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Remember, Special Agent and FBI SWAT member Chris Braga LEFT the Marines to join the Ruby Ridge-Waco Gang.

Maybe he wasn't seeing enough "action" in the peacetime USMC, and wanted to join an outfit with looser "rules of engagement" and a better chance of shooting "perps". I was in Navy Special Warfare, and I am very familiar with the "pray for war" mentality.

If you haven't seen it yet, read this chapter excerpt from my novel in progress.

"The Raid: New Fiction from the War On Domestic Terrorism"

I see Braga as the epitome of BATF STU team leaders Hummel and Jaeger. These FBI HRT and SWAT and ATF SRT guys ALL come from a military specops background. They never put in any time in investigations, they go straight from the SEALs, Rangers, USMC etc to a federal "specops team", where they pick up the same kevlar armor and weapons they used in the military. They bring to "law enforcement" the wartime military "just get results, collateral damage is expected" mentality they had in their old outfits. It's no wonder these incidents occur.

Much worse is going to happen now that that post 9-11 they are on such a hair trigger.

Law enforcement currently suffers from three plagues :

1. Militarization

2. Federalization

3. Politicization

"Takedown" stops w/o clearly marked cars and uniforms are not "cool". Why approach the vehicle and leave cover if you are so "certain" that the situation is that "hot"? etc. etc. etc.

The shooting involvoing Mr. Shultz and Agent Braga was an unfortunate tragic

Your reply is steeped in the paranoia that seems to affect many who post here. I know two individuals who are assigned to an ATF SRT. They are experienced street agents who spent a number of years on the steets of Baltimore investigating CRIMINALS who ILLEGALLY possessed firearms.....many of whom were career criminals with multiple violent felony convictions (read rape, armed robbery, attempted murder etc.) BEFORE becoming SRT members. One joined the ATF after college, the other after college and five years as a local police officer in another city. No military background.

You state you were in Naval Special Warfare and that ALL of those members of ATF SRT's have specops background. Bull. It's broad sweeping unjustified generalizations like this that serve only provide grist for a paranoid rumor mill.

Do your research Mr. McGee. It's easy to hide behind a keyboard.

The shooting involvoing Mr. Shultz and Agent Braga was an unfortunate tragic event, I'm certain that Braga isn't a trained killer with a dearth of targets.

Your reply is steeped in the paranoia that seems to affect many who post here. I know two individuals who are assigned to an ATF SRT. They are experienced street agents who spent a number of years on the steets of Baltimore investigating CRIMINALS who ILLEGALLY possessed firearms.....many of whom were career criminals with multiple violent felony convictions (read rape, armed robbery, attempted murder etc.) BEFORE becoming SRT members. One joined the ATF after college, the other after college and five years as a local police officer in another city. No military background.

You state you were in Naval Special Warfare and that ALL of those members of ATF SRT's have specops background. Bull. It's broad sweeping unjustified generalizations like this that serve only provide grist for a paranoid rumor mill.

Do your research Mr. McGee. It's easy to hide behind a keyboard.