Homeland Defense and 'Posse Comitatus': A Domestic Security Analysis

Abstract

For the past 25 years, the Posse Comitatus Act has been gradually eroding, bringing us closer to overriding the law that precludes use of the military in domestic law enforcement. A recent surge in high-profile security events on U.S. soil, such as the attacks of 9/11, the Hurricane Katrina disaster, and the specter of a bird-flu pandemic, has hastened this legal erosion, encouraging some lawmakers to call for the revision or even elimination of Posse Comitatus. Unrestricted use of active duty forces in execution of the law threatens civil liberties, States' autonomy, and the military's readiness to defend the nation; consequently, Posse Comitatus must be strengthened and the National Guard must be empowered to halt this trend and ensure U.S. domestic security.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 06, 2006
Accession Number
ADA504331

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey R. Thompson

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Department Of Defense
  • Disaster Management
  • Disasters
  • Domestic
  • Governments
  • Homeland Defense
  • Homeland Security
  • Law
  • Military Personnel
  • National Guard
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Security
  • Security Personnel
  • United States Northern Command
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Strategic Security Studies