PRUDEN: A curious experiment in gun control in Afghanistan - Washington Times

PRUDEN: A curious experiment in gun control in Afghanistan - Washington Times

Marines are never parted from their weapons, whether they’re on their way to the latrine, the mess tent, or to look up the chaplain. The luckless sergeant assigned to execute the general’s order told the incredulous troops that “something had come to light” and it was everybody outside to stack their automatic rifles and 9mm pistols.

Was caution driven by fear that someone might take a shot at Mr. Panetta? Did someone think that “armed Marines” — the mere term is a redundancy — would embarrass the dozen or so Afghan troops who arrived at the session unarmed? (It’s impolite to guess why they were unarmed.) Unregistered guns frighten folks like Mr. Panetta, and he had suffered through a semi-scary arrival earlier when an Afghan in a pickup truck broke through a security line and screeched to a halt up close and personal.