Sunday Times 2
Umbrellagate? Obama breaches marine protocol
President Obama was criticised for asking a marine to hold his umbrella because it made him ‘look like a butler’, a military general claimed today.
Broken Regulations: US Marines hold umbrellas during light rain for US President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (not pictured)
Thomas McInerney, a former United States Air Force Lieutenant General, said that the President showed a ‘lack of respect’ by making the soldier shelter him from a shower.
He also said that the President has plenty of aides so did not understand why one of them could not have held the umbrella.
The President caused a stir when he summoned over two marines to keep him dry at a press conference in the Rose Garden.
The marines held an umbrella over the President and the Turkish Prime Minister individually as Obama made jokes about the weather.
However, for some the move was not a laughing matter particularly as it is a breach of protocol for marines to hold umbrellas while in uniform.
Lt Gen McInerney told MailOnline that he found it particularly insulting how the President at one point his his hand under the marine’s arm ‘like he wasn’t doing a good job or something’.
He said: ‘The President has stood in the rain before without an umbrella and a marine would generally stand there without holding an umbrella.’
‘He isn’t some kind of butler or something.
According to Marine Corps regulations, not even the President of the United States can request a Marine to carry an umbrella without the express permission of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
The Marine Corp Manual, which is the bible for all soldiers serving, specifically states that a soldier’s uniform dress code does not allow the carrying of an umbrella and ‘no officer or official shall issue instructions which conflict with, alter, or amend any provision without the approval of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.’
Indeed, male Marines are informed never to carry an umbrella from the earliest phases of training.
Regulation MCO P1020.34F of the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations chapter 3, rules out any use or carrying of an umbrella while a Marine is in uniform.
Umbrella issues: Obama is not the first US president to have problems in a bid to stay dry. George W. Bush "battles" with his umbrella after stepping off Marine One at Andrews Air Force Base in 2004 (AFP)
Many commentators found the use of the marines to be particularly insensitive, given the President was answering questions on Benghazi.
The lack of marines protecting Ambassador Chris Stevens at the Libyan consulate and the failure to deploy marines to protect him amid the outbreak of violence has come under fire ever since last year’s attack on September 11.
Usually a marine guard would be in force at an overseas diplomatic compound but in Benghazi the government opted to use a private Libyan security team.
Stevens had made repeated appeals for improved security at the Libyan base but to no avail.
Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty were part of a CIA security team stationed a mile away who heard gunshots and intervened to try and help Stevens. They were also killed in an attack on their compound.
Answering questions on Benghazi, President Obama said the government was ‘ continuing to review our security at high-threat diplomatic posts’ in light of the attack.
At the press conference originally intended to be a victory lap for the United States’ relationship with Turkey, Obama stood alongside Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan and fielded questions which quickly shifted other issues that are engulfing his administration.
Despite the wide range of topics up for discussion it is the umbrella incident which certainly captured chatter online.
A mock Twitter account was set up for the marine involved while numerous videos appeared online poking fun at the issue.
© Daily Mail, London
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