An internal review from the National Guard on the occupation of cities was mistakenly sent to the Washington Post and it reveals dismay among both the public and the deployed soldiers who admitted feeling “shame” over what they are being forced to do by Donald Trump.
According to a Wednesday morning report from the Post, the report notes that –– contrary to the view of the White House and some cable news pundits –– putting the National Guard on the streets for the putative reason of controlling crime is falling flat, with terms like “’leveraging fear,’ driving a ‘wedge between citizens and the military,’ and promoting a sense of ‘shame’” leaping out from interviewed troops and veterans associated with the occupation.
As the Posts’ Alex Horton wrote, “[the] assessments, which have not been previously reported, underscore how domestic mobilizations that are rooted in politics risk damaging Americans’ confidence in the men and women who serve their communities in times of crisis."
Horton added, “A National Guard official acknowledged the documents are authentic but downplayed their sensitivity, saying the assessments are intended for internal use and were inadvertently emailed to The Post last week. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing an unspecified policy. It is unclear how many people mistakenly received the documents.”
Noting that Government media relations personnel constantly produce “assessments” about public perceptions of events on the ground, the resulting report pointed out, “Trending videos show residents reacting with alarm and indignation. One segment features a local [resident] describing the Guard’s presence as leveraging fear, not security — highlighting widespread discomfort with what many perceive as a show of force.”
According to the Post, a standout point in the assessment indicated, “Mentions of Fatigue, confusion, and demoralization” with specific complaints about “’just gardening,’ unclear mission, wedge between citizens and the military.”
Examining public opinion, what is revealed is that those who identify as veterans and active-duty troops take a dim view of the deployment, even stating they view it with “with shame and alarm.”
The WaPo’s Horton wrote, “The National Guard was ordered to this mission and does not have a responsibility to make it palatable to the public, said Jason Dempsey, a former Army officer who studies civil military affairs for the Center for a New American Security. But, he said, military leaders should think about how deployments with political undertones could have implications for recruiting and sustaining the force.”
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