Tom Cotton: Send In The Troops, Use “Overwhelming Show Of Force To Disperse, Detain, Deter” Protesters

Sen. Tom Cotton writes in the New York Times:

These rioters, if not subdued, not only will destroy the livelihoods of law-abiding citizens but will also take more innocent lives. Many poor communities that still bear scars from past upheavals will be set back still further.

One thing above all else will restore order to our streets: an overwhelming show of force to disperse, detain and ultimately deter lawbreakers. But local law enforcement in some cities desperately needs backup, while delusional politicians in other cities refuse to do what’s necessary to uphold the rule of law.

The Insurrection Act authorizes the president to employ the military “or any other means” in “cases of insurrection, or obstruction to the laws.” This venerable law, nearly as old as our republic itself, doesn’t amount to “martial law” or the end of democracy, as some excitable critics, ignorant of both the law and our history, have comically suggested.

The nation must restore order. The military stands ready. https://t.co/SW68y6wvds

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) June 3, 2020