WILL AMERICAN TROOPS BE USED AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS?
By Chuck BaldwinJuly 23, 2002NewsWithViews.comIn my column last Friday, I noted that the Bush administration is actively pursuing the prospect of disposing of the hundred-year-old Posse Comitatus Act that prohibits U.S. military personnel from being used against U.S. citizens on American soil. The ink was barely dry from that column when the administration confirmed that it was so. Department of Homeland Security head, Tom Ridge, announced over the weekend that the administration is indeed "reviewing" Posse Comitatus.
Bloomberg News reports, "The government should consider reversing more than a century of tradition and law to give the U.S. military a bigger role in the event of a terrorist attack, Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and some lawmakers said."
The Washington Times said, "President Bush's new plan for domestic security included a notable provision calling for Justice and Defense attorneys to review (Posse Comitatus)."
The Times also reported, "Now Gen. Ralph E. Eberhard, the officer charged with defending the continental U.S., has gone on record that he's all for it and would endorse changes in the law if that translated in a better-defended country."
Gen. Eberhard was quoted by the New York Times as saying, "My view has been that Posse Comitatus will constantly be under review as we mature this command, as we do our exercises, as we interact with FEMA, FBI, and those lead federal agencies out there."
If that isn't enough, Gen. Eberhard expressed a desire to expand the North American Aerospace Defense Command to include Canada and Mexico. He said, "To defend this nation, we have to defend as far out as possible. Therefore, we need the support of Canada and Mexico to be able to defend our interests." Does the general mean by this that American troops will be joined by troops from Mexico and Canada in actions against U.S. citizens?
Perhaps now we know why the U.S. military has been engaged in all those urban training exercises in cities across America. For years, we have heard of armed forces personnel rappelling out of hovering helicopters in the middle of the night in populated areas, of troops practicing house-to-house searches and seizures on unsuspecting citizens and local officials, and of military training exercises being conducted in residential neighborhoods throughout the United States. We assumed these exercises were preparations for foreign operations; however, could it be that those exercises are actually preparing our armed forces for action against U.S. citizens? A decision to suspend Posse Comitatus suggests this may indeed be the case.
Our Founding Fathers did not oppose old King George of England because of his Christian profession or lack thereof. They opposed him because he was a tyrant! A tyrant is a tyrant, party label or Christian profession notwithstanding. It is clear that the Bush regime is becoming increasing tyrannical by the day. When will Christians and conservatives wake up to this reality?
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Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
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