When the Benghazi attack happened the right wing media saw it as an opportunity and went into overdrive blaming it on President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton.
One of the stories they tried to sell was that Obama and Clinton ordered US Marines not to carry live ammunition.
They made a lot of crap up and on the radio, and to a certain extent Fox, they could say anything they wanted about it. (A lot of that crap still echoes today, motivating the Trump base. At the end of her James Comey interview Rachel Maddow pointed out Comey was reacting to ‘public’ pressure when he infected the 2016 election. Talk radio is more responsible than any other medium for creating the RW buzz that pushed the entire Clinton email bullshit.)
Hannity was one of the RW blowhards I heard selling that lie. The US Marine Corp had to send out their spokesman to refute it toward the end of the week because the RW buzz was getting loud.
Pentagon spokesman Lt Col Chris Hughes announced:
“The Ambassador and RSO have been completely and appropriately engaged with the security situation. No restrictions on weapons or weapons status have been imposed.”
Where did that ‘rumor’ start? Was that a Breitbart/Kremlin propaganda piece? Was Hannity just stupid or did he really think it would be good for the right and bad for the Democrats if another embassy was attacked? Was there any Kremlin social media trolling pushing this? Hannity was really loud about it. It was also pushed on at least one local blowhard show that I heard, and that continued even after the marines denounced it.
Here are some parts of tweets from then, from a Mother Jones article Sept 13, 2012:
@IAMMGraham
Under orders from Obama administration--NO AMMO for Marines at Cairo Embassy
http://
freebeacon.com/reports-marine
s-not-permitted-live-ammo/print/
…
11:19 AM - Sep 13, 2012
patricia Schurr
@patriot32
OBAMA sends Marines but tells them no use of LIVE AMMO ..like sitting ducks..who the hell is this LUNATIC in the WH #p2 #ocra
11:36 AM - Sep 13, 2012
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Jay Severin III
@Jay_Severin
Marines under fire w/no ammo Worst Thing I Have Ever Heard. I am in a Rage. Obama is what US Marines scrape off bottom of their boots.
11:47 AM - Sep 13, 201
Melody
@prfekrdumbrella
Marines not allowed live ammo at US Embassies?
http://
freebeacon.com/reports-marine
s-not-permitted-live-ammo/
… why not arm them with bean bags or feathers? Obama unelectable
9:18 AM - Sep 13, 2012
Reports: Marines Not Permitted Live Ammo - Washington Free Beacon
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....
freebeacon.com
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Stephen Barre סטיב
@Quark1217
The "commander in chief" must think these are war games--->“@Fritzster: Marines not permitted live ammo
http://
shar.es/u5YCX
”#tcot #lnyhbt
9:44 AM - Sep 13, 2012
Reports: Marines Not Permitted Live Ammo - Washington Free Beacon
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....
freebeacon.com
See Stephen Barre סטיבן's other Tweets
Were any of them Kremlin trolls?
Here’s some crap that accompanied this effort — was this more early Kremlin attacks, emboldened by their success using Limbaugh to sell the “Climategate” hoax?
If this story is even half true, not only has our military been turned into a social club for homosexuals, it’s now become about as dangerous as a social club run by women. The Marines called in to defend the already burned out American Embassy in Egypt will be little more than window dressing:
“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.’”
If you children are thinking about joining the Marines, tell them they’ll need to pack a dress and high heels because they won’t be engaged in any combat.
Why spend billions of dollars training guys and gals to be Marines when a school crossing guard would be just as well equipped to handle the job.
Ambassador Patterson “did not defend U.S. sovereign territory and betrayed her oath of office,” a Nightwatch report states. “She neutered the Marines posted to defend the embassy, trusting the Egyptians over the Marines.”
“Neutered” is the appropriate word. Our military has been castrated by the best of the liberal establishment and social theorists. In the future, our troops may not be able to defend our nation if war comes to our land in waves or if they have to go to some remote part of the world where American citizens are in danger, but they’ll be able to discuss the latest politically correct social theory. Don’t be surprised if the troops of the future no longer are dressed in the familiar camouflage green and grey but instead are decked out in pink chiffon with some dainty lace at the cuffs.
If this was Kremlin trolling in 2012, how far back does this go? I think to at least Manafort getting McCain to pick Palin for VP and getting Limbaugh to announce it the Friday before the GOP convention.
Republican media gods like Hannity need to be asked about that.