Bush abolished Posse Comitatus, Gates increases homeland defense role, Obama keeps Gates.

[jody]

Recent pirate attacks on shipping could be used to justify an international maritime law enforcement force with the U.S. taking the lead.

Given the never ending war on terror combined with multinational corporations from all countries using American troops as a Foreign Legion to protect their worldwide investments and the New World Order is one step closer.

Back in the U.S., our state "organized militia" has been under federal command for most of the 20th century and today our "unorganized militia" is not organized, armed, and disciplined by Congress as required by our Constitution.

Gates: Active force, reserves must integrate

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates took a giant step Monday toward more tightly blending the active-duty military and reserve components into an “integrated total force,” calling for wide-ranging personnel policy changes, codifying the reserves’ homeland defense role and adequately funding oft-overlooked reserve equipment requirements.

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Gates also called upon Congress to “mandate that the National Guard and Reserves have the lead role in and form the backbone of DoD operations in the homeland.”

Will our "unorganized militia" be involved in "Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan for Universal Voluntary Public Service" and get credit for serving in such "unorganized militia" groups as the California State Military Reserve and Massachusetts Volunteer Militia?

See State Guard Association of the United States

[grannie4peace]

1. sounds scary-

[Thothmes]

2. The unorganized militia is not the direct responsibility of

the Federal government according to article I section 8 of the Constitution. "reserving to the states respectifully, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress." What legislation passed by Congress directs the states in the manner they are required to train and discipline the "unorgainized militia". They remain solely a state responsibility. unless called into federal service. JMO

[jody]

4. Suggest you read 10 USC 311 link below and SCOTUS decision in Heller link below.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/search/display.html?terms=militia&url=/uscode/html/uscode10/usc_sec_10_00000311----000-.html

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf

You might also study the various briefs submitted in Heller at http://dcguncase.com/blog/case-filings/

[pipoman]

3. If we all just remember back

to the 3-4 years after 1992. Segments of the public were righteously outraged over the Ruby Ridge incident. Then Bill Clinton took office in January 1993. The Waco incident began in February 1993, another military style assault on private citizens resulting in the deaths of many innocents. Nearly immediately he began proposing radical gun control ranging from national registration and outlawing the obligatory 'assault weapons, to limitations on reloading equipment and primers with a shelf life. Unorganized militia groups began popping up and getting press in every state. It started with right wing extremists and fairly rapidly brought in less and less extreme people who felt that the policies and actions of the .gov were becoming more and more dangerous. People from all walks of life who likely never would have previously considered organizing started to talk and become involved. Gun, ammunition and reloading component sales skyrocketed. At one point there was a 60 day wait for a case of primers. The Brady Bill establishing use of NICS and the AWB was signed into law which went into effect September 1994 by a reluctant Bill Clinton who wished for a far more encompassing bills. The Clinton administration continued to encourage more and tougher gun control policies. Then came the November vote which stripped the House and Senate away from Democrats (ultimately even Bill Clinton would state that gun control legislation and talk of more was key in costing the Dems the House and Senate). Then in April 1995 Tim McVeigh blew up the OKC Federal building on the anniversary of the Waco incident citing Waco, Ruby Ridge, militarization of law enforcement and the massive push for more restrictive gun control as his reason for doing this. A line was drawn between McVeigh and unorganized militias even though there really was little or no connection at all, McVeigh was even more extreme than most of them. There was outrage and sorrow but there was also a level of empathy especially from the militia crowd. I believe this empathy shocked Clinton who expected the population to embrace more strict gun control and demand reform...it didn't happen. Shortly after Clinton gave up on further gun control and nothing more was done. The militia movement died down and the Brady organization membership and clout died too.

As with any political movement/position, support can be measured on a continuum. Activism begins on the extreme end of the continuum and, depending on the public interest bleeds to the less and less extreme believers picking up momentum. McVeigh was by anyone's standards extreme far right on this continuum. The level of empathy indicated there would be more of the same if the push kept moving. The militia movement bled farther to the left than anyone ever imagined. I believe we will see a resurgence of the unorganized militia if extreme gun control is promoted again.

Now I was not a militia member, never went to a meeting and absolutely have no sympathy for McVeigh, he got exactly what he deserved. I am only saying this to remind people that increased gun control and militarization of law enforcement beyond 'reasonable' (as most proposals are) can and likely will lead to extreme reactions.

[jody]

5. RE “Now I was not a militia member” but you were in Kansas military reserve under state law unless

you were not in the age group or otherwise exempt by 48-102.

http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-statutes/getStatute.do?number=20151

48-101
Chapter 48.--MILITIA, DEFENSE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
Article 1.--CLASSIFICATION OF MILITIA
48-101. Persons subject to military duty; classes. All persons subject to military duty under the constitution of this state and not exempt therefrom by the provisions of this act, and such other persons as shall voluntarily enroll themselves, shall be divided into three (3) classes, to wit: One consisting of the federally recognized national guard, which shall be known as the "Kansas army and air national guard"; one consisting of those able-bodied male citizens prescribed and contemplated in article 8 of the constitution of this state not in the "Kansas army and air national guard" which shall be known as "the militia"; and one to consist of all those subject to military duty, but not included in the "Kansas army and air national guard" or "the militia" to be known as the "Kansas military reserve."

[pipoman]

7. I stand corrected!

Actually I used a poor choice of words there, I did know I was technically a member. At the time I was a wholesale salesman traveling a fairly large part of Kansas. My customers were all either small business owners, managers, or large family farm operators, most were responsible, productive members of society and their communities. I had known most of these people for quite a while prior to the chain of events I pointed out above. Over the coarse of these events I watched as these law abiding, community and family oriented people became more and more frustrated both with the push for further restrictions on the 2nd Amendment and for more 'free trade agreements'/globalization. A few of them were stock piling ammunition, primers, and even some guns. Some were organizing with others in the community, target shooting, trading, and discussing these issues. These are people, for the most part, who were not radical right wing extremists. Their activities were not done in secret and they would welcome anyone from their community to join them including law enforcement. In fact some county sheriffs were quite involved. I believe this was going on all over the country, encompassing tens of thousands of people. I also believe that the Clinton administration and other .gov agencies knew that after OKC there would likely be more extremists who would follow if they continued inciting them. This, IMHO, is why these issues were laid to rest.

[iverglas]

9. I give up; what was that point?

Over the coarse of these events I watched as these law abiding, community and family oriented people became more and more frustrated both with the push for further restrictions on the 2nd Amendment and for more 'free trade agreements'/globalization. A few of them were stock piling ammunition, primers, and even some guns. Some were organizing with others in the community, target shooting, trading, and discussing these issues.

What, exactly, does this mean?

They were organizing, target shooting, trading and discussing these issues (presumably free trade / globalization).

They were probably also doing dishes, washing the car and changing the kids' diapers.

Is there a connection between target shooting and trading (trading what?) and discussing free trade / globalization?

I really and truly can't see it. Perhaps you can explain what you understood them to think it was.

[Tejas]

6. good reality check there

No doubt, antis and nannies will be here soon with kill-the-messenger comments but that's a very good point/post you made.

We discuss this stuff at work. Most of us are worried there are others out there much more talented/financed than McVeigh.

[pipoman]

8. This is how most of the 'organization' began at that time...

"We discuss this stuff at work."

[jody]

10. Does Obama approve “Pentagon to Detail Troops to Bolster Domestic Security”?

Pentagon to Detail Troops to Bolster Domestic Security

The U.S. military expects to have 20,000 uniformed troops inside the United States by 2011 trained to help state and local officials respond to a nuclear terrorist attack or other domestic catastrophe, according to Pentagon officials.

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There are critics of the change, in the military and among civil liberties groups and libertarians who express concern that the new homeland emphasis threatens to strain the military and possibly undermine the Posse Comitatus Act, a 130-year-old federal law restricting the military's role in domestic law enforcement.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Domestic emergency deployment may be "just the first example of a series of expansions in presidential and military authority," or even an increase in domestic surveillance, said Anna Christensen of the ACLU's National Security Project. And Cato Vice President Gene Healy warned of "a creeping militarization" of homeland security.

"There's a notion that whenever there's an important problem, that the thing to do is to call in the boys in green," Healy said, "and that's at odds with our long-standing tradition of being wary of the use of standing armies to keep the peace."