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The link leads to a standard article from a paranoid gun-hater, saying he wants to start confiscating all guns or something. SSDD, not really worth reading.
But if you scroll about halfway down the page, there's an interesting comment, from a member of the Iowa National Guard. Apparently they staged an exercise on an abandoned building, to approach it with their weapons, break in, and secure it.
But... that abandoned building they were going to use, was next to an open and operating gun store. And rumors got out, inaccurate ones, and the local people started thinking the National Guard was coming to close down the gun store and confiscate its merchandise instead.
The National Guard folks got a reception they didn't expect... and saw the wisdom in explaining themselves, very quickly.
(I cleaned up some spelling and punctuation errors in the comment)
Posted: Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Article comment by: J S
The Iowa National guard did a training exercise in a small town to "clear" an abandoned building... next to a gun store. Through rumor, the people thought we had come to close the gun store and take the guns... needless to say we where very quickly outnumbered and outgunned. As we quickly explained, we swore an oath defend the constitution and we have the right to disobey any "Unlawful" order that conflicts with it. So (addressing the politician) if you plan to declare war on the public brace yourself because it will be ugly. You do not have people on your side.
It's a funny article, but it speaks volumes. Can you imagine those poor guys in the Guard looking around and thinking... *WHOLLY CRAP!!*
if they would have actually been there to shut the store down, they would have really been outgunned.
at least they acknowledged that they would not follow an illegal order.
The link leads to a standard article from a paranoid gun-hater, saying he wants to start confiscating all guns or something. SSDD, not really worth reading.
But if you scroll about halfway down the page, there's an interesting comment, from a member of the Iowa National Guard. Apparently they staged an exercise on an abandoned building, to approach it with their weapons, break in, and secure it.
But... that abandoned building they were going to use, was next to an open and operating gun store. And rumors got out, inaccurate ones, and the local people started thinking the National Guard was coming to close down the gun store and confiscate its merchandise instead.
The National Guard folks got a reception they didn't expect... and saw the wisdom in explaining themselves, very quickly.
(I cleaned up some spelling and punctuation errors in the comment)
Posted: Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Article comment by: J S
The Iowa National guard did a training exercise in a small town to "clear" an abandoned building... next to a gun store. Through rumor, the people thought we had come to close the gun store and take the guns... needless to say we where very quickly outnumbered and outgunned. As we quickly explained, we swore an oath defend the constitution and we have the right to disobey any "Unlawful" order that conflicts with it. So (addressing the politician) if you plan to declare war on the public brace yourself because it will be ugly. You do not have people on your side.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this story. I do not believe it one bit. Hypothetically, if the U.S. National Guard would have been given a order to take the gun store over............they would have done so. If they would have met armed resistance, they would have extinguished that resistance, even by live fire............if ordered to do so. Orders are 'PRECISE' and must be followed.
Last edited by Old Army Soldier; 01-09-2013 at 05:27 AM..
I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this story. I do not believe it one bit. Hypothetically, if the U.S. National Guard would have been given a order to take the gun store over............they would have done so. If they would have met armed resistance, they would have extinguished that resistance, even by live fire............if ordered to do so. Orders are 'PRECISE' and must be followed.
Obeying illegal orders is punishable under the UCMJ.
Sounds like strategic retardation on the part of the defenders. Iraqi rebels sometimes did the same thing early in that war, and got wiped out in a couple swoops by air support. The logical way to defend a static target does not involve surrounding it with human flesh carrying small arms.
Sounds like strategic retardation on the part of the defenders. Iraqi rebels sometimes did the same thing early in that war, and got wiped out in a couple swoops by air support. The logical way to defend a static target does not involve surrounding it with human flesh carrying small arms.
Do you really think the US government is going to call in an airstrike against citizens? Do you really think that US military pilots would carry out an illegal order to do so? How many aircraft does the US military now have if this scenario were carried out on a national basis? Do you have any earthly idea how many military it would take in order to actually complete an assignment of that magnitude? The point of the story is NOT that the military got surrounded by local townspeople. The point of the article is two fold. The national guard realized they were outgunned when they were surrounded and the commander stated that they would NOT carry out an illegal order.
Were there no abandoned buildings away from active businesses they could use?
Whoever set that up needs a talking to. If you're going to conduct military operations in a civilian area you should at least give them a heads up.
My guess is that the ANG troops' weapons were loaded with blanks for the exercise, so the prospect of a firefight with armed citizens was, shall we say, even less palatable.
Soldiers do have the right to disobey illegal orders. Unfortunately for them, they will then be prosecuted by the same authorities that issued the orders. Sort of a Catch 22.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this story. I do not believe it one bit. Hypothetically, if the U.S. National Guard would have been given a order to take the gun store over............they would have done so. If they would have met armed resistance, they would have extinguished that resistance, even by live fire............if ordered to do so. Orders are 'PRECISE' and must be followed.
Soldiers have a duty to refuse an illegal order. This isn't NAZI Germany, and "I was just following orders" doesn't excuse everything.
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