Topic: Panetta Visits Afghanistan

[Libertas]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/world/asia/panetta-visits-afghanistan-following-massacre.html?_r=1&hp

In a sign of the nervousness surrounding Mr. Panetta’s trip, the Marines and other troops who were waiting in a tent for the defense secretary to speak were abruptly asked by their commander to get up, place their weapons — M-16 and M-4 automatic rifles and 9-mm pistols — outside the tent and then return unarmed. The commander, Sgt. Maj. Brandon Hall, told reporters he was acting on orders from superiors.

“All I know is, I was told to get the weapons out,” he said. Asked why, he replied, “Somebody got itchy, that’s all I’ve got to say. Somebody got itchy; we just adjust.”

WTF?!   

[Pandora]

Makes perfect sense to me.  Wouldn't do for the SecDef to get fragged in-country, would it.

[AlanS]

Makes perfect sense to me.  Wouldn't do for the SecDef to get fragged in-country, would it.

That would be a shame. Then they'd have to get some other asshat to take his place.

[Libertas]

Any asshat can take his place, so it makes no sense fragging him, he is merely the yes-man to the man-child.  If he goes another yes-man comes in!  If I were in that room I'd be seething and glaring at that distrustful POS!

[charlesoakwood]

A statement the other day about the election that people in the South would crawl over broken glass
to vote against Obama - if that is accurate how distasteful must the military find him?

[Pandora]

A statement the other day about the election that people in the South would crawl over broken glass
to vote against Obama - if that is accurate how distasteful must the military find him?

Depends on who they are and which way they lean -- in several aspects.

[Libertas]

I'd agree with Pan, if I had to guess, I'd say there's maybe 50% who are, 30% who aren't and the remaining 20% who don't want to say one way or the other.  And it could vary from unit to unit, crew to crew.

[charlesoakwood]

Where do they think those lethal ROEs are coming from?

[Libertas]

Heh, well, there were in my day (and I suspect still are) those who can't (or don't want to) think more than 1-3 levels up the chain of command anyway, so...

[charlesoakwood]

Stupid Louie.

[Pandora]

Where do they think those lethal ROEs are coming from?

I'd say this is a valid point, for some of them, when they see the death and damage to their friends, if they're the dot-connecting sort, moreso than those in the civilian population; the consequence of bad policy like the ROEs hits hard and fast for them.  It depends on if, for the *ones* who supported Obama, they're willing to put aside their loyalty to party and race and LOOK.  Same goes for teh gayz, especially now.

And aren't the majority of them young, under thirty?  And, lastly, do you think they represent the IQ distribution as the rest of the population?