It is not unfair to ask @MattWalshBlog what he means when he demands Trump do something about the chaos in Portland. I don't mean the general "DO SOMETHING!" frustrated folks shout. I mean specifics. 1/
This being something I have done personally, planned and written about in a law review article, I have to insist on specifics. The first question is the force package. What force do you propose? 2/
Call in the 82nd Airborne? Federalize the 41st IBCT from the Oregon Army Guard? That means an Insurrection Act declaration to get around Posse Comitatus. Or send federal cops? How many? What are their ROE? 3/
Let's say we call in the 82nd - that avoids readiness and desertion issues with the 41st. Where's its assembly area? Can you even rely on the airport workers allowing them to land? Who feeds them? Contractors? Can you hire them in OR? 4/
Medical support's a problem? Will the hospitals cooperate? Guess we could bring in a combat support hospital. Boy, this is a big footprint. Where are we putting everyone again? And how do we get the vehicles there? 5/
The Portland PD won't cooperate. The DA won't charge criminals. What laws will the Army enforce? OR state law? When the prosecutor won't prosecute? Federal law does not cover street crimes. There are a lot of problems just because it's a non- permissive environment. 6/
What are the ROE? That's "rules of engagement," and it's a big deal. I bet you can name the time some soldiers killed protesters a half-century ago. So ROE is vital. But the paratroopers are killers, not cops. You sure you want to unleash them? 7/
Say, if a paratrooper caps some Antifa scumbag, I won't mourn. But if the White House changes hand, can you be sure Biden's DoJ won't prosecute our guys? They are doing that to Brit troops over 1970s incidents in Northern Ireland. How do you protect our guys? 8/
I have a lot more questions. My civil support ops were much easier because were in a permissive environment where on whole political party was not on the side of the criminals. This is a nightmare. I get that you are frustrated. But acting on emotion is exactly what they want.
