Posted on 12/19/2018 10:53:56 AM PST by 11th_VA
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP reasserted a directive Wednesday – that the Pentagon quietly dismissed last week – that the military will assume responsibility for building a wall along the southern U.S. border.
Trump's announcement follows reports that the president withdrew his demand for $5 billion in funding for a border wall amid a lack of support in Congress as lawmakers seek a funding compromise that will keep the government open. Trump also repeated claims that a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico will generate revenue that will fulfill his campaign promise of forcing America's southern neighbor to pay for the wall.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders indicated Tuesday that the administration was looking for other elements of the government that could fulfill one of the president's signature campaign promises.
"Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA!" Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to the revised version of the North American Free Trade Agreement that he has rebranded as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. "Far more money coming to the U.S. Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!"
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Army headquarters currently overseeing domestic operations along the U.S. border deferred questions to the Pentagon, which did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
But on Dec. 11, following Trump's initial claims that he would direct the military to begin wall construction, Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said, "to date, there is no plan to build sections of the wall."
"However, Congress has provided options under Title 10 U.S. Code that could permit the Defense Department to fund border barrier projects, such as in support of counter drug operations or national emergencies."
The statement from a department that regularly touts its ability to respond to directives immediately was seen as a way to push back on an unplanned demand from the president without openly contradicting the commander in chief.
Trump has hinted at the idea of using the military to pay for or build the wall, including in March. Federal agencies, however, cannot reappropriate funds without congressional approval. And top legislators on Capitol Hill have questioned whether Trump's authority to deploy the military could extend to building a permanent barrier.
[ "The real issue here is the money. There is nothing in the DOD budget that I could recognize as authorizing them to build a wall. I don't know where they get the authority," Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, said, according to The Washington Examiner.
Trump has previously used his executive power to deploy the military in support of domestic border issues without an apparent funding mechanism. In October, shortly before the November midterm elections, he announced that thousands of U.S. service members would temporarily deploy to border crossings in Texas, Arizona and California and unguarded portions of the southern border to help build fencing and wire barriers, and provide logistic support to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Trump claimed this was a necessary response to a caravan of hundreds of migrants approaching the U.S. from Central America.
Top military officials, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, pushed back at the time on Trump's assertions that the military would serve as a police force, saying its responsibilities were limited to logistics and support roles.
That deployment is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars, which will likely come out of the Defense Department's operating budget.
Fire Matthis.
Ain’t gonna happen.
And that’s not all. The President just revealed that it will be the Mexican military that builds it.
SeaBees. Unleash them like in WWII.
Trump is only a speed bump.
I just heard cuts on Rush’s program with Chris Van Hollen saying that Trump cannot redirect funds into his own ‘slush fund’ (the newest iteration of money the Dems do not control). And then a cut of Sen Thune saying the Military won’t be used to build the wall because the Military is to be used to protect our country. I nearly screamed at the radio ‘SENATOR THUNE, WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY FROM THE INVADERS COMING ACROSS OUR SOUTHERN BORDER???’.
But Congress can redirect taxpayer money to their own 'slush fund.'
During WW II there were around 100,000 Sea Bees. Today we have around 7,000 active duty with 6,000 reserve.
Just do it and get it done.
You are. Right, McMaster, Kelly andmattis are all moderate globalist non trump supporters. None should have been appointed. Trumps major rookie mistakes are appointing people who aren’t his supporters and, two, not getting rid of every Obama holdover.
..... What’s to keep the currently re-spawning Swamp from scuttling this idea?
Don’t bet on it. Trump has been convinced that democrat ivankajared prison reform is more important than his objectives. Most of trumps failures are of his own making by rookie mistakes, allowing Obama holdovers, appointing non supporters. Whose fault is that?
Trumps odds of reelection today are no more than 50/50.
“Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said, to date, there is no plan to build sections of the wall...”
There are large chunks of Pentagon staffers whose sole purpose is to develope, update, and store readiness plans. I would be hard pressed to believe contingencies do not ecist. On the othe other hand maybe Lt Col Davis was speaking strictly from an acquisitions standpoint.
“I now think stars on your shoulder should probably be considered a marker for “deep state hack”.
You ever read David Hackworth on the “perfumed princes of the Pentagon?”
The 412th Engineer Command provides theater-level engineer support to the Combatant Commander in the event of a contingency operation. It is designed to command hundreds of engineer units and thousands of Soldiers in a war fighting capacity. The Command has historical training relationships in the Pacific and European theaters, and provides direct support to the Eighth US Army in Korea. The Command also is the Army Reserve’s Executive Agent for Operation Sand Castle at Fort Irwin, CA, which is a 10-year urban terrain construction mission for engineer units conducting their Annual Training. Prior to mobilization, the 412th ENCOM is under operational control of the Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
As an operational command, the 412th has 3 brigades and 96 other assigned units with approximately 10,000 Soldiers located throughout the southeast and northeast U.S. These units include the 926th Engineer Brigade, 411th Engineer Brigade, 302d Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, and the 314th Press Camp Headquarters.
Soooo....
Looks like Trump can activate these reservists (not National Guard) and use them to build the wall. Note in the description how they’ve gained experience in “urban terrain construction.”
Sounds like a border wall to me.
Go Trump - MAGA
Go Melania aka Lady MAGA
Q is real
And not at all as engineer-heavy as building a missile silo; although arguably more pertinent in today's environment.
COE could do it with minimal effort. By using competitive-bid, multiple regional prime contractors who were familiar with local conditions together with on-site 24/7 COE inspectors it essentially would be an accelerated project without the typical costs. It could be scheduled at a pace consistent with the Pentagon's (prudent) release of funds.
(Imagine a number of concurrent 60-90 day projects...bingo!)
If the CinC did not allow this national defense project to be halted by some leftist federal judge, it could be completed so quickly it is unlikely the anti-American border crowd would have time to effectively interfere.
Why does he even bother tweeting such nonsense? It’s embarrassing.
AWESOME! Almost 7/10th of 1% of 1/5th of Trump asked for funded! /s
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