US army deploys operationally to the home front (the US)

[CrayonVonCaesar]

LINK:
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/0...eland_090708w/
and:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09...me_deployment/

Something called the 'The Posse Comitatus Act' means that this is prohibited under US law from what I've read.
:hmmm:
The army site chalks the new deployment up to disaster training and talks of freedom and protection and the like, but it sounds more like preparation for civilian riot control.

It is only a brigade, but do you think this sets a bad precedent that could be exploited in the future?


Quote:
"They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control"

"expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one."

"The package includes equipment to stand up a hasty road block; spike strips for slowing, stopping or controlling traffic; shields and batons; and, beanbag bullets."




How do you Americans feel about this?

(I am not American by the way)

[Farnan]

Posse Comitatus does not apply if the President declares martial law, and US Army units have been used in internal relief and anti-riot operations since at least Eisenhower when a unit of the 101st Airborne was deployed to Little Rock Arkansas to enforce desegregation.

[The King Of Peasants]

In this vein anyone know that the US military can shut down the interstates at any time? IIRC they were made by Army engineers... It is a good idea to keep a unit home for anti terrorism.

[dwringer]

In this vein anyone know that the US military can shut down the interstates at any time? IIRC they were made by Army engineers... It is a good idea to keep a unit home for anti terrorism.

Haha, yeah, the interstates were all designed to very strict military standards. Aside from certain unavoidable turns that are well marked and somewhat rare, the interstate is graded and banked so you can travel 120 miles per hour on it, and the width of the road as well as the clearances on signs, bridges, etc, were designed for mobile ballistic missile launchers to be able to move around on them. And they say the cold war never did anything good for anybody

EdIT: ok, so they don't actually say that. Quite the opposite I guess

[Farnan]

I hope they stop traffic if they are going to land aircraft on it...

Just so people know the Interstate Highway system turned the whole US into one giant airfield.

[The King Of Peasants]

Great idea really...

[Hookah Smoking Caterpiller]

Great idea really...

Sweden does it too, i think... :hmmm:

[Ketzerfreund]

In Brandenburg the Bundeswehr is also training the suppression of riots, while our minister of inner affairs Wolfgang Schäuble tries everything to make Germany a police state (including trying to change the laws that prohibit the Bundeswehr from being used as a police force on the "home front"), saying it was all in the name of fighting terrorism.

Liiiiies!



Luckily he's not been too successful, yet, thanks to our Federal Constitutional Court.
But who knows for how long...

My grand-father was executed by the Nazis, my father was politically imprisoned in East Germany for over nine years, I've often asked myself what I may pay for one day... What way ever this is going to happen, it will be due to the likes of Schäuble & Co.

-Der Ketzerfreund.

[Каие]

It seems the American government knows something we don't, i.e. Depression is imminent...just saying...they denied there would be any trouble at all last year...

[Surgeon]

Judging by all their recent movements, like McCain suspending his campaign, etc., I'd say that it really does seem like there will be a depression. Nowhere near the scale of the Depression, but there might a tiny bit of civil unrest.

Here's to hoping it'll blow over.

[Mikelus Trento]

Some see a depression....I see a possibility for a class war.

[bigfootedfred]

Some see a depression....I see a possibility for a class war.

A civil war. yes.

If americas first and only black nominee for president gets elected.
Major problems, however i think it highly unlikely he will come to power.
And when he dosent it will be in fact far worse.

Who on avarage are the poorest in america?
Who will be hit hardest?

The troops are getting ready to 'police' a 'dangerous' and armed american lower class. and by lower class, i mean those not in the 10-15% bracket.
Many will be held back by fear and holding on to whatever they have left.
But those who are left with nothing, living in tent citys, some 2 million so far this year, what will they do...

[Holger Danske]

And I see a possibility for Alien Invasion...

[Jango]

And I see a possibility for Alien Invasion...

Zombie outbreak.

[Hookah Smoking Caterpiller]

Zombie outbreak.

all at once?

[LJPerreira]

And I see a possibility for Alien Invasion...

man, thats funny....

[Iscariott]

Not surprisingly, this bugs the hell out of me.

[Kleos]

I'd say that it really does seem like there will be a depression. Nowhere near the scale of the Depression, but there might a tiny bit of civil unrest..

I see a possibility of Obama losing...they (the government NOT BLACK PEOPLE!) overreacted over Rodney King, putting riot police on standby incase he was found guilty (the first time around); so for a Presedential outcome, it makes sense they may overreact too much to any rumour of civil unrest. And some liberals are already stupidly pointing the finger at it being racial issues that will be the cause of Obamas defeat, if he loses.

[Caelius]

I see a possibility of Obama losing...they (the government NOT BLACK PEOPLE!) overreacted over Rodney King

I totally disagree.

Those riots were just a redux of the 1968 Watts riots. Black people were entirely to blame for them. They were shooting at emergency personnel for crying out loud.

[Kleos]

I totally disagree.

Those riots were just a redux of the 1968 Watts riots. Black people were entirely to blame for them. They were shooting at emergency personnel for crying out loud.

My bad, I meant OJ Simpson trial. Sorry the for the mistake (probably the most idiotic mistake to make "but they all look the samez"...I look clever ) - but I remember reading that riot police were put on standby just in case; even though nothing had kicked off with OJ.

Now if only they would deploy them near Old Mexico, they could serve a purpose...