[Nosterrex]

Perhaps I did not make myself clear. The military has the fire power, civilians don’t. The axiom, “he who has the guns makes the rules,” was used figuratively. I’m surprised that you did not understand that.

[2ndDivisionVet]

We are one of the few societies where almost anyone can own a rifle, shotgun or pistol freely. If by “firepower” you mean tanks, ICBMs, combat aircraft, artillery, heavy machine guns, cruise missiles and things like that, you are assuredly correct: The military has those and the civilians don't. However, as we saw in Iraq, Vietnam, Afghanistan, the Banana Republics, etc., insurgents don't fight toe-to-toe with a well-equipped military force unless they're suicidal. They ambush, set off explosives, sabotage, pick off collaborators, local leaders and individual soldiers, etc. One guerrilla ties down 3-8 troops. Well, if 20-50+ million citizens become partisans, there aren't enough soldiers in the whole wide world to deal with them, not counting those servicemembers that switch to the citizen's side.

[Biggirl]

Please see post 40.