Posted on 10/04/2005 12:02:27 PM PDT by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON, Oct 4 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush asked Congress on Tuesday to consider giving him powers to use the military to enforce quarantines in case of an avian influenza epidemic.
He said the military, and perhaps the National Guard, might be needed to take such a role if the feared H5N1 bird flu virus changes enough to cause widespread human infection.
"If we had an outbreak somewhere in the United States, do we not then quarantine that part of the country? And how do you, then, enforce a quarantine?" Bush asked at a news conference.
"It's one thing to shut down airplanes. It's another thing to prevent people from coming in to get exposed to the avian flu. And who best to be able to effect a quarantine?" Bush added.
"One option is the use of a military that's able to plan and move. So that's why I put it on the table. I think it's an important debate for Congress to have."
Bird flu has killed more than 60 people in four Asian nations since late 2003 and has been found in birds in Russia and Europe.
Experts fear that the H5N1 bird flu virus, which appears to be highly fatal when it infects people, will develop the ability to pass easily from person to person and would cause a pandemic that would kill millions.
"And I think the president ought to have all ... assets on the table to be able to deal with something this significant," Bush said.
He noted that some governors may object to the federal government commandeering the National Guard, which is under state command in most circumstances.
POLICE DUTIES BANNED
"But Congress needs to take a look at circumstances that may need to vest the capacity of the president to move beyond that debate. And one such catastrophe or one such challenge could be an avian flu outbreak," Bush said.
The active duty military is currently forbidden from undertaking law enforcement duties by the federal Posse Comitatus Act.
That law, passed in 1878 after the U.S. Civil War, does not prohibit National Guard troops under state control from doing police work. But, unless the law is changed, it would keep them from doing so if they were activated by Washington under federal control.
While the law allows the president to order the military to take control and do police work in an extreme emergency, the White House has been traditionally reluctant to usurp state powers.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters he was not aware of any current planning by the military to help respond to a flu pandemic.
But he noted that after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf region, Bush had asked Congress to consider giving the military control over initial response in dealing with major natural or other domestic disasters.
"Obviously the (Defense) Department has a tremendous amount of capability in a lot of areas. And we are a large force," Whitman said, noting also that the military had deployed field hospitals to Louisiana after the hurricanes.
Health experts are working to develop vaccines that would protect against the H5N1 strain of flu, because current influenza vaccines will not.
And countries are also developing stockpiles of drugs that can reduce the risk of serious disease or even sometimes prevent infection -- but supplies and manufacturing capacity are both limited.
Bush said he was involved in planning for an influenza pandemic, which experts say will definitely come, although they cannot predict when, or whether it will be H5N1 or some other virus. (Additional reporting by Maggie Fox)
Does this mean F-15s will be given the green light to fire on birds?
Why doesn't the gov't just get on with it?
I'm sure we have plans to invade Canada and Japan too. Will we ever use them? No (well, maybe not Japan ;-)
But it sure is nice someone is planning for it to mitigate problems with the response.
Yes, any suspicious acting ones. (look out Teddy)
I think it is a matter of inept, corrupt and a totally disfunctional civilian systems. The military works with fewer rules - though they have their share - has leadership and is goal oriented. All similar responsible civilian agencies are burdened with cumbersome and often contradictory rules and regulations - Congress makes the rules and bureaucracies interpret them. The implementation of rules of disaster relief/response have too much emphasis on making sure the right people - as opposed to the deserving people - getting government help, read "money".
Bet you never thought you'd see a catastrophic flood in New Orleans in your lifetime, either.
I think its smart to pay very close attention. This is not scaremongering. This is something possible in the near future and inescapable in the long term. Mother earth has her own checks and balances. People should never forget that.
Oh, boy. Why not draw up plans for an armed citizen volunteer corp to enforce any quarantines and supplement the National Guard. This corps, if needed, would be composed of law-abiding, well-trained gun owners. In other words, the militia. Then the army can go about training for its primary job, which, as Rush says, is to kill people and break things.
Look at the story out of Canada today. At least 6 have died from a nursing home. The others are sick...
Frightening isn't it?
Just think. He's going to leave office, probably for a democrat to fill with all these sets of circumstances applicable to using military force.
What next. Sometimes I wonder...
Wasn't that the book on President Bush's reading list this summer?
I wouldn't have any choice, and shouldn't have. I am already somewhat prepared for exactly this scenario.
You would be correct.
I have long been of the opinion that Bush is not conservative, but instead, part of the Crony Party. His desires to use American troops on American soil in no way jibe with the desires of most conservatives.
I've been worried about the things China has been cooking up lately. Their containment measures aren't as stringent as ours. I was wondering when someone would make a issue over possibilities of a pandemic striking here. I don't see it as a power grab. I see it as forewarned is forearmed.
If kept at the state level you could expect to see a Gov. deploy their troops at their state lines, the ACLU to file an emergency Commerce Clause appeal, and meanwhile the Prez will nationalize the troops. What a mess!
It is healthy to have the discussion but I am not comfortable giving blanket authority to the President. It's better to have a path available so a Governor can request Federal support, but it must come from the state and not be imposed by a President no matter how well intentioned.
I have no idea. I read it last winter, I believe.
I'm afraid that might be too compatible with ordered liberty for this administration...
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