Later, American officials said that the top military official in Helmand, Maj. Gen. Mark Gurganus, had decided on Tuesday that no one would be armed while Mr. Panetta spoke, but that word had not reached those in charge in the tent until shortly before Mr. Panetta was due to arrive.

General Gurganus told reporters later that he had wanted a consistent policy for everyone in the tent, and that “I wanted to have the Marines look just like their Afghan partners,” noting, “You’ve got one of the most important people in the world in the room.” He insisted that his decision had nothing to do with the massacre; later, defense officials said the decision had nothing to do with the truck at the airfield.

 General Gurganus may be a good man, maybe even a great man, but we are who we are, the most bad ass fighting force in the world. And you have your General telling you to stand down… in front of the people they are trying to train? Do you think the enemy would do that?

I have never been in the military and I can’t relate to protocol for this type of event, but it sure seems like someone is pacifying a certain group of people. Correct me if I am wrong, I don’t get it.