I talked with three friends in the past three months about whether the military would turn on the people of the United States, shoot whoever the government deemed were terrorists or round up people for concentration camps.
I have always personally believed that the military would not rebel against the President of the United States in any orders, but go ahead and fight against either the general populace or those deemed "terrorists".
A military man has recently told me that the army does not teach critical thinking but only obedience, unquestioning. There is oath for the enlisted and the officers in the army.
Here is the oath used for the enlisted personnel.
"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).
Here is the oath used for the officers.
"I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God." (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)
Notice the phrase "against all enemies, foreign and domestic" and "without any mental reservation or pupose of evasion."
These are oaths not to be broken.
Sorry to burst bubbles.
