User blog comment:Suicidal Skydiver/Chapter 581: Some unfounded speculation. New allies?/@comment-1087189-20100415230421

The marines are one of the three great powers, but as far as I am aware they are little more than a police force under the World Government. If the marines did ever disobey the WG it would probably end in a split between the two forces, leading to the three great powers being in open hostility with each other, which would make the new age even more dangerous. X Drake actually refers to the marines needing to change with the era, although that could just mena them having to be more cruel and tough.