Would US Police/Troops Fire Upon US Citizens?

zeezee · Mar 4, 2011

"I would wager that the vast majority of people reading this essay have already come to their own conclusion regarding the answer to the titles query. Certainly you may have several qualifiers and stipulations with which you framed your answer and maybe even a few facts and proofs ready for quick rebuttal if challenged. But my own experience with explosive questions such as this is that there are few who have not already formed an opinion on the matter. If you have not you would be the exception to the rule."

End Game - Would US Police/Troops Fire Upon US Citizens? | zero hedge

Interesting article.

The B · Mar 4, 2011

as a former young infantryman, i would have absolutely fired on any "enemy" i was ordered to fire on. what did i know? i knew i liked to drink whisky and get laid... i hadn't studied American history or Constitutional law yet, at that point.

and you have to remember that "insurgents" and "DTs" won't be "citizens," when/if it comes down to it.

billdeserthills · Mar 4, 2011

I guess you missed the deal the US made with Canada, to exchange military forces during "Emergency"

One-Eyed Ross · Mar 4, 2011

Any here but me old enough to remember Kent State? I know there are some out there that do. Will US troops fire on citizens? Yes, they will. "all enemies foreign and domestic."

Silver Fox · Mar 4, 2011

billdeserthills said:
I guess you missed the deal the US made with Canada, to exchange military forces during "Emergency"

And what deal is this?

SF-

PosterGuy · Mar 4, 2011

bkb0000 said:
as a former young infantryman, i would have absolutely fired on any "enemy" i was ordered to fire on. what did i know? i knew i liked to drink whisky and get laid... i hadn't studied American history or Constitutional law yet, at that point.

and you have to remember that "insurgents" and "DTs" won't be "citizens," when/if it comes down to it.

As a former young infantry officer, I would have shot your dumb *** before you slaughtered innocent civilians. You obviously have not served in a real shoot-no-shoot type of environment.

Swedish K · Mar 4, 2011

probably wouldn't have to exchange troops in many cases - for some being given the order is enough, for others it would be the reminder that they could follow orders or be tossed out with those being targeted... there would be some that would still think for themselves regardless of the cost. Remember that in all situations the "enemy" is dehumanized first. Troops being sent against us citizens would probably be told that the targets were terrorists of some ilk - be it religious dissidents or rogue militia, maybe even described as a splinter of an old soviet network gone rogue... Lets face it, many of us would have followed orders to fire on targets given the right briefing back when we were 18 or 19 and fresh from boot that we wouldn't consider today. Not trying to say right or wrong, just pointing out that at 18 most are much more impressionable and less likely to question orders after the indoctrination process of bootcamp.

After working for the largest law enforcement agency in CA for 15 years and having discussions about this scenario I've heard both sides taken by different cops... More often than not I've heard the "no way I'd ever fire on civilians that weren't armed and a threat to someone's life. A few flat out stated answers along the lines of "if it comes down to rounding up people's guns and shooting them vs having me and my family tossed out into the group to be targeted you can bet I'll pull the trigger and protect my family"... guess the real test will be if and when it happens.

saxon · Mar 4, 2011

if you forgot katrina troops fresh from iraq were sent there with orders to shoot to kill any one suspected of looting.

also out side the dome that you never heard tell the people inside were to stay and the guards had orders to shott any one trying to leave the dome.

yes some troops will and yes some will not

CavVet · Mar 4, 2011

Dave_A will.

CavVet would not have.

jordanvraptor · Mar 4, 2011

saxon said:
if you forgot katrina troops fresh from iraq were sent there with orders to shoot to kill any one suspected of looting.

also out side the dome that you never heard tell the people inside were to stay and the guards had orders to shott any one trying to leave the dome.

yes some troops will and yes some will not

Wow, I was at Katrina with the Oregon National Guard 1-162 Charlie Company (Infantry) out of Gresham and never heard any of that. We were given very explicit Rules of Engagement which did not include shooting suspected looters. Our Lt even told us we were not going to help the NOPD seize weapons or force people to leave and we did neither. Don't know where you get your info, but I was there and I will never forget what I saw, heard and smelled there...

Scott · Mar 4, 2011

Police would fire a lot faster before military. I have seen the riots in L.A. and know they did not shoot. It would take an awful lot of trouble to get military involved.

Scott · Mar 4, 2011

PosterGuy said:
As a former young infantry officer, I would have shot your dumb *** before you slaughtered innocent civilians. You obviously have not served in a real shoot-no-shoot type of environment.

I did not have much faith in young officers but your statement makes me believe you might have been one of the good ones.

PhysicsGuy · Mar 4, 2011

I think that some of you people forget that police and military, although trained and conditioned, are still human beings.

The B · Mar 4, 2011

PosterGuy said:
As a former young infantry officer, I would have shot your dumb *** before you slaughtered innocent civilians. You obviously have not served in a real shoot-no-shoot type of environment.

excuse me? i dont know who the bubblegum you think you are, but i can tell you you're full of bubblegum. you'd have been the mother bubblegumer giving the order. piss off, sir.

Scott said:
I did not have much faith in young officers but your statement makes me believe you might have been one of the good ones.

no.

saxon · Mar 4, 2011

jordanvraptor said:
Wow, I was at Katrina with the Oregon National Guard 1-162 Charlie Company (Infantry) out of Gresham and never heard any of that. We were given very explicit Rules of Engagement which did not include shooting suspected looters. Our Lt even told us we were not going to help the NOPD seize weapons or force people to leave and we did neither. Don't know where you get your info, but I was there and I will never forget what I saw, heard and smelled there...

from other trrops fresh back from iraq i can find the news links if you like might tak a bit *** all that is on another comp but i have them.
including the guard helping the police ( a violation of posse comatatus how ever its spelled)
take guns from people who were not even in the danger area after things and calemd down

PosterGuy · Mar 5, 2011

bkb0000 said:
excuse me? i dont know who the bubblegum you think you are, but i can tell you you're full of bubblegum. you'd have been the mother bubblegumer giving the order. piss off, sir.

no.

So... you state that you what have shot whoever somebody told you to, and when someone calls you out as a moron, you take offense? Unlike you, I took my job as a soldier seriously. I carried out my duties with honor and dignity, unlike you who apparently thought being a soldier was about "drinking whiskey and getting laid". I can tell from YOUR statements that you know absolutely JACK about serving your country.

CavVet · Mar 5, 2011

Hoover, Eisenhower, MacArthur and Patton all DID fire upon civilians...

Read all about it

zeezee · Mar 5, 2011

jordanvraptor said:
Wow, I was at Katrina with the Oregon National Guard 1-162 Charlie Company (Infantry) out of Gresham and never heard any of that. We were given very explicit Rules of Engagement which did not include shooting suspected looters. Our Lt even told us we were not going to help the NOPD seize weapons or force people to leave and we did neither. Don't know where you get your info, but I was there and I will never forget what I saw, heard and smelled there...

Thank you for your service.

zeezee · Mar 5, 2011

CavVet said:
Hoover, Eisenhower, MacArthur and Patton all DID fire upon civilians...

Read all about it

WOW!!!!! Great information, thanks for sharing it.

Trlsmn · Mar 5, 2011

jordanvraptor said:
Wow, I was at Katrina with the Oregon National Guard 1-162 Charlie Company (Infantry) out of Gresham and never heard any of that. We were given very explicit Rules of Engagement which did not include shooting suspected looters. Our Lt even told us we were not going to help the NOPD seize weapons or force people to leave and we did neither. Don't know where you get your info, but I was there and I will never forget what I saw, heard and smelled there...

Hey now, what are you going to believe internet rumor and innuendo or your own lying eyes. :s0131: