Why should our troops serving in hostile foreign locales be subject a weapons safety rule any more stringent than police, sheriffs, prison guards, FBI, Drug and Alcohol Enforcement personnel, secret service, and so many more? And why does our government decide to go to war, and then let the politically correct wusses insure that we can only lose it. Our strategists are morons and cretins, our intellectuals are still in remedial ed., and our politicians are idiots. That said, have a nice day.
I think folks are making too much of this. Could be an inexperienced unit they don’t want shooting themselves.
In any case the guys that have been there any length of time will know if they need rounds chambered or not, and will do what’s necessary.