If this has been diaried, let me know and I'll delete...
Here's more scary stuff to think about - as though we don't have enough already. Progressive.org is reporting that Senator Patrick Leahy is "concerned" about the Pentagon's decision to designate an Army unit to Northern Command.
Senator Leahy has asked for a "briefing from his staff" and "wants to monitor the situation". I certainly hope he monitors it.
A bit more below...
Yes, that's correct, for the first time ever the 3rd Infantry, First Brigade Combat Team - which has been in Iraq three out of the last five years and specializes in counterinsurgency - is back in the US now in the event that they be "called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control."
We can thank one of George W. Bush's famous "signing statements" for this great news. First a little background:
Leahy was instrumental in getting Congress to repeal the “Insurrection Act Rider” in the 2006 defense appropriations bill. That rider had given the President sweeping power to use military troops in ways contrary to the Insurrection Act and Posse Comitatus Act. The rider authorized the President to have troops patrol our streets in response to disasters, epidemics, and any “condition” he might cite."
Of course this rider was originally passed with the best of intentions. Senator Leahy was always concerned about it though and cautioned agains inserting the military "into domestic situations" and tried to repeal the rider, warning that "the military is not used in a way that offends and endangers some of our most cherished values and liberties".
Now here's the kicker: President Bush actually signed the repeal, but since he is King George, III he did what any "good" despot would do:
Bush attached a signing statement that he did not feel bound by the repeal
What on earth would the US Army do here in the United States?
They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control,” said the Army Times when it first reported on it. These duties would be in addition to dealing with “potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack.”
Soldiers in the unit “also will learn how to use ‘the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has field,’ 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them,” the article noted.
And this should warm the cockles of your heart: Basically, under this "law", military commanders can, in effect, take the law into their own hands and at least from my reading of it, do pretty much whatever the hell they want, whenever the hell they want.
They may:
Act without prior approval from their superiors. “Imminently serious conditions resulting from any civil emergency or attack may require immediate action by military commanders, or by responsible officials of other DoD agencies, to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage,” it says. “When such conditions exist and time does not permit prior approval from higher headquarters, local military commanders and responsible officials of other DoD Components are authorized by this Directive, subject to any supplemental direction that may be provide by their DoD Component, to take necessary action to respond to requests of civil authorities.”
Well to quote Jack Cafferty: "If this doesn't scare the hell out of you, it should!" Perhaps we could all get in touch with Senator Leahy's office to ask him to PLEASE keep his eye on this because apparently no one else is.
It would appear that our Mainstream Media is more concerned with Caribou Barbie's hairdo de jour. WTF have the Republicans done to our country?