No Posse Can Stop Them

LFET ^ | George F. Smith

[Sir Gawain]

-

[Liberty Teeth]

If the military suddenly loses its mind and turns on the American people, that is the day all hell brakes loose.

I don't see it happening.

However, if the American people accept the idea and we start seeing military all over the place, what is there to stop some overzealous soldiers from harassing or accidentally/purposefully harming the wrong people?

[Suzie_Cue]

If the terrorists hate us for our freedoms….
The simple solution is to take our freedoms away

[Liberty Teeth]

"I'm sure if Biden had flopped as an American politician he would make the cut in any number of banana republics."

LOL

[Liberty Teeth]

This is a thread that needs a poll.

[tpaine]

'Poohbah' and I had a little discussion on this very subject just the other night. - I contend that american GI's would NOT fight a sustained 'war on terror' against their own countrymen. --

We are, - essentially -, a nation of rebels, and would not obey unconstitutional orders, when the political crap hit the fan. -- Our 'discussion' ran from approx post #510 to #550, here.

FLAME WARS, BANISHMENTS, ANTI-FREEPERS. YOUR CALLS, YOUR OPINIONS THIS WEEK ON RADIO FREE REPUBLIC


Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/732792/posts

[Poohbah]

However, if the American people accept the idea and we start seeing military all over the place, what is there to stop some overzealous soldiers from harassing or accidentally/purposefully harming the wrong people?

The Uniform Code of Military Justice. Unlike police, the military does not have civil service protection, and commanders are not enthusiastic about "overzealous" soldiers acting outside of clearly delineated boundaries.

A cort-martial is the court you want to be in front of if you are innocent, but the one you don't want to go anywhere near if you're guilty.

[weikel]

I agree I trust the military more than the police.

[weikel]

Im actually with RINO Bush on this one. A) the military would be fairer than civilian police and probably better at stopping street crime. B) The type of people who enter the military aren't as authoritarian in nature as police and if the government tried to use the military to abuse people there would be a coup, resulting in the destruction of our current corrupt government and the end of the abomination of Democracy( which our founders never intended but we are more like a true Democracy now) followed by a true conservative military government given the overwhelming number of conservatives in the officier corp.

[dcwusmc]

Bump for later

[Poohbah]

'Poohbah' and I had a little discussion on this very subject just the other night. - I contend that american GI's would NOT fight a sustained 'war on terror' against their own countrymen.

Unless, of course, the rabid ideologues insisted on fighting one. However, you didn't use the word "extended." Adding that qualifer, I quite agree with you--it would not take very long for any such war to be wound up, as the number of people who are both stupid and crazy enough to start it is very low.

Any gathering of them sufficient in numbers and training to require a military detachment (as opposed to law enforcement) to deal with them would probably represent a significant total of their operational forces, and would effectively end the military phase of the campaign.

[Liberty Teeth]

"The type of people who enter the military aren't as authoritarian in nature as police"

Wouldn't it be a mixture of law enforcement and military monitored by the feds?

That seems like a cocktail for disaster - and I am not talking about an attack but the potential for error and misjudgement could prove costly. We can't afford anything else that could potentially divide us further.

Again, this is speculation and opinion.

[Poohbah]

Im actually with RINO Bush on this one. A) the military would be fairer than civilian police and probably better at stopping street crime.

I am opposed to using military for purely law enforcement missions. They are there to fight and win battles.

If a battle comes on American soil, so be it. I want the military able to fight and win.

B) The type of people who enter the military aren't as authoritarian in nature as police and if the government tried to use the military to abuse people there would be a coup, resulting in the destruction of our current corrupt government and the end of the abomination of Democracy( which our founders never intended but we are more like a true Democracy now) followed by a true conservative military government given the overwhelming number of conservatives in the officier corp.

In that estimate, you are quite incorrect. A military coup would involve such a drastic change from all previous military behavior in this country's history and the Constitution that you would not be able to characterize the ensuing government as "conservative."

[weikel]

Okay perhaps I should say reactionary.

[Poohbah]

Okay perhaps I should say reactionary.

That's probably not a great choice, but it is close enough, I suppose.

Basically, we would have an authoritarian form of government that lacked even the tiniest shred of legitimacy--which means that any dissent, be it left-wing or right-wing in origin, would be met with detention camps and death squads.

I, for one, do not relish the idea of having to be Noam Chomsky's cellmate.

[weikel]

For the 1st few years yes the opponents would be treated harshly but it would hopefully run along the lines of Pinochet in Chile. After all their opponents( mainly on the extreme left and people on the dole I don't think opponents on the right would be treated as harshly) had been crushed things would relax. Small price to pay for an end to socialism.

[Poohbah]

For the 1st few years yes the opponents would be treated harshly but it would hopefully run along the lines of Pinochet in Chile.

Yup--disappearing anyone who gets in their way for 10-15 years, assassinating enemies in foreign capitols...great thing to hope for.

After all their opponents( mainly on the extreme left and people on the dole I don't think opponents on the right would be treated as harshly) had been crushed things would relax.

You just keep whistling past that graveyard, sonny. Anyone who takes the Constitution seriously would be a mortal threat to a military junta in this country--hell, even more of a threat than the leftists would be.

Small price to pay for an end to socialism.

Would you still say that from inside a prison camp, awaiting your turn in front of the firing squad?

[RedwM]

In Israel they have soldiers all over the place. Terrorists kill people almost every day in Israel.

[weikel]

Take Pinochet he saved Chile from socialism early on he came down on his opponents on the left hard but as the threat of the commies trying anything dissapeared things relaxed and Chile became a true free market economy.