Comments on: The Other Militarization http://www.theagitator.com/2009/01/04/the-other-militarization/ It rankles me when somebody tries to tell somebody what to do. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:23:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Adam http://www.theagitator.com/2009/01/04/the-other-militarization/comment-page-1/#comment-227727 Adam Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:00:16 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11625#comment-227727 The planned use of those troops is very likely in violation of the posse comitatus act and we should be arresting the president for even attempting to deploy them in such a manner, but there's no way that will ever happen. The planned use of those troops is very likely in violation of the posse comitatus act and we should be arresting the president for even attempting to deploy them in such a manner, but there’s no way that will ever happen.

]]> By: nemo http://www.theagitator.com/2009/01/04/the-other-militarization/comment-page-1/#comment-227223 nemo Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:31:24 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11625#comment-227223 Michael, it's classic 'mission creep' all over again. I saw this crap back when I was a Fed civ servant in the early 1990's; all the military branches and Fed LEO agencies were looking for some way to maintain themselves after the Soviet Union collapsed, and presto! all of a sudden the War on (Some) Drugs was substituted. But the problem is and always has been that if you try to see the cartels as military targets, you find yourself facing what amounts to an insurgency that is both extraordinarily well funded and nearly invisible...until they strike. It's literally like what Mao said about fishes in the sea. And as Mexico has illustrated, try to 'fight' this as if it were a 'real' war, and watch the bodies of innocents start piling up as well as that of the <i>cartellistas</i>. 'Collateral damage', don't you know? But all fine and dandy so long as all those big-shot contractors keep sucking off the taxpayer's life's-blood courtesy of arms purchases made by Uncle to 'fight drugs'. Talk about 'workfare'! Michael, it’s classic ‘mission creep’ all over again. I saw this crap back when I was a Fed civ servant in the early 1990′s; all the military branches and Fed LEO agencies were looking for some way to maintain themselves after the Soviet Union collapsed, and presto! all of a sudden the War on (Some) Drugs was substituted.

But the problem is and always has been that if you try to see the cartels as military targets, you find yourself facing what amounts to an insurgency that is both extraordinarily well funded and nearly invisible…until they strike. It’s literally like what Mao said about fishes in the sea.

And as Mexico has illustrated, try to ‘fight’ this as if it were a ‘real’ war, and watch the bodies of innocents start piling up as well as that of the cartellistas. ‘Collateral damage’, don’t you know? But all fine and dandy so long as all those big-shot contractors keep sucking off the taxpayer’s life’s-blood courtesy of arms purchases made by Uncle to ‘fight drugs’. Talk about ‘workfare’!

]]> By: Michael http://www.theagitator.com/2009/01/04/the-other-militarization/comment-page-1/#comment-227198 Michael Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:29:26 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11625#comment-227198 The commenter, on that link, made me quite scared when he started talking about fighting drug cartels. The Mexican army has done so well by getting the army involved! What was it,now? 5600 Mexican people killed! Though I have to admit, it was not the military that was being blamed for most of those deaths! My take on the subject is that they could be considered an indirect participant in escalating the drug war violence in Mexico!? And, an indirect cause for so many people having been killed. More than the entire Iraqi occupation? The commenter, on that link, made me quite scared when he started talking about fighting drug cartels. The Mexican army has done so well by getting the army involved! What was it,now? 5600 Mexican people killed! Though I have to admit, it was not the military that was being blamed for most of those deaths! My take on the subject is that they could be considered an indirect participant in escalating the drug war violence in Mexico!? And, an indirect cause for so many people having been killed. More than the entire Iraqi occupation?

]]> By: nemo http://www.theagitator.com/2009/01/04/the-other-militarization/comment-page-1/#comment-227186 nemo Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:09:46 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11625#comment-227186 First it was one brigade. <a href="http://infohack.newsvine.com/_news/2008/09/26/1917815-why-is-a-us-army-brigade-being-assigned-to-the-homeland" rel="nofollow">With all manner of fancy 'crowd control' microwave weapons</a>. Now it's <i>three</i>? WTF? First it was one brigade. With all manner of fancy ‘crowd control’ microwave weapons. Now it’s three? WTF?

]]> By: Cynical In CA http://www.theagitator.com/2009/01/04/the-other-militarization/comment-page-1/#comment-226952 Cynical In CA Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:40:45 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11625#comment-226952 Good one, David. With all the stories linked on this blog to the militarization of state, county and municipal police departments across America, I wonder just how much it matters that the military wants in on the act. Don't forget, this is America -- no one does much about anything anymore. Good one, David.

With all the stories linked on this blog to the militarization of state, county and municipal police departments across America, I wonder just how much it matters that the military wants in on the act.

Don’t forget, this is America — no one does much about anything anymore.

]]> By: David http://www.theagitator.com/2009/01/04/the-other-militarization/comment-page-1/#comment-226833 David Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:41:36 +0000 http://www.theagitator.com/?p=11625#comment-226833 Maybe they'll be used to ensure civility in the coffee lines at McDonald's. Maybe they’ll be used to ensure civility in the coffee lines at McDonald’s.

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