Pentagon disarms National Guard activated in D.C., sends active-duty forces home
Source: Washington Post
The Pentagon has told National Guardsmen deployed to the nations capital not to use firearms or ammunition, and has issued orders to send home active-duty troops that the Trump administration amassed outside the city in recent days, a sign of de-escalation in the federal response to protests in the city.
Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper made the decision to disarm the guard without consulting the White House, after President Trump ordered a militarized show of force on the streets of Washington to quell demonstrations that were punctured by an episode of looting Sunday, two senior administration officials said. Trump had encouraged the National Guard to be armed.
Initially, a small group of guardsmen deployed in the city had been carrying guns while standing outside monuments, but the bulk of the forces, such as those working with federal park police at Lafayette Square in front of the White House, didnt carry firearms out of caution. Now, all of the roughly 5,000 guardsmen deployed to Washington from the District of Columbia and 11 states have been told not to use weapons or ammunition.
At a news conference Friday, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said that some guardsmen in the District had been carrying arms on Monday, but he noted that they did not have magazines of ammunition in their firearms. Beginning Tuesday, the Trump administration de-escalated further, he said, by removing firearms from the equation altogether.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/pentagon-disarms-guardsmen-in-washington-dc-in-signal-of-de-escalation/2020/06/05/324da91a-a733-11ea-8681-7d471bf20207_story.html
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)The Pig will proclaim Domination and brag about himself.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,642 posts)Who the Hell are these guys and what are they being called for and who called them?
forgotmylogin
(7,539 posts)Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)Have they officially changed the name of the White House to Fort Trump? The territory is now carefully marked for the battle against America by the BIGBabygate. His wall got smaller, but it is in the right place now, at least.
A coward has to be safe before they will attack, so a certain amount of troops will bring that bold authority for bringing Fascism back home.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,047 posts)Camp Gutanamo
Camp Buttanamo
Camp Rumptanamo
I wonder which one is favoured?
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,304 posts)Miguelito Loveless
(4,475 posts)is the traditional name
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,047 posts)Or at least I sure hope I'm right.
Progressive Jones
(6,011 posts)Pentagon Generals made this decision, and told Esper what to do.
mountain grammy
(26,659 posts)sounds like cooler and wiser heads are prevailing for now .
paleotn
(17,989 posts)are saying in private what those who are retired are able to say publicly. Esper is catching hell from inside the military. He didn't have a come to Jesus moment and decide to do the right thing on his own. He was told in no uncertain terms, back this shit down or else.