U.S. foreign and domestic policies often converge, and there are several examples of this today. Take, for example, Donald Trump’s deployment of troops to major American cities and the attack on suspected narco-traffickers in the Caribbean. Many political pundits charge that both actions are illegal.
It is not out of the question to compare these illegalities to the Israeli government and the halting of flotillas attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestine — there’s a nefarious intersection between the two scenarios, although the flotillas may have been proved not to fulfill that purpose. Little can be done to interdict these atrocities, and we are pleased to learn that U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut has issued a temporary restraining order halting the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon.
Ironically, the judge was appointed by Trump and added that the president’s portrayal of the city being “war-ravaged” was “untethered to facts.”
When Trump sought to circumvent the order by reassigning California National Guard troops to the city, the judge checked the move by expanding the order to include troops from any city. It is yet to be seen whether other judges will take similar measures to halt Trump’s militarization of American cities under the pretext of training purposes.
Are they being readied for possible larger offenses as he contemplates using the Insurrection Act? It is encouraging that a Trump-appointed judge can take a stand against her benefactor, and it would be even more decisive if a coterie of judges followed suit.
Then there is the possibility of civil war if mayors and governors dispatch their local and state police forces to stop occupation by National Guard troops.
This is indeed a wild speculation, but in these topsy-turvy times with Trump at the throttle, nothing is impossible and a similar doom awaits, whether foreign or domestic.