American student killed in Egypt identified

[Trajan]

There have been protests all week with the big one today ( here is a thread on that
http://www.usmessageboard.com/middle-east-general/300832-in-case-anyone-is-interested.html )

I am curious as to why we still have folks there, in that I would have thought it might be best to pull out non essential staff and 'abroad' Americans...the country has been in chaos for the last week ( some may since Morsi took over but this has definitely ramped up to a crescendo in the last week or so) ....




Michael Winter, USA TODAY 4:58 a.m. EDT June 29, 2013


Officials say he died in Alexandria while photographing protests against President Mohammed Morsi.

A young American in Egypt was killed Friday in Alexandria while photographing clashes between opponents and supporters of President Mohammed Morsi.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf identified the victim as Andrew Pochter.

Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, says in a statement on its website that Pochter was a 21-year-old student from Chevy Chase, Md., working in Egypt as an intern for a non-profit education organization.

There were conflicting reports about how Pochter was killed.

Reuters reported that Gen. Amin Ezz Eddin, a senior Alexandria security official, said he was stabbed in the chest in Sidi Gabr Square while using his mobile phone camera near an office of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which opponents had sent on fire. He died in a military hospital.

more at-

American student killed in Egypt identified

 

[Jos]

AMIDEAST was founded in 1951 as American Friends of the Middle East, and over the years has expanded its offerings to include English-language instruction, professional-development courses for companies whose employees work in the Middle East, test administration, U.S. study advising, institutional development projects, and study-abroad and exchange programs for both Americans and Middle Easterners.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amideast

In 1951, columnist Dorothy Thompson, together with 24 American educators, theologians, and writers including Harry Emerson Fosdick founded the American Friends of the Middle East.[1] Kermit Roosevelt, Jr. served as executive secretary for a time.[2]

Virginia Gildersleeve, along with Fosdick and others, had founded the Committee for Justice and Peace in the Holy Land in 1948, which was merged into the new organization.[2] According to historian Robert Moats Miller, in its early years American Friends of the Middle East was funded by the Central Intelligence Agency
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americ...he_Middle_East

I wonder why he was still in the country, Work Experience?
Taking photos of protesters?

 

[Trajan]

who knows, but I think its time we pull out all but skeleton staff necessary to the operation of the embassy.

 

[Jos]

"CNN reported on Saturday that US marines stationed in southern Europe are on alert, ready to leave for Egypt "to protect the U.S. Embassy and American government personnel and citizens if violence broke out against Americans."

The report says that about 200 combat capable marines in Sigonella, Italy and Moron in Spain would be ready to be airborne within an hour of getting deployment orders."

Why arnt they already there!

 

[Trajan]

"CNN reported on Saturday that US marines stationed in southern Europe are on alert, ready to leave for Egypt "to protect the U.S. Embassy and American government personnel and citizens if violence broke out against Americans."

The report says that about 200 combat capable marines in Sigonella, Italy and Moron in Spain would be ready to be airborne within an hour of getting deployment orders."

Why arnt they already there!

we used to have a MEU in the Med. and its own heli-capable platform ships.....is it not there anymore?

 

[Trajan]

hummm..

Expeditionary Strike Group


Recently, MEUs have been deployed within an expeditionary strike group (ESG) in the Mediterranean, the Western Pacific, and periodically, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. An ESG is typically composed of three amphibious ships that embark the necessary troops and equipment and are escorted by a guided missile cruiser (CG) and guided missile destroyers (DDG) and submarine (SSN) support.

is it still there?

 

[Jos]

There are about 2,000 Marines on board three Navy warships in the Red Sea

 

[Trajan]

it was still there as of nov 2012......

U.S. sends warships near Israel in case evacuation needed ? CNN Security Clearance - CNN.com Blogs

 

[Trajan]

"CNN reported on Saturday that US marines stationed in southern Europe are on alert, ready to leave for Egypt "to protect the U.S. Embassy and American government personnel and citizens if violence broke out against Americans."

The report says that about 200 combat capable marines in Sigonella, Italy and Moron in Spain would be ready to be airborne within an hour of getting deployment orders."

Why arnt they already there!

the link;

Marines placed on alert ahead of Egypt demonstrations - CNN.com

 

[Trajan]

There are about 2,000 Marines on board three Navy warships in the Red Sea

thats an ESG, good in the red sea? 5th fleet territory?

 

[Jos]

Marine expeditionary unit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ?

 

[Trajan]

thats the parent unit, the theater ESG's are smaller and are made for things like this, I too am flummoxed as to why they bare still in port 5 days after the unrest began.....*shrugs*