As details continue to emerge out of the Middle East concerning the seemingly unchecked chaos that is occurring outside (and inside) our embassies, we learn more and more about the epic failures of the state department in dealing with terrorists in Egypt, Libya and now Yemen.
State department officials are denying the claims made by multiple sources that the Marines stationed in Egypt, tasked with the protection of the embassy, were not allowed to carry live ammunition. While there is still some back-and-forth as to what the official policy was at the embassy in Cairo, a lack of ammunition in the rifles does seem to explain how Islamic fundamentalists were able to storm our walls, tear down our flag, burn it, and replace it with a Muslim flag without meeting resistance by Marine personnel.
Adam Kredo of the Washington Free Beacon writes,
“Pentagon Lt. Col. Chris Hughes told the outlet: ‘The ambassador and RSO (Regional Security Officer) have been completely and appropriately engaged with the security situation. No restrictions on weapons or weapons status have been imposed. This information comes from the Det Commander at AMEMB (American Embassy) Cairo.’
The statement came in response to open-source reporting that U.S. Marines defending the American embassy in Egypt were not permitted by the State Department to carry live ammunition.
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.’
Time magazine’s Battleland blog also reported Thursday that “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.’
I’ll admit that I do not get out to Cairo as often as I should, but it seems to me that since the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, the neighborhood has taken a bit of a downward turn and it can get a bit rough. Far be it from me to tell anyone how to do their job, but it seems foolish at best and traitorous at worst to not arm Marines with live ammunition to protect our embassy.
Even if what the state department says is true, that Marines did have live ammunition, there is no excuse for this breach of our sovereignty. While they desecrated our flag, what did the ambassador do?
Kredo further wrote,
“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.”
Sure, why wouldn’t you rely on the Muslim Brotherhood to keep you safe and secure? I’m having some of them housesit for me next weekend. They seem like a rational, trustworthy bunch…
“The U.S. ambassador to any nation ultimately decides whether Marines are authorized to carry ammunition, according to a GOP national security adviser knowledgeable about American embassy protocols.
‘In the end, the ambassador of any country has the final call on what to do in a country,’ the source said. “The buck stops with you. You make every decision.”
Security procedures are subjective and subject to change depending on locale, the source said.
Each ambassador, in consultation with their Regional Security Officer (RSO), sets the policy regarding the rules of engagement, according to the adviser. The RSO is responsible for coordinating all security measures and reports directly to the ambassador in any given nation.
‘A decision or order to set rules of engagement that you can’t carry live ammunition and can’t engage violent crowds climbing over your walls and tearing down your flag stems from direct orders from the Chief of Mission and possibly whoever the Chief of Mission reports to,’ the source explained.
Given that the siege of the Cairo embassy unfolded over many hours, the source wondered if new orders pertaining to the rules of engagement were ever issued.
Ambassador Patterson was in Washington D.C. during the attacks, according to reports.
‘I cannot believe that over an eight hour period that nobody … in that chain of command did not ask those questions of their superiors,’ the source said. ‘These protestors did not just appear and within 20 minutes climb the wall.’
America needs to get serious about defending America and defending our interests. While the last four years has been a disgraceful period in our history of foreign policy, where our supposed “leader” has bowed to international pressure time and time again and apologized for America to anyone that will listen, at least up until now it has only been America’s interests that our government has betrayed. Now, as our sovereign soil of our embassies is being invaded, as our flags are being desecrated, and as our diplomats are being murdered, we must demand that our elected leaders show some leadership and stand up for America.
