Pentagon may get involved in sniper hunt

CNN

[Dane]

We already know you guys consider the constitution as "blah blah blah." Something original perhaps next post

The irony of your above italicized passage is to good to pass up.

You are the one who knee jerkingly started to throw out ad hominems, even with not knowing the part the military will take.

I will wait and see and not take your standard "blah, blah, blah" view that the Constitution is basically a "suicide pact".

[kinghorse]

They are giving the gub one last chance to repent before the attack on the economy (and human targets) expands to other metro areas. Once they expand, it's a conspiracy and the gloves will come off on our side.

I think DC was selected so that the constiuency of Congress could see the effectiveness of this form of sand in the gears attack up close.

[VoteHarryBrowne2000]

Just found this article about The Posse Comitatus Act at http://www.homelandsecurity.org/journal/articles/Trebilcock.htm. It's pretty well written and worth reading for background and opinion.

From my perspective, if we can't defend ourselves by the use of our Army then we are doomed. Heck if we deployed some troops to the drug controlled sections of D.C. and Baltimore we might have safer cities and lower murder rates.

[Tuor]

By the way, it would be most helpful if they started calling them by their real names, terrorists.

I still don't buy it. I feel we're being spun and spun hard.

I still think this guy is an American. Probably a white guy. Maybe ex-military, but not necessarily.

I still think he's alone. I still think the police are clueless and that this is a way of getting people to think of something other than the fact that some nut can wander around and plunk people almost at will.

The simplest solution is usually the correct one. The 'wanted' poster they put out is of a frigging *van* for Christ's sake! How much of a clue do you think they have? They're trying to reassure people that they're 'on it', but they ain't got crap besides a tarot card and a casing that may or may not have actually been used in one of the shootings.

Calling him/them a terrorist is still premature, IMO.

Tuor

[WashingtonCollegeofLaw]

THis of course requires that someone see something worth taking a picture of. so far im not convinced by any of the eye witness testimony. tell enough people to look for a white truck and they will start seeing them in their bathtub. Personally, unless this guy/guys/terrorist/ is dumb and wants to get caught, he dumped whatever car he was using a long time ago. Its not always easy to figure out where a shot came from so right now people are only concerning themselves with White Vans. For all we know the guy is driving a round in a 78 El Camino.

[fooman]

we are at war. would have happened after the third one if I were running the show.

I would stake out waldorf, springfield mall and tyson's corner.

The military can put mic at gas stations to call cops as soon as this gun signature is heard.

We need em

[colorado tanker]

"Find in the constitution where the federal government is authorized to prosecute crimes other than treason, piracy and counterfeitting." Well, to begin with law enforcement doesn't prosecute crimes, their job is to find the perp and collect evidence.

Although your question is not relevent to the issue at hand, the answer is Article I, sec. 1 and 8, Article II, sec. 1 and 3, and Article III, sec. 1 and 2.

[VoteHarryBrowne2000]

Try it without the trailing "." : http://www.homelandsecurity.org/journal/articles/Trebilcock.htm

[Tuor]

First we see the Congress give the President the power to attack any nation he wishes without getting their prior approval, now we see the dictator moving his troops into play on our own soil. And people are rationalizing this and see a dictator 6 thousand miles in the distance as more of a threat. The propaganda machine is nothing if not effective.

Gobbel(sp?) would be salivating at the sort of propaganda machine we possess. I'm sure the Soviets wish they could've created something half as impressive, because the Russians *knew* Pravda was mostly BS, but most Americans don't question what they hear on TV anymore.

I'm glad I'm not the only one paying attention. But it isn't Bush so much that I'm worried about, but whoever comes after Bush. Bush is setting precidents, but I think it will be someone else who ends up taking advantage of what is being done today.

Tuor

[concerned about politics]

Read this statement to yourself slowly.............

LOL.

[ohioman]

Well, will you please move to France right NOW!!

[nevergore]

""POSSE COMITATUS ACT" (18 USC 1385): A Reconstruction Era criminal law proscribing use of Army (later, Air Force) to "execute the laws" except where expressly authorized by Constitution or Congress. Limit on use of military for civilian law enforcement also applies to Navy by regulation. Dec '81 additional laws were enacted (codified 10 USC 371-78) clarifying permissible military assistance to civilian law enforcement agencies--including the Coast Guard--especially in combating drug smuggling into the United States. Posse Comitatus clarifications emphasize supportive and technical assistance (e.g., use of facilities, vessels, aircraft, intelligence, tech aid, surveillance, etc.) while generally prohibiting direct participation of DoD personnel in law enforcement (e.g., search, seizure, and arrests). For example, Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDETS) serve aboard Navy vessels and perform the actual boardings of interdicted suspect drug smuggling vessels and, if needed, arrest their crews). Positive results have been realized especially from Navy ship/aircraft involvement"

The ACT from what I can tell is not amended to the Constitution but was enacted by USC Code. Congress can waive it when necessary from what I (admitted limited knowledge on the subject) can tell.

The ACT does not prohibit the military from advisory roles just from executing the laws and arrest powers.

Other Freeper experts please advise....

NeverGore

[Dave S]

Posse Commitatus or not, I dont think many people would be upset about Marine snipers being stationed around the Washington DC suburbs in wait of this idiot. I doubt many would be upset either if the sniper was forced to put a 50 cal round through the sniper to provent him from striking again.

[Dane]

I still think this guy is an American.

Has anybody considered that this nut or nuts are anti-war leftists. The attacks began on October 2nd, right when the Iraq resoultion was going through Congress.

Anti-War violence is not foreign to the US. Look at the weather underground and other left radical groups in the 60's.

[Tuor]

Homeland Security has no personnel, no funding and no authority. At present, Tom Ridge is merely an advisor to the President.

And I hope our version of the KGB stay that way, but I know they wont. Governments can't resist funding programs -- the money will come, and then the informants and special phone numbers, the wire taps and the polite questioning, the road blocks and the document searches, all to root out terrorists, of course. Nothing for us honest, patriotic Americans to worry about.

Tuor

[Alberta's Child]

I thought the military could be used for domestic law enforcement if the governor of the affected state made a formal request.

[stndngathwrthistry]

If this is true, it's stupid. Military personnel are not trained to do civilian law enforcement, and even if this guy is an al-Qaeda terrorist, this is still a law-enforcement situation.

I understand the impulse to say, "This is war, so let's get the Army involved," but unless one can point to some task here that would benefit from military involvement (such as conducting a military tribunal after the guy's caught), it's a bad idea.

[WashingtonCollegeofLaw]

So do you suggest we have soldiers stake out every gas station, school and mall in the DC Area? Even then the guy would still be sniping people. Unless the FEds/cops/whoever get some hard evidence, you could have the entire armed forces in the DC Area and the guy could still pick his targets. or he could move on to a place without any protection.

[Mo1]

Has anybody considered that this nut or nuts are anti-war leftists.

Have to admit I did. and if they are driving in daddies van .. it might explain why they haven't ditched the van.

However, anything at this point is possible

[Coop]

Something original perhaps next post.

Funny. I was thinking the same thing.