Wondering how a bunch of punks took over a US embassy?

Tuesday night, 9/11, we were treated to the sight of Egyptian "youths" burning the US flag and hoisting some black rag in its place. First question I had was, how do these unarmed, untrained, unpracticed assholes always seem to overwhelm the embassy guards? Well, now I know the answer.

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."

But wait, didn't Barry say that the Egyptian government was supposed to protect the US embassy?  Well he sure did, but:

Egypt-US: The day after the storming of the US Embassy, all day and night on 12 and 13 September, mainstream media aired footage of obviously unemployed Egyptian young men gathering and milling near the US Embassy in Cairo. A single security vehicle was imaged making an occasional and completely feckless foray through the gathering area, during the early morning of 13 September  in Cairo. No Egyptian police or military or other security personnel were present.

Comment: The normal time for organized, violent Muslim protests is Friday afternoon, after prayers. Muslim Brotherhood leaders already have called for "non-violent", anti-US protests on Friday after prayers. Readers should expect more anti-US protests and no Egyptian security forces.

So no Egyptian cops and no live ammo for the Marines. Rumor has it that the ambassador has also refused to open the Strong Language locker, so Marines are left to defend the embassy with hope and change. That would be spare change tied up in a sock.

This is why I'm not cut out for the military. I'd have busted open the armory sooner than follow those orders.

The Non-military Phantom