Pentagon Trains 'Quick Reaction Force' for... American Citizens?
While Newsweek frames this as general preparedness, it’s worth noting the timing. This initiative gained traction after events like the 2020 George Floyd protests, where some National Guard deployments were controversial, and the January 6th Capitol incident. Historically, federalizing military power for domestic use, from the Bonus Army march in 1932 to the Watts Riots in 1965, has a fraught
legacy of state-sanctioned violence against citizens. One must wonder: how 'quick' is the reaction, and against which 'threats' will these forces primarily be deployed, given the escalating rhetoric against domestic protests? We fund a global military-industrial complex, yet our 'quick reaction' often seems reserved for our own citizens exercising their rights. Perhaps if the Pentagon 'reacted
quickly' to the millions facing poverty or inadequate healthcare, we wouldn't need so many domestic 'quick reaction forces' in the first place.