Egypt and Libya embassy attacks

[Marnoot]

What's the point of having Marines if they are unarmed?

You know how some homes have "Protected by ADT"-type signs, but don't actually have a security system? Apparently the ambassador thought that was a great idea for an embassy in a potentially hostile area, too.

[AZRedhawk44]

And it really doesn't matter in regards to your statement anyways, CSD:

Gaddafi had yielded to Bush II.  He said, "Libya will be turr'ist no more."  And fed us intel and worked with us.

He became our ally.

Yeah, he was still a dictator.  But that's between him and his people to resolve.  We resolved it with the Brits ourselves, 237 years ago.  The french helped towards the end, but mostly out of self interest themselves.  It's not our place to foment revolution everywhere in the world.  Let people choose their own government.  That's a function of Liberty:  if people want to live under a dictator, so be it.

We (the USA) were safe after Gaddafi's conversion to peace, even if it was by direct intimidation.


No reason to go and poke the bear by destabilizing the region deliberately, and building another Hussein Bin Laden Abu Sufyan.

[brimic]

You know how some homes have "Protected by ADT"-type signs, but don't actually have a security system? Apparently the ambassador thought that was a great idea for an embassy in a potentially hostile area, too.

While Marines are typically relied on to defend U.S. territory abroad, such as embassies, these reports indicate that the Obama administration was relying on Egypt’s new Muslim Brotherhood-backed government to ensure American security

OMG I'm about to have a stroke 

[Strings]

What was that whole thing in Beirut again? Anybody remember that?

[RevDisk]

Intentionally staying out of this.

But that's not an al Qaeda flag. It's a generic Islamic flag. I believe it says "There is no God but Allah".

Still needs to be torn down. Honestly, I wonder why we keep embassies in unstable parts of the ME. Oddly enough, bad things keep happening to them and we continue to be dumb enough to send folks there. Well, honestly, I don't mind sending State Department employees. But it sucks that we send humans there as well.

[SADShooter]

What was that whole thing in Beirut again? Anybody remember that?

Yes. The most expensive lessons are those we refuse to learn from.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

http://www.vice.com/read/al-qaeda-plants-its-flag-in-libya





The rebels have either made new friends, or revealed old friends, or AQ has infiltrated the rebel movement.

so no then?

[RevDisk]

What's the point of having Marines if they are unarmed?

Most of the military guarding things right after 9/11 was officially unarmed. FIGHTERS over the US on 9/11 were unarmed. Colonel Marc Sasseville and Major Heather Penney were expected to ram Flight 93. Military is usually not allowed to be armed except at the range domestically. Unarmed gate guards were common, probably still are.

Happens all the time.

Folks have this odd tendency to believe the military is in the business of protecting America or Americans. That's pretty rare.

[roo_ster]

Most of the military guarding things right after 9/11 was officially unarmed. FIGHTERS over the US on 9/11 were unarmed. Colonel Marc Sasseville and Major Heather Penney were expected to ram Flight 93. Military is usually not allowed to be armed except at the range domestically. Unarmed gate guards were common, probably still are.

Happens all the time.

Folks have this odd tendency to believe the military is in the business of protecting America or Americans. That's pretty rare.

This.

My unit still had vets from the GHWB invasion of Panama, when I was in.  According to them, everyone in the unit, down to E-2s (TIS brought E-1s to E-2 by the time they got to my unit) had all the ordnance they could carry: beau coup rounds, grenades, 2x LAWs, demo, etc. 

They took one airfield and then another unit came by to reinforce them.  Just at that time, a rumor went around about a Panamanian infantry battalion on the way to retake the airfield.  The members of the other unit were worried, as the policy in that unit, in a mother-&#%@ing war zone, was that only the Squad leader could throw a grenade, and he was allowed to carry only one.  Their other munitions were similarly allotted.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/sep/13/picket-report-murdered-us-ambassador-libya-reporte/

claims by 2 agencies that stevens was abused before being killed

[lupinus]

Most of the military guarding things right after 9/11 was officially unarmed. FIGHTERS over the US on 9/11 were unarmed. Colonel Marc Sasseville and Major Heather Penney were expected to ram Flight 93. Military is usually not allowed to be armed except at the range domestically. Unarmed gate guards were common, probably still are.

Happens all the time.

Folks have this odd tendency to believe the military is in the business of protecting America or Americans. That's pretty rare.

It is rare. It's also *expletive deleted*ing assinine.

[MicroBalrog]

People tend to underestimate how many different factions exist in nearly every Middle-Eastern country.

[Jamie B]

People tend to underestimate how many different factions exist in nearly every Middle-Eastern country.

The US completely misunderstands the mob rule that exists in the Middle East.
I don't think that much of anybody really does understand.
Just a bunch of factions and warlords.

It is like an Abbot & Costello Whose On First routine.

[Ron]

The US completely misunderstands the mob rule that exists in the Middle East.
I don't think that much of anybody really does understand.
Just a bunch of factions and warlords.

It is like an Abbot & Costello Whose On First routine.

Personally I'm sick of Americans dying over in the middle east kittylitter box.

The only way I can express my displeasure to the power brokers is to not vote for any of the clowns that want to continue to support our enemies with foreign aid.



 

[agricola]

People tend to underestimate how many different factions exist in nearly every Middle-Eastern country.

Well exactly.  According to some reports over here, a decent sized portion of the mob that stormed the consulate took the ambassador out, put him and a wounded companion in a couple of cars and ran him straight down to what passes for a local A+E. 

[TommyGunn]

A report I heard earlier on Fox News has authorities denying that the Marines had no ammunition.
Don't know where this story is going.
It would be crazy if they were carrying unloaded guns because there is a name for soldiers whos guns are unloaded:
  

TARGETS

[Fitz]

There are already two threads discussing this... let's try to avoid starting a bazillion threads

[AZRedhawk44]

If true, this exceeds the boundaries of any moral codes agreed upon since the Dark Ages.  

Perfectly legitimate for the US, even acting in a reserved Obama-ish way, to deploy waves of assassins from the CIA, SEALs, whatever, to kill whomever was involved.  And make examples.  Painful examples.

Frankly, the Libyan government should be doing this already, for an insult of this magnitude.  And offering complete oversight to the State Department in advance, along with lead on any missions they would like.

[birdman]

Most of the military guarding things right after 9/11 was officially unarmed. FIGHTERS over the US on 9/11 were unarmed. Colonel Marc Sasseville and Major Heather Penney were expected to ram Flight 93. Military is usually not allowed to be armed except at the range domestically. Unarmed gate guards were common, probably still are.

Happens all the time.

Folks have this odd tendency to believe the military is in the business of protecting America or Americans. That's pretty rare.

Of course, sometimes an armed F16 strafes a school...in new jersey IIRC.

[Stetson]

I don't know how it is NOW but when I was in, base security carried one of everything* we used in the vehicles and there was 4x in the guard shacks.  I was at Seal Beach Nav Weap Sta. Jan 88 to Jul 90.  (NEC 9545).

I can't imagine being unarmed in a hostile environment and I was just in CA.  Those that disarm our service members should be tried for accomplice to murder. (those that are alive)


*Remington 870 12 ga
M-16A1 .223
S&W .38 Revolver (this changed when we were allowed the Barettas)

Panama - Howard AFB - I got to carry whatever I wanted and knew how to use out of the armory.  I was not supposed to leave the building, I was just there for a Capt, picking up some stuff...  This was back when it was ask for forgiveness rather than permission.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

as f'd up as this story is i am equally disturbed by the secretary of apologies and the apologist in chiefs response. or lack of one. if they knew and peddled the "they carried him to the hospital" lie for political expediency they are both dead to me.  not as a threat of violence but to indicate that they no longer exist as human to me

[Jamie B]

Gashing teeth....bastids.....maybe just trying to piss us off.

Still. though.....it's working.

[Ben]

Several related Libya threads merged together.

[kgbsquirrel]

Unarmed gate guards were common, probably still are.

Yeeaaah, not so much.

I stood various armed watches when I was in: Pier sentry, flight deck rover, gate guard, quarter deck cover, interior rover, pier rover. All of them included live ammo. (Variously, armed with M500, M9, M14 or M60.)

[Sergeant Bob]

Panama - Howard AFB

I was at Howard in 90-91! (after Just Cause)