U.S. Marines handed over their guns before leaving Yemen

Reuters ^ | 2/11/2015 | phil stewart

[Signalman]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Marines handed over their remaining weapons to Yemenis at the airport in the capital, Sanaa, on Wednesday before boarding commercial aircraft to leave the country following the closure of the U.S. embassy, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon said the Marines destroyed heavy weapons in their embassy arsenal, including machine guns, before leaving for the airport but remained armed with smaller weapons until the end to ensure a safe exit from the country.

"The movement from the embassy to the aircraft required armed Marines," Army Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said at a briefing.

The U.S. embassy closure and the evacuation of embassy personnel came after the Houthi militia group - which overran Sanaa in September - formally took power last week. The Shi'ite Muslim group is stridently anti-American and is backed by Iran.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, estimated that about 100 Marines made up the embassy contingent that left the country.

Asked whether the Marines turned over their weapons to Houthi fighters, Warren said: "It's unclear, frankly. We believe they turned them over to government officials at the airport, prior to boarding the aircraft."

"As everyone knows, weapons are generally not authorized on commercial aircraft," Warren said. He said the Marines were probably carrying handguns and assault rifles until their departure.

Yemen, which borders oil giant Saudi Arabia, had long been at the forefront of the U.S.-led war against al Qaeda. But the long-standing diplomatic alliance between Washington and Sanaa appears to have been suspended with the United States.

France and Britain also closed their embassies on Wednesday due to security fears.

[dforest]

Jon Cary probably behind this. The warriors are furious.

[JudyinCanada]

Wow. The takeover of that country was even easier than Crimea by Putin. This is sending a very, very bad message.

[Signalman]

I was US Army in ‘Nam. I thought Marines NEVER give up their weapon.

[headstamp 2]

Another Iranian satellite state.

[allendale]

There are Marines tonight that are writhing in disgust. Undefeated US Marines retire in good order. They do not surrender their weapons.

[PrairieLady2]

WOW...that is unbelievable. I wonder what kind of orders they were under?

[Delta 21]

It was done this way on purpose.

[Ditto]

Our 'good friends" the Saudis and now encircled. Iranian backed Shites on their southern border, and ISIS lunatics on their North and Iran getting a nuke!

We do live in interesting times. I don't think the future bodes well for the Saudi royal family. Look for big bank transfers to Zurich and for those weasels to get the hell out of town.

And with the **** heads Obama and Kerry we have running foreign policy, we are in for a major **** storm as well.

[Hawthorn]

>> They do not surrender their weapons.<<

Except when they want to board a commercial aircraft?

[Jane Long]

New World orders?

[rabidralph]

And they boarded a commercial flight! What is this BS?

[Zeneta]

This is a really big deal.

Whether the MSM covers it or not, it is a significant loss.

There are plenty of Warriors left at the DOD that understand this in the context of the war we are fighting.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a number of newly retired officers getting together and going public in a big way.

[ctdonath2]

“As everyone knows, weapons are generally not authorized on commercial aircraft,” Warren said [justifying the disarming of US Marines in a foreign country overrun by enemy combatants].

That...is stupid beyond words.

Impeach.
Now.
Before our military decides it has to, its own special way.

[FortWorthPatriot]

CLARITY ON MARINE SECURITY FORCE DEPARTURE FROM YEMEN

February / 11 / 2015

HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS, WASHINGTON — The Marine Security Force left the American embassy in Yemen for the movement to the airfield as part of the "ordered departure" with only personal weapons. All crew served weapons were destroyed at the embassy prior to movement. None of them were 'handed over' in any way to anyone. The destruction of weapons at the embassy and the airport was carried out in accordance with an approved destruction plan.

Upon arrival at the airfield, all personal weapons were rendered inoperable in accordance with advance planning. Specifically, each bolt was removed from its weapons body and rendered inoperable by smashing with sledgehammers. The weapons bodies, minus the bolts, were then separately smashed with sledgehammers. All of these destroyed components were left at the airport -- and components were scattered; no usable weapon was taken from any Marine at Sana'a airport.

To be clear: No Marine handed a weapon to a Houthi, or had one taken from him.