#CapitolRiots|

The caveats in this memo are bordering criminal. As a military warfighter for 20yrs w/ 10 op tours, it’s clear Trump’s Defense Sec stripped the National Guard of the right equipment to:

a) defend themselves/others.
b) surveillance.
c) manœuvre (helicopters). 2/ https://twitter.com/jamesgleick/status/1355895423051956224

2. #CapitolRiots| Given the gun laws in the U.S, it’s utterly dangerous to strip National Guard w/ a capability that can defend against protestors who have access to AR-15 assault rifles, pipe bombs etc. Riot Police in France are better equipped to deal w/ the Yellow Jackets. 3/

3. #CapitolRiots| Serious questions need to be asked about the Command and Control (C2). The orders to mobilize and the conversations that came from Trump’s people to place National Guard soldiers at risk. What were the integration plans w/ police? Who was in charge that day?

4. #CapitolRiots| On the morale side, the troops then had to sleep on floors. Showers, loos, a camp cot, lack of sleep? This isn’t Iraq, Afghanistan, or warfare, this is the Capitol. The last time U.K. troops were mobilised for protests was in 1919 during Police Strikes!

5. #CapitolRiots| as a government you should not and must not deploy the military on civic unrest duties unless the intelligence & assessed threat directs that you need to. That means Police and their capabilities are judged not equipped/trained to deal w/ the assessed threat.6/

6. #CapitolRiots| so if it is assessed you need to make the bold and unprecedented move of deploying the military, you’re doing so as a deterrent, and if necessary, to deal w/ a situation that Police are judged not resourced for.