[10mm]

Aren't our embassies guarded by the US Marines? Start filling the courtyards with Muslim corpses! Attacks on our embassies are attacks on US soil. Acts of war.

[Steve0113]

Attacks on our embassies are attacks on US soil. Acts of war.

That's my understanding, too. If their police can't protect the embassies, then they need to get their military involved. Embassy integrity is not optional.

[LarryLied]

This is very bad news. Yesterday the Bahrain Gulf News was very anti-USA. Our Naval base was reportedly targeted by Al Qaeda. Bahrain has a very important C-5 Galaxy base. When we want to move big stuff and move it fast, there isn't much else in the area which can take a C-5.

[stiga bey]

Nope, U.S. embassies are not American soil. That's a centuries-old myth that hasn't ever been true since the U.S. has existed. The soil is the territory of the host nation, and the buildings often aren't even the property of the U.S., but rather are rented. The concept of personal diplomatic immunity long ago replaced the "soil" principle.

Marines don't start shooting until American diplomats are directly threatened or when the embassy "hard line" is breached, i.e., when classified information is in danger of being compromised.