Meanwhile 100+ Force Recon Marines are standing by in Sigonella for the go-order
Is this speculation, or do we know for a fact that it's true: i.e., we had guys on the tarmac, waiting for the orders to go? If that were the case, would there be formal written orders from the brass at Sigonella to mobilize and stand by for the go decision?
If as has been widely reported the USMC Force Recon company was taking a turn as the in-theater QRF, then there are orders out the wazoo sending them to Sigonella, assuming they started in Germany. I don’t know where or when they were located before Sig on 9-11. But there are orders from the theater commanders such as Ham getting them to the “launch point” you damn betcha.
But they couldn’t cross Libyan air space without an explicit, official execute order, including explicit CBA.
Now that, we shall find no record of, because it was never given. Instead, Obama went to bed to rest up for Las Vegas, (while Ambassador Stevens was missing and possibley about to get the Nick Berg close shave on video.)