Marines and national guard troops deployed to Los Angeles amid anti-ICE protests believe they are being used as ‘political pawns’, according to a report from The Guardian.
The outlet reported that national guard troops and marines have told friends and family that they are being drawn into a domestic policing operation as part of a politically motivated mission.
“The sentiment across the board right now is that deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for,” Sarah Streyder of the Secure Families Initiative said. “Families are scared not just for their loved ones’ safety, although that’s a big concern, but also for what their service is being used to justify.”
Streyder also told the Guardian that her organization received a written comment from a member of the national guard deployed in LA describing the assignment as “shitty.”
Other military advocacy groups say they are hearing similar complaints.
Chris Purdy of the Chamberlain Network said he heard from half a dozen national guard members and the common theme was “’morale is not great,’ is the quote I keep hearing.”
Marine vet Janessa Goldbeck, who runs the Vet Voice Foundation told the outlet, “among all that I spoke with, the feeling was that the marines are being used as political pawns, and it strains the perception that marines are apolitical.”
“Some were concerned that the marines were being set up for failure,” Goldbeck added. “The overall perception was that the situation was nowhere at the level where marines were necessary.”
Trump deployed 4,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles in response to the largely peaceful protests without the consent of California’s governor, Gavin Newsom (D). He also ordered an additional 700 active-duty marines to the city.
California leaders slam the decision saying Trump inflamed the protests by sending in the national guard and the military when it was not necessary.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer granted a temporary restraining order sought by Newsom ordering the Trump administration to return the control of the California National Guard to the governor.
To Rand Paul: Do your FUCKING job asshole. You and your Nazi accomplices need to put the brakes on the orange felon. Take back your power and rescind the tariffs and pull back his fake “emergency powers.” Now. If not now, when?