Marines asked to disarm before Panetta speech

[xchrom]

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/14/10684063-marines-asked-to-disarm-before-panetta-speech

In a highly unusual move, around 200 U.S. Marines were asked to leave their weapons outside the tent where U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was set to speak during his trip to Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Although the military said the order was not given in response to Sunday's shooting of 16 Afghan civilians allegedly by an American soldier, it possibly underlined how high tensions were running after the incident.

"You've got one of the most important people in the world in the room," Major General Mark Gurganus told reporters at Camp Leatherneck, dismissing concerns related to the shooting. "This is not a big deal."

He said he had given the order because the two dozen Afghan soldiers also there were unarmed and he did not want to treat them differently.

[TheWraith]

1. I find it odd they'd be armed, actually. Was this at a forward base?

Typically active personnel are only armed on standard bases when they're on guard or MP duty.

[razorman]

4. Marines are never disarmed in a combat zone. Not even to visit the chaplain.

[TheWraith]

7. So a forward base then. nt

[dgibby]

2. The Major General

is full of it. Marines never disarm in a combat zone. Futhermore, the Afghan soldiers have never been armed in situations like this. This is a VERY BIG DEAL.

[razorman]

3. Also, I doubt that the marines were "asked" to do anything. "Ordered" is more likely.

[kemah]

5. I was told by an ex WWII marine that they were issued weapons but were not issued bullets

The marines were issued rifles but were not issued bullets in the Pacific during parades and military pagentry.

[USArmyParatrooper]

6. Sounds reasonable.

"He said he had given the order because the two dozen Afghan soldiers also there were unarmed and he did not want to treat them differently."

[Horse with no Name]

8. This is surreal

FORCING Marines to disarm in a war zone???

I'm thinking that if Panetta is such a coward that perhaps he should have done his talking via closed circuit so he could cower in his hidey hole.Maybe Cheney will share his.

[malaise]

9. If someone had nearly blown up my aircraft I

might have made them strip.

[Solly Mack]

10. Hmmm

[bigtree]

11. a reporter on NPR said

. . . it may have been because they asked the Afghan soldiers to disarm and this was done as an afterthought, out of fairness.

[lovuian]

12. Is Panetta afraid of his own men?

this just shows a disconnect between the Commander and his men

[TheManInTheMac]

13. If I'm ever in Afghanistan, I want to be surrounded by armed Marines. All the time.