a relatively small number of civilian criminals?
Relative to the population of Washington D.C., yes. I'm not suggesting that they roll over and do nothing about the looting and riots. But bringing in the regular military (not the National Guard) to deal with rioting civilians would be an unprecedented step of dubious constitutionality. These guys are trained to shoot first, ask questions later. Bring them in and the bodies are really going to start piling up, not just the rioters but also people who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The same training that is an asset on foreign battlefields is a liability when dealing with US civilians. In President Trump's words, "The cure cannot be worse than the disease."
Don’t care. Let them pay for tearing this country apart.
About time the crypto-liberal shows up
I agree on not bringing in the active military. In this case, the national guard units he was calling up were federalized state NGs. There is no state guard for DC, it is a federal district.
I’ve seen the NG used in a city (Newark). Do you know whom their back up is if needed. In 67 I believe the active military had to be called up to quell the Detroit riot.