Soldiers vs. Bird Flu
So the President wants Congress to amend the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 to allow the US military to perform domestic policing duties; he cites an outbreak of avian flu requiring a large-scale quarantine as one possible scenario. What do you think? Is this a reasonable and prudent precaution in case of epidemic or major disaster, or is it a slippery slope to uniformed soldiers on the border, in airports, on our streets? Many Americans who travel to Mexico, Israel, or any number of other countries are startled and frightened to see armed soldiers on patrol seemingly everywhere. Should we get used to this? Are we over our traditional distrust of standing armies?
posted by Anonymous at
12:17 PM
1 Comments:
Certainly an outbreak of avian flu would be a major public health crisis that warranted a centralized national response. If so authorized by this law, the military would likely be a valuable contributor to a centralized national response. OOPS! Right hand-left hand problem: Pretty sure I heard on NPR this AM that our former Governor, Michael Levitt announced that he feels a centralized response to an avian flu outbreak would be a bad thing.
We got over out distrust of standing armies after World War II. That point appears moot.
I feel slippery slope arguements are inherently faulty. With that said, in the context of an administration that has repeatedly demonstrated that it can't be trusted, I don't trust this move based on this facile justification.
Sure does seem like something that is a threat to our domestic security, kinda like a hurricane. Maybe they should route this one to Homeland Security to figure out. ~grin~
Here is a link to a discussion of avian flu, in the context of events surrounding Katrina.
http://www.democrats.com/node/6165
10:41 AM
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