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Panetta won't meet with soldier unless they lock up their guns first
New York Times ^ | 3/14/2012 | ELISABETH BUMILLER

Posted on 03/14/2012 8:06:55 AM PDT by DManA

I will give you a summery of what is being reported by ELISABETH BUMILLER in the NYT this morning.

Panetta made a surprise visit to Afghanistan yesterday. Before he would meet with the soldiers they were ordered to place their weapons outside tent and return unarmed.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; banglist; democrats; military; panetta
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To: krb

From the article.
“Normally, American forces in Afghanistan keep their weapons with them when the defense secretary visits and speaks to them. The Afghans in the tent waiting for Mr. Panetta were not armed to begin with, as is typical.”


21 posted on 03/14/2012 8:26:30 AM PDT by AirForceMom (Molon Labe)
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To: DManA

I’ve worried that since this incident with the murder of the civilians they may order these guys to turn-in their weapons during “downtime” and leave them defenseless during the nighttime. That would be a bad move and might result in the massacre of untold numbers of GIs.


22 posted on 03/14/2012 8:26:54 AM PDT by davisfh
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To: RitchieAprile
No need to foam at the mouth over this.

Knee jerks required, LOL!

23 posted on 03/14/2012 8:28:08 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (If my candidate doesn't win the nomination I'm going to kick my feet, cry like a baby, and stay home)
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To: RitchieAprile
The reporter apparently doesn't know this. She states it was a decision made by the commander:

<\Later, American officials said that the top commander in Helmand, Maj. Gen. Mark Gurganus, had decided on Tuesday that no one would be armed while Mr. Panetta spoke to them, but the word did not reach those in charge in the tent until shortly before Mr. Panetta was due to arrive.

24 posted on 03/14/2012 8:29:27 AM PDT by DManA
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To: krb

Nope. From the article:

In a sign of the nervousness surrounding Mr. Panetta’s trip, the Marines and other troops who were waiting in a tent for the defense secretary to speak were abruptly asked by their commander to get up, place their weapons — M-16 and M-4 automatic rifles and 9-mm pistols — outside the tent and then return unarmed. The commander, Sgt. Maj. Brandon Hall, told reporters he was acting on orders from superiors.

“All I know is, I was told to get the weapons out,” he said. Asked why, he replied, “Somebody got itchy, that’s all I’ve got to say. Somebody got itchy; we just adjust.”

Normally, American forces in Afghanistan keep their weapons with them when the defense secretary visits and speaks to them. The Afghans in the tent waiting for Mr. Panetta were not armed to begin with, as is typical.
__________________

“We just adjust.” Spoken like a true Marine.


25 posted on 03/14/2012 8:30:07 AM PDT by jagusafr ("Write in Palin and prepare for war...")
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To: DManA

This shows you that our leadership does not trust its own military. This shows you that our leadership is afraid of our military. This shows you that our military does not trust our leadership.

This heartens me. It means when push comes to shove and Obama has to impose Martial Law to maintain his despotry, he will have to rely on LEOs from Urban areas, civilian enforcement agencies that have been corrupted from the leadership downwards (DOJ, DHS, AFT, FBI, CIA, etc.).

Frankly, there just aren’t enough of them. If Obama isn’t able to form his “civilian defense force - as well funded as well equipped and as well armed as our military [sound familiar?]” , he can’t enforce his final solution. ANGs, Reserve and active military may begin to obey, but they will stop at some point.


26 posted on 03/14/2012 8:34:07 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: OldCorps

Dugout Doug played little part in the planning of the Inchon landing other than approving it with the admonition to the real planners that if it were unsuccessful that he would place all of the blame on them. He had wanted a direct attack that would have been easily seen and thrown the troops into a huge meat grinder and considered the sea wall landing too risky, for his image.

For once, unlike his decisions with Peleliu and the Phillipine campaign, he went with the solution that worked well.


27 posted on 03/14/2012 8:34:15 AM PDT by RJS1950 (The democrats are the "enemies foreign and domestic" cited in the federal oath)
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To: jagusafr

Contrast Panettas attitude toward the military and Bushs welcome in Baghdad at Thanksgiving....

Wonder if the troops welcomed Panetta like this:

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/179325-1

Bush enters at around 1:20


28 posted on 03/14/2012 8:34:34 AM PDT by Former MSM Viewer
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To: jagusafr
What unmitigated bullshit. Just lost all the little bit of respect I had for this political animal.

We may need to cut him some slack in this case. The Secret Service makes these calls.

29 posted on 03/14/2012 8:37:04 AM PDT by usurper (Liberals GET OFF MY LAWN)
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To: AppyPappy

Yes, he indicated that in hindsight it was not an unwise move.


30 posted on 03/14/2012 8:37:04 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Former MSM Viewer

Did the “Welcome Secretary” banner roll up by itself when he arrived just before he said “pardon me while I whip this out”?


31 posted on 03/14/2012 8:37:09 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: DManA

Panetta must have gotten the Napolitano DHS briefing before he left - the one that said members of the military were terrorists.


32 posted on 03/14/2012 8:38:01 AM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, Democrats believe every day is April 15th.)
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To: jagusafr

I don’t know who to believe on this point. Your name seems to say you know what you are talking about.


33 posted on 03/14/2012 8:38:37 AM PDT by DManA
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To: DManA
Pannetta is a communist - his fear of attacks on his person are most likely justified and rational...he is actively attempting to undermine American and Israeli interests throughout the world. I see him as being a prime target of freedom loving Americans and Israelis.
34 posted on 03/14/2012 8:39:11 AM PDT by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51. Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: RitchieAprile
"Its SOP. Noone gets near a Cabinet officer with a weapon"

Since when? I have briefed two different SecNavs and I was armed to the teeth on both occasions. In 1968 I was assigned as a guard for LBJ when he met with the Marines being sent over to reinforce Khe Sanh. I was armed with a loaded M-14 and LBJ was in full view of me the whole time.

Since when are our leaders afraid of their own troops?

35 posted on 03/14/2012 8:42:58 AM PDT by Chainmail
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To: jagusafr

You actually had ANY respect for him? I remember him during the Clinton years always going on TV with a big ol’ smirk on his face saying ‘There’s no evidence...’


36 posted on 03/14/2012 8:44:38 AM PDT by real saxophonist (The fact that you play tuba doesn't make you any less lethal. -USMC bandsman in Iraq)
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To: DManA

It’s an underhanded insult to our military. Mr. Middle Finger _resident probably told him to do/say this.


37 posted on 03/14/2012 8:44:44 AM PDT by crosshairs
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To: Chainmail

“Since when are our leaders afraid of their own troops? “

Since we got a bunch of Marxists in our government. They know what they would do were the situation reversed. The action speaks volumes about our present government.


38 posted on 03/14/2012 8:54:43 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: Chainmail

“Since when are our leaders afraid of their own troops? “

Since we got a bunch of Marxists in our government. They know what they would do were the situation reversed. The action speaks volumes about our present government.


39 posted on 03/14/2012 8:54:46 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: DManA

Maybe he thought he was on a base in Washington state?


40 posted on 03/14/2012 9:02:29 AM PDT by Bitsy
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