Was the SecDef Afraid of Getting Fragged?

Most of the headlines surrounding the surprise visit of bi-political (he has served in both sides of the two-party farce) Defense Secretary Leon Panetta have to do with the failed car-bombing.   A closer look at the report shows that Panetta or those close to him had another fear- that American troops in Afghanistan would take the opportunity of his visit to turn their own guns on the Secretary and shoot him where he stood.

We have soldiers on their fourth deployment.  They are going mad.   The U.S. Army is the #1 source of campaign contributions for Ron Paul, the only candidate for President who would immediately end the Afghan nation-building mission.

In a sign of the nervousness surrounding Mr. Panetta’s trip, the Marines and other troops who were waiting in a tent for the defense secretary to speak were abruptly asked by their commander to get up, place their weapons — M-16 and M-4 automatic rifles and 9-mm pistols — outside the tent and then return unarmed. The commander, Sgt. Maj. Brandon Hall, told reporters he was acting on orders from superiors.
“All I know is, I was told to get the weapons out,” he said. Asked why, he replied, “Somebody got itchy, that’s all I’ve got to say. Somebody got itchy; we just adjust.”
Normally, American forces in Afghanistan keep their weapons with them when the defense secretary visits and speaks to them. The Afghans in the tent waiting for Mr. Panetta were not armed to begin with, as is typical.
Later, American officials said that the top commander in Helmand, Maj. Gen. Mark Gurganus, had decided on Tuesday that no one would be armed while Mr. Panetta spoke to them,