Before hearing an address by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta in Afghanistan yesterday, a group of American Marines were ordered to leave the tent where they had assembled for the address, disarm, and then return to the tent to hear Panetta speak. The explanation?
According to Maj. Gen. Mark Gurganus, who issued the order: "I wanted the Marines to look just like our Afghan partners."Nobody's that important.
Gurganus explained that the decision to bar weapons was because of Panetta's presence: "I mean, you got one of the most important people in world there."
However, buried in that explanation is a mixed message. How exactly does "looking like our Afghan partners" secure the safety of Leon E. Panetta?
Or was this order merely another knee-jerk to this administration's PC comfort? Are Panetta's sensibilities so acutely sensitive that he cannot bear the sight of armed U.S. Marines in the same tent as unarmed Afghan soldiers? Is that what we are supposed to believe?
Then don't invite Afghan soldiers.
Allen West has a few words on the subject. From the Congressman's facebook page:
Speaks pretty loud to me. I chalk it up the fact that a much larger percentage of our troops are "awake" and everyone knows it.
ReplyDeleteHe also put them and himself in a position where he could not be protected in case of an attack.
ReplyDelete@mother -- I don't expect to see many active-duty absentee ballots get counted this November.
ReplyDelete@Odie -- Call me cynical, but I imagine that Panetta was protected.
linking this, by the way.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Panetta forced our Marines to violate procedure. Panetta should step down IMO. Political correctness run amok...
ReplyDeletewow, thx for sharing Allen West's words. Clear and lock, absolutely. And here we are, a Navy family, and I NEVER heard about the middies not having their swords upon graduation in '09. OUTRAGEOUS.
ReplyDelete@Teresa -- Agreed. Retirement time for Panetta. And it wouldn't hurt my feelings if Panetta took Holder, Sebelius, Chu, and a bunch of others with him.
ReplyDelete@ noone -- Funny the things we never hear about.