Trump deployed more troops to Los Angeles than Syria, Iraq combined: Report
US President Donald Trump has sent more military personnel to Los Angeles to handle protests than the number of troops currently deployed in Iraq and Syria combined. According to US Army Major General Scott Sherman, more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines have been deployed in the city, bringing the total number to approximately 4,700. In comparison, according to publicly reported Pentagon figures, there are about 2,000 US troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq.advertisementThe deployment came as a response to violent protests after Trump's aggressive immigration raids. This comparison of troop counts was first reported by ABC News. The Pentagon said that deploying National Guard troops and US Marines to Los Angeles will cost an estimated $134 million over 60 days.
Moreover, according to the report, the Department of Homeland Security has proposed deploying more than 20,000 additional National Guard troops to support Trump's immigration crackdown. This would cost an estimated $3.6 billion over the course of one year.TROOPS CAN DETAIN INDIVIDUALS AS PROTESTS ENTER SIXTH DAYUS troops deployed to Los Angeles have been given permission to arrest people until local police can formally arrest them, according to the news agency Reuters. The announcement comes as hundreds of Marines prepare to enter the city, which has now seen six consecutive days of protests.advertisementThe protests, initially concentrated in California, have quickly spread across the United States. Demonstrators are rallying against overly aggressive immigration enforcement.MILITARY PRESENCE HEATS UP POLITICAL TENSIONSCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom lashed out at President Trump's decision to send troops into Los Angeles. Despite his objections, the Trump administration moved forward. In response, California state filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the deployment of troops."This action is an abuse of federal power and a dangerous precedent," a spokesperson for Newsom said.According to the Pentagon, in addition to protecting government buildings and personnel, it will safeguard Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during raids.ICE posted photos online on Tuesday of National Guard troops standing guard with weapons in hand as ICE officers handcuffed apparent migrants against the side of a car in Los Angeles.An 1878 law, the Posse Comitatus Act, generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement.CONFLICT ON THE NEED FOR TROOPSPresident Trump has defended the troop presence. He said that it has prevented the situation in Los Angeles from escalating into full-scale violence. "Without the military, things would have been far worse," he said earlier this week.But local leaders, including Governor Newsom and Los Angeles officials, have pushed back. "There is no need for this level of military force in our communities," Newsom said in a televised address. "This is about controlling people, not protecting them."With inputs from ReutersMust Watch
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