Threat to Use Military and Federal Forces Post Election
May
30, 2020. Military police deployed against people in Washington, DC
protesting police violence and impunity in the wake of the killing of
George Floyd.
Great concerns are being raised both among the
rich and among the people, that there will not be a "peaceful
transition" in this election. Open violence could erupt among the
factions of the rich as they vie for the presidency. Racist, Hitlerite
armed militias could be used by the state to foment violence against
the people. President
Trump has threatened use of the military against any, including elected
officials and protesters, who refuse to accept him as president if he
decides to declare victory. Biden, for his part, has said the military
will escort Trump out of the White House if he loses and refuses to
leave. The
president is not sworn in until January 20, 2021, so the entire period
from
November 3 to January 20 is expected to see manoeuvres and violence of
various kinds by governments at all levels.
The concern among the rulers is such that their Quincy Institute for
Responsible Statescraft (QI), founded by billionaires Charles Koch and
George Soros and said to bring together the "right" and the "left,"
held a webinar titled, "The U.S. Military's Role in a Contested
Election." They asked, "What role, if any, might the United States
military
play if the results of the upcoming presidential election are
contested?" "How does the military remain apolitical and not succumb to
electoral politics? How might an election-related crisis affect the
relationship between the American people and the U.S. military, which
polls continue to say is the most trusted institution in America? And
what are
the military's constitutional responsibilities, should the president
refuse to leave office in a contested election?"[1]
It is evident from these questions that one possibility raised is
for the military, the "most trusted institution," to itself take
command in the name of preserving the Union and the Constitution. If
the actions of the president, such as refusing to leave, are considered
unlawful, then the military would be seen as upholding the law.
The oath of office for all officers is to the Constitution, against
enemies both foreign and domestic, and not to the president. At the
same time, the oath for enlisted soldiers, who could be called into
action, includes obeying the lawful orders of the president and their
officers.[2]
There is also concern that the military, which has been used against
rebellions by African Americans in the past, will lose whatever
credibility it has if it intervenes. In Washington, DC on June 1, the
military police were already used by Trump against protesters in
Lafayette Square with 1,600 troops on standby. With demonstrations
ongoing
in many cities and hundreds more planned if Trump contests the election
results, along with possible strikes, Trump may well call for use of
the military. When he previously threatened such action, various
generals and active-duty soldiers objected. Some among the National
Guard deployed to the cities refused to attack protesters.
In such conditions the rulers are not able to predict how the
military and various generals and admirals might divide or coalesce or
act in a contested election. An Admiral who long commanded the Navy
SEALs, for example, recently said in a Wall Street Journal
op-ed that he voted for Biden. "[I]f we fail to choose the right
leader,
then we will pay the highest price for our neglect and
shortsightedness," he said. Navy SEALs are well-known for their black
ops outside the law. The role other policing agencies might play is
another factor creating uncertainty. Both Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have
expressed their
support for Trump and this is a factor. There is also the Secret
Service to contend with.
 There
is no unified military in the U.S. and the competition within and
between the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and the new Space Force is
very great, as well as with the CIA and other intelligence agencies.
Keeping them unified and under the control of the president as
Commander-in-Chief is not only critical but a particular
responsibility which falls on the President whose duty it is to
preserve the Union.
A main point of discussion is that if the election is contested
right through to Inauguration Day on January 20, what might happen? If
Biden wins but Trump refuses to leave, who then is the
Commander-in-Chief and how would the vying forces be brought together?
Whether or not these scenarios play out, the very posing of the
questions reveals that the existing arrangements no longer function and the
rulers are scrambling to occupy the space for change in a manner that
perpetuates their rule. It shows the futility of appealing to
institutions and a Constitution which cannot cope with the needs of the
present.
Most importantly, it shows the futility of keeping the people out of
power.
Conditions of civil war have been sharpening throughout this period.
These include the conflicts within and between the military and
the president; those between state and federal governments concerning
COVID-19, immigration, funding and policing; and those between local,
state and federal policing and intelligence agencies, all armed to the
teeth.
An election is supposed to resolve conflicts between factions by
providing a method to declare a winner. It is supposed to block the use
of violence between rivals who are supposed to abide by the rules, such
as conceding to the winner. However, the levels of fraud, corruption,
manipulation and disruption have become so extreme as contending
private interests strive to usurp the state power that rules no longer
apply to guide all the different interests on how to act. Far from
elections serving as a method to resolve the conflicts peacefully,
anarchy and violence prevail.
Conditions are anything but peaceful given both the ongoing
repression of protests and the interference in the election by members
of the cabinet, generals and diplomats coupled with threats to use the
military against the people and for control of the presidency.
Vigilance is required as people continue to stand up for their
rights and reject the use of the military and police against them. From
coast to coast, working people and youth are leading people from all
walks of life to face any contingency. Bringing forward a democracy of
the people that can resolve social and political problems without the
use of
force is the order of the day.
Notes 1. Speakers included:
Andrew Bacevich, President of the Quincy Institute and retired Army
colonel; Mark Hertling, a 37-year retired Army General who was
Commander in Europe, Baghdad and Iraq and who served in the Obama
administration; Amber Smith, also Army who served in
Afghanistan and Iraq and was part of Trump's Defense Department. Kelley
Beaucar Vlahos, a Senior Advisor at QI and co-host of the American
Conservative's podcast, The Empire Has No Clothes, was moderator.
2. Oath of Office for officers:
"I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and
defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the
same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose
of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of
the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
Oath of Office for enlisted soldiers: "I, (state name
of enlistee), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and
defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the
same; and that 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 help me God." (Photos: R. Pineda, B. Anderson Photo)
This article was published in
Volume 50 Number 7 - November 2, 2020
Volume [volume] Number [issue] - [date]
Article Link:
Threat to Use Military and Federal Forces Post Election
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
|
