Posted on 03/14/2012 10:11:18 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
In a sign of possible frayed nerves in the military, U.S. Marines were asked to lay down their weapons today before entering a tent where Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was scheduled to speak.
It happened in Helmand province, after Panetta had met with tribal elders in nearby villages, assuring them that the U.S. mission was on track. The unusual order comes within days of an attack by a U.S. staff sergeant on unarmed Afghan civilians that left 16 dead and enraged Afghans.
The 200 Marines were inside a tent at Camp Leatherneck along with Afghan guards and troops from other countries waiting for Panetta to arrive when they were told abruptly by Sgt. Major Brandon Hall to exit the tent, leave their weapons elsewhere, and return unarmed.
It's an unusual break from protocol since Marines are expected to be armed at all times.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
What a sad situation we are in.
That is the take Muhammaed Lila wants you to have on his story.
I don’t think there is anything at all unusual or remarkable about it.
Let me get this straight, these guys are under threat and/or fire 24/7 from THE ENEMY. And Panetta disrespects them by having them disarm?!!
Please don’t tell me this putz was there to give some sort of motivational speach to the troops. It’s the never ending FAIL PARADE of the Obama regime.
Turning the military into another feckless politically correct institution ... the MArines were made to lay their arms down because Panetta, et al wouldn’t want the Afghans to think he was faraid they would take revenge on him. It wasn’t Marines the commie prick was afraid of, it was the afghans, but because this current commie administration uses PC to direct their world, the Marines were insulted. ... Typical of democrats
ROFL our Secretary of Defense is afraid to go around armed American Soldiers.
Recon he would feal more comfortable being the Secretary of defense for the UN.
What!The Marines were forced to attend this clowns photo op.
I hate seeing our troops abused in that manner.They’re not ornaments that are for the pleasure of the Secretary Of Defence or any other politician.
Dang.
Too bad.
obama is an idiot with the capital I.
obama is an idiot with the capital I.
Then you haven't spent any time down south with the Marines.
You can say that again.
Two halves of one story, none of which is really being told.
Guy goes into town and shoots it up. He sets the bodies on fire. This happens after 9 US military, including Marines, are killed after the Quran was burned - piss be upon Muhammed.
The town didn’t get shot up until AFTER Obama calls and APOLOGIZES FOR THE BOOK BURNING, and with NOTHING being said about the 9 dead US soldiers.
Now Panetta flies out to see what kind of situation is in place, because it is very badly screwed up, and it got that way because of the Apologist in Chief.
Panetta askes that Marines be disarmed for one, and only one, reason. He’s been briefed that he may have a full scale mutiny on his hands.
Now, in fantasyland, you could simply prosecute a whole bunch of people for mutiny under the UCMJ. In the real world, that sort of thing would draw worldwide press, and if 1/10th of what the actual situation was in the wind, Obama would be in even more trouble than he thinks he is right now.
Bottom line is that there’s no strategy in place, and everyone still in country is completely defensive. The counter-insurgency strategy is out the window, because Obama’s already signaled ‘retreat’.
I don’t think Panetta believes that the generals on the ground continue to control the troops, especially the Marines. Their attitude is likely, “Either lets win this or lets go home today.”
The only vote those boys have are in their rifles, and Panetta is likely extremely opposed to those boys exercising that vote.
This is the same jackhole, by the way, that told Sen. Sessions that while it is necessary to get UN approval for a military expedition into Syria, getting CONGRESSIONAL approval for it is NOT. I kid you not. The video is absolutely jaw-dropping.
There isn’t even a pretense of constitutional authority any more.
These were not soldiers, they were Marines - which is an even bigger insult.
I was in Baghdad in 07 when VP Cheney visited the IZ (Green Zone) working in the Embassy, I like all other military types had our M-9’s securely strapped on when he was there. I was within about 20 feet of him. No one said a word. This is a lack of trust, he obviously felt a threat or they would have not been disarmed. Sad, very sad.
Americans do not trust Panetta.
Panetta does not trust Americans.
This bum doesn`t belong in US and neither does Obummer.
Okay, it makes more sense to me now.
We were afraid one of the Afghans would shoot Panetta, and since we are so totally PC we disarmed our own people too to spare their feelings.
Still think it’s a stupid idea, but at least I can now follow the logic.
A Marine and their rifle:’’ Without me my rifle is useless;without my rifle I am useless’’. Panettas a dirt-bag.
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