Bush Doesn't Need Military For Avian Flu

[Coastie for Truth]

He has the tools - the key tool is the "Incident Command System" - developed by California's Office of Emergency Services and Department of Forestries for earthquakes (as in Northridge and Loma Prieta), mega-forest fires, and Sacramento Delta floods.

Read:

1.

2. - which FEMA did NOT use in Katrina and Rita.

3. See the pdf file www.nwcg.gov/pms/forms/compan/history.pdf "History of the Incident Command System"

And the , while run through DHS at the 50,000 foot level, this is also a system of standardized "Mutual Assistance Agreements" involving health care providers, US Public Health Service, state Militias, etc.

There is no need to bypass "Posse Comitatus". The military's hospitals, Nightingale air lift, hospital ships, and MASH units can be mobilized under NDMS without violating the Posse Comitatus Act.

I am a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, a Red Cross Volunteer (Disaster Assistance, Sheltering), and a member of several DHS-FEMA civilian responder activities. It seems that the DHS and FEMA, while mandating the Incident Command System to everybody including the Red Cross and the Salvation Army and the Campfire Kids, are the only ones who neither follow it not use it.

Bush doesn't need to militarize the Avian Flu response. He just needs to use the assets we have (including bringing the National Guard home for disaster and avian flu duty).

[soothsayer]

1. Pray that * gets the flu

[rhett o rick]

3. Yeah right, then the big Dick will take over. No thanks. nt

[soothsayer]

4. Pray that they ALL get it! Then the military quarantines them

as part of their (some say desired) coup

[rhett o rick]

5. It's not them that worries me. It is the idiots in the red states that

voted for them. They will just do it again.

[rhett o rick]

2. Good grief, don't struggle, it only hurts more. nt

[asjr]

6. Just another attempt toward martial law.

[havocmom]

7. Had a bet with myself on who would be the one to post this info.

And most of me was betting on Coastie for Truth to come through with it. ;) The Sepmer Paratus outlook has never let me down yet!

The mad cowboy does seem to be eager to find some excuse to call the military to partol American streets against American citizens, doesn't it?

Dumb bastard hasn't got a clue how government services can work. And the fact that too many Americans get out of school without a clue how things are set up to work, leaves too many willing to accept the junta BS tactics to impose martial law on us free thinkin' rabble.

[Inland]

10. Bush's ideology presumes that the military is the only working gov agent

It's not only part and parcel of the republican don't-bother school of government, but conveniently enough, it's the institution where he not only runs it, he's able to cover up how he runs it. It's perfect. If you can't make the entire government a fascist regime, just grow the parts best suited for it and let the others wither away.

When I was in Chile in the eighties, military men were at customs, directing traffic and patrolling downhill ski slopes. It was the only institution left.

[MrBenchley]

8. He fucked up ordinary flu shots last winter!

The problem isn't what he's got to work with, it's that he's an incompetent, corrupt drunk.

[MissMarple]

9. Thanks. These guys always try to reinvent the wheel.

It's all about them. Perhaps we should clue them to the fact that wheels are round, like pie. :eyes:

I do wonder what Tom Ridge makes of all this.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

11. Has he even discussed avian flu before in any context?

Does he realize as Commander-in-Chief, that there is starting to be a lot of press coverage about this and it's scaring people to death?

Does Bush use this press conference to talk about how we are stockpiling vaccine or how we're going to get a major preventive inoculation underway, or what the countries of the world are doing and what are we doing? NO! He starts talking about how he would need
the military to enforce QUARANTINES!!

I used to think that a terrorist event would be the pretext for martial law, but hey, if nature drops a gift in your lap - go for it.
Get us all used to the idea that we need the military might of the armed forces to enforce quarantine.

Everyone is missing the whole point of Posse Comitatas anyway - this is the act that deprives the President from utilizing the military and using them as POLICE forces against the citizenry.

You do not need to suspend posse comitatas to do rescue work or humanitarian aid or even to provide security.In other words, you could certainly provide quarantine perimeters without it.Suspending Posse Comitatas would create the ability of the military to arrest and detain and act as lawmakers and law enforcers - essentially it is the act that creates "martial law".

Don't fall for this! He does not need these powers, he will never need these powers (No one will ever need these powers) unless they harbor ill-intent against the American people.

[Coastie for Truth]

12. Posse Comitatus Act - full text

TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 67 > § 1385

§ 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.

Now, there is a way out, Bushco argument, that somebody like Harriet Miers or Alberto Gonzales or John Ashcroft might make -- the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits ONLY the state and local authorities (i.e., the County Sheriff) from conscripting the Federal forces into a local (state, county, municipal) "Posse Comitatus" to enforce state and/or local laws; but that the "Posse Comitatus Act" permits a Federal Official to use the Federal military to enforce Federal law.

This is contrary to 130 plus years of practice, policy, procedure and regulations. But, I wouldn't put this past the Bush-Gonzales-Miers team.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

13. Putting the military in charge seems to be a recurring theme

with * lately.

Having the military help in rescue etc is fine.

I don't trust him further than I could throw him, and NO WAY should he have a right to call out the military in violation of Posse Comitatus.

Now that would be a huge error to not raise holy heck if he were to try.

Vigilance required for attempts to grab, consolidate, and/or retain power beyond his term, beyond legality etc.

[Coastie for Truth]

14. Kennebunkport Preppie Trying To A Texas Cowboy

One of Bush's problems (beyond drugs and booze and some major psychological problems, see Bush on the Couch: Inside the Mind of the President by Justin A. Frank) is that he trying to shed his Kennebunkport, Andover, Ivy League, Skull and Bones roots and become a big, bad, John Wayne/J.R.Ewing cattle rancher, and oil man.

And he thinks that projecting military power might cause some John Wayne - J.R. Ewing macho to rub off on him.

Georgie - it isn't working - you're still a soiled rotten,little Kennebunkport preppie.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

15. Aye, there's that part of it

But remember his statement "...of course it would all be a lot easier if I were the dictator...?"

It isn't only about his "macho" image and looking like John Wayne, it is this insatiable hunger for power of him and/or those around him.

Like roverer, cheneyen, etc.