Obama: We need a National Civilian Security Force. WTF?

[Louis of PA]

from freerepublic.com

Will it be anything like the Jugend groups formed in the 1930's? Would they provide us with nifty uniforms and marching songs? May we bring our M1s to meetings? WTF?
Regards

Obama's speaks again of a National Civilian Security Force

Excerpts from Obama's speech today at the dedication of Abraham Lincoln Hall at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.:

"The attacks of 9/11 signaled the new dangers of the 21st century. And today, our people are still threatened by violent extremists ...

Yet terrorism and extremism make up just one part of the many challenges that confront our nation. ... A historic economic downturn has put at stake the prosperity that underpins our strength, while putting at risk the stability of governments and the survival of people around the world. ... Poverty, disease, the persistence of conflict and genocide in the 21st century challenge our international alliances, partnerships and institutions -- and must call on all of us to reexamine our assumptions.

These are the battlefields of the 21st century. These are the threats that we now face. And in these struggles, the United States of America must succeed -- and we will succeed.

We also know that the old approaches won't meet the challenges of our time. ... No army -- no matter how strong -- can eliminate every adversary. No weapon -- no matter how powerful -- can erase the hatred that lies in someone's heart.

So it falls to institutions like this -- and to individuals like you -- to help us understand the world as it is, to develop the capacities that we need to confront emerging danger, and to act with purpose and pragmatism to turn this moment of peril into one of promise. That's how we will find new pathways to peace and security. That is the work that we must do.

Now, make no mistake: This nation will maintain our military dominance. ...

But we also need to look beyond this conventional advantage as we develop the new approaches and new capabilities of the 21st century -- and in that effort, this university must play a critical role.

America must also balance and integrate all elements of our national power. We cannot continue to push the burden on to our military alone, nor leave dormant any aspect of the full arsenal of American capability.

And that's why my administration is committed to renewing diplomacy as a tool of American power, and to developing our civilian national security capabilities. This effort takes place within the walls of this university, where civilians sit alongside soldiers in the classroom. And it must continue out in the field, where American civilians can advance opportunity, enhance governance and the rule of law, and attack the causes of war around the world. We have to enlist our civilians in the same way that we enlist those members of the armed services in understanding this broad mission that we have.

Well, here's an excerpt from a related FR thread from four weeks ago:

A little-publicized Department of Defense Directive (Number 1404.10) establishes a "DoD Civilian Expeditionary Workforce" and rescinds a prior directive dealing with the emergency use of civilian personnel.

The new 1404.10, dated January 23, 2009 -- just three days after the inauguration -- is effective immediately, and cancels the prior directive of the same designation ("Emergency-Essential (E-E) DoD U.S. Citizen Civilian Employees"), that was issued in 1992 under President Clinton. The 1992 directive specifically deals with overseas deployments of civilian personnel, and mentions the term "overseas" no fewer than 33 times.

The new directive does not mention the term "overseas" in the body of the directive even once. The word "overseas" appears in the new Directive 4 times: once as as a reference; once to describe a database "code"; once to describe the code values; and once in the Glossary. In other words, the new Directive doesn't apply to the overseas deployment of civilians at all, but applies to their deployment in the United States mainland.

The previous Directive does not mention "restoration of order" or "stability operations." These operations are prominently featured in the new directive. In fact, these functions are central to the mission of Obama's new DoD Civilian Expeditionary Workforce:

Members of the DoD Civilian Expeditionary Workforce shall be organized, trained, cleared, equipped, and ready to deploy in support of combat operations by the military; contingencies; emergency operations; humanitarian missions; disaster relief; restoration of order; drug interdiction; and stability operations of the Department of Defense in accordance with DoDD 3000.05...

While the directive suggest that the DoD will seek volunteers, Section 4 (d), subsection {e} paragraph 2 states: Management retains the authority to direct and assign civilians either voluntarily, involuntarily, or on an unexpected basis to accomplish the DoD mission.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.