Military more than political, really.
I had read that the DC guard was going to be deployed today. If I were handling the deployment, I would have put them around the Capitol as the OBVIOUS place that would be in danger, since that's where the Electoral College votes were being counted today. The only way even a very large protest could have disrupted that would be to penetrate the building; so, job one would be to prevent that from happening.
Turns out the Pentagon "rejected the request" from the civilian government to secure their own national capitol against an obvious risk at a critical moment. Just like the police who have been letting rioters carry on nationwide, the military decided it didn't want the bad press of having to enforce order against political protests that spin into violence.
National Guard units are activating now, at the President's order, to enforce the mayor's 6 PM curfew which could have been avoided if everyone had done their job in the first place. The Capitol should never have been left unsecured today.
This failure of professionalism and discipline by our officers' corps will have profound and negative consequences.
Very true. I get to the rationale behind not wanting to look like the bad guy, but by refusing to take early preventative measures, they will have to take much harsher measures now.
ReplyDeleteExpect the unexpected.
ReplyDeleteAlso i told them what would happen if they tried to steal georgia.
Now they get to see.
Turns out the Pentagon "rejected the request" from the civilian government to secure their own national capitol against an obvious risk at a critical moment.
ReplyDeleteI've seen no credible reporting of that. The New York Times does claim one of its secret/imaginary person[s] with knowledge of the events says Trump "rebuffed" requests to mobilize the Guard, but rumors aren't credible, either.
ABC's First Coast News does report that DC, Virginia, and Maryland National Guard units were deployed in early- mid-afternoon as the rioters were breaking into the Capital Building.
Eric Hines
I read it in the Washington Post earlier today, though I don’t see the article now.
ReplyDeleteDo you recall whether WaPo cited any actual sources for their claim?
ReplyDeleteEric Hines
I want to say that I think I remember seeing an 'according to...' line, but I can't recall the name or office that followed it.
ReplyDeleteA name would be good. An office would be carefully anonymous.
ReplyDeleteEric Hines
"Very true. I get to the rationale behind not wanting to look like the bad guy, but by refusing to take early preventative measures, they will have to take much harsher measures now."
ReplyDeleteMuch like the various courts not wanting to touch any of these election cases. The courage to do your job when it's difficult is sorely lacking.