The traditional mission of the U.S. military has been to deter aggression from foreign powers; the very nature of military training and operations precludes any consideration of due process or civil rights. In instances in which the military has been employed to resolve law enforcement or social issues, the results have often been tragic. The use of the military in the war on drugs, particularly the invasion of Panama, was probably based on expediency in implementing the Federal government's policy and proving to the public that the policy would work. Even the domestic militarization of the war on drugs would probably be legal as both Congress and the President have limited constitutional authority to use the military to enforce the law. Some of the ethical considerations related to using the military include the possibility of killing or injuring American and foreign civilians and the way in which Federal funds are allocated to resolve the drug problem. 35 references