In response to the caravan of about 7,000 refugees approaching the United States border by foot, Trump is ordering military troops deployed to the U.S.-Mexican border that could reach 15,000, roughly double the number the Pentagon said it currently plans for a mission whose dimensions are shifting daily.
The Pentagon says “more than 7,000” troops were being sent to the southwest border to support the Customs and Border Protection agents.
Officials said that number could reach a maximum of about 8,000 under present plans.
Trump when asked if any of the troops being sent to the border might open fire on asylum seekers, who are fleeing Central America, Trump said:
“I hope not. … It’s the military. I hope there won’t be that, but I will tell you this: Anybody throwing stones, rocks, like they did to Mexico – the Mexican military, Mexican police – where they badly hurt police and soldiers of Mexico, we will consider that a firearm – because there’s not much difference when you get hit in the face with a rock. … We will consider that the maximum that we can consider that, because they’re throwing rocks viciously and violently. … You saw that three days ago – really hurting the military. We’re not going to put up with that. They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back. We’re going to consider it – I told them: Consider it a rifle. When they throw rocks like they did at the Mexico military and police, I said: Consider it a rifle.”
https://taskandpurpose.com/trump-troops-migrants-rocks-rifle/
The United States Military Joint Chief of Staff need to advise Commander In Chief Trump that the Pentagon military rules of engagement provide that “deadly force” is authorized in self-defense for those faced with an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.
Documents published by Newsweek from U.S. Army North show troops will be operating under the “Standing Rules For The Use Of Force” and allows for troops to respond in self-defense in a proportional manner.
Air Force Capt. Lauren Hill, a spokeswoman for NORTHCOM, stated that rules of engagement will apply and went on to say:
“Our standard rules of force apply here. … As with anything, deadly force is authorized in self-defense for those faced with an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.”
Scared, desperate, malnourished, dehydrated people, carrying children or pushing baby carriages, who have walked over 3,000 miles fleeing from their own countries probably will not be throwing many rocks at US Customs let alone the United States military fully armed and ready to engage “rock throwers” by shooting them.
Trump apparently has never heard of “riot gear” with face shields and body shields, and smoke bombs, commonly used by police to quell rock throwing mobs, but he prefers to have our military to open fire if rocks are thrown at them.
Trump needs to order the US military to stock pile rocks at the border so they can throw the rocks if they engage with “rock throwing” refugees and order our military not to throw rocks at the children on foot or in baby carriages.
For further analysis and commentary see:
“Then Trump Came For My Constitutional Rights, And There Was No One Left To Speak Out For Me.”