Marine email: 5 of us held off crowd of 3,000 at US embassy in Bahrain.

email ^ | 4/18/02 | Marine Security Guard

[LarryLied]

received via email:

Hello Everyone,

Just to let you know the Embassy in Bahrain was attacked yesterday at 4:00 p.m. The five Marine Security Guards and the two Regional Security Officers were the only ones protecting the Embassy. The Embassy was closed so luckily we only had to protect ourselves and the Embassy compound from destruction. The protest was a pro-Palestinian rally that started a few miles from the embassy and became fueled for violence as radical Muslim groups took charge and led the march on the embassy at 3:30 p.m.

The march was between 2600 and 3000 protestors, but we do not have an exact count because it just happened several hours ago. The protestors were throwing rocks, sticks and fire bombs at the embassy. Between 20 and 30 protestors climbed the wall and started setting the cars, trucks and embassy on fire. When the protestors climbed the walls, the 5 Marines were authorized to use necessary force.

We shot tear gas into the crowd of over 2600 people to try and turn them away from the compound and then continued destruction of our pov's and satellite communication equipment, which was outside the embassy but inside the compound wall. At 4:10 p.m. no firefighters had arrived, so three Marines had to leave the embassy under covering fire of the Marines with gas on the third floor to go to the back of the compound to put out the fires themselves.

We sustained minor injuries from the protestors attacking us with rocks and sticks as we chased them out of the compound and back over the walls using force, while the remaining Marine put out the fires to the best of his ability. After the fires were secured the Marines pulled back into the embassy and continued to force the protestors back onto the highway behind the embassy. The protests were mainly secured by 7:00 p.m. and the investigation was in full swing by this time as well. The Marines stayed at the embassy for security throughout the night and will continue to do so today.

The host government was embarassed that they could not control its own people and that their riot control police were no match for the number of protestors.

The King of Bahrain instructed the Ministry of Interior to fix the problem before dawn, so that minimal damage would be seen this morning. When the Marines were told at 6:00 a.m. this morning we could leave to go get some sleep, we drove past the outside of the embassy and were amazed. The grafitti had been painted over, the guard shacks that had been burned were replaced, the fire bomb burns on the wall had been painted over, the thousand's of rocks that had been thrown were swept away, and the barbed wire that surround the embassy the previous day was gone. Other than the total destruction of all government property inside the compound it looked to anyone passing by, that nothing had really happened.

The host government represenatives called the Ambassador last night and told him they would replace everything that was destroyed and that cost was not an issue. The Kingdom of Bahrain is so scared of pissing off the U.S. that it will do anything in its power to preserve its relationship with us even in the shadow of ignorance from it's own people. The entire fight was caught on video because we saw the Al Jazerra News choppers over our heads. The video may or may not be released because it will be handled the same way the Daniel Pearl murder was handled, since the government will try and pressure what is released and given the fact that the news agency that filmed the riot yesterday is the same one that had the Daniel Pearl murder on tape.

This is the story of what took place on April 5th 2002 in Manama, Bahrain at 3:30 p.m., regardless of what you see or hear. Before I leave and go treat my scrapes and cuts and then go to bed for about 12 hours, I would like to say that the two RSO's and five Marines kept the Embassy from burning to an embarassing pile of United States image, and successfully held off and injured any one that intended to come take our pride from us.

Did I mention the riot was at least 2600 people? Just wanted to make sure anyone out there who thought the Marines who guard the embassies were NOT bad ass boys with guns, does not have that in their heads anymore.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am off to bed because I am dead tired, but it was worth it because I had the time of my life yesterday, by far the most fun I have ever had. And one more thing, the American flag is still flying as high and bright as it was before the riot and the protestors' flags are lying on the ground covered in mud.

FR posts on the attack:

Bahrain Protesters Smash Windows at U.S. Embassy

Thousands protest Zionist atrocities(Bahrain:site of US Air and Naval base)

Protester Dies of Injuries Suffered in Demonstration Outside US Embassy in Bahrain

[LarryLied]

What disturbs you so much about this email? That it might be real? We know the attack occurred. Why do you want this thread pulled? Because Americans knowing what is going on in Bahrain does not suit your agenda?

Btw...I hear the moderator is a friend of yours and that is why you get away with personal attacks others are banned for .Why not just freep mail her?

[Cachelot]

What disturbs you so much about this email?

Let's put it this way. Why would a marine go and spam the net with this, opening with a jolly "Hi there!", sending it to unknown people? And why would you, Mr. Lied, be in the list of recipients? And how is it that you twist in the wind when you are asked about a simple thing like the mail-headers? I even told you to protect the privacy of the sender, just give some evidence that you're telling the truth :).

And instead we get screams about abuse buttons, and how the moderator must be a friend of mine.

And a fake link.

[Cachelot]

opening with a jolly "Hi there!"

Correction. A jolly "Hello Everyone". Gotta be fair to Mr. Lied. Btw, we're still waiting for those headers, Mr. Lied.

[Nix 2]

Headers, mr. Lied. Very simple and not at all hard to post. Like so:

Return-Path:
Received: from gtmomailess.gtmo.navy.mil
(vM.5.01.04.05 201-253-122-122-105-20011231) with SMTP id

<20020411141043.BTAK12102.mta004.@gtmomailess.gtmo.navy.mil> for ; Thu, 11 Apr 2002
09:10:43 -0500

To: "ME"
Received:
From JTF160BDC.JTF160.USNBGTMO.NAVY.MIL
(192.168.71.203[192.168.71.203 port:1393]) by gtmomailess.gtmo.navy.milMail
essentials (server 2.429) with SMTP id: <816@gtmomailess.gtmo.navy.mil>transfer for ;
Thu, 11 Apr 2002 10:08:44 AM -0400 ;
transfer smtpmailfrom X-MESINK_Inbound: 0
X-MESINK_MailForType: SMTP
X-MESINK_SenderType: SMTP
X-MESINK_Sender: bel@jtf160.usnbgtmo.navy.mil
X-MESINK_MailFor: ME
Received: by JTF160BDC with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19)id <2XFK6BWA>;
Thu, 11 Apr 2002 10:07:20 -0400
From: "Bell, ******* Maj (L)"

Subject: Bless You..
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 10:07:19 -0400
X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19)
Content-Type: text/plain;charset="iso-8859-1"
x-receiver: Me
x-sender: bel***@jtf160.usnbgtmo.navy.mil
Content-Transfer-Encoding: Quoted-Printable
MIME-Version: 1.0
Message-ID: <561416d604081d07d2@[204.34.171.209]>
X-Mozilla-Status: 9011
X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
X-UIDL: <561416d604081d07d2@[204.34.171.209]>

Dear ME,

I am the public affairs officer for Joint Task Force 160, and it is a pleasure to respond to your email on behalf of the JTF-160 commander, Brig. Gen. Rick Baccus.

It is always encouraging to hear encouragement from people like you. The mission we have here is unquestionably very challenging, but the servicemembers know we are here to do our part toward the Global War on Terrorism, and that gives us a strong sense of resolve to do our best out here.

Thank you again for your encouraging words.

Sincerely,
***** ****

Major James W. Bell
Joint Task Force 160
Public Affairs Officer
Operation Enduring Freedom
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
bel***@jtf160.usnbgtmo.navy.mil
(CML) 011-5399-5017
(Fax) 011-5399-5241
(DSN) 723-3960, x5017

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

What disturbs you so much about this email?

The $64,000 question.

I'm surprised someone would spend so much time trying to hassle you about this post.

Wait a minute - this is FreeRepublic - so on second thought, no I'm not. ; )

P.S. Thanks for posting it, and thanks for the ping.

[Dr. Frank fan]

As far as I can tell, this is a fiction essentially lifted from, maybe even originally designed to promote, the plot of the film The Rules of Engagement. All he left out is the part where Samuel L. Jackson's controversial leadership skills had been tested back in Vietnam when he saved Tommy Lee Jones by cold-bloodedly executing a Viet Cong prisoner.

The author of this piece ought to show some originality.

[SJackson]

Larry, I can't believe you keep this going so long. The source of your "E Mail" is in response 20. Oops, vaporized, for good reason, I made a mistake posting it. Others can find it with a search.

[LarryLied]

As far as I can tell, this is a fiction essentially lifted from, maybe even originally designed to promote, the plot of the film The Rules of Engagement.

Thanks. The ending of the email is Hollywoodish. This was such a little noticed event I doubted anyone would bother faking it. But even not true, it makes good reading, doesn't it?

[Dr. Frank fan]

I should say in the interest of accuracy that I think the film's events took place at the embassy in Yemen, while this author has switched it to Bahrain. Nevertheless I still doubt the veracity of the whole thing.

[Beach_Babe]

Larry, I'm sorry about the flack you are receiving over this.

Folks, I'm the one that asked LarryLied to post this. For some reason I am unable to post anything of length. Maybe it's because I use a dial-up modem, maybe it's AOL's fault..I'm too computer illerate to know. I believe it took 5 or 6 messages to give him the entire text. I chose him because he had another thread about this incident.

I received the email today from a friend who is a retired Air Force officer. He added this:

"Below Message is from Bill Henderson ex Marine and still in contact with people in the Marine Corps. Because it is from Bill I am passing it on as likely true and not just more internet crap.
...don't know when or if this will make the news...but thought you might find interesting

con't.

[LarryLied]

Larry, I'm sorry about the flack you are receiving over this.

No problem. The flack isn't about the email you sent me anyway. They are bringing their disputes with me to this thread from other threads. This is one reason JimRob has asked people not to do that. But, for some reason, they are exempt from the forum rules the rest of us honor.

Thanks for replying on this thread.

[Beach_Babe]

This is how the email was signed.

(Please note: the X's are mine.)

Matthew Lee XXXXXX
Marine Security Guard
MSG DET Manama, Bahrain
USMC

Frederic M. XXXX
Special Agent in Charge
Regional Security Office
American Embassy Beirut
Phone: 011 961 4 XXX-XXX ext. XXX
Fax: 011 961 4 XXX-xxx
This email is unclassified in accordance with the provisions of E.O. 12958

[Beach_Babe]

Please check out post #52. Does it look legit?

[Beach_Babe]

This was attached to the email:

This email is unclassified in accordance with the provisions of E.O. 12958

[Beach_Babe]

Thanks for replying on this thread.

Thank you for posting it.

[Frances_Marion]

Sounds like the Iranian mullah-mafia stirring up trouble again. We needed a few of those marines in Tehran back in 79...

[Phil V.]

thanks for the ping. authentic?

[Beach_Babe]

Please see posts #50 and #52.

Thank you.

[LarryLied]

I pinged them all too. The lack of response says it all, doesn't it?

Phil V. from what Beach_Babe says, I suspect it is. But you know the net.

[iav2]

It may be authentic it may not be. We'll never know. That's the problem with stuff circulated on the net.