Reply #63: marshal law / coup thoughts

[woundedkarma]

The language worries me a little bit as it should any American. I do have some thoughts though...

Thinking about what's happened in Pakistan and the (IMHO fairly logical) considerations that Bush might try something before 2009 I've pondered what would happen. I'm nothing, not even college educated but...

The biggest hurdle he'd have to face is getting the armed forces to do what he wants.

If you control a nation's armies, you control the nation.

Things are often said that our troops are brainwashed by basic training into following orders but I don't believe it. I've heard that some soldiers are like that... but I've never heard a real soldier on tv or in person who acted like he couldn't think. I believe that the majority of our soldiers are good people who believe in the country.

However, the soldiers have been out of country for months to several years. (Which seems like a good plan when trying to take over a country and use the military for it) You could tell them that the country is becoming increasingly lawless, things are going all wrong and there are terrorists everywhere.. and when they get back maybe they'd take their orders and keep believing those things.

I kind of doubt it though. Particularly with the internet.

Even if Bushco could control the armed forces and make them fight against civilians... just how many ex-military personnel do you think we have in this country? Ex-special forces who know what they're doing AND believe in the country?

How many people in this country own a fair sized arsenal? I'm not even talking about the nut-militias.

This country has 300,000,000 people in it or somewhere around there. I have a hard time thinking there isn't at least 2 or 3 million of them willing to give their life if they really thought that someone was trying to destroy our country, overtly and in a way they can't deny.

It would be a long, miserable fight but I think those who believe in Democracy and America would win.

I think that if there's serious danger in this language (and I trust Kucinich in his belief that it's troubling) then we should do whatever we can to block it. Bushco won't win.