Semper Fidelis...


Message posted by Gunny on January 20, 2001 at 22:48:41 EST:

Very good, Spook - concise and correct, as far as it goes.

Spoky here pointed out the ONE MAJOR ADVANTAGE to the USMC...

All officers, in ever branch of the armed forces, take the same oath. Please note, this oath DOES NOT then swear them to service for the president.. or the United States. Instead: It swears that they will 'preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foriegn *AND* domestic..." - thereby giving them the explicit right to defent the constitution EVEN AGAINST the duly-elected governemnt, shoul dit ignore the rules laid down in the Constitution...

This is why I took umbrage at Spooky's designation 'The President's Own...' Though the USMC does hold a certain responsability for protection of THE OFFICE of the president (The most visible of which is probably 'Marine One', the chopper responsible for the President'...) The USMC is the ONLY branch of the armed forces which is designated to serve in ALL capacities for the Constitution of the United States of America. Though it is not often mentioned, the charter of the USMC *DEMANDS* that it remain on gaurd against it's armed forces brethern, and even the elected political body it serves, to serve the needs of teh Constitution of the US of A.

Marines are the first to fight and the first to die for a reason. This is both the priveledge and the duty of a force that does not need the permission of either the President or Congress to go into battle, as is noted by it's use as 'Embasssy Troop'. It's very nature give the USMC permission to engage others in battle when it feel's it's protectorates are in jeporady. (This is ALSO the reason why the USMC is kept deliberatly small...)

Well, this has all been severly O/T. We now return you to your regualrarly scheduled discusssion...


In Reply to: Re: Prez's Own...? REPLY TO GUNNY et al posted by Spooky_Dogg on January 20, 2001 at 18:41:45 EST:

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