Posted on 03/31/2011 10:02:37 PM PDT by Bobibutu
This has been a phrase form almost every President since the Marines landed on the shores of Tripoli in 1804.
So, today again we have Marines floating off shore near Tripoli, Libya, but doubt the will be used except for TRAP – Tactical Recovery of Aircraft or Personnel, which they have already done with a USAF pilot.
But, more important is the help provided by Marines in Japan for the earthquake and tsunami needy.
Marines ashore number around 4-5,000 with more on the way from an Amphibious Ready Group – with a Marine Expeditionary Unit and 2-3,000 Marines.
The US Navy is reported to have 19 ships, 140 aircraft and 18,282 personnel giving a helping hand.
The first major Marine mission was to clean up the Sendai airport where all the cars and light planes were swept away and was deep in mud. Now the airport is the center of relief efforts in the most ravaged areas.
But wait, the National Command Authorities say we do not need as many Marines as we have today.
When all you can focus on is the national debt and the three wars the US is engaged in we tend to forget the other areas that Marines are called on often – primarily humanitarian missions.
Period!
Those particular "Marines" actually consisted of the American ambassador to Egypt, a couple of his buddies, and about 80 hired Egyptians. I believe they were Egyptian Christians. See The Savage Wars of Peace.
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