure of the state.  This includes,  among other things, 
highways,  telecommunications  facilities (including  radio,  TV, 
etc.), airports, and so on. The reason these are political forces 
is that they are controlled by nonmilitary portions of the  state 
(in  the event you were wondering).  Unfortunately,  these are  a 
large  and  spread  apart group of targets,  so if  you  have  no 
tactical or popular support your attemps will be fruitless.

     Undoubtedly the absolute first thing you should do is to cut 
all forms of communcations with the outside world off at once. Be 
sure to include:  Telephone, Telex, Wireless, Radio, etc. THIS IS 
MOST  IMPORTANT.  It  will  prevent the present  government  from 
mobilizing  its  forces,  deploying  their  forces  in  strategic 
locations  that  are not normally  guarded,  etc.  It  will  also 
prevent   them   from   calling  outside  for   emergency   help, 
jeopardizing your hard work,  not to mention your life.  Soon the 
rest of the world will know something has happened, but they will 
not  know  who  has  taken  the  government,   how  the  coup  is 
progressing,  and so forth. Make sure all forms of communications 
are completely cut.

     One  other  important thing to do is remove  air  facilities 
from the use of the loyalist forces. It is not necessary to seize 
control  of  the airports;  all that is needed to be done  is  to 
close  the airports.  A bomb or two in the middle of the  runways 
will do nicely,  or perhaps a couple of cars parked  there,  with 
snipers  preventing  their  removal.   You  should  not  rely  on 
airfields  for your coup;  if you rely on them and they are  shut 
down,  you  will  encounter  problems.  The old  government  will 
probably  rely on them,  and you will easily be able  to  prevent 
their  usage  of them.       At an early time during the coup  it 
should be evident as to its success.

     Government  officials  and employees of higher rank  have  a 
choice  to make-- whether to remain loyal to the old  government, 
or  to join the new attempt at government.  If they  stay  loyal, 
they may be richly rewarded;  if they defect, and the coup fails, 
they will be out of a job mighty quick.  The success of your coup 
depends  much  on whether many of these officials decide to  join 
the coup.
     In  addition to those people who remain loyal and those  who 
join  your  cause,  there is a "wait and see"  element  involved. 
Often  this is the majority of the population,  especially if the 
present  regime is somewhat repressive.  They don't want to  show 
too  much enthusiasm for either side,  until it is more  or  less 
decided who will gain control. It's best to plan a sudden, abrupt 
seizure  of  all  facilities  to make the coup  seem  a  smashing 
success;  if  this is done,  the undecided will know to  whom  to 
turn.

     When you take power from the original government, it is best 
to  know who actually runs it.  In most of the world (but not  in 
the  U.S.)  there are two governments:  1- a  largely  ceremonial 
government,  the  part that people see on television and at  most 
public events.  They are,  for the most part,  what is known as a 
"figurehead",  set  off  to  the side to  keep  the  government's 
"alter- ego"  working on policy.  2- the "real"  government,  the 
government that formulates domestic and foreign policy, makes all 
executive decisions, and basically controls the infrastructure of 
the  nation.  The part of the government you will need to take is 
(obviously)  the  latter.  It is composed of the  executive  head 
(called by whatever title he may hold- Prime Minister, President, 
General  Secretary,  etc.),  ministers,  and various  deputy  and 
second ministers who make small yet influential decisions.

     The  people you are most interested in detaining (or bumping 
off) are the Minister of the Interior (he normally supervises the 
police forces), the party leaders (of the ruling party, or of the 
only party,  if a one-party state),  the Minister of Defense, and 
the  central figure of the "real" government.  Once these  people 
are neutralized,  in one way or another,  the basic functions  of 
the state will be under your command, at least temporarily.

     What  is  often done is to detain (under  house  arrest,  of 
course)  the aforementioned officials,  and leave the  ceremonial 
portion of the government alone.  This is done to give an aire of 
legitimacy  and  continuity after such an abrupt turn of  events. 
Later,  these  may be kept or allowed/forced to  leave,  as  need 
arises.

     You will not stay in power for long if you do not exert some 
sort  of  influence over the armed forces.  The military has  the 
ability  to remove virtually any threat if perceives from  within 
the  boundaries  of the nation-- especially YOU.  If  you  are  a 
foreigner,  and  do not have (or used to have but have now  lost) 
support  of  the militia,  prepare to die.  You as a person  will 
cease to exist,  unless you leave the country.  And,  always have 
several prepared escape routes planned out in advance-- even  the 
perfect coup d'etat will have its complicatons, and there will be 
things  that you have overlooked.  That is why it is best to have 
thoroughly studied the past and recent history of that state.  Do 
your homework! If you do you will be richly rewarded.
     

III.  After the Coup
--------------------

     Once you have removed the major functions of the  government 
and bureaucracy from the Loyalist government, you will not yet be 
in  solid control of them yourself.  You will want to retain your 
control,  and thus prevent a counter-coup from ensuing.  Your new 
regime  will be weakest at this time,  and many times some  other 
group seizes the reins of government hours after a coup  d'etat-- 
and  this  group  is  not  necessarily  the  old  loyalists.  The 
military, political forces within the nation, and the public must 
all be satisfied to some extent in order for you to continue your 
rule.  This  can  be attained either by a show of  force,  or  by 
concessions made to any of these groups, such as a democratically 
elected  government in the near future,  or granting the military 
more  influence  over political decisions,  and  perhaps  quickly 
promoting a number of young officers that proved faithful  during 
the  crisis.  "Promote"  those  officers who have clout  but  you 
suspect might try to take more power for themselves to desk jobs, 
or  remote  outposts.  And give them all pay raises,  if  at  all 
possible.

     The  goal of the new regime is to "shear" off the top  layer 
of government, and more or less retain the old bureaucracy. Lower 
officials  should be made to feel as if little or no  change  has 
taken  place,  and  whatever change that has occurred is for  the 
better.  After  a short while these people will realize that  the 
new  government  is fully in control,  and all will be  calm  and 
orderly.

     Mass  media  will act as a Vehicle to assert  your  control. 
Write  the first communique as a positive,  necessary step for  a 
long-needed change. Reassure the people that the coup is a revolt 
for  the  masses-- not inspired by communists,  or  an  extremist 
group,  but  by  the  public in  general.  Display  the  national 
symbols,  and inspire the feeling of patriotism and unity.  These 
techniques  were used quite successfully so recently in the  1985 
coup d'etat in the Sudan.  People poured into the streets, waving 
the old flag of the country,  and having an all-around good time. 
A popular general was instated as the new chief of state,  and  a 
democratic government was promised.

     Lastly, your new regime has to be made to look legitimate in 
the  eyes  of  the  international  community.  Show  evidence  of 
atrocities made by the former government,  witnesses,  etc.  Take 
positive  steps  in the direction of popular  democracy,  promise 
elections,  and  invite the foreign (especially  American)  press 
into  the country to see these steps.  Soon the world will forget 
about your coup,  but whenever your country is in the news,  they 
will remember this. 


IV. A Final Word
----------------

     You will probably realize now that the fast, simple coup was 
actually  the result of much swift planning and hard  work.   The 
coup is not an easy thing to accomplish-- should you be  planning 
one of your own,  know what you are doing and be sure to succeed.  
Hopefully I have been of some help.
 



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