US Military people: Would you open fire on American citizens if ordered to do so?

They did at Kent State University and Waco ,Texas

This is a question which is sure to draw flack from all quarters, especially from ppl who have no combat experience. But real life is not as clear-cut as that which is portrayed in the movies (Arnie comes to mind) nor video games (there is no reset button) and what happened at Kent State, while sad, was needed to "contain and control" what was rapidly becoming a mob (the Panamanian Bridge of the Americas and the Martyrs of 1964 comes to mind). Anyone who has ever hidden behind a stack of sand-bags while an RPG (or a Molotov) hits the other side knows how stressful and frightening it can be. You can not afford to become confused and there is no option to second guess. Do that and it is more likely than not you will die.

Based upon my 20 plus years of military experience in the Airborne, and of my being involved with virtually every operation since Grenada, I would have to say, sadly, yes. And since I am now retired from the military and merely a "citizen" myself this is a very scary prospect!

In truth American citizens are no different than any other citizen of the world. What they do and how they conduct themselves, however, is what matters.

according to the soldier creed i would side with the civilians: I am an American Soldier. I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values. I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat. I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life. I am an American Soldier. but this whole idea is circumstantial because you don't give a full cenerio. if it was 100,000 civilians that were members of a cult that belived in anarchy i'd blow their head off. but if it was members of lets say some new civil rights movement in peacfull protest by standing outside the white house until a change is made then they can feel free to stand there. any hostility towards me or a fellow soldier and i will defend myself against the agressors. but due to the massive amount of money the goverment spends on anti leathal deterants like tear gas bean-bag guns and stun-guns this scenereo would probably never take place and local police and fbi would be involved before military forces got involved

If necessary, yes. Please note, that before such an order will be given, a situation would have transpired wherein soldiers have been called fo domestic mobilization. The military, under the control of the duly elected civilian authority, is duty bound to act according to it's mandate of protecting the US from all enemies including those within it's borders.

They had damned well better! A lawful order given that follows the rules of engagment is exactly what they are trained for. It's like that moron of a reporter on 09/11 in reference to scrambling fighters. He said, "Well they couldn't shoot down a civilian airliner." What?!?! Why Not?

That's simple mathematics. Shoot down a plane full of doomed people so that many more don't die with them.... It would suck to be the pilot, but it really is the lesser of two evils.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.

It is an unfortunate occurrence indeed should we be required to fulfill our obligations against an American civilian.

We are not mindless automatons, however we do have an obligation to our nation. You expect us to defend the nation against all enemies, and deserve no less.

Well lets examine Kent State in Ohio. A mob of 2000 is throwing sticks and rocks at you. They have been marching for Peace for 2 days protesting are government. They are in a fervor. If I am a part of a group of 100 and I am being bombarded with objects by people on the verge of rioting and my job is to keep order and my superior orders us to fire I would have to say I do not know. But I am a citizen. Not a military man or even law enforcement. But I will tell you one thing if i am part of a demonstration that begins to cause damage to public property or to other human beings I am High Tailing it out of their because it has then gotten to the point where Someone may have to give that order. its called common sense. I would demonstrate but not participate in riots.

Of course. If I have recieved proper authorization, there will have been a good reason. In such a case, it is far more likely that the "citizens" fired upon are in reality the enemy under cover, rather than the instructions coming from a corrupt source. To not fire would risk endangering far more lives than to eliminate the identified threat.

It is also worth mentioning that in a time of war, failure to follow orders, especially in combat, is punishable by death. Is it worth it to put your own life on the line in a situation in which it is far more likely your intel knows the whole picture a lot better than you do? Heck no!

Also to add to someone above the idiot above me, by that point you would be fully justified as you would be under attack. The only exception would be if you were a special ops team, and IF the military were used in that situation, they would be fully briefed beforehand.

I've fired on my own citizens...granted, we have an insurrection problem here in Russia, down in Chechnya. But I have done so, and it happens daily.

I trust my USA comrades would do the same if the situation called for it.

Lucky for you guys, it does not.

all us military take an oathe to protect the constitution and the american people, besides it has been outlawed since the civil war to use the military on the people.ex: movie: 'gangs of new york' ,but attorney general janet reno broke this law