Poll: Should The Inauguration Be Canceled?

[Tidewater]

At one level, I like Tidewater’s M240 suggestion. But it assumes that the nutjobs are really bluffing. I worry that some of them are insane enough to want to be martyrs, and would use the noise as an excuse to return fire with real bullets. Or fire real bullets elsewhere, away from the tight security.

The Philippines case I was referencing was when Colin Powel was Chairman of the JCS. A Philippine military group staged a coup. The friendly Philippine government asked for help to suppress the coup. The U.S. did not want to get involved in an Philippine internal affair, but wanted to show support for the elected government. The Chiefs were in the tank debating what to do: the normal range of options of bombing (too indiscriminate), sending an ARG (use your silver bullter and you then have no silver bullets left), deploying the 82nd (too slow), etc. Powell came up with having U.S. fighters fly very low over the coup members' base, to let them know the U.S. was aware and was present, but not to shoot or drop anything.
That was enough to use the coup to fall apart, and the U.S. was not involved in killing any Filipinos (where the legacy of U.S. imperialism is never far from the surface).
One of Powell's best, but least-known moments.

 

[Tidewater]

At one level, I like Tidewater’s M240 suggestion. But it assumes that the nutjobs are really bluffing.

That's why you keep the live rounds handy. Taking a BFA off a M240 takes only a minute.

I worry that some of them are insane enough to want to be martyrs, and would use the noise as an excuse to return fire with real bullets. Or fire real bullets elsewhere, away from the tight security.

The key thing is not just having the men and barrier materials on hand, but having the authorizations form the civilian authorities. The default setting in shooting civilians is "no." And having the man on the scene with the authority to say, "Open fire." Civilian leaders are notorious for wanting to keep options open until the last second, but the right man, with sound judgment, and empowered with the right authorities should do the trick.

In the autumn of 1942, Stalin held the Caucasus oil fields, which he needed for the Soviet war effort. The Wehrmacht was advancing towards those same oil fields. Stalin selected men to command the demolition of the oilfields and told them, "If you blow up the oilfield too early, I will have you shot and your family deported to Siberia. If you allow the oilfield to be captured by the Germans intact, I will have you shot and your family deported to Siberia. So pay close attention to the situation at your oilfield and make the right decision." (Guess how many intact oilfields the Germans captured?)
Something along those lines to the guy in charge of the inaugural security should do the trick (without the actual shooting and sending the family to Siberia bit)

 

[TexasBama]

The Philippines case I was referencing was when Colin Powel was Chairman of the JCS. A Philippine military group staged a coup. The friendly Philippine government asked for help to suppress the coup. The U.S. did not want to get involved in an Philippine internal affair, but wanted to show support for the elected government. The Chiefs were in the tank debating what to do: the normal range of options of bombing (too indiscriminate), sending an ARG (use your silver bullter and you then have no silver bullets left), deploying the 82nd (too slow), etc. Powell came up with having U.S. fighters fly very low over the coup members' base, to let them know the U.S. was aware and was present, but not to shoot or drop anything.
That was enough to use the coup to fall apart, and the U.S. was not involved in killing any Filipinos (where the legacy of U.S. imperialism is never far from the surface).
One of Powell's best, but least-known moments.

Having a battalion or more of Marines at Subic probably didn’t hurt either. My BIL was stationed there when Pinatubo lit off.

 

[Tidewater]

Having a battalion or more of Marines at Subic probably didn’t hurt either. My BIL was stationed there when Pinatubo lit off.

Yeah, we (the US) had some stuff there at the time. Not sure where this coup was, but I do not think it was on Luzon. Mindanao, maybe. The episode was detailed in the Woodward book, The Commanders.

 

[TexasBama]

Yeah, we (the US) had some stuff there at the time. Not sure where this coup was, but I do not think it was on Luzon. Mindanao, maybe. The episode was detailed in the Woodward book, The Commanders.

Mostly Luzon

1989 Philippine coup attempt - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Now there are reports that, despite vetting, National Guard units have been infiltrated by extremists. The other day, when Ivey said that Alabama was sending 250 troops, my first thought was the president might be safer if we kept them home. I really feel that, with the extremists, plus the virus and having the capability for a virtual event, that's what we should have...

 

[Bamaro]

All I can say is let the nuts try it again. The results will be very different.
I seriously doubt we will see anything near what we saw on 1/6. They may be stupidly mis-informed but I doubt that they are quite that stupid

 

[jthomas666]

It's important for the country--not to mention the rest of the world--to see that these right-wing jackholes cannot win. Our PEACEFUL transfer of power is a near-holy rite (to me at least), announcing that the Republic endures--and Christ knows we NEED that announcement.

 

[jthomas666]

 

[Bamaro]

It's important for the country--not to mention the rest of the world--to see that these right-wing jackholes cannot win. Our PEACEFUL transfer of power is a near-holy rite (to me at least), announcing that the Republic endures--and Christ knows we NEED that announcement.

Unfortunately, that ended January 6