Armed troops in Washington D.C.

Factual Questions
1

Recently, I heard someone talking about a law stating that no military troops may enter Washington D.C. with loaded, armed weapons, for fear of a coup. I remember Reagan’s funeral and how they gave a 21-gun salute with the cannons, so that’s why I’m sort of iffy on it.

I’m sure the government would demand you to halt if they thought you were going to try and attack Washington, or call up troops to attack you, but is there a formal law stating you can’t enter Washington DC with armed military forces?

2

I was a child then but I remember during the 1968 presidential campaign when George Wallace said if elected he would “have Washington DC patrolled by armed troops 365 days a year.” I can’t forget how that shocked me.

3

Who would the law be enforced against? If an armed rebel forced marched into the capital, I’d say arresting them would be a low priority.

4

The person I heard it from likened it to Caesar crossing the Rubicon. Kindof a “don’t come here or you’ll be declaring war against us.” Doesn’t mean it’s true though.

5

forced = force. D’oh!

6

Is it possible that you are thinking of Posse Comitatus? There was a recent discussion of this Act in conjunction with the threat of Avian Bird Flu?

  • Peter Wiggen
7

If there is one it’s post 1932,

[

](http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=461)

8

Marine Barracks Washington D.C.:

Military District of Washington:

I kind of doubt all these soldiers and marines are carrying out “infantry and security operations”, providing “contingency forces”, and “protecting the Nation’s capital” with unloaded guns.

Really, it’s up to the “someone talking” to provide a city here. If it’s against the law, it should be somewhere in here.

9

In the months after 9/11, there were humvees with anti-aircraft guns posted in a few places, does that count?

Secondly, there are a few military installations in DC, and there’s no way they ain’t packing.

So, I’d say bullshit.

10

There were Army troops deployed in DC during the 1968 riots and the 1971 May Day protests against the Vietnam War.

11

There are acres of armed troops in DC. Guarding all sorts of communication facilities for example. As already pointed out, armed troops were in the District after 9-11 in force.

So if we presume that armed troops are OK when they are authorized, then what the heck would such a law do? Make unauthorized armed troops unauthorized?

That is not to say there is not such a law, it just sounds silly.

12

Besides the last 3 posts that show troops were clearly deployed in DC within living memory, and the existing Marine Barracks there are at least two permanent Army presences inside DC

Fort McNair is inside DC (head of the aforementioned MDW) - while not enough troops to be Coup-ready – enough to pass “Soldiers with live ammo guns in DC” threshold
http://www.dcmilitary.com/baseguides/army/mdw/fmmc_ftmcnair.html
If you want to really stretch a point Walter Reed Army Medical Center is also inside DC - my WAG (I don’t SDMB-GC know this) is that there are soldiers with live ammo inside – but not enough to stage a coup threshold

http://www.wramc.army.mil/

13

Yeah, my first response was 'That should come as a surprise to all those Marines down at the barracks.