So Much for Posse Comitatus

Those who read my post from last night will perhaps remember me mentioning the potential use of Army troops on American soil. I'm sure some of my KoolAid drinking readers scoffed at that. Well next thing you know, some ex police cadet goes wacko in Alabama and goes on a shooting spree. Then what do I see in the news coverage? This picture from Reuters (click it to see it in its original context):



the caption reads: "U.S. Army soldiers from Ft. Rucker patrol the downtown area of Samson, Alabama after a shooting spree March 10, 2009."

You see there in that picture if you look at the detail a very serious problem. US Army ACU uniforms combined with vests reading "Police".

Perhaps some of my less informed readers might not know what posse comitatus is. Allow me to inform you. Posse Comitatus is a federal law that was passed on June 16th 1878 after the Civil War. This law was a strengthening of the Insurrection Act of 1807 and a reaction to the stationing of federal forces in the former states of the Confederacy. In effect, it makes it illegal for federal military forces to be deployed to act in any law enforcement capacity.

Wikipedia has a pretty good article about it.

Interesting that no "mainstream media" outlet is mentioning this tidbit, not even Reuters the outfit that published the picture.