Puerto Rico Mob Attacks Marines

Associated Press / yahoo.com/news ^ | Tue Apr 23, 2:13 PM ET | PAISLEY DODDS

[Walkin Man]

Mob Attacks Marines
Tue Apr 23, 2:13 PM ET

By PAISLEY DODDS, Associated Press Writer

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A mob armed with bats and pipes attacked 10 U.S. Navy (news - web sites) Marines, leaving one with a cranial fracture and others with injuries from broken bones to minor scrapes, the Navy said Tuesday.

All 10 were released from the hospital Tuesday after a brawl that erupted Monday night in the colonial section of San Juan, capital of this U.S. Caribbean territory, said Lt. Corey Barker, a Navy spokesman.

The Marines — more than 60 wearing civilian clothes at the time — had just finished work as a security detachment for contested military exercises on the outlying island of Vieques.

Two Marines were arguing between themselves outside at about 11 p.m. when a mob armed with lead pipes and bats started beating them, Barker said. He did not say what the fight was about.

Eight other Marines came to their friends' defense, and the brawl developed into a large street fight involving more than two dozen people, the Navy and police said.

The attackers fled when police were called. There were no arrests.

Police and the Navy said the fight occurred outside the Hard Rock Cafe, but manager Arnoldo Pegan said it happened about five blocks away.

"The Marines stopped by for dinner and like always, they were well-behaved," he said, adding he saw no argument.

The Marines, stationed in Tidewater, Va., are expected to return to their duties on the mainland this week. They had arrived at the cafe in white civilian buses.

Anti-military sentiment in this U.S. territory flared after an off-target bomb killed a civilian guard in 1999 on Vieques.

Protesters regularly break into the bombing range to delay exercises. The Navy says that during the latest round of maneuvers, which ended last week, protesters threw rocks and other objects at military personnel. The protesters say their demonstrations are peaceful.

[Willie Green]

My preference is that you be permitted to continue posting so that others can witness firsthand what an arse you are. Unfortunately, repeat offenders usually have more ego than self-respect, and housekeeping becomes necessary to maintain civil decorum.

[DakotaGator]

However, IMHO, corrupt influences over Congress have stymied any true effort at assimilation into our Union.

Corrupt influences in Congress? I'm shocked (lol)! Seriously, all territories striving for statehood have had obstacles to acceptance of their petitions. It is up to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to prove it is worthy of statehood and union.

Then you would be well aware that many Puerto Ricans have served honorably and courageously in our armed forces.

Most heartily concur! Those I met were fine Sailors, Marines, and Soldiers. I did not have the fortune to meet any while I served with the USAF.

And thanks for the background. A few more bricks added to my never completed wall of knowledge.

[Dutchy]

Semper Fi bump!! p.r. bastards....

[ladyjane]

Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917 and are deserving of all the rights, privileges and responsibilities

All responsibilities? Like paying taxes?

[Willie Green]

Seriously, all territories striving for statehood have had obstacles to acceptance of their petitions. It is up to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to prove it is worthy of statehood and union.

Alaska and Hawaii made it pretty easy during the Cold War(1959). I don't see any reason to impose a more difficult standard for Puerto Rico. Especially since Puerto Rico's population (3.58 million) exceeds that of Alaska (634 thousand) and Hawaii (1.22 million) combined.

IMHO, it's strictly up to the Puerto Rican people to decide.
They've already proved their worthiness.

[Willie Green]

Yep.
I said they deserve all rights, privileges and responsibilities.
I didn't say that they HAD them.

[Bogey78O]

I'll say this once. That's why I use bold.

If you tell them their anger is justified then they'll feel justified in their violence.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Why we waste our tax dollars on these welfare leaches is beyond me. Everyone tells me it's cheap labor, but 50% failed to show up at the plants I used to work with years ago (and yes that includes management). Is it really worth the billions to have a bombing range when we can have one for free in Iraq and Somalia?

[luvbach1]

The term "gringo" is only pejorative when used in a negative context.

When is the term Gringo used in a positive sense? Americans sometimes use it non-pejoratively to refer to themselves, but I've lived in San Diego near the Mexican border for 50 years and I've never heard it used by Mexicans, and especially Chicanos, in other context than pejorative. It's the equivalent of "beaner" for Mexican.

[Thumper1960]

Having been to Puerto Rico, it would be no great loss to have PR "set free". With all the free monies they recieve, courtesy to US taxpayer, they haven't a damned thing to show for it. Lazy and incompetent isn't quite the description of the way things work in PR. Practically every "law" from hygiene to property upkeep to traffic is flauted and ignored. Where else on US soil or territorial soil will you see police in the capital city wearing body armor as a matter of course? Where else will you see major two lane highways with four lanes of traffic? Where else does starting work at 7am or 9am mean 8ish or 10ish.....or later?

Dump the fools. Make them sink or swim. And eliminate the emigration, thereof.

[Bob J]

Doug from Upland will be interviewing David Schippers tonight on Radio FreeRepublic! This is a DON'T MISS SHOW!

Click here and listen while you FReep!

[paltz]

The term "gringo" when pronounced correctly sounds like "Green-Go", which it was what latin nations were saying to the white military men (in green, of course)when colonialization was happening. That other word you spat out is a pejorative and should not be use in regular converstaion.

[jackbill]

Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917 and are deserving of all the rights, privileges and responsibilities secured by our Constitution.

Except paying taxes.

[paltz]

Actually there are more bilingual Purto Ricans than there are Americans

[takenoprisoner]

Nothing new here. When I was in PR for a NATO op back in the seventies we lost loner Marines at bus stops who beaten to death by gangs of locals. You never go it alone in PR Marines! If you go to San Juan, take your platoon with you. They won't *^*% with you then.

[FreedomPoster]

So what?

I have no use for a place where the occupants buy wrought iron and razor wire by the metric ton due to the predatory depradations of their fellow citizens. This was not only observed in urban areas. I drove way out in the boonies to visit the radiotelescope at Arecibo, and it was the same out there. And San Juan and the suburbs out to the west were dirty-trashy in a not-very-pleasant way.

I am not happy to be subsidizing this little cesspool. While I have no doubt that there are some sterling individuals that hail from there, the place has little to recommend it as a whole. Give'em their indenpendance.

[Joee]

The Zoot Suiters of San Diego learned a hard lesson in the 40's by pulling the same crap on Marines out on the town. They (the Zooters) became the targets of a Utility Liberty by a large number of Camp Pendleton types, assisted by San Diego service men. All that needs to be said is the problem of assaults on Marines on Liberty ceased!!! A little midnight action in PR might solve the matter there also.

[mathurine]

Fourteen Billion dollars each year of the taxes you just paid are spent subsidizingPuerto Rico, which returns nothing of value. Write your legislators and tell them to cut these worthless leeches out of the federal budget. Give them the greatest treasure of all-- self reliance. Now to put a nasty spin on it, the Marines need training in settings like this and let's just put 10 or 15 thousand of the Marines in there and pacify Puerto Rico. They want it, they need it, and it will give their communist governor and her minions a lesson that the big-time communists have already learned-- which is that if you don't produce shit, you aint shit and deserve to be treated like shit, and when you are, no one will give a shit.

[FreedomPoster]

10-4 on all of that!