Posted on 09/13/2012 9:38:46 AM PDT by Cliff Dweller
U.S. Marines defending the American embassy in Egypt were not permitted by the State Department to carry live ammunition, limiting their ability to respond to attacks like those this week on the U.S. consulate in Cairo.
Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson “did not permit U.S. Marine guards to carry live ammunition,” according to multiple reports on U.S. Marine Corps blogs spotted by Nightwatch. “She neutralized any U.S. military capability that was dedicated to preserve her life and protect the US Embassy.”
If true, the reports indicate that Patterson shirked her obligation to protect U.S. interests, Nightwatch states.
(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...
You should see the pictures of the US Consulate in Benghazi. It’s just an building or an upscale house that can be easily attacked and breached. Usually US embassies and consulates are built like fortresses in that part of the world.
The DUmb Obama administration, by ignoring proper security requirements, was inviting the terrorists to attack that US consulate.
That is Obama, Hillary and our Congress fault.
Also, this isn’t new. It happened under Bush too.
Romney beat him to that statement and condemned Obama.
________________________________________
Romney should have condemned the attacks but he should not have mentioned Obama in that first statement...
That made it political...
Since he is so close to maybe becoming president himself I think it would have been OK for Willard to condemn the attacks, and say what should be done immediately ...arrange for American citizens to evacuate safely..send troops to shore up security, send the Navy, call out the Marines, etc...
But by mentioning Obama he lost the opportunity to let America know how he would react in the times of emergency events...
There was time for either others blaming Obama immediately or Willard himself saying something a few days later...
His timing was bad...
I dont want to hear “its Bush’s fault”
I want to hear what the president is going to do to protect and defend our country when something like this happens...
and that we wont accept it but will fight back..
I also want to know that our Marines will be armed to the teeth like they used to be...
which probably wouold have stopped the Islamic terrorists from getting on the walls...
>and willard doesnt like nasty guns either...
This one is on your messiah barry and your democrat party, troll.
They’ll be plenty of time for Mitt to explain his foreign policy.
I think it’s a win for Romney because he finally showed some spunk....only diehard Obamabots are upset with what he said, and they weren’t going to vote for him anyway.
It’s Beirut 1983 all over again.
The marines should have tossed her a** in the street as a human shield.
No hes a TWO Time draft dodger...
He wasnt interested in serving our country in Vietnam
and he wasnt interested in his five boys serving in Iraq or Afghanistan...
Thats not a guy who is fit to be CinC...
We have another Bill Clinton...
Appreciated, but no need to credit me. I only pulled from what is being written. Which is confusing.
One person noted the high level of coordination between the AQL forces. That’s a very important point.
Ping!
“messiah” ???
So walkonwaterweirdwillard is your messiah, troll ???
Unless I am mistaken since circa 1974 it has been an “All Volunteer Force”. Hence the Romney boys can do as they please...
Romney’s actions before then (Like Clinton’s, our first Presidential Draft Dodger) are something they have to atone for if atonement is required.
O’Bozo chose NOT to serve either... if you ask me, as a retired Navy Vet, he never would have made it.
Romney should make a promise: “My marines will have bullets!”
Organizationally, they work under the direction of a State Department Regional Security Officer who is in the Administrative Section and works for the Management/Admin officer. Everyone at the Embassy is under the authority of the Ambassador.
The MSG posts at an Embassy are behind bulletproof windows and doors, aka, the secure perimeter. The MSG's control access to the offices and spaces behind the secure perimeter. They literally buzz in visitors and locally engaged employees so they can access the various offices in the Embassy. American employees have access codes that can allow them to get thru the bulletproof doors. All visitors without security clearances including FSNs are escorted.
The primary duties of the MSGs are to secure classified equipment and materials and depending on the circumstances, protection of the facilities and personnel.
Contract guards and host country security personnel are responsibile for protecting the perimeter of the Embassy and screening visitors entering the compound or building outside the secure perimeter. They also screen all vehicles entering the compound and control vehicle access barriers. The RSO and MSGs coordinate their efforts with the contract guards and host country security personnel. Located in the MSG posts is a battery of TV monitors that allow them to monitor what is going on.
The ROE are usually set by the RSO in conjunction with the Department of State and the Ambassador. From my experience, the MSGs are armed with revolvers with bullets. In case of a major event like a breech of the perimeter, the MSGs activate an all-hands alarm, which includes getting more serious weaponry like rifles and donning bulletproof vests and helmets.
Normally, according to the Embassy Action Plan, the Marines will seek to secure the buildings and get everyone behind the secure perimeter. They would not be trying to shoot people coming over the walls or thru the gates. They are there to buy time until the host country can respond to the event and to provide sufficient time, if deemed necessary, to destroy classified material and equipment.
I find it hard to believe that the MSGs are not allowed to carry loaded revolvers. That has always been my experience and I used to be the person the RSOs reported to. Normally, the ROE on the use of deadly force will usually be limited to protecting one's own life or others who are in immediate danger. It is truly the last resort because of the ramifications it might entail with the host government, which is tasked with providing security for the Embassy or Consulate. There is no way the order would be given to shoot someone who is unarmed scaling a wall or taking down a flag.
Being familiar with the Embassy compound in Cairo, it primarily consists of two tall tower buildings, each one occupying a footprint about the size of a baseball diamond. The perimeter wall incorporates office space, e.g, consular facilities, so that people applying for visas don't gain access to the main compound. Consular facilites are hardened to protect consular employees. The Ambassador's residence is at the top of one of the two towers, i.e., penthouse type apartment. There is parking under the compound.
Again, I find it hard to believe that the MSGs would not be allowed to carry revolvers with bullets in them. Admittedly, it would be hard to use them since the MSG is inside the secure perimeter in a bullet proof booth. There have been occasional problems with Marines discharging their weapons accidentially inside the guard booths, but I don't find that to be something that would require that MSGs be disarmed.
I would not jump the gun on this report until it was better sourced. I retired some time ago, but I doubt things have changed that much in terms of security. And I find it very difficult to believe that an Ambassador would overrule an RSO or the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in terms of the ROE. So if such a rule is in place, it is coming from Washington, not the post.
Hudson: Is he f*%#in' crazy?
Frost: What the hell are we supposed to use man? Harsh language?
Weird conversation for this thread. Our troops and their families care more about being provided ammo than about who served or not.
Well said.
Better said then my oft said, "Something every day." Used to post it a lot, but just quit doing it. Sometimes you reach a point. . . Pray for America and
Vote on November 6th people!
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