Tag: Washington DC

Reports are circulating that say Nancy Pelosi wants the National Guard troops to stay in Washington until at least the fall.

There are currently approximately 6,000 National Guard troops patrolling Washington, D.C. At one point, there were an estimated 26,000 National Guard members in D.C. to provide security for President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

An internal communication between the Department of Defense and the National Guard reportedly discusses keeping troops in the nation’s capital until the fall. Robert G. Salesses, who is the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security, allegedly discussed an extension of the National Guard in D.C.

“If it’s not possible to sustain at the current level with [National Guard] personnel, we need to establish the number of [National Guard] personnel (DCNG and out-of-state) we can sustain for an extended period – at least through Fall 2021 – and understand additional options for providing [Department of Defense] support, to include use of reserve personnel, as well as active component,” Salesses reportedly wrote to the Capitol Police and National Security Council in an email.

On Monday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the cost of having the National Guard secure Washington, D.C. from Jan. 6 until March 15 will cost taxpayers $483 million.

Rep. Lisa McClain is among a group of House Republicans calling on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to brief members of Congress on why National Guard troops may remain in Washington, D.C., until the fall. “Myself and several of my colleagues have asked Nancy Pelosi for a briefing as to ‘Why do we need these troops here?’ And we have received zero information, zero,” McClain, R-Mich., said Monday on Fox & Friends. “It’s amazing to me that [Pelosi] can do this without any disclosure, without any information and just continue to spend money with no briefing,” she added. “Doesn’t make sense to me.”

Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) questioned why there are still National Guard troops in Washington. “We still have National Guardsmen out there, away from their families, away from their jobs, supplementing the police,” Waltz told Fox News host Martha MacCallum. “And yet we can’t get a briefing on what is this dire threat that requires so many people. We still don’t have answers.”

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) also questioned why there were still troops in D.C. “I sit on the Intelligence Committee, but I’m aware of no specific, credible threat reporting — as distinguished from aspirational, uncoordinated bluster on the internet — that justifies this continued troop presence,” Cotton wrote in a Fox News op-ed. “Thus, I believe the rest of these soldiers should also go home to their families and civilian jobs.”

You regularly hear those on the left complain about facism and comparing the US to third world, banana republics. Well folks, this is what that looks like. Fenced off legislatures, troops stationed around capitols for some unspecified threat, rule by executive diktat.

We’re just waiting for the equivalent of the Reichstag fire. The left thought they had it with the Capitol riot, but it didn’t quite work out that way.

There are currently around 25,000 National Guard troops in the Washington DC area to help provide security for the Biden inauguration. Those troops were moved in following the rioting that took place at the Capitol on the 6th.

Some Congressional types, all with the “D” after their names, speculated that there were potential security threats posed by the massive influx of Guard troopers. They were concerned there might be white supremacists and, gasp, militia members among the troops, so a massive vetting operation was launched. The effort involved the Army, FBI, National Guard Bureau and the Secret Service.

Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller said Monday that there is no evidence of an insider plot to disrupt the inauguration or attack Biden or members of Congress. “While we have no intelligence indicating an insider threat, we are leaving no stone unturned in securing the capital,” he said.

So far, they’ve announced that 12 troopers have been removed from the detail for unspecified links to “extremist groups” and social media posts that were considered “unacceptable”.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is one of those that questions the need for this vetting, saying it’s disrespectful towards the troops.

I see two key takeaways here. One is an observation, the other a question.

First the observation:

Twelve. Six times two. Two more than the number of fingers most folks are born with. Out of ~25,000. That’s .04%. And I’d bet my paycheck that at least three of them simply posted something on social media about the election being illegitimate.

And that leads to the question:

Who’s deciding what’s fringe or extremist? Citing NG and DoD policy, nothing has been released regarding who was removed or any detail on what was found out.

Given the leftward drift of the DoD in recent years, I have to question the decision making process here. And citing policy as a reason not to release any of that info doesn’t fly with me. You know for damned sure if there were actual, concrete connections to white supremacists and fringe militia movements they’d have been leaked already.