Arming Soldiers

Here is a simple question I have yet to see a single Rightwinger answer:

How would it work?

Does every Soldier carry their issue weapon? That's going to be a complicated nightmare. First and foremost, there aren't enough pistols to go around and most of the Military aren't issued one anyways. Most people have rifles if they have an issue weapon at all. Plus, issued weapons are government property and stored in the arms room. Soldiers would have to check them out every morning and then back in every night. Plus it's illegal to carry issue weapons in personal vehicles.

If we are going to let Soldiers buy their own sidearms to carry, that runs into problems too. Most uniforms aren't really designed for concealed carry. If Soldiers open carry, leadership are going to lose their minds trying to make everything uniform. Are Soldiers going to get a sidearm stipend like they get a uniform stipend?

 

I do not know how it would work. What I do know is that our military is being targeted by terrorists and that it is important that we make sure that they are not sitting ducks.

 

It's funny. Every time the military holds an exercise in this country, the right wingers have an apoplectic fit over, "government take-overs and secret plans."

Can you imagine the s**t-storm if Obama starts arming soldiers on base?

 

So how do we do that?

 

Lots of ways to do it...the obvious would be to go back to what they did before march of 1993 (when we did not have a mass of mass murders on military bases)...Or, we could arm some number of officers and senior enlisted, folk on duty and qualified with the weapon, almost entirely handguns. One could arm flying squads with more serious weapons if needed...The only thing that makes no sense is to keep them helpless so as to assuage leftist political correctness.

 

We have those. On base, they are called "MPs", off base, they are called "cops".

 

Only became that way when we had vehemently anti-Americans in the White House and a Joint Chiefs stuffed full of politicians in uniform and yes men.

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And as we have seen with both, they are never on site till after the bodies pile up.

 

How would that change just by calling them "flying squads"?

 

It's not my job to figure that out. It's the military's job.

 

Because they would be IN ADDITION TO, armed soldiers on site.

 

Complaining without actually offering a plan of action: the Rightwing Way.

 

And how would those armed soldiers work? How do we arm soldiers in garrison in practical reality?

 

Again very easy...you identify positions to be armed, or classes of folk like officers and CPO's, train them on the weapon and then simply arm them.

 

I can't figure out which right wing doctrine would get jettisoned first, "arm everybody" or "they're coming to get us".

 

Eliminate the prohibitions of service men carrying weapons.

 

That is an actual reasonable response.

 

I really do not understand why so many seem to have problems with this simple idea...

 

What does that mean in practical terms?

 

That was too complicated for you? Well, to misquote Samuel Johnson "I have found you an argument. I am not obliged to find you any understanding"

 

So we're going to have a formation of non-uniform holsters and sidearms with zero accountability to command and no oversight?

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What are you talking about? I was agreeing with you. Arming specific individuals and people like officers and SNCO's makes sense and is a reasonable response.

 

That's a very silly statement and you know it. Anyone with eyes can see that something needs to change. What is Obama doing? Maybe I would start with bullet-proof glass. Alarm system connected to law enforcement. I would cut down the number of recruitment centers and concentrate on "bulking up" the ones that are left. Have at least one recruiter inside who is armed. We are civilians. We know that changes need to be made, but it is up to the military to figure out how to protect its men. If I had all the answers, I would be working for the military and I WOULD tell them what to do.

 

More reasonable responses. Very practical too.

 

Yup, I can see it all now ...

Fox News Special Report - Obama is arming ... (doesn't matter what comes after that).

Republicans response would be to set their hair on fire and run around screaming, "Obama is arming ..., Obama is arming ..., He's coming for us ALL!!!"

 

You're barking up the wrong tree. In his mind, Obama can do no wrong.

And to address your point, yes, it is up to the military to find the solution. Obama is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, so this is what he should be doing.

 

Well it IS Obama and no abuse is past the fellow.