Posted on 03/12/2009 10:47:21 PM PDT by occamrzr06
Much has been written about the Posse Comitatus Act. As a few others have noted, much of this commentary is “just plain nonsense.”2 The majority opinion, however, including that of the Department of Defense, maintains that this 19th-century law strictly limits almost all DOD participation in any activity related to “law enforcement” or “homeland security.”3 This fundamental mischaracterization, while understandable, is potentially dangerous to national security and has done nothing to protect civil liberties. So how did a racist law from the bitter Reconstruction period morph, in many minds, into shorthand for the respected principle that Americans do not want a military national police force? In a nutshell: deliberate mischaracterization by the original supporters who hid behind patriotic language to strip the freed slaves of their nascent civil and voting rights; excessive focus on the false historical arguments as opposed to the law’s actual text and ugly history; and some bad policy that misused a few key court decisions, and part of a statute, in a way that limited DOD efforts in the “war on drugs” at a time when Congress was pushing expanded participation. This article introduces the actual history and meaning of the Posse Comitatus Act, distinguishing clearly between the law and a misleadingDOD regulation that requires an army of lawyers to navigate. Despite what you’ve heard, the Posse Comitatus Act is not a significant impediment to DOD participation in law enforcement or homeland security.
(Excerpt) Read more at carlisle.army.mil ...
A lot has been said on this subject the last few days.
This article describes how this “ACT” (it’s not part of the Constitution) came about, how it has changed and possibly where it may go. Well the where it may go is my own interpretation.
Enjoy, comment, inform.
I didn’t know all this and I spent 26 years in the service.
Well, to me the later interpretation, that the Act disallows LEO duties by the Armed Forces is a inherently good thing.
Now AFAIK, the PCA does not cover the Navy or the Marines as the Act specifies the Army only, the Air Force also would not be covered unless the DoD guidelines also specify that.
You did not read it all Padre, and you want us to go to services every Sunday!
The Posse Comitatus Act’s Meaning in the 21st Century
While no one has ever been convicted of violating the Posse Comitatus
Act, its surviving portion remains a criminal law. As with most criminal
laws, the Act has several action elements and one element going to the defendant’s
mental state or mens rea. Adefendant must act “willfully” or he did not
violate the law.
Depending on many factors, “willfully” can mean that the defendant
knowingly performed an act, deliberately and intentionally, or that the accused
acted with knowledge that his conduct was generally unlawful. If the
proscribed conduct could honestly be considered innocent, then a willful
mens rea may require the defendant to have more specific knowledge of the
law being violated. A higher standard for willfulness probably should apply
to the Posse Comitatus Act, given that DOD’s lead instruction on the topic
significantly misstates the law.
With the definition of willfulness in place and the historical record in
mind, the Posse Comitatus Act becomes:
Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized
by the Constitution or Act of Congress,
(1) intentionally and with a bad purpose to either disobey or disregard
the law
(2) uses any part of the Army or Air Force
(3) within the United States
(4) upon the demand of, and in subordination to, the sheriff, US marshal,
or other law enforcement official
(5) to directly enforce civilian law in a way that US citizens are subject
to the exercise of military power which is regulatory, proscriptive,
or compulsory in nature, or at a polling place
(6) without first obtaining permission of the President to do so, shall
be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years,
or both.
Unlike the DOD policy that purports to be based on the Posse Comi
If it's not, it should be.
Why do you think that?
Did you read the whole article?
Our authority Began and ended at the GATE...No Exception was granted unless we were Invited by the law enforcement outside.. and we knew THAT would never be allowed to happen.
Use of Military Force for law enforcement is not a good idea. But that paper just simply tries to rationalize the concept.
My understanding of this law is that the military can not loan or use their military equipment to help law enforcement in any law enforcement manner without the President of the United States signing off on it. Janet Reno got in trouble over this in Waco!
Defending the borders would not fall into this act however. Put the military on our southern border and let them do their job.
Whoever provided those tanks and helicopters should still be sitting in prison today. And Janet Reno should be in the next cell.
That might fall under cruel and unusual punishment.
Okay, put her in the same cell. LMAO...
That would solve the problem of unsolicited sex in prison. But it would still be cruel and unusual punishment.
Yes, we’d have to face down the human rights people.
Also cruel and unusual punishment. But aimed at us.
I agree they broke the law and killed a lot of innocent people. What gets me they could have picked up David any morning when he was jogging!
No problem they just can’t be used for Drug bust with the police!
Agreed. Sort of. If a hostile force attempts to cross the border they are fair game in my opinion. Their reason does not matter to me. However protecting the borders should be a military matter not a law enforcement one. Read the Constitution.
The Posse Comitatus Act only applies to the use of the military against citizens, it does not apply to illegal aliens or foreign combatants on U.S. soil or U.S. territorial waters.
“did you just call someone a pussie communist?” quick name the movie
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