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Somehow, I don't think Libertarian Billy Graham has his facts straight.

First of all, I quoted Doug Casey, who, in turn, cited a July 20th Reuters news report. The news report is cited here on another website.

Almost as amazing as the blind obedience to illegitimate authority that many are expressing in response to this story, is how you guys will spend hours dealing with irrelevant minutia connected to this story instead of the main issues.

You'll spend hours debating how many tanks Bush wants to use on you, but not a minute on what he's going to do to you with them.

You'll spend hours debating the incompetence of the Fred and Ethel Mertz security guards but not a minute even acknowledging the crimes of several layers of cops documented in this story.

Oh, by the way, in the July 20th Reuters story, the author actually wondered what Bush was going to do with tank battalions in America:

July 20, 2002WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A few days after President Bush's release of a homeland defense strategy calling for the domestic use of U.S. military forces, the U.S. activated 300-Army National Guard tank battalions as part of a homeland defense force

In a statement released Saturday, president Bush said, the Battalions are equipped with modern battle tanks, the M1A1 Abrams" and "will serve in the homeland defense role within the United States."

Bush, commander-in-chief of the Armed forces, did not say what role the tank battalions would serve in homeland defense.

In addition to the tank battalions, the supreme commander activated 500 Air force fighter-bomber squadrons to patrol the U.S. packing full ordnance looking for terrorists, also 1000 Special Forces units were activated and will be deployed around the country to start door to door searches for suspicious people "in support of the war on terrorism," Bush said.

Asked about the massive deployments of tanks and choppers, what role they would play in a domestic deployment, Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Horton said: "That can't be discussed. It all will depend on the mission."

Though he said he could not provide specifics, Horton said the activation was linked to Bush's quest for use of U.S. military forces on the home front.

The deployment will only last a few years, Horton said.

First of all, I quoted Doug Casey, who, in turn, cited a July 20th Reuters news report.

Blaming others for your own ignorance is pretty lame.

In addition to the tank battalions, the supreme commander activated 500 Air force fighter-bomber squadrons

Assuming that the Air Force squadron TO&E is roughly similar to the USMC one, that's 6,000 fighter-bombers. We don't have that many tactical aircraft in the whole damn Air Force!

And 1,000 Special Forces units? Snicker, chuckle...

If you can't get the very basic facts right, and won't take ownership of where you're ignorant, then why should I accept your analysis of the "main issues," or even your identification of what the "main issues" actually are?

From what I can find on google, it seems that on July 20th it was reported on various news sources like here that Bush and his buddies in the standing army announced that they were going to put 300 tank battalion personnel, 500 air force personnel, and 1000 special forces personnel on missions similar to let's say looking for C4 up your a$$ in front of an audience.

It looks like I pasted a source that inflated the story by substituting battalions, squadrons, and units for personnel. You got me.

And, ergo (by your logic) that settles the minor issue (in your mind) of how many tank battalions are necessary (in a free republic) to extract C4 from your a$$.