Militia takes over Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters (Updated)

[HereSince1628]

115. Yes, this has less importance than student take-overs of campus admin bldgs during Vietnam

There's no need to go Waco on them.

1) There is little threat to lives or property at this point. An assault by federal marshalls and deputized assistance would change that.

2) The sit-in is contained. The situation isn't growing, the sit-in can be shrunk from here without violence. The sit-in per se gains the participants nothing.

The HQ of the wildlife center is a soft target that provides control of almost nothing beyond it's lighting, HVAC, and water. Having control of that building poses not much threat to the community and none to the nation. The sit-in doesn't even gain control of the wildlife refuge by taking over control of these HQ facilities.

Temporary media celebrity is the best they can hope for. They should be denied opportunities for the latter.

3) Once isolated, the tables are turned and the sit-in itself is under siege. Without re-supply the sit-in can't have any hope of controlling the outcome which is inevitable surrender. Preventing re-supply, and encouraging defections/surrender is really all that's needed. Until then they are effectively under 'house arrest'.

4) Having the participants look like children throwing an unreasonable tantrum is a desirable objective. Making the sit-in appear as martyrs and the flash-point for an insurrection suitable for an Ian Slater novel is not.