Posted on 03/14/2012 3:41:30 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Hundreds of U.S. Marines were ordered by an American sergeant on Wednesday to disarm before entering a tent where Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was set to speak during his trip to Afghanistan.
No reason was given and U.S. officials tried to downplay the move. But the highly unusual security measure comes amid rising tension in the country after an American solider allegedly killed 16 Afghan civilians on Sunday.
Sgt. Maj. Brandon Hall told more than 200 Marines at Camp Leatherneck that they were to leave their weapons outside. Afghan troops had already been told that they, too, were not allowed to bring their guns.
"Something has come to light," Hall told the troops. When an Associated Press reporter asked about the order, Hall said all he knew was, "I was told to get the weapons out."
During his visit, Panetta promised U.S. troops would not change its course of action, despite recent flare-ups. The trip was scheduled before the bloody massacre which has spurred demands for officials in both countries that foreign troops leave more quickly.
Afghan-U.S. relations have frayed since the shooting incident, in addition to the burning of Korans at a military base in Afghanistan last month. That sparked nearly a week of violent demonstrations, leaving 30 dead, including six U.S. soldiers.
American officials later said the disarming order at the Panetta event came from top commander, Maj. Gen. Mark Gurganus.
He insisted to the New York Times that it had nothing to do with the massacre.
"You've got one of the most important people in the world in the room," he said. "This is not a big deal.”
Just lovely! See how badly this bunch has mis-managed Afghanistan?
This administration has no backbone, or sense of pride.As a former Marine I find this disgusting..
It’s the new gay military.
Total POS cowards. And what if a jihadi comes in with guns ablazing? The soldiers would not have been able to react, respond or even defend themselves. Like the Ft Hood guys. All disarmed. Except the Mad Muzzie Major. We are all suspect now. Except the ROPs
Afghan troops had already been told that they, too, were not allowed to bring their guns.
______________________________________
Hey Abdul dont take your gun...
The infidel American el jefe is the nervous sort...
What ??? Your bomb ???
Sure you can take that.
Nothing was said about concealed carry bombs...
Cuz’ he’s a filthy coward . . . and should be nowhere near our beloved soldiers. What a POS!
Sounds like grouping all the planes at Pearl in tight circles in the middle of the runway, in case Japanese saboteurs snuck in.
Did W make them disarm???? Clinton is the one who disarmed our bases - so Hasan had unarmed victims for his “workplace violence”....
I’m living in a parallel universe.
Rumsfeld or Cheney would never EVER ‘demand’ that, no matter what circumstance.
I hope the military men and women have the same trust level against these snakes as displayed here.
Whaddya think? Maybe their just a teensy bit upset?
Lyin’ Pendejo.
Sheesh.
Let’s hope the election gives us change!
Panetta visits U.S. Unarmed Forces in Afghanistan
I can’t think of many places I’d feel SAFER than in a room with 200 armed Marines. The guy is a wacko.
Panetta orders blocking of Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms in Afghanistan
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
A little off topic, but worth a post. In a combat zone your weapon stays within reach. And after an attempted incursion as Leon landed, what could they be thinking. As a suicide attack develops, wait a minute while we retrieve our weapons. Other coverage has blamed it on local command, who didn't want to offend Afghani soldiers attending but who are disarmed.
You’ve got one of the most important people in the world in the room
Hope he wasn’t including himself in this remark.
Some caesars had good reason to fear members of the praetorian guard. But are we there already? Sulla hasn’t even turned up yet.
Follow me, the brave man said, and then he walked behind.
What are we s’posed to use, harsh language?
Afghans were disarmed so to be FAIR so were the American? That or Panetta totally mistrusts his own?
Any way you look at it...this is ugly
This is a travesty and gravely damaging to our troops' moral, but knowing the 0bama regime's objective of dismantling, damaging, weakening, and outright sabotaging anything and everything American, including our military, it comes as no surprise. What's even more chilling is our Congress' complete silence as they sit idly by watching 0bama and his 'change agents' spit, piss and trample on our Constitution!
What Good Can a Handgun Do Against An Army?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/2312894/posts
Biden is too retarded to be a target of anybody, no need to disarm our troops when he shows up.
Never will forget his assault on the Little League World Series winners back in 2009, the kids are celebrating and all of a sudden are posing for photos with Husseins insurance policy.-Photo spotted by LAcrew
this is the end of bambi
Basically the only time you were allowed to take your weapon off is if you intended to use it or when you went to bed and then it was on your nightstand, locked and loaded. OIF vet
I would say hell no. Hundreds of unarmed marines in Afghanistan is too dangerous. Rather would have panchetta stay home.
I was involved in USMC security.
During Tet, when that crud LBJ flew into El Toro, MCAS, his Secret Service pukes insisted that all Marines be disarmed. They wanted Marines standing there like popsicles cheering the chief shithead on.
One MF secret service puke insisted that I give him my .45 and magazine to be sure I didn’t have any live ammo. I told that mercenary secret service puke to go F himself.
He freaked out and begged the captain in my platoon to disarm me and other people in the MP platoon.
Long story short, I obeyed the captain’s orders to give up my weapon.
Regardless, LBJ got boos and catcalls by the assembled Marines and the gutless secret service traitors didn’t hang around for a beer at the NCO club.
The incident was never broadcast by the propaganda press even though the place was infested by every network.
Bottom line? The criminal fascist government in DC hates and fears Marines and has since Tet.
Would you like to rephrase that remark, General?
What kind of idiot goes to a hostile war zone and tells the war fighters to disarm? What happens if they are attacked during the uber important speech? Oh,...right, they all die because they weren’t prepared to defend themselves...
Panetta was afraid of our troops? That tells me he has a verrrrrrrry guilty conscience!
A) Mr. Secretary, our Marines are in a war zone where they can lose their lives when unarmed. It’s not a big deal to not ask them to disarm themselves.
B) Marines, he’s a very important person. It’s not a big deal.
Which option would a man of virtue express?
They classified our own military vets as “domestic terrorists.” What dishonorable filth we have running this country. I feel sorry for our soldiers. They are under so much pressure in war and to have your own leadership turn on you and join the enemy... It reminds me of what my brother told me about serving in Viet Nam. :(
Leave it to the New York Times to not discern between a Sgt and a SgtMaj or even know how to spell the rank's abbreviation.
Hmmmmmm I see they are starting with the 2nd amendment now.....Thank God our troops did not need to defend themselves at the time when dickless was there....
looking at this video the Marines don’t look
very happy about having to disarm in the worst
and most voilent place in Afghanistan.
Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan
Official DOD video
http://youtu.be/AhjGx5vzxlc
Ten bucks says there are a few angles to that massacre of the civilians by the staff sergeant that haven’t seen the light of day, but have given the U.S. political leadership and military brass good reason to be very, very concerned about the situation with the leadership, discipline and mental stability of the soldiers who are serving over there.
The Secret Service is institutionally paranoid and thinks anyone with a firearm is going to try and assassinate the POTUS.
They will have the honor of serving as an ablative meat shield to protect their betters.
(Is a sarcasm tag really necessary?)
Spot on.
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