[divemedic]

Good point, except that the founders never planned on the nation having a standing army, and in fact were opposed to such a force. The militia was always intended to be used on a temporary basis. The Army is no more the militia than the National Guard is. (The National guard is actually more like the Army reserve.) The unit that is on standby is a Brigade Combat Team, no more effective against a handful of terrorists than a modern police SWAT team. How is an Armored Cavalry Brigade going to combat a dozen terrorists? I would more buy this if a logistical brigade were the unit in question.

What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. ...Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins.- Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814) of Massachusetts, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Member of the Constitutional Convention - spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789

By a declaration of rights, I mean one which shall stipulate freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of commerce against monopolies, trial by juries in all cases, no suspensions of the habeas corpus, no standing armies. These are fetters against doing evil which no honest government should decline. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President

The constitution ought to secure a genuine militia and guard against a select militia. .... all regulations tending to render this general militia useless and defenseless, by establishing select corps of militia, or distinct bodies of military men, not having permanent interests and attachments to the community ought to be avoided. Richard Henry Lee (1732-1794) Founding Father