In regards to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, the main objective of the act was to limit the ability of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement purposes, but little to no success they were used as a security detail according to White House Reports on Hurricane Katrina, sociological journals, and books ranging from Militarizing the American Criminal Justice System (Kraska, 2001) to Acts of God (Steinberg, 2006), (Farmer, 2011). Especially after Hurricane Katrina; it was a prime example of how and why a states needed to be restored with law and order after a disaster hit raising concerns on the President’s legal authority to send active duty military personnel into a disaster area with permissible functions to protect …show more content…
When a disaster occurs the federal, state, and local governments contact the military for help and support due to the their advantages attached to military operations and response which could benefit in them in manpower with specific qualifications, skills and expertise, strategic and rapid mobilization, updated technology and a variety of equipment (helicopters, aircraft, earth-moving machinery, respirators, medical supplies, power and lighting equipment, under-water capability, etc.) that most emergency organizations are unable to acquire on a moment notice (Kapucu, 2011). Besides, the military’s bureaucratic structure with hierarchical rules in place are effective in command, coordination, and control of manpower, authority, and regulations, is beneficial in providing effective response actions during the time of emergency (Anderson 1970; Schrader 1993; Sylves 2008; US House of Representatives 2006) (Kapucu, 2011). This advantage cut time in half because the structure is already set up without questioning who is doing what or who is in charge. Additionally, the military supports in sheltering the homeless, the construction of temporary housing and restoration of minimal critical infrastructure (water, electric, sanitation, communication infrastructure, etc.), (Miskel 2006; Schrader 1993), (Kapucu, 2011). As we can see the domestic use of the military is well needed in crises and emergency
The armed forces have rendered critical support to state and local (SL) government dating back to the establishment of the nation. Post-9/11, the federal government has taken measures to foster a unity of effort while also encouraging interoperability among all levels of government and the private sector. As a state resource, the Army and Air National Guard (AANG) are under the command and control (C2) of their respective Governors and Adjutant General. Since its inception, the AANGs primary function has been to provide direct, and timely support in response to natural and man-made disasters. Historically, pieces of legislation such as the Posse Comitatus Act (1878) have affected the Department of Defense (DoD) limitations and scope during
A Disastrous Law In 1878, the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) was born out of necessity to keep our Nation’s Federal Armed Forces from becoming politicized, used as a regional militia, or for Law Enforcement purposes. This essay provides history and analysis of the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) and it’s relation to the use of the military for law enforcement in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Total disorganization of command and control during Hurricane Katrina emergency response proved that the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) should be repealed, or at least revised. History and Explanation of the Posse Comitatus Act What is the Posse Comitatus Act and how did it come about?
The executive order 9981 was established to desegregate the armed forces. The executive
The questions of whether or not the President has authority to use the military without congress first having declared war has proven to be a great source of conflict throughout history. The confusion comes from the different interpretations of the clauses. Since the Korean War, it has been accepted that the executive powers are that “The president has the power to initiate hostilities without consulting Congress” (libertyclassroom.com). This is often misinterpreted and has been used to expand executive authority and essentially make war without a congressional declaration of war. Perhaps the first example of this misuse of power dates back to the presidency of John Adams.
They are also involved in emergency relief efforts providing security, medical supplies, and humanitarian
An order where the War Department appointed “military areas” which excluded people thought to be a threat to America. Although the tone of the order seemed
It is vital that the military uses history to their advantage, whether it is good or bad, in
Book Review 2: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Cold War Crises by Richard Betts Summary: Betts starts off his book by recognizing the ambiguity around the advocacy of the use of force in a crisis by military leaders even though there is a prevalent assumption that military professionals are more aggressive than diplomats and politicians. He states he writes the book in order to provide a comprehensive survey of the postwar role of American military men in decisions on their most essential function, their use of force in combat. Betts acknowledges the vast availability of literature on military participation in decisions on defense budgets and weapons procurement, but feels there is a void when looking at decision-making from the perspective of military leadership versus civilian leadership.
Within his speech, Senator Conley attempts to put to rest those that charge the president has a blank check and that he continues to run roughshod over Congress. He informs the American public “the president is required, from time to time, but not less frequently than every 90 days, to transmit to Congress a report of operations under the act, with the exception of such information, as he deems incompatible with public interest to disclose. Conley also states that the bill does authorize the executive office to have “defensive articles” manufactured and that these articles consist of but are not limited to “any weapon, munition, aircraft, vessel, or boat; or any other commodity or article for defense.” The Lend-lease bill allows for the selling, transferring, leasing, exchanging any defensive article to any government that is upholding the democratic ideals and engaged in combating tyranny.
Military Presence From the United States There are many measures we must take and sacrifices we must make to ensure the safety and comfort within our nation, however, sometimes we must look at the precautions we are taking and wonder whether or not our methods are effective, reasonable, or even ethical. Although we need to protect our country, war and a strong military presence create more violence, communication barriers, and havoc than necessary or ideal. In the world today, the United States already has a strong military presence in foreign countries and within the borders of our own, but this often interferes with other political and public affairs and does more harm than good, such as delaying communications between nations and keeping
Through the news media coverage I have seen the great value of this law and I have seen the poor side of this law. I have seen news networks talk about how mass shootings are related to the open carry law and how this can only get worse with time and the passing of the law. I have also seen the honorable side of the law, such as the ability for citizens to protect themselves more efficiently. For instance, if someone is out jogging at night and another person tries to rob him or her, the one being robbed is able to defend himself. On the contrary, as a result of the open carry law, the person doing the robbing also has a gun to use to harm the one he is robbing.
Connections Between Tecumseh’s Quote and I Through the many years of the American Revolutionary War and as the leader of the Shawnee native tribe, Chief Tecumseh’s has acquired much wisdom and offers this to others in the poem Act of Valor (University, 2000). This insightful quote by Tecumseh tells its readers not to have any regrets when death awaits them. This passage speaks to me as it talks about being guiltless, grateful, and acceptance to the forthcoming events in our lives. To begin with, Tecumseh has nothing to feel guilty for with the choices he has made in his life.
The Second Amendment was never actually intended for everyday citizens. In the writing of the amendment it states militia meaning that it was only intended for them to bear arms. Citizens have found easy access to the weapons that they use in their shootings. Therefore, guns are put into the wrong hands, which means gun regulations should be stricter and allow a more detailed background check with mental health evaluations. There have been gun purchases where there has been a flaw in the background check system, allowing mentally ill or irresponsible people to obtain guns.
The main purpose of the act was to have the president and congress approach war efforts with “collective judgement,” yet the act itself seems to allow the president to bypass congress just as how presidents Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon did in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The act was supposed to correct the errors of such wars, but it really does not address the issue of powers between the executive and legislative branches effectively. In essence the president can declare war in the emergency when the United States is under attack, such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and the Pentagon however, he is restricted from actually enacting war, meaning he can only say that there will be war, but he cannot start organizing and sending troops to hostile countries without the formal consent of congress. Therefore, the war powers act attempts to decrease the president’s power to enact war, but it violates the constitution and bypasses congressional authorization for war by permitting the president to send troops to hostile countries for 90
Though the community only has a small effect on the overall picture, they are the most vulnerable to all disasters and threats. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the community to prepare one another and assess the potential risks and hazards within their community in addition to what steps are needed to address the issues. It is this preemptive response and planning, especially in locations with historically reoccurring hazards that reduce the disaster effects and overall cost. This community-based effort conducted by community groups has the, “potential to make a significant and long-lasting contributions to reducing local vulnerability and strengthening adaptive capacities” (Allen, 2006, p. 97). One example of a community-organized group is Community Emergency Response Teams or CERT.