Defense secretary afraid to address his own troops

    Apparently never before in the history of our country have our soldiers been stripped of their weapons when being addressed by the secretary of defense. There's a first time for everything.
    Today Leon Panetta ordered the troops disarmed before he would address them. The official line is that he wanted them to be unarmed just like their Afghan "brothers." The real reason is that he was afraid he might be fragged -- you know, shot by his own troops.
    It's a sad day. I just wonder how many military ballots will make it into the box this November. I'm sure the administration will do everything it can to make sure they don't make it back home. I will concede that a few black military men may vote for Obama just because he's black, much as Colin Powell did. But overall, does anyone really think this man is going to get any military vote at all?
    A secretary of defense too afraid to address his own troops. All things considered, I suppose he ought to be.