Marine says he faces discharge over Obama comments

[FluffyMcDeath]

First, members of the US Military -- not withstanding obvious historical mistakes -- would never fire on unarmed civilians (en masse) and any order given to do so would be in violation of several laws, not the least of which is the UCMJ and the Constitution.

The part were illegal orders would be illegal is no protection against troops carrying out those orders. In fact, over the last decade there is ample evidence to show that multiple orders in violation of international law and US law have been given and carried out - and sometimes when things go wrong some "bad apples" have been made to take the fall. There have also been plenty of cases of enlisted men and women being prosecuted for refusing illegal orders - an obligation that they have under Nuremberg but which is often seen as being in conflict with military code.

But - as to the US military firing on US civilians - good news - they don't have to. There is at least one cross border agreement that I know of which would allow the US to use Canadian troops to fire on US citizens. The flip side of that agreement, of course, is that the Canadian government can request the use of US troops to fire on Canadians. And what about all those green card soldiers?

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

The National Guard had no problem going door to door after Hurricane Katrina confiscating guns illegally, roughing up little old ladies in their homes while doing it.

And lets not forget the "contractors" who shot a few people for next to no reason. Blackwater didn't go away - they just changed their name. Xe can put tens of thousands of mercenaries on the ground anywhere in just a few weeks - for anyone willing to come up with the money.

 

[robert l. bentham]

i will grant you i went thru basic in 84... but we were told that if we were ever ordered to fire on civilians (american citizens), we were to arrest, and if not possible shoot, the issue ordering officer.... im sure that does not apply today...