Chuck Baldwin -- Military Increasing Domestic Law Enforcement Role With Help From "Conservatives"

MILITARY INCREASING DOMESTIC LAW ENFORCEMENT ROLE WITH HELP FROM "CONSERVATIVES"

By Pastor Chuck Baldwin

March 17, 2004

NewsWithViews.com

In an article dated March 9, 2004, by Robert Block and Gary Fields, the Wall Street Journal reported, "The [U.S.] military is edging toward a sensitive area that has been off-limits to it historically: domestic intelligence gathering and law enforcement."

The WSJ article noted several examples of how the U.S. military is gaining increased access to civilian information. One example, "Last year, the Office of Naval Intelligence, the nation's primary source of global maritime intelligence, demanded access to the U.S. Customs Service's database on maritime trade, saying it needed information to thwart potential terrorist activity. Customs officials initially resisted the Navy's demands but eventually agreed to give naval intelligence much of what it wanted."

Furthermore, the WSJ article also noted that "the Defense Intelligence Agency's new antiterrorism task force is looking to share information with law-enforcement officials in California and New York City."

Another major player in the increased role of the U.S. military into domestic law enforcement is the Bush White House. The WSJ report notes that "the White House sought to further loosen [Posse Comitatus Act, the 1878 law prohibiting the military from domestic law enforcement roles] restrictions to allow the military to take on a new domestic-security role."

The Pentagon is also pushing for an increased role for the U.S. military in domestic law enforcement. According to this WSJ report, "The new command (North Command, or Northcom, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado), the first such military command designed to protect the U.S. homeland from a terrorist attack, has responsibility for the U.S., Canada, Mexico, portions of the Caribbean and U.S. coastal waters. Northcom's commander, Gen. Ralph "Ed" Eberhart, is the first general since the Civil War with operational authority exclusively over military forces within the U.S."

In addition, Eberhart's comments on the new command are quite disturbing. Speaking to a group of National Guardsmen, the general said that the National Guard should "change our radar scopes" and "not just look out, but we're also going to have to look in." He also said, "We can't let culture and the way we've always done it stand in the way." And on PBS's "News Hour" he said, "We are not going to be out there spying on people; we get information from people who do."

The WSJ report added, "Another little-known Pentagon group, the Counterintelligence Field Activity, was set up two years ago. With 400 service members and civilians stationed around the globe, the CIFA was originally charged with protecting the military and critical infrastructure from spying by terrorists and foreign intelligence services. But in August, Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy defense secretary, issued a directive ordering the unit to maintain a 'domestic law-enforcement database.'"

Our Declaration of Independence clearly states that the purpose of government is to "secure these [God given] rights." It is not the purpose of government to trample these rights, but that is exactly what our federal government appears to be doing.

It further appears that when it comes to eviscerating constitutional protections against governmental intrusion into personal liberties, there is little difference between the two major parties. Democrat and Republican administrations alike seem eager to ignore the Constitution and expunge our freedoms.

Therefore, it is time for the American people to ignore the labels "conservative" and "liberal." They mean very little these days. Instead, we need to once again focus on a candidate's commitment to America's founding principles, namely, those precepts contained in the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence, because the Bush administration is living proof that a "conservative," even a "compassionate" one, is just as capable of tyrannical conduct as anyone else.

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Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.

Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com

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"The Pentagon is also pushing for an increased role for the U.S. military in domestic law enforcement."