Cormier article brings up USMC 4th Branch of US Gov't issue again

Secretary of the Marine Corps wrote:

Since George Washington, US Presidents have always used Marines outside of Congressional oversight for express military missions and police assignments. Marines have been used exclusively for unique small unit and large unit expeditionary operations. "Expeditionary" means the mission is unplanned, undefined, with many unknowns, certain casualties and fatalities expected. The Marines have been in effect, the 4th Branch of the US Government. The Marines I hope will finally be a discrete Department of the US Govement, with a full cabinet Secretary of the Marine Corps. We need the Marines to be independent of Congress and the Exective to enable Marines to be the most effective in the War on ISIL, AL Quada, Taliba, IRAN, Terrorism, and so forth.

You've made a clear case that the USMC is under the control of the executive branch. The real fourth estate of government is the bureaucracy.

This harkens back to the pre-WWII days when the US commisioned the USMC as a semi-autonomous carte blanche outfit with the mission to rampage through Central and South America, Meditterranean, and China to oust anti-American regimes and support US business/expansionist interests. In 2014 we certainly need the USMC to resume their historic exclusive franchise in the Middle East theater.

I don't understand why KC threw away his running career for nothing. The kid was great. Now he's ruined for life.

Run some in the cold wrote:

I don't understand why KC threw away his running career for nothing. The kid was great. Now he's ruined for life.

"for nothing"? You may wish you had his running talent, but do you know how much experienced private military/security personnel makes? ~$150,000-$200,000/yr these days.

USMC For God and Country wrote:

This harkens back to the pre-WWII days when the US commisioned the USMC as a semi-autonomous carte blanche outfit with the mission to rampage through Central and South America, Meditterranean, and China to oust anti-American regimes and support US business/expansionist interests. In 2014 we certainly need the USMC to resume their historic exclusive franchise in the Middle East theater.

the difference is back then the battles were fought in lined up regiments, now warfare is asymetrical.

historiann wrote:

USMC For God and Country wrote:

This harkens back to the pre-WWII days when the US commisioned the USMC as a semi-autonomous carte blanche outfit with the mission to rampage through Central and South America, Meditterranean, and China to oust anti-American regimes and support US business/expansionist interests. In 2014 we certainly need the USMC to resume their historic exclusive franchise in the Middle East theater.

the difference is back then the battles were fought in lined up regiments, now warfare is asymetrical.

The United States Marines are tortuously forged into the finest warfighters ever known to mankind. Since 1775, and consistently throughout the history of the United States, small groups of Marines have been used for assassinations of enemy political leaders and enemy generals/officers. Often when Marines are KIA behind enemy lines, HQMC restricts information, instead reporting Marine fatalities as "training accidents", "stateside accidents", "lost at sea", etc. Sadly, spouses, parents, and familiy are never informed of what really occurred.