A team of heavily armed Marine Corps security personnel have been sent to the U.S. Embassy in Cairo to provide additional security for the facility, defense officials tell CNN. The small team of Marines, about a dozen according to one of the officials, are part of a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST). --CNN
Is this smart?
The immediate flashback is 'Tehran', and the imagery is not good.
While the US has a right to protect an embassy, should we risk the type of imagery that could develop in Egypt today?
My thoughts are as follows:
- The US embassy is always a potent symbol, but disclosing this to CNN is waving the US flag at those who seek confrontation with us.
- The only possible use for a COMBAT Marine team is to engage protesters with deadly force. NO NOT THAT! If Egyptians aren't intimidated by tanks, then they will close to a distance that might cause COMBAT Marines to act.
- As Tehran proved, 'security' is illusionary.
- For $1.3 billion a year, can't we get the Egyptian army to guard just one building for us?
Anyone wishing to create a flash in the pan wants gunpowder, and US combat Marines definitely represent gunpowder.
FYI...
The Marines that guard embassies are not 'heavily armed'. They are more trained to deal with protests, riots, drunken diplomats, etc. In contrast, a FAST team is made up of 'shooters' (to use the military phrase). Have a look here...USMC special operations
The difference between an embassy marine and a special forces combat team is night and day - literally. Embassy guards are trained to operate in the 'light of day' and avoid international incidents. Marine combat teams are not especially known for being fond of diplomatic niceties. Embassy marines have nothing more than M-16's and nuisance tear/pepper gas. In contrast, a FAST team has crew served weapons, explosives, assault gear, and serious incapacitating agents.
Put it this way...a FAST team would easily take on a squad of embassy marines because FAST teams are COMBAT teams. DOD was either oblivious to the message (and therefore stupid) or fully aware of the significance of sending 'combat' teams (and therefore dangerous to our public relations).
Personally, I don't think Marines should guard embassies at all. By putting military at the facility, to some minds it automatically becomes a military target. To my mind, perimeter security responsibility ought to belong to the host country. And if they break the perimeter it's all over anyway. As to 'classified' material just left laying around, well that 'not so secret stuff' is all out on Wikileaks anyway.
I would like to repeat a point: If you don't think this could be provocative, then why would the Defense Department be whispering this into CNN's ear for them to broadcast around the world? Why would they send a "special operations" "combat team" rather than simply sending more embassy guards?
DOD is sending big guns to something that is not even yet a knife fight. Even then, 12 shooters will not solve a problem...but they might create one.