Here's a sample of some of the criticism that prompted Obama's belated response:
‘Lone Survivor’ Marcus Luttrell calls out decisions by Marine Corps, Obama following ChattanoogaBy Dan Lamothe July 21
Add “Lone Survivor” Marcus Luttrell to the list of Americans who believe the Pentagon should arm recruiters and other service members after the attack in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The Navy SEAL veteran took to Facebook on Monday night and ripped the Pentagon’s decisions in the aftermath of the shooting on Thursday, in which Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24, killed four Marines and a Navy sailor. The services have adopted a number of measures since. The Marine Corps closed down recruiting offices within 40 miles of Chattanooga, and told some recruiters not wear their uniforms, and raising the force protection level to “Charlie,” indicating an increased terrorist threat exists.
Luttrell, who earned a Navy Cross in a bloody 2005 battle in Afghanistan that was later depicted in the movie “Lone Survivor,” wrote that he had just heard about Marine recruiters being told not to wear their uniforms.
“I have to tell y’all I laughed out loud, if anyone thinks for one second a Marine is gonna take his uniform off because he cares about his safety or is scared of some sh–bag walking in off the street and trying this again (WRONG), that’s not gonna happen, that’s not how we respond in the military when we get hit, we don’t take off our uniforms drop our weps [sic] and run,” Luttrell wrote...
In a separate Facebook post, Luttrell seemed to send a message to President Obama, who has been criticized for not ordering American flags to be lowered to half-staff to recognize the Americans killed. They are Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, 40; Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, 35; Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist; Lance Cpl. Squire D. “Skip” Wells, 21, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith, 26.
“Oh one more thing, lower the FLAG!!!!!!!! Sir,” Luttrell wrote.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...g-chattanooga/ Pretty strong words, in marked contrast to this weak response. Closing recruitment centers and telling Marines not to wear their uniforms sends precisely the wrong message to send to the Islamist idiots who want to carry out similar attacks and/or watch Americans cower in fear in response to their attacks. Mission Accomplished.
I'm not sure what raising the alert level will accomplish, since it was raised before the shooting in Chattanooga. It's one thing to be on heightened alert - it's another to be able to respond to it.