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PlasmaKrab said:
As far as captured units are concerned, I'm not sure there would be enough left of them to build a fighting force. AFAIK there should be a couple dozens each of several Russian tank types around, same for planes, helos and arty, most without much ammo, and more importantly, without many trained mechanics. Stuffing a new gun in an old tank is nice, but that's not something you do in the field with a blowtorch and a disk saw, paticularly when you don't know the vehicle itself.
Besides, refitting captured Iraqis early-80s T-72s to fight Abramses would be suicidal.
Deal with that as you want, maybe I'm being to rigidly realistic here, but I'd tend to see militia forces striving to capture active or reserve (regular or NG) equipment and bases, as you said, and/or sticking to local vigilante-level irreg forces, most of which armor would be made up of civilian trucks with makeshift armor and pintle-mounted weapons.
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Actually, you are thinking along the same lines as I am. Now, as for stuffing a new gun into an old tank, well, I would think that going from a us gun into something like the M60 would be difficult, but not impossible. A heavy equipment shop such as used for construction equipment would be the perfect place.
As for the use of the T72's. They would, as you said, be useless against the Abrams, but as far as supporting Mech Inf units and basically being used as mobile pill boxes, they would be acceptable.
As far as political situations, my personal opinions aside, with the laws passed after 9/11 to deal with terrorist groups, the executive branch was given much to much leeway in how to act. Thus, a president with a personal agenda could, in fact, declare martial law and a state of emergency, suspending congress, and using the military to maintain order.
When 9/11 occured, there was no allowances for martial law, now there are. However, I dont really think a president would make such a move unless it was necessary (I hope) and in that case, he would have the support of the citizens.
But on the offhand chance a president did try to use the system to his own ends, the situation would get out of hand quickly, IMO.
Now what gets me is this:
You have to register firearms, however, you can purchase a tank and not have to register it with any government agency.