Are We Really Fighting the War on Terrorism?

2014-11-24T10:06:04-05:00

After getting in an intense conversation about some current events, it came across my mind that we have not kept our promise to the American people. "I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic...", we have used billions of dollars to end teriorism on the other side of the planet, but we have not spent nearly as much time or resources fighting domestic terrorism.

The KKK and other groups have been identified as terrorist groups for many years, why is it that we allow them to exist on our soil, and continue to do damage? In recent events the KKK have threaten to use violent force against those they view as enemies, why have we not mobilized to destroy this enemy threat who openly threaten our civilians?

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2014 1:13 PM

2014-11-24T13:13:59-05:00

SPC Christopher Smith, I personally agree with you about groups like the KKK being a domestic "enemy." I think such domestic elements (including domestic terrorist groups) are seen as a law enforcement problem to be handled by agencies such as the FBI and state and local police.

Whether the U.S. military should get involved in that fight would, I think, be a policy decision. We'd have to get the order to join that fight from higher. Remember that another part of the oath goes like this: "I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice."

So, if we failed to follow those orders, then I think we would not be keeping our promise in the oath.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2014 6:15 AM

2014-11-26T06:15:16-05:00

SPC Christopher Smith, I think this is an excellent question, but it has no easy answer.

One of the tenets of the KKK is that its mission is to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. It's difficult to justify attacking an organization that claims to have the same goals we do. While some may deem the KKK to be a terrorist group, others don't.

The KKK does have a right to free speech, so until they are caught committing acts that (in modern days) tangibly impair our Constitution, there's not much that we can legally do.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2014 3:27 PM

2014-11-26T15:27:12-05:00

While I agree with the sentiment stated herein but there is a small problem with the military being used to "fight" groups like the KKK, etc. The Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C. Section 1385) was enacted to prevent the use of U.S. troops in combating any form of civil unrest and against dissident groups (KKK, etc). In 2006, as part of the Post Katrina law changes there was an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act, however due to a huge amount of negative sentiment that particular exception was removed in 2007.

As a result, the only agencies permitted to deal with dissidents and radical organizations such as the KKK, et al., is the FBI, state and local police officials.

Response by SPC Richard Jackson made Nov 26 at 2014 5:08 PM

2014-11-26T17:08:03-05:00

Lets not stop with the kkk, although that's as good place to start as any. How about the gangster desciples, vice lords, crips, bloods, latin kings, latin desciples,ms13, mafia, and any of the same ilk?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2014 7:27 PM

2014-11-26T19:27:57-05:00

Posse Comitatus Act prevents us as AC or RC to participate on US soil. The only places you see us would be White House and Embassy type facilities where the Marines guard or obviously on our bases. Until they change the law it is up to the local authorities and if called upon the NG to deal with these issues. We are individuals though can fight it by not participating in them and stop the hate in our sphere of influence. And as the phrase goes "if you see something say something". Until we do that we will see no change.

Response by SFC Steven Harvey made Dec 2 at 2014 1:41 AM

2014-12-02T01:41:07-05:00

As PO1 George M. said earlier it's against the law.

I guess you missed the Boston bomber fiasco where an entire city was shut down and the LEO in the area was better armed than the 75th Ranger Rgt.

Imagine that times a million and you have a general idea of what would happen.

The FBI, DHS, and all the other organizations are more than capable.

Response by LTC Joseph Gross made Dec 2 at 2014 7:59 AM

2014-12-02T07:59:44-05:00

I'll take a controversial view and disagree with your premise that the KKK is a terrorist group. This is not the KKK of the 60s and 70s that was attacking, burning and hanging fellow Americans. This is a few sad old people who can't fill a meeting room the size of a gas station restroom. They might agitate and have the occasional speech at town hall but they are not attacking Americans nor do they pose a threat to America.

There are plenty of other examples you could use that pose a real and present danger to the US. As someone mentions the Posse Comitatus Act, let me add another fire bomb and state that I believe that act was mistakenly made and if it were revisited by the SCOTUS they might even find it to be unconstitutional. It restricts the use of our forces from meeting requirements placed on us by our constitution!

So let's get rid of PCA and go after The New Black Panthers, MS13 and any number of other groups. Many of them comprised of illegal aliens! Once we get rid of them, we can send two boy scouts to tell the last vestige of the Klan to sit down and shut up.

Response by PO3 Artemis Entreri made Feb 16 at 2017 4:26 PM

2017-02-16T16:26:39-05:00

When we start removing politicians from office, the true war on terror will begin.