Fwd: State governors resist martial law plans

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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/national/nationalspecial/06govs.html?ex=128893\

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November 6, 2005

Governors Balk at Bigger Role for Military

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

HELENA, Mont., Nov. 5 (AP) - Several governors have been critical of a

Bush administration

suggestion that the active-duty military take a greater role in

disaster response, calling it an

attempt to usurp state authority over National Guard units.

 

Governors in Washington, Mississippi, Michigan, Arkansas, West

Virginia, Delaware and Alabama are

among those who have panned the idea, questioning whether it would

even be constitutional.

 

Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, among the harshest critics, said the

issue promised to be a major

topic at the Western Governors Association meeting in Phoenix next week.

 

" I'm going to stand up among a bunch of elected governors and say,

'Are we going to allow the

military without a shot being fired to effectively do an end-run coup

on civilian government?' "

said Mr. Schweitzer, a Democrat. " We're going to have a little civics

lesson for some leaders who

are apparently out of touch in the military. "

 

President Bush suggested in September that the active military ought

to have a greater role in

responding to disasters. He said its training, command structure and

resources put it in a better

position to lead recovery efforts. Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander

for the United States Northern

Command, has endorsed the idea as well.

 

Some in Congress and the Pentagon have been lukewarm to the idea, and

governors of both parties have

said the administration will be overstepping if it follows through.

 

" It's a bad idea for the military to make that decision and usurp the

authority that under the U.S.

Constitution stays with the governor and local authorities, " Gov. Mike

Huckabee of Arkansas, a

Republican, said last month.

 

Mr. Schweitzer said he became even more irate after seeing a copy of

an e-mail message circulating

among National Guard commanders this week that contended active-duty

military leaders were

suggesting taking federal control even further.

 

The e-mail message, written by Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg of the

Washington National Guard,

contends that Admiral Keating has been telling military officers that

National Guard officers are

not capable of handling " command and control. "