Trump backtracks on suggestion U.S. troops could fire on migrants

So yesterday we had trump supporters posting dozens of messages that he was right to say the military should shoot unarmed civilians... and today we’ll get to hear that he never actually said that, but it would still be fine to murder these people if they threw rocks or tried to cross the border to apply for asylum. The fact that the country with the strongest, most advanced military in the world couldn’t handle a group of unarmed, homeless peasants without resorting to murdering them is a pretty sad indictment of American thinking.

If someone came to your home through a side-door, not the front-door, and threw rocks at you or your friends, what would you do?

A rock is a deadly weapon. Humans have the right to defend themselves especially from people trespassing on their land.

Anyone crossing the border at a legal, border control point wouldn't have any need for rocks and can request asylum, if they like. Please trying to sneak in away from border controls aren't showing how they'd be good citizens.

Don't group all Americans in with what 1 idiot says, please. That is offensive.

And we already know what Japan would do with people entering without permission. Here's a google-cache version from JY: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:eTBFP9LJX3MJ:https://japantoday.com/category/national/Japan-faces-scrutiny-over-longer-detentions-at-immigration-centers+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&

A rock is a deadly weapon.

Are you seriously suggesting that rocks are deadly weapons against American soldiers?

If there is any truth in that whatsoever, it really doesn't say much for the American military.

A rock is a deadly weapon. Humans have the right to defend themselves especially from people trespassing on their land.

Anyone crossing the border at a legal, border control point wouldn't have any need for rocks and can request asylum, if they like. Please trying to sneak in away from border controls aren't showing how they'd be good citizens.

I couldn’t agree more.

Pretty much standard for the GOP. Walk something back, but the original statement reached the people he wanted to reach.

It's like the Republicans who retweet from white supremacists.

Trump's rhetoric on shooting migrants drew criticism from human rights groups that said he was stoking fear

Trump ran on a keep-'em-fearful platform, which he continues to add to. Like all demagogues throughout history, he knows that using polarizing rhetoric, pitting an ‘us’ (in this case Europids in his base) against some ‘them’ (groups deemed different) is an easy way to get support from those already fearful, those who believe a ‘strong’ leader will protect them. 

That part of his base must be really scared if they believe Trump, a man who’s avoided serving his country in any way (and is proud about it), who’s relied on his father and his armies of lawyers and accountants to protect him, who only talks tough - think about him making a finger gun and saying ‘boom, boom, boom’ - cares enough about them to actually shield them in any way. After all, he’s got golf games to play and investments to look after.

More "Art of the Deal" from President Trump.

As is typical, one of the few adults (Kelly or Mattis) told the Great Orange Man-Child that using lethal force against unarmed women and children is a violation of international and US law, and would result in him going to jail if he authorized it.

More importantly, these migrants are still in the lower southern peninsula of Mexico - they're not even half-way to reaching the US. Yet this idiot mobilizes 5K military members, and maybe more, who will spend Thanksgiving away from their families for absolutely no reason. Disgraceful and shows his continual contempt for our military members.

Hey Mr Commander in Chief, why don't you go to the border for the next 45 days and hang with the troops? Too busy playing golf and feeding your ever expanding waistline?

The Great Orange Inmate will find himself in a jail cell soon enough - once Robert Mueller releases his investigation, he'll be joining his cronies already there - Manafort, Gates, Flynn, Papdapolous, Cohen, et al.

They'll be so many they'll name one wing of the federal prison "Trump Tower"...

4D border chess.

@texag More "Art of the Deal" from President Trump.

@serrano 4D border chess.

Would you consider Trump saying a trade deal with China was underway, causing share prices to rise - just before an election - an example of a 4D chess, art of the deal, move?

Or would you consider that to be just one more lie in a long list of Trump's lies, if, as his staff say, no deal is underway.

Arrest them, and keep them... which side of the border? Or in Guantanamo?

4D border chess

I think Superlib laid out the ‘4D chess’.

Say something outrageous to fire the idiots up and then walk it back to sanity.

Hardly genius. More like very sinister trash.

In his comments, Trump suggested the military could fire on migrants who cross the border illegally if they throw rocks at troops.

Well, if those "migrants" storm the borders en masse, how about unleashing high pressure water cannons on them and drive them back....the same water cannons used for riot control? Less lethal than bullets.

Trump also said on Thursday his administration was finalizing a plan to block immigrants who do not come into the United States at a legal port of entry from applying for asylum,

Good for Trump! At least he has the guts to close those loopholes that the illegal immigrants know how to manipulate and game.

On Friday, a smaller caravan from El Salvador crossed through a river to enter the Mexico's southern state of Chiapas.

First Honduras, now El Salvador. Will Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico send caravans to the U.S. during the next two years culminating in a massive migration just in time for the 2020 election? Makes you wonder who is really behind and financing all these caravans.

"They won't have to fire. What I don't want is I don't want these people throwing rocks," Trump told reporters outside the White House. "If they do that with us, they're going to be arrested for a long time."

His vocabulary is akin to that of a six year old, ‘arrested for a long time’, is incarcerated (too big a word for him).

In his comments, Trump suggested the military could fire on migrants who cross the border illegally if they throw rocks at troops.

Well, if those "migrants" storm the borders en masse, how about unleashing high pressure water cannons on them and drive them back....the same water cannons used for riot control? Less lethal than bullets.

Yea, we'll hose down all those 5 - 10 year old kids really good...they carry diseases you know...said so on Fox News...

Trump also said on Thursday his administration was finalizing a plan to block immigrants who do not come into the United States at a legal port of entry from applying for asylum,

Good for Trump! At least he has the guts to close those loopholes that the illegal immigrants know how to manipulate and game.

All those smart little elementary school kids....

On Friday, a smaller caravan from El Salvador crossed through a river to enter the Mexico's southern state of Chiapas.

First Honduras, now El Salvador. Will Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico send caravans to the U.S. during the next two years culminating in a massive migration just in time for the 2020 election? Makes you wonder who is really behind and financing all these caravans.

As to who is behind this, didn't you hear, its the Cigarette Smoking Man...

Are you seriously suggesting that rocks are deadly weapons against American soldiers?

Rocks are deadly weapons against all humans. The military people going to backup the CBP aren't going to be in full combat gear.

Just this July, 4 teens in the USA killed a man with rocks. https://abcnews.go.com/US/teens-deadly-michigan-rock-throwing-case-accept-plea/story?id=56634773 They were charged with

second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, six felony counts of malicious destruction of property and two misdemeanor counts of malicious destruction of property

Yes. rocks are deadly weapons.

Again, if rocks are deadly to to the American military, it doesn’t say much for their gear.

Personally I’m of the opinion that it would be virtually impossible to kill a geared up American serviceman with a rock.