Safeguarding the Internal Security of the United States - Old Mission, New Challenges for the Military
Abstract
Firefighting, counternarcotics, disaster relief, security, law and order, and air traffic control only suggest the myriad domestic support and internal security missions the military has been called upon to execute. In response to the needs of U.S. communities and the diminution of the Soviet threat, comments such as can't do it, won't work, will degrade readiness, will become the exception as the Military Services take on more non-traditional yet critical missions. What is the legal/constitutional basis for using the military in such missions? How does the military get involved? What are the implications and challenges for the Military Services? Could this be a spin-off of the so- called peace dividend? This study examines the military's role in safeguarding the internal security of the U.S., its territories, and possessions. It develops a conceptual framework within which the nature of internal security is examined, reviews the constitutional and statutory basis for using the military in domestic and internal security matters, discusses the decision sequence for calling forth the military, highlights examples of missions performed (including counternarcotics), and examines the mechanism by which the military responds to these 'non-traditional' missions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 19, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA223313
Entities
People
- Ronald E. Jones
Organizations
- United States Army War College