What is the law/rule that the military is not allowed to operate within the United States? I'm trying to remember it but I can't for the life of me.

posse comitatus  Not that it's worth much anymore.

This should be an interesting conference.  Take a look at some of the topics being discussed.

link left cold intentionally http://www.govsecinfo.com/military-and-defense.html

THE EXPANDING ROLE OF U.S. MILITARY FORCES IN DEFENDING AMERICA

Lt.Gen. Steven Blum  Lt. Gen. Steven Blum,
Deputy Commander,
U.S. Northern Command
It’s been 130 years since the U.S. military was permitted to engage in law enforcement activities on domestic soil. That is still the case, but the Pentagon’s recent approval of a rapid reaction force greatly expands the role of the military in domestic defense. This session examines the challenges ahead for such a force.

8:50 a.m.          Session 2
                               
THE POSSE COMITATUS ACT IN A POST 9/11 WORLD
Joseph Zengerle, 
Executive Director, 
Clinic for Legal Assistance to Servicemembers, 
George Mason University School of Law

When the U.S. Army ended its 10-year occupation of the former Confederate States in 1877, it was the last time that federal, uniformed forces engaged in law enforcement on American soil. The Posse Comitatus Act has prevented the military from being used in such as way for the last 130 years. Since 9/11, however, there have been calls for U.S. forces to become involved in natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, or in the event of a domestic chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive attack. This session examines the law, and the Pentagon’s shift to domestic defense.  

9:45 a.m.        Break

10:15 a.m.      Session 3                      
ESTABLISHING RAPID REACTION FORCES ON U.S. SOIL
BG Pat Donahue, Deputy Commanding General of Maneuvers, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA

COL Roger Cloutier, Commander, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA

In October, the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (Fort Stewart, GA) was put under the control of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), the first time an active-duty combat brigade has been assigned to the command. A total of 20,000 uniformed troops are expected to be assigned to rapid reaction forces inside the U.S. by 2011 to respond to domestic catastrophe. This session examines the establishment of these forces, and their roles and missions.  

11:00 a.m.      Session 4
THE EXPANDING ROLE OF JOINT TASK FORCE-CIVIL SUPPORT & THE CBRNE CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT RESPONSE FORCE
Maj. Gen. Daniel “Chip”Long Jr., Commander, Joint Task Force-Civil Support, USNORTHCOM

Much of the expanding role that U.S. military forces will play in domestic defense fall upon the shoulders of the Joint Task Force-Civil Support (JTF-CS) and CBRNE Consequence Management Response Force (C-CMRF). A subordinate unit of USNORTHCOM, these forces swing into action during a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive (CBRNE) situation in the U.S. or its territories and possessions. In this session, the JTF-CS commanding general briefs on the expanding role of these forces.  

12:00 p.m.      Exhibits and Lunch

1:30 p.m.        Session 5
MATERIEL REQUIREMENTS FOR DOMESTIC DEFENSE OPS
COL Stephen Hearn, Director of Logistics (J-4), Joint Task Force-Civil Support, USNORTHCOM

Military forces engaged in operations on U.S. soil will have a set of hardware requirements drastically different from those needed in Iraq or Afghanistan. From light vehicles to CBR (chemical, biological and radiological) protection suits to software-defined radios to transport helicopters, the acquisition of the right type of hardware will be essential to effective military response to natural disasters or a domestic attack. This session examines hardware requirements, as well as the physical infrastructure necessary to establish domestic defense forces, and possible industry response to meeting those needs.

2:15 p.m.        Session 6                      
THE IMPERATIVE FOR JOINT COMMUNICATIONS

Common communications among the military services, the Coast Guard, the National Guard, and state and local authorities is the proverbial Holy Grail for effective domestic defense. A number of tools are being development to interconnect command and control systems. This session examines some of them, including the Joint Forces Command’s Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration program.  

3:00 p.m.        Break

3:15 p.m.        Session 7
GANGS, TERRORISTS, COPS AND THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
COL Robert Killebrew, Consultant and Former Deputy Director, Army After Next Project, TRADOC

Some experts believe that it is only a matter of time before transnational terrorism and organized crime link up and cross the U.S. border in force. This is a concern for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. But given the expanding role for the U.S. military in domestic defense, it might also become a concern for the Pentagon. This session examines what role U.S. armed forces might play in this matter.  

4:00 p.m.        Closing Remarks                      
Barry Rosenberg, Editorial Director, Domestic Defense 2009

The gov. does what it wants to these days. The Constitution is just an annoyance to them.

It would be ridiculously easy for the Military to get authorization to do anything they want in the US.  All the government would have to do is claim that they were activating them for the WOT or the war on Drugs.  

Just about any other excuse would do as well, especially, if the Media were on their side.

It's just a piece of paper, an outdated one at that.