Marines In Afghanistan Told To Disarm Prior To Panetta Speech

BY Herschel Smith
12 years ago

From MSNBC:

In an unusual move, around 200 U.S. Marines were asked to leave their weapons outside the tent where U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was set to speak during his trip to Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Although the military said the order was not given in response to the Sunday’s shooting of 16 Afghan civilians allegedly by an American soldier, it possibly underlined how high tensions were running after the incident.

Major General Mark Gurganus told reporters at Camp Leatherneck that he had given the order because the two dozen Afghan soldiers also there were unarmed and he did not want to treat them differently.

“You’ve got one of the most important people in the world in the room,” he told reporters, dismissing concerns related to the shooting. “This is not a big deal.”

“All I know is I was told to get the weapons out,” Sergeant Major Brandon Hall told The New York Times. Asked why, he replied, “Somebody got itchy, that’s all I’ve got to say. Somebody got itchy; we just adjust.”

Panetta’s visit comes after Sunday’s shooting that left 16 Afghan civilians dead, including nine children. Some of the bodies were reportedly burned. The suspect, who hasn’t been named, is in U.S. custody.

According to the newspaper, the Marines, who were waiting to hear Panetta’s speech, were abruptly told by their commander to get up, leave their weapons, including M16 and M-4 automatic rifles and 9 mm pistols, outside and return unarmed. Hall said he was acting on orders from superiors, the Times reported.

Disarming in this way was noteworthy, according to NBC News’ chief Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski.

He told NBC’s Chuck Todd that the move was “highly unusual” and that Marines in a combat zone are always supposed to have weapons within their reach.

Without going into too much detail, what the Marines were told to do violates everything about Marine Corps doctrine, from top to bottom, concerning not only self protection but protection and security that Marines provide to other Marines.  It runs counter to what they are taught in Boot Camp, School of Infantry, and as a fleet Marine.  And to have 200 Marines completely disarmed in a combat zone is worse than just stolid or ignorant.  It is immoral.

But as for Panetta, let’s be clear.  If his plane were to crash on the way back to the states, requiring us to find a new Secretary of Defense, the world would not come to an end.  Time moves on, as does daily events and decisions.  This is true of me, readers, and even “one of the most important people (sic) in the world.”  But doctrine is for little people. While the Marines were armed Panetta was in one of the safest places on earth – i.e., around 200 armed Marines.  With the Marines disarmed, Panetta unwittingly placed himself and his entourage in mortal danger.

The only analogue I can think of is new gun owners.  If they cannot bring themselves to become trained and practice and trust in their muzzle and trigger discipline, then perhaps they shouldn’t own guns.  If the Secretary of Defense is nervous about being around firearms, perhaps he should have just stayed home and avoided this photo-event.  It would have been better for him and the Marines.

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Comments

  1. On March 15, 2012 at 4:27 pm, Jerry Effenberger said:

    I wonder where the order to disarm came from??? Can’t believe the Comandant would stand for 200 Marines being neutered in such a manner …….. Definitely not the Corps I remember!!!

    Semper Fi

  2. On March 15, 2012 at 4:47 pm, Herschel Smith said:

    Good question, Jerry. I think it came from the commanding Marine Corps general in the Helmand Province. The stated reason was that they wanted the Marines to look like the ANA troops so that the ANA troops didn’t feel that they were being singled out to relinquish their weapons.

    Whether this is true or not, I cannot ever really know. What I do know is that it was an unwise decision. If you make a choice to disarm 200 Marines in a combat zone, then whatever caused such a choice should be changed, amended or avoided. The point is never to get to the point where you feel that you must make a decision like that.

  3. On March 15, 2012 at 5:37 pm, Šťoural said:

    II MEF commander in Afghanistan
    http://militarytimes.com/blogs/battle-rattle/2012/03/13/photos-marine-general-busts-a-move-in-afghanistan/

  4. On March 16, 2012 at 8:51 pm, Norman Michaud said:

    Serving as a Navy Corpsman with USMC, FMF for 12 years, 30 years ago, we were taught ” This my rifle, there are many like, it but this one is mine” I would have stayed with my weapon as opposed to returning to the tent.

  5. On March 27, 2012 at 3:32 pm, Dick Turner said:

    Even in Vietnam when I went to the Bob Hope, Nancy Sinatra and Requel Welch Christmas show at Da Nang 1967 we took our M-14 with fully loaded magazines, who ever issued the order should be get some kind of reprimand!

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This article is filed under the category(s) Department of Defense,Marine Corps and was published March 14th, 2012 by Herschel Smith.

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