Srgt. Hulka

BY: Adam Kredo
September 13, 2012 1:20 pm

U.S. Marines defending the American embassy in Egypt were not permitted by the State Department to carry live ammunition, limiting their ability to respond to attacks like those this week on the U.S. consulate in Cairo.
Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson “did not permit U.S. Marine guards to carry live ammunition,” according to multiple reports on U.S. Marine Corps blogs spotted by Nightwatch. “She neutralized any U.S. military capability that was dedicated to preserve her life and protect the US Embassy.”
U.S. officials have yet to confirm or comment on the reports. Time magazine’s Battleland blog reported Thursday “Senior U.S. officials late Wednesday declined to discuss in detail the security at either Cairo or Benghazi, so answers may be slow in coming.”
If true, the reports indicate that Patterson shirked her obligation to protect U.S. interests, Nightwatch states.
“She did not defend U.S. sovereign territory and betrayed her oath of office,” the report states. “She neutered the Marines posted to defend the embassy, trusting the Egyptians over the Marines.”
While Marines are typically relied on to defend U.S. territory abroad, such as embassies, these reports indicate that the Obama administration was relying on Egypt’s new Muslim Brotherhood-backed government to ensure American security, a move observers are questioning as violence in Cairo continues to rage.

http://freebeacon.com/reports-marine...ted-live-ammo/

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, ...

saintfan

The level of stupidity in this administration is truly mind-boggling.

Cruize

All security of foriegn embassies has ALWAYS been the host countries responsibility. That just didn't start under this administration. It's an embassy. Not a base. That being said, it makes no sense for our limited forces there not to atleast have quick access to live ammo. That would be hard to believe. If this is true, which I doubt, it is an absolute failure of policy. Why have US security at all if they don't have access to live ammo? That's not security. That's more targets. I wouldn't be at a Ritz Carlton in the middle east without live ammo.

saintfan

The Vienna Convention, I assume, is what you're referring to. That's fine. I've been to three US Embassies - in each case security was American supplemented by locals, and it has been that way for quite some time.

Securing Our Embassies Overseas

Regardless, the Obama Administration completely dropped the ball. There was every indication to be on high alert, particularly at that particular embassy. He got caught with his pants down is what he did, and 4 Americans are dead as a result.

SloMotion

The media is really pissing me off. I question this report(s). Never during my time in the Marine Corps was I ever issued a weapon without ammunition for that weapon. You may not be authorized to load & lock said weapon, but you're damn sure given ammo.

The primary mission of the Marine Security Guard Detachment at an Embassy is to protect classified information, personnel and US property. The walls of an Embassy are the responsibility of local security forces, believe it or not, and in countries like the Middle East, they're poorly trained, poorly compensated and will not risk their lives in the face of a mob. I don't agree with it, but I understand why it's done.

Embassies and Consulates in countries like Egypt are considered 'hardship' tours due to the volatility and instability of the country and seeing these Embassies overrun, while hard to watch, does not come as a surprise. With the exception of Libya, where there were no MSG, the fact that there was no loss of classified information vital to national security or loss of life to US personnel tells me the Marine Security Guard Detachment did their job.

That's all I have to say about that. I am not a 'happy-camper' with what's going on at the moment and am trying to exercise some caution & restraint.

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Mardigras9

I'm with you slo-mo. I hope that's a damn joke.

Halo

Didn't this happen in the Movie Aliens where they couldn't use live ammo rounds? What was the expression they said, something like:

What are we supposed to use, harsh language?

saintfan

That's Obama's job.