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Marines ordered to disarm for Panetta visit in Afghanistan

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    Lt. Col. Oliver North reacts

  • Duration 4:58
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That unprecedented picture of American soldiers.

Leaving their weapons at the door.

-- when listening to a speech by their own secretary of defense I mean.

-- easy equivalent of the diplomatic equivalent helicopters on the roof of the embassy.

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer on special report last night.

-- set -- more than 200 US Marines in Afghanistan were ordered to disarm.

Before a meet and greet.

With our own Defense Secretary Leon Panetta at camp leather neck in Afghanistan.

US officials tried to downplay be highly unusual move as voices like Krauthammer -- again.

The -- colonel Oliver North is a Fox News military analyst and host of war stories he has spent significant time at this -- he knows these Marines very well.

Colonel thank you so much for being here on this this is a story that got so much attention after we talked about in this program yesterday.

What do you make of it because it's -- startling image to see the faces of those Marines without their weapons as the Defense Secretary Panetta addresses that.

Well it is unprecedented Megan have been over there when other officials and -- senior levels of the United States government have been there I've never seen anything like this happen before.

And that includes former secretaries of defense presidents.

Members of congress.

So one it is -- -- the number two the story on why it happened has been mixed coming out of the Pentagon and various spokesman.

It was either done because of the incident that occurred just as secretary Panetta was landing where -- stolen pickup truck crashed.

And caught on fire which they -- I'm stunned -- that of course.

That's also been explained is that was done that in fairness to the Afghans who weren't being allowed to carry weapons they never are in those in those kinds of engagements.

And -- it's been done.

As something -- just won't normal run of the course which it is the bottom line of it.

Is it it's emblematic of what's happened in this war -- this commander in chief the one that we hired.

Who promised to win the war no longer wants -- it's clear to me that what's gone on.

Right down the hill from where I'm sitting today in Pennsylvania Avenue.

That this administration has decided that their only strategy is to get out and get out quickly.

And that of course is affecting everything else to include events like this today.

Describe what it means to a marine to -- and he has to lay down his weapon before he -- to an event like that.

Well it as I say it's impressive and I've never had an experience like that myself as a marine officer I've never edit an experience like that covering this war now for eleven years you take -- change your -- -- -- everywhere.

I mean when you see in Afghanistan especially.

Absolutely in fact all the interviews that I've done with you from various bases all over Afghanistan and Iraq the Philippines -- all the places I go to cover American troops.

They've always got their weapons now it's never -- by the way it's not just Americans the British soldiers were told.

Leave your weapons outside -- while they add that -- at the time.

Put their weapons down -- guards -- them and come back inside if this is true what.

Administration is saying which is that they they did it because that we made the Afghans do it and so is -- -- -- and even deal.

If that is true even though that's not how -- done -- in the past the Afghans have always been.

Forced to leave their weapons in the US Marines and soldiers have not.

Is this a new policy are we likely to see this whenever the president speaks to the troops with the vice president of the Defense Secretary you name it some dignitary coming before our troops.

Well you know there was a -- there was a review with the president of the United States and that the prime minister of Great Britain.

Happening in the United States at that very time that this events occurring out Afghanistan.

All of those soldiers sailors airmen Marines had their weapons so I don't think we're going to see this kind of thing repeated.

But I I want to make the point what's very important here Megan.

Is this is emblematic.

Of what is happening in this administration they're dis -- The young Americans were fighting this war taking away from them the latitude that they need to fight it and win it because they no longer intend to win.

Is -- -- is the morale hurting do you think among our troops.

-- you know I've talked to a number of them over there was over the course of the last 2448 hours yesterday I spent till almost the entire day at Walter Reed national military medical center here in Washington DC.

With wounded warriors one of the mothers of the very severely wounded Marines said to me in the aftermath of all of what we've been covering.

I certainly hope that my son's sacrifice.

Is not in vain you know I've not heard those kinds of things from anybody since the Vietnam War.

-- -- our viewers you know the yesterday we wanted to talk to -- about this story and -- in the morning and we found -- that you're -- Walter -- you told us.

I never cancel that I'm gone so we appreciate you doing that and coming on to talk to us what your views today.

Colonel north thank you sir.

Thanked me season we're taking your views on -- still folks.

Follow me on Twitter let me know what you think at Megyn Kelly.

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