US Court: Federal Troops for Portland, Civilians Elsewhere?
While US courts deliberate over domestic military deployments, the idea of American troops policing foreign streets, or providing military aid that results in civilian deaths, is rarely subjected to such rigorous judicial review. Remember the 2020 Portland protests, where federal agents in unmarked vans were deployed? The legal battle played out in courtrooms. Contrast this with the swift,
unchallenged approval of arms shipments to allies, like the Netanyahu government in Israel, regardless of how those weapons are then used against civilian populations. One might wonder if the concern for legal precedent and civilian oversight applies only when the boots are on American soil, or if American lives hold a different kind of constitutional weight. The National Guard, a force ostensibly
for domestic emergencies, has seen more action abroad than at home. Yet, only in America do we question these uses. Abroad, it's just 'aid.' Funny how that works.