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Who do you think makes up the US Army? The US Army, or any other branch of service for that matter, isn't going to turn on its citizens: it would more likely t

Who do you think makes up the US Army? The US Army, or any other branch of service for that matter, isn't going to turn on its citizens: it would more likely turn on any leaders that order them to do so. And don't discount the fact that among the civilians are a good number of individuals who were former military.

abfan1127 8y ago
the army could certainly be convinced to turn on its own citizens, they just have to label those people as Traitors, Terrorists, Criminals, Gangs, Outsiders, Communists, Muslims, something other than "us".
- munk-a 8y ago
  And, specifically, they'd turn on those labeled peoples one at a time to single them out, it has happened many times before.
pjc50 8y ago
Kent State happened. Waco happened. There are ongoing protests about the willingness of police to shoot civilians. Given a sufficiently big breakdown of public order, especially along partisan lines, there would be talking heads on the news demanding that the army go in and shoot "looters".
- gaius 8y ago
  Waco happened Waco was the cops wasn’t it? Who are always happy to shoot random civilians.
- MrZongle2 8y ago
  "Kent State happened. Waco happened." The Kent State shootings were in 1970. The Branch Davidian compound siege was in 1993. In the former case, the Guardsmen involved claimed to have fired in self-defense and were cleared of both criminal and civil charges. In the latter, the military assets were limited to a few Bradley fighting vehicles on the perimeter and combat engineering vehicles -- which were actually used for breaching and wall-breaking -- under the direction (if not operation) by ATF and FBI, and no military units engaged in fire. In neither case were military units ordered to suppress or attack civilians. And compared to the number of training related deaths that occur in the military during peacetime, the number of fatalities from the incidents you list (although tragic) pale in comparison over the same time period.
fifnir 8y ago
Who do you think makes up the Venezuelan army?
- MrZongle2 8y ago
  Who do the members of the Venezuelan army pledge their loyalty to: an individual (such as Maduro) or a set of laws and established regulations (such as their Constitution)? And if the latter, does that Constitution or do those regulations outline and reinforce the importance of individual rights, or simply the importance of compliance to the State? Do members of the Venezuelan army receive extensive and annual training/re-training regarding the laws of land warfare, treatment of captives, and expected conduct under the Geneva Convention and any other applicable rules of engagement? Are members of the Venezuelan army professional soldiers or conscripts? Are units of the Venezuelan army composed of individuals from the same geographical area, and stationed in a different geographical area? Answers to these questions should give one insight as to the difference between any Third World army (Venezuelan or otherwise) and those of the United States military.
anigbrowl 8y ago
Parts will, parts won't. It's not as unitary an entity as most people would like to believe.

abfan1127 8y ago

the army could certainly be convinced to turn on its own citizens, they just have to label those people as Traitors, Terrorists, Criminals, Gangs, Outsiders, Communists, Muslims, something other than "us".

munk-a 8y ago
And, specifically, they'd turn on those labeled peoples one at a time to single them out, it has happened many times before.

pjc50 8y ago

Kent State happened. Waco happened. There are ongoing protests about the willingness of police to shoot civilians. Given a sufficiently big breakdown of public order, especially along partisan lines, there would be talking heads on the news demanding that the army go in and shoot "looters".

gaius 8y ago
Waco happened Waco was the cops wasn’t it? Who are always happy to shoot random civilians.
MrZongle2 8y ago
"Kent State happened. Waco happened." The Kent State shootings were in 1970. The Branch Davidian compound siege was in 1993. In the former case, the Guardsmen involved claimed to have fired in self-defense and were cleared of both criminal and civil charges. In the latter, the military assets were limited to a few Bradley fighting vehicles on the perimeter and combat engineering vehicles -- which were actually used for breaching and wall-breaking -- under the direction (if not operation) by ATF and FBI, and no military units engaged in fire. In neither case were military units ordered to suppress or attack civilians. And compared to the number of training related deaths that occur in the military during peacetime, the number of fatalities from the incidents you list (although tragic) pale in comparison over the same time period.

fifnir 8y ago

Who do you think makes up the Venezuelan army?

MrZongle2 8y ago
Who do the members of the Venezuelan army pledge their loyalty to: an individual (such as Maduro) or a set of laws and established regulations (such as their Constitution)? And if the latter, does that Constitution or do those regulations outline and reinforce the importance of individual rights, or simply the importance of compliance to the State? Do members of the Venezuelan army receive extensive and annual training/re-training regarding the laws of land warfare, treatment of captives, and expected conduct under the Geneva Convention and any other applicable rules of engagement? Are members of the Venezuelan army professional soldiers or conscripts? Are units of the Venezuelan army composed of individuals from the same geographical area, and stationed in a different geographical area? Answers to these questions should give one insight as to the difference between any Third World army (Venezuelan or otherwise) and those of the United States military.

anigbrowl 8y ago

Parts will, parts won't. It's not as unitary an entity as most people would like to believe.