"All I smelled was rotten bodies," Texas Ranger, Roy Coffman said during his testimony at the
murder and conspiracy trial of 11 Branch Davidians. The dead were found in the rubble of the April 19 fire
that destroyed the compound, killing more than 75 Branch Davidians, including the sect's leader, David
Koresh, and 17 children. Perhaps the worst case of the federal government's overreaching in American
history, the 1993 Waco tragedy has caused Americans to ask the question of how much military involvement
will citizens allow in their everyday lives before they lose their rights as individuals.
In February, 1993, 4 federal agents were killed in an assault on the compound of the Branch
Davidians, a cult group just outside of Waco, Texas. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (the
ATF), a unit of the Treasury Department implemented the operation on the grounds that members of the
Branch Davidians possessed illegal firearms and explosives and committed physical and sexual abuse,
especially against children. Their goal was to arrest David Koresh, a self-proclaimed apocalyptic prophet and
the leader of the cult, and seize the group's weapons.
After this disaster, in which about a half-dozen cult members died and several federal agents were
wounded, the ATF was replaced by the FBI, whose reputation for professionalism promised a quick resolution
of the conflict and an end to the siege. It seemed as if America could breathe a sigh of relief.
Negotiations began, and soon some of the Branch Davidians left the compound. Yet the talks
ultimately ended up breaking down and finally ended. All utilities including water, electricity, and telephone
were cut off. Davidians were then bombarded with a psychological attack which included 24 hours of glaring
from high powered lamps that kept the compound lit all night, and 24 hours of blaring music that included
sounds ranging from Buddhist monks ...