Quite a frightening development in USA, with comparisons to StormTroopers

[IT Minion]

They are not paramilitaries.
They are federal agents.

Who are the federal agents?
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), confirmed it was responsible for at least one of the detentions.

What is it with some people not knowing what they're talking about today?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par...organization is a,of a country's armed forces.

A paramilitary organization is a semi-militarized force whose organizational structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not formally part of a country's armed forces

 

[Ihavenojob]

It's also missing the point as less-valuable isn't a technical term.

So why did they say tear gas and less lethal munitions , instead of tear gas and other less-lethal munitions ? Using the word other would indicate that the gas is also less-lethal .

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

I don't really need to respond because IT Minion has all the bases covered.
But just to make sure I am in total agreement with him.
Less-lethal is a technical term for supposedly non-lethal weapons. Usually blunt force weapons such as rubber bullets, batons, etc.
They are lethal, and have caused injuries and deaths.

And Paramilitary is nicely defined by wikipedia which IT Minion has shown.

Oh, and it wasn't my comment, it was a quote from BBC.

have also fired tear gas and less-lethal munitions into crowds of demonstrators.​

 

[IT Minion]

So why did they say tear gas and less lethal munitions , instead of tear gas and other less-lethal munitions ? Using the word other would indicate that the gas is also less-lethal .

I'd guess they don't consider tear gas as a munition.

Fun fact, using gear gas on soldiers out on the town is legal, using it on them in uniform on the battlefield is a war crime.

 

[Ihavenojob]

I'd guess they don't consider tear gas as a munition.

I'd guess it's just pi s s poor BBC journalism, and the sooner the TV tax is abolished, the better.

 

[fillyboy]

Is it not worrying when you have a paramilitary force deployed by the President, and not answerable to the normal process of justice and the US constitution?

Sounds just like France.

 

[IT Minion]

Sounds just like France.

Most of the French government is not answerable to the US Constitution.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Most of the French government is not answerable to the US Constitution.

Spat me tea out! Down me nose!

 

[Vinty]

I don't really need to respond because IT Minion has all the bases covered.
But just to make sure I am in total agreement with him.
Less-lethal is a technical term for supposedly non-lethal weapons. Usually blunt force weapons such as rubber bullets, batons, etc.
They are lethal, and have caused injuries and deaths.

And Paramilitary is nicely defined by wikipedia which IT Minion has shown.

Oh, and it wasn't my comment, it was a quote from BBC.

Less lethal than what? Catapults or pea shooters?.
The BBC should have made clear what they meant by the term "less lethal munitions" if they meant less lethal in reference to live ammunition, they should have said so.
Anyone who read the original article could be forgiven for believing that tear gas was more dangerous than so called less lethal munitions, i. e. Rubber /plastic bullets.

 

[Vinty]

What is it with some people not knowing what they're talking about today?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramilitary#:~:text=A paramilitary organization is a,of a country's armed forces.

The IRA is considered a paramilitary organisation.
Federal agents are directly employed by the state, so they cannot be considered as paramilitaries.

 

[EddieM]

I'd guess they don't consider tear gas as a munition.

Fun fact, using gear gas on soldiers out on the town is legal, using it on them in uniform on the battlefield is a war crime.

I suppose that depends on whether you've ratified the geneva convention articles.

 

[IT Minion]

The IRA is considered a paramilitary organisation.
Federal agents are directly employed by the state, so they cannot be considered as paramilitaries.

That word you keep using, it does not mean what you think it means.

Yes they can, because para military doesn't mean it isn't controlled by the government.

You can have paramilitary terrorist groups or paramilitary police forces. You can also have non paramilitary terrorists and non paramilitary police forces.

 

[EddieM]

That word you keep using, it does not mean what you think it means.

Yes they can, because para military doesn't mean it isn't controlled by the government.

You can have paramilitary terrorist groups or paramilitary police forces. You can also have non paramilitary terrorists and non paramilitary police forces.

How does one define a terrorist group, it's arbitrary. The US has never defined the IRA as a terrorist organisation.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

How does one define a terrorist group, it's arbitrary. The US has never defined the IRA as a terrorist organisation.

As you said defining a terrorist group is arbitrary. Defining a paramilitary group isn't.
IT Minion just used those as examples.

 

[IT Minion]

How does one define a terrorist group, it's arbitrary. The US has never defined the IRA as a terrorist organisation.

I'm all for pedantry but I'm not touching that. Too long and dull.