Bush Expected To Call For Guard Troops On Border.

Source: Reuters-News.Yahoo.com

How do you one-up your own incompetence and poor leadership, especially when you are looking for a "Hail Mary" political publicity stunt? Quite simple--you turn the U.S./Mexican border patrol into a militarized zone and again show lack of understanding involving this critical illegal immigrants issue.

One slip-up by a national guardsmen, and we are going to see riots in major U.S. cities not seen since the civil rights movement.

Also, let's not forget the already over-stretched Armed Forces with 75% of the National Guard already in Iraq.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President Bush is expected to call on Monday night for several thousand National Guard troops to be deployed along the U.S.-Mexican border to support efforts to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, a U.S. official said.

Bush is to announce tougher border security measures in a prime-time speech to the country devoted to the immigration issue, which increasingly is an important challenge faced by both Republicans and Democrats in the mid-term election year.

Let's not forget the Civil War Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which bans military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

How is the Bush administration going to defend another blatant violation of federal law this time?

1878

Currently, America's military is largely prohibited from acting as a domestic police force.

20 Stat. L., 145

June 18, 1878

CHAP. 263 -- An act making appropriations for the support of the Army for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, and for other purposes.

SEC. 15. From and after the passage of this act it shall not be lawful to employ any part of the Army of the United States, as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, for the purpose of executing the laws, except in such cases and under such circumstances as such employment of said force may be expressly authorized by the Constitution or by act of Congress; and no money appropriated by this act shall be used to pay any of the expenses incurred in the employment of any troops in violation of this section And any person willfully violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction thereof shall be punished by fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding two years or by both such fine and imprisonment.

10 U.S.C. (United States Code) 375

Sec. 375. Restriction on direct participation by military personnel:

The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to ensure that any activity (including the provision of any equipment or facility or the assignment or detail of any personnel) under this chapter does not include or permit direct participation by a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps in a search, seizure, arrest, or other similar activity unless participation in such activity by such member is otherwise authorized by law.

18 U.S.C. 1385

Sec. 1385. Use of Army and Air Force as posse comitatus

Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

Editor's Note: The only exemption has to do with nuclear materials (18 U.S.C. 831)

Time and time again, this administration shows the entire world how out of touch they are. This is the Hallmark, "gold card" moment of that, in action.

Tags: [Posse Comitatus Act of 1878], [Bush expected to call for Guard troops on border], [President Bush], [National Guard troops to be deployed along the U.S.-Mexican border], [tougher border security measures], [militarization of the border], [Border Patrol], [Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel], [That's not the role of our military. That's not the role of our National Guard], [75 percent of the equipment of National Guard forces are in Iraq], [National Guard], [U.S.], [Mexico], [Mexican President Vicente Fox]