Posted on 07/21/2002 9:38:40 AM PDT by GeneD
Edited on 07/19/2004 2:10:08 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Washington, July 21 (Bloomberg) -- The government should consider reversing a more than a century of tradition and law to give the military authority to make arrests and fire their weapons on U.S. soil in the event of a terrorist attack, Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said.
(Excerpt) Read more at quote.bloomberg.com ...
The FBI is the tool to catch said terrorists.
LOL.
I'd say many Americans are making the French look bold as of late. It's embarassing.
Think about what you are saying! Do you think the police are equipped or adequately trained to protect our canals, power plants, reservoirs, nuclear power facilities, the power distribution grid, refineries, and dams? You will need the military to protect these if this war really takes hold as expected. Let's not make foolish decisions.
But I would bet money you wouldn't want this to slip by without reading it.
Bush doesn't "own" Biden- so how is he to disown Biden for advocating a weakening of Posse Comitatus?
Ridge merely says "it may come up as a part of a discussion. It does not mean that it will ever be used or that the discussion will conclude that it even should be used.'' "
There are two existing exceptions to Posse Commitatus, as I understand the law: Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Drugs.
The reason that Janet Reno conjured up non-existent evidence of a Meth Lab at Mount Carmel was specifically so that the miliary could be called in.
I don't think clinton had to waive the Posse Commitatus act, even if he had the power to do so (doubtful).
There's nothing to "reconcile." I'm not in favor of any of those uses for the military either. You must have me confused with an idiot.
Personally I interpret this as a trial balloon and a true indicator of the thickness of Ridge's head.
Armed volunteers (militia) or paid police can defend these targets. Not regular military. I support the men and women in our military, but I do not want them used for domestic law enforcement.
Of course, if our borders were secure, the point would be moot. It's a lot easier to secure 6000 miles of border than literally hundreds of thousands of potential targets. The fact that this isn't being done should raise some red flags.
What do you think about having foreign troops here? Because that's who will be guarding these assets eventually.
Do you honestly believe that Biden just happened along, and just "happened" to be thinking along these lines????
Proposals such as this do not happen in a vacumn.
Cradled in the stern but loving arms of our paternalist government that provides guidance and sustenance for its wayward children.
Uncle Stalin's dream come true.
The military accomplishes its goals without regard for collateral damage, domestic niceties, or constitutional rights. That's why its personnel are governed under the UCMJ instead of civil and/or constitutional law. (That is also why an international criminal court is such an abomination, by the way.) In pursuit of its objectives, the military is empowered to use whatever force is necessary, including mass destruction of civilian infrastructure and life. Not so the police, who are constrained by the Bill of Rights (at least nominally).
To unleash the power of the military upon a civilian population is to pit a tiger against a tabby cat. Our armed forces were never intended to shoot down their own brothers and sisters.
What is the definition of is?
Does domestic refer to the location of the arrest or the nationality of the suspect.
Defining domestic as pertaining to location would seem to preclude the defense of the nation if foreign invaders could get a foot on US soil. Seems to me that this legislation is redundent since our military already posses the power that Ridge et al are seeking.
BTW: If anyone wants to look into the Nunn- Biden (and Warner!) amendment he was talking about: AMENDMENT NO. 1251 (Senate - June 06, 1995)
[Page: S7797]
"...shall not authorize arrest or any assistance in conducting searches and seizures that seek evidence related to violations of this section, except for the immediate protection of human life. "
Puts bio and chem weapons under the same exemptiom from Posse Comitatus that nuke weapons are under now.
Heck, a Governor can decide in 10 minutes that he needs federal forces to defend against such an attack- and ask for it.
No need to change the law.
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