Would members of the US Armed Forces participate in quelling an armed rebellion by American citizens?

Question

This question is based on the unlikely event that the Bush administration refused to leave office for reasons of terrorism. Would the American military fire on fellow Americans?

Some are calling mine a "stupid" question.......under our current circumstances, this is precisely why it MUST be asked. Open you're phuckin' eyes! Jeezzzzz!!

Answer 1

Would you shoot Americans just because some Gov fat cat that has stolen your future said you should? There is NO way I would! I don't think OUR soldiers would either.

Answer 2

You have posed two different questions and an impossible circumstance. I will, however, answer the questions, and then the impossible circumstance.

1) Would the US Armed Forces participate in quelling a rebellion of American citizens? Yes. Our job is to protect the country. We have been used in the past for things of this nature, but only as a last resort.

2) Would the American military fire on fellow Americans? Again, yes, if required to do so.

Circumstance: Apparently, you want to know if the US Armed Forces will follow Pres Bush's orders if he is not re-elected, or loses his office for any other reason, BUT refused to leave the office. NO! The US Armed Forces are required to follow the orders of the officers appointed above us, but one the CinC is no longer in office (legally ousted), the he is no longer one of the officers appointed above us. He is just another American citizen with a past.

Answer 3

Yeah it’s a nutty question, because its basis is the Bush administration not leaving office! That's impossible. You assume the President has a choice; that he must consent. The Pres automatically quits being pres at the appointed time (noon Jan 21st), and the new guy (certified by Congress to the Court) is sworn. At that point the new President is the Commander-in-Chief & we'll follow his orders even if we hate the guy.

It’s not possible for the President to remain in power. Even under an insane scenario where all three branches of federal government were in on it & the Pres-elect were imprisoned so no one could administer the oath. If that were to occur, then at the appointed time we’d legally have no president. If something like that were to occur, I can tell you the military would not respond to orders from Bush & if it took any action it would be to restore the constitutional succession. You have to drop the conspiracy theories & have more faith in the integrity of the system. Aren't you a little more worried another republican will win.

More generally though, YES! We swear to support & defend the CONSTITUTION, not the President, against ALL enemies foreign & domestic. It's been done more often than we've gone to war overseas. It’s what Washington did against the whiskey rebellion & what the National Guard does shooting looters after a disaster. No one would like it, but we’d all do our duty.

Posse Comitatus is over played. No Governor or Legislature asked federal troops to allow black students to attend white schools in Alabama in the 60s, but they deployed & did it. You have to understand that "law enforcement" is a narrow term concerning powers of arrest or detention in order to enforce civilian law on US citizens, and it does not apply to state troops under state command (they can function as an extention of your state police). Posse Comitatus doesn't prevent "military" action on US soil, further, an action in violation of the constitution would trump the US Code & we'd gurantee succession prior to worrying about if Congress thinks its legal to do so.

Answer 4

The Posse Comitatus act of 1878 and the so-called Insurrection Act (consists of the set of laws U.S. Code
Title 10, Subtitle A, Part I, Chapter 15, §§331-335) deals specifically with this possibility.

Basically, the U.S. military cannot be used by the government in a law enforcement capacity within the United States unless specifically requested by a state lesgislature or governor (if the legislature is unable to convene a session).

These two pieces of law / legislation "substantially limit the powers of the Federal government to use the military for law enforcement."

Answer 5

Dumb question.

Every member of the US military has his/her primary loyalty to the Constitution of the United States of America. As a result - they will obey the orders of the lawfully elected President. Thus - whoever wins the next election will become the 'lawfully elected president and be the Commander In Chief of the US armed forces.

Now - why did you ask such a stupid question?

Answer 6

Most definately they would quell and armed rebellion. Peaceful protesters they would not, unless they were at Kent State.
Who knows what the police forces would do. They will bring out the swat team and kill a guy who wants to commit suicide. Doesn't make sense but they do it.

Answer 7

Yes, it has already happened a few times. John's rebelion is one that I can think of right off.

Also we did have one president that threatened not to leave office and the military was marching on the capitol to insure he left office. He left without incident.

Answer 8

Your question does nothing other than to say that you live in a complete vacuum. Stick with the poetry, you're obviously a dolt when it comes to Constitutional Law and reality...

Answer 9

If you had not skipped school and done god knows what you would be aware of what the constitution saysonly the national gaurd under orders from the states govenor could attack US citizens

Answer 10

We would defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic. I hope this helps you answer your question. You would just need to determine who would be the enemy to the USC. A pres who tries not to leave office, or the citizenry who tries to make him leave.

Answer 11

The precedent has been set...a.k.a. the Civil War.