**WH approves use of Lethal Force for troops at border!!

[Roland99]

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/11/21/white-house-approves-use-of-force-some-law-enforcement-roles-for-border-troops/

The White House late Tuesday signed a memo allowing troops stationed at the border to engage in some law enforcement roles and use lethal force, if necessary — a move that legal experts have cautioned may run afoul of the Posse Comitatus Act.

The new “cabinet order” was signed by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, not President Donald Trump. It allows “Department of Defense military personnel” to “perform those military protective activities that the Secretary of Defense determines are reasonably necessary” to protect border agents, including “a show or use of force (including lethal force, where necessary), crowd control, temporary detention. and cursory search.”

There are approximately 5,900 active-duty troops and 2,100 National Guard forces deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border,

Some of those activities, including crowd control and detention, may run into potential conflict with the 1898 Posse Comitatus Act. If crossed, the erosion of the act’s limitations could represent a fundamental shift in the way the U.S. military is used, legal experts said.

John Kelly signed the order?

[unblock]

1. Ethics and sanity aside, does the chief of staff even have the authority to sign this sort of thing?

[qazplm135]

2. it's both legal and unnecessary

all it says is the law/rules as they already currently stand.

ANYONE is authorized to use REASONABLE force for defense or defense of others.

There's nothing illegal there, but it's totally unnecessary because the idea is to create the illusion that there is an imminent invasion or riot or violent conflict coming soon, when everyone knows the chances of that are about the same as Don's chances of losing five pounds.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

9. K&R It reeks of the beginning of a police-state ren by a dictator

[Just a Weirdo]

3. They should modify their order

To shoot fat old balding combed over morons wearing MAGA hats. They need to be thinned out.

[BootinUp]

4. Lol, true.

[Javaman]

5. in other news: trump claims we have always been at war with Mexico. nt

[UTUSN]

6. An illegal order? An exceptionally brave soldier is called to resist an illegal order.

[Roland99]

7. Twitler signed the directive! Kelly signed the directive to the pentagon!

Link to tweet

[Vinca]

8. They're women pushing strollers for heaven's sake.

I hope there are plenty of photographers at the border to snap pictures of mothers and babies surrounded by soldiers.

[H2O Man]

10. Many people -- myself included --

had hoped that Kelly would rise to the occasion, when he joined the White House. Obviously, he has not. Instead, any potential for good has evaporated, and all that is left is a bitter puddle of the essence of hostility.

[TeamPooka]

11. Since when can the White House Chief of Staff authorize anything outside the West Wing staff?