U.S. Military Authorized to Use Lethal Force on American Soil: DoD Directive 5240.01
U.S. Military Authorized to Use Lethal Force on American Soil: DoD Directive 5240.01
Ron Paul reacts to Defense Department directive allowing American soldiers "use of force that is likely to result in lethal force, including death or serious bodily injury" against U.S. citizens.
In a shocking development, the Department of Defense has reissued Directive 5240.01, granting itself new powers to deploy lethal force within the United States under certain circumstances.
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Former U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) has voiced grave concerns over the directive, which allows military personnel to assist civilian law enforcement, even with lethal force if deemed necessary.
The directive, reissued on September 27, 2024, has been met with alarm by Paul and others who fear it paves the way for military action against civilians.
Appearing on a recent show, Paul warned, “This would open up the door for the killings. Careless use. And it’s more frequent and legal. It’ll be legal now. So nobody will have to worry about that.”
He found the story as reported by ZeroHedge.
The former congressman emphasized the potential dangers, suggesting that military force could be used to quash political dissent: “Send in the troops. We need you to shoot a couple of these people. They’re opposing our policies. They’re demonstrating against COVID rules or something they’ll come up with. So I think it’s very, very dangerous.”
According to Paul, this move highlights the unchecked power of the administrative state, which he described as “a law unto themselves.”
The directive allows the military to engage in lethal actions when lives are in danger, authorizing it to respond to civil disturbances, support law enforcement, and even intervene in cases involving chemical, biological, or nuclear incidents.
Paul explained, “It’s not a law. It’s a DOD directive. They take over. They don’t pass laws.”
Section 3.3 of the directive specifies the levels of authority under which military involvement may be approved.
It allows for the deployment of personnel in support of federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies, with approval from the Secretary of Defense.
As Paul highlighted, the directive explicitly permits “responding with assets with potential for lethality” in which “it is reasonably foreseeable that providing the requested assistance may involve the use of force that is likely to result in lethal force, including death or serious bodily injury.”
Paul expressed deep concern over the timing of this directive, just weeks before a highly contentious election.
He noted, “The military has granted itself permission to unleash lethal force on the civilian population. Again, I thought, this has got to be an exaggeration. So, I went and looked. And actually—it’s their actual document. It’s not just someone’s analysis.”
As November approaches, this directive has raised fears that the military could be mobilized to manage potential unrest surrounding the election.
Paul’s commentary underscores the gravity of the situation, as he sees this as a significant departure from previous policy: “This is what they’re talking about … It talks about a reissued DoD directive that was reissued just on September 27th, 2024. It governs the Department of Defense intelligence activities and now includes provisions authorizing lethal force in certain circumstances. And it supplants the 2016 version, which did not mention that.”
The reissuance of Directive 5240.01 is indeed a concerning step.
Many are questioning why the media remains silent on this development and what it could mean for civil liberties and the future of American democracy.
Read the document below:
Watch Ron Paul’s statements:
Video Source: Twitter (X)/@Holden_Culotta
Here’s the fuller context:
Video Source: Twitter (X)/@RonPaul
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It was not easy to find this post today, as if it is shadow banned on Substack.
Or they are interfering w/ FEMA.
Now, I'm SC, very familiar w Appalachian, I believe FEMA found out what we are made out of in this region. I suggest people look into their Sheriff's a d the power granted to them by the their State.
The States are sovereign.. Did the US ever get that from the crown?