If Martial law is declared in the US -

[Kipper58]

I have two questions -

1) Who is going to enforce it, given that most of the army is overseas?

2) How long would it take the economy to collapse?


(I've posted this in response to the threads regarding possible postponement or cancellation of the November election. In my humble British opinion, the paymasters of the Republican Party wouldn't be too pleased with the economic catastrophe that Martial law would cause. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the US armed forces wouldn't be thrilled at the prospect of threatening their fellow Americans!)

[Occulus]

1. 3.

3: What will be the reation of the population in general- and specifically those Republicans who believe as we do, that each person should have the right to at least vote for whom they wish?

After everything that has happened in the nation and the world since Bush* took office, I think it would clue in a lot more people than anything else.

[gatorboy]

2. Oh, I'm sure a few patriotic Americans

will volunteer their time to keep us in check...

Get ready for your "L" armband!

[tigereye]

3. martial law?!

are you serious? C'mon, tell me you're kidding. What possible basis could you have for thinking martial law will be imposed?

[taxidriver]

8. google "Tommy Franks martial law comments"

or something similar. a few leading generals and politicos have said that in the even of a catastrophic terror attack, W may impose martial law.

which, by the way, would be completely legal, thanks to the executive action measures that have been passed over the years.

[Redhead488]

10. Actually Franks did not say that *

W may impose martial law. He said that he could understand there being a call for it (not by the administration) if a major terrorist attack took place.

[FighttheFuture]

13. You're parsing here... Isn't it W and his cronies that set the stage...

for these unthinkable comments in the first place? Even in the Civil War, we still had elections and the constitution survived.

Here's the link to the Franks comments: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/11/20/185048.shtml

<snip>
If that happens, Franks said, “... the Western world, the free world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is freedom and liberty we’ve seen for a couple of hundred years in this grand experiment that we call democracy.”

Franks then offered “in a practical sense” what he thinks would happen in the aftermath of such an attack.

“It means the potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western world – it may be in the United States of America – that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass, casualty-producing event. Which in fact, then begins to unravel the fabric of our Constitution. Two steps, very, very important.”
<snip>

[Parche]

4. civil war

That will make the last civil war look like a love fest

[Parche]

5. civil war

That will make the last civil war look like a love fest

[Tweed]

6. Take off the tin foil hats guys.... n\t

[Kipper58]

12. That's my point !!!!!!

I'm trying to calm the atmosphere of near-hysteria that Ridge's comments have created here! ( see some or the most recent threads)

[Redhead488]

7. Your first premise is way off; Most of the Army is not overseas

There are at most 140,000 personnel of ALL services in Iraq. There are about 400,000 total personnel (of all services) overseas and aboard ships at any one time. That leaves about 2 million here (counting Guard and reserves).

[zemman]

9. Depends on the type of martial law

Pakistan under Musharraf is a good example. He's done pretty well even though he's eliminated democracy by being pro-market and pro-finance. The lords of capital don't care all that much about political institutions, as long as there is stability and capitalism.

Assuming Bush declares martial law but continues his tax policy, the biggest threat to the regime would come either from an international boycott or internal resistance. A boycott is dangerous because it would drag both nations down. Likewise, an oil boycott would really hurt, but theoretically the US might "seize" oil, or even be subsidies by his Saudi "friends."

Likewise, the cheapest tool to use to guarentee internal pacification is religious zealots. If a "Christian Social Sharia" was instituted nation-wide, Bush would have his loyalty militias right there.

:-|

[BiggJawn]

11. The police.

Soldiers would be hinkey about shooting people who look and talk like them. Cops are trained to deal with "Perps", and that's what they'll tell them we are, "Perps".

They'll keep cooking the numbers and propping up the economy, so it will seem to keep chuggin' right along.

[xocolatl]

14. Emergency Measures

While a traditional martial law may be impossible to enforce, it would be fairly easy to convince the public that elections should be cancelled or postponed.

Then, citing powers such as the Patriot-Act (more restrictive versions that would be sure to pass without appropriate inspection) all alternative news sources could be shut down. For example, restricting access through ISP's.

Then, it would be easy to secure control.

I hope this is all :tinfoilhat:, but in case it isn't, I would like to be prepared....

[donhakman]

15. the privatized security guards at every federal workplace

has increased by nearly 1000%

Granted they are mostly McDonalds University dropouts but they would love to shoot a gun for a change.

Shoot to kill orders during disease quarentines are sanctioned by FEMA in co operation with local law enforcment agencies.