U.S. Marine collapses next to Marine One - pics

[Kadie]

Any word on him? Is he ok?


A U.S. Marine is attended to after collapsing beside a helicopter for U.S. President George W. Bush at the Canada Reception Center in Ottawa August 20, 2007. Bush is meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon for a two-day summit in Montebello, Quebec. REUTERS/Jim Young (CANADA)


Canadian medical authorities help a U.S. Marine next to Marine One into an ambulance after U.S. President George W. Bush arrived at Ottawa International Airport, for the two-day North American Leaders' Summit with Canada and Mexico, August 20, 2007. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)

[DS1]

1. Rather symbolic

He's even wearing out the color guard

[Cha]

25. Totally Symbolic!

What's the frat boy doin' in Canada..messin' up their air?

[ThomWV]

2. Heat?

[Paulie]

3. Smell of brimstone

was overpowering I suspect.

[applegrove]

6. It really wasn't that hot in eastern ontario today. Like low 70s .

[SidDithers]

9. Overcast and cool through most of Ontario today...

so probably not heat.

We barely reached into the 70's today outside of Toronto.

Sid

[iamthebandfanman]

35. i love toronto

i go there almost every year.
im a huge fan of vacationing in canada ;)

wont be doing it as much after the passport deal is in effect in 08 :(

[DrDan]

52. I also enjoy vacationing in Canada

but isn't the passport deal now in effect? Didn't that happen 1/1/07?

btw - headed to Victoria and Vancouver for a week in November. Love Victoria!!

[Canuckistanian]

56. It was a cool day here in Ottawa - a high of 70 degrees n/t

[The Vinyl Ripper]

4. Not all that uncommon after standing at attention for a while..

They teach you not to keep your legs locked and still troops pass out when at attention from time to time.

It is a very unnatural position for the human body.

[MADem]

5. Never lock those knees--ya gotta do the subtle bounce and the toe curls! NT

[TahitiNut]

13. Believe me... even that doesn't work sometimes.

Been there. Done that.

[MADem]

18. So have I...I usually was able to manage with the subtle knee bends

and wiggling toes. But then, I only had to do that shit when I was young. As I got older, I was the one who kept moving.

It's easier being the inspector than the inspectee.

[TahitiNut]

27. This is the kind of shit I'm seeing ...

This is pathological narcissism on parade. Naval tradition makes EIGHT sideboys the maximum honor guard for any dignitary, but this narcissistic bastard had to feed his pathology. Notice that the commandant is "at ease" but the cadets sure aren't.




I was a cadet at the USCGA in 61-63 and Saturday mornings were for parade (review the corps of cadets). Between reviews and hazing and formations before meals in the quadrangle, I got more than my share of this crap. When I was a draftee and before I went to Nam, I was stationed at Fort Sam in San Antonio - HQ Company and part of the "honor guard." When Westmoreland (the basturd) came, we sweated gallons at attention and guys fell like trees. It was appalling.

[MADem]

32. How about the INDOOR honor guards at every formal press conference?

I mean, really--there's a flag on the stage, and ONE flag is sufficient. I find that show appalling, and so unnecessary.

He's the only asshole who uses the flag as BUNTING, against custom or tradition.

He loves to use servicemembers as living static displays as well. As does Cheney. And he'll rarely address the nation without the comfort of them around him.

Give me Ike, Kennedy, LBJ, even Nixon, Ford and Reagan--when they addressed the nation, they did it from the OVAL OFFICE, without a "cheering section" of people who are forced to muster, stand and applaud.

If one's words are strong enough, they don't need an applause track to go with them.

These are the actions of a small and pathetic person, who can only aggrandize himself with "trappings."

[TahitiNut]

37. Yep. He loves that hallway with toy soldiers standing at attention next to flags as a backdrop.

They're forced to be mere decoration for his fraudulency ... standing at attention for as long as he wallows on stage.

Every time I see that, I wonder how the hell the military can stomach that basturd. I've watched every President and how they treat these troops ... and Smirk is 500% worse than any of them, including Nixon and his "imperial" Gilbert & Sullivan pretensions.

[misanthrope]

41. I don't think Shrub is the impetus...

...I think he just shows up and does what he's told...for the most part.

I think Rove is the hand behind the bunting and guards.

[MADem]

42. I dunno about that. I think Mister National Guard had a few ideas

about being the big cheese, and decided to have them implemented now that he was Numbah One. He gave the order, and his clown/subordinates implemented it.

Of course, his entire staff has no clue how it's done. And they didn't bother to ask anyone who did, clearly. As a consequence, he gets "Buffoon" honors. And anyone who's been in service sees it for what it is--Idi Amin-ish, phony, and wrong.

[spotbird]

47. Yeah, even his jock strap

has a Presidential Seal on it (a very tiny one, but visible nevertheless with the assistance of a microscope).

Bush gets off on the presidt' shit.

[uppityperson]

63. Jock strap or seal visible with microscope? nt

[spotbird]

43. What is the significance of

commandant being at ease? Just that he's a selfish SOB as well?

[TahitiNut]

46. Yep. "RHIP" ... nobody senior around to tell him other wise.

:shrug:

[spotbird]

48. What's RHIP? nt

[TahitiNut]

49. Rank Hath Its Privileges

Even the commanding officer of an honor guard isn't supposed to assume a position other than that which he commands the guard. The protocols are pretty clear - and ages old. But many flag officers exempt themselves.

[TahitiNut]

11. Yes, it is. Even not locking the knees is no guarantee.

In the military, I stood at attention for prolonged periods more times than I can count. From honor guards to Saturday parade/review to hazing. When I observe how Smirk just *loves* to decorate the landscape with toy soldiers - without the SLIGHTEST consideration for them - I want to vomit in his face. Decent "dignitaries" would ALWAYS put the troops at at ease ... while the self-centered idiots with hoe-handles up their assholes ignored the heat and discomfort. I've been in formations where guys fell like trees in a clear-cut. It's appalling narcissism.

[MADem]

20. My father, many years ago, used that very propensity to get out of

Saturday formations.

He was serving in an old Navy battleship just before we entered the war (WW2) and he had a captain who liked weekend, specifically Saturday morning, inspections.

He directed his personnel to keel over, one at a time, as the inspections took place. They took turns feigning fainting, and all did very well at it. After three weeks of this, the inspections were cancelled. The old man was a hero....

[HeeBGBz]

21. Damn, I used to hate that

Minutes would seem like hours after a while and everything wants to start twitchin...

[knitter4democracy]

59. I was thinking that, too.

I watched a girl standing at attention in marching band who literally only bent at her ankles and swung around like a toy, she'd passed out so thoroughly. Her squad leader caught her before she hit the dirt, and I ran over to help, too. It took us awhile to cool her down (she was in the sun, too).

I hope he's okay--I hope it's just standing at attention and not something more serious.

[Benhurst]

7. Overcome to be in the presence of the Great One.

[bahrbearian]

28. Vapors?

[wicket]

8. Hope they are alright

:(

[Ikonoklast]

10. At least it happened in Canada

The Marine might get some decent medical care.

[Bluebear]

22. ---

:nodding:

[rodeodance]

12. Symbolic of our worn down Military.

[VP505]

14. Overwhelmed by

the strong sulfur fumes.

[bahrbearian]

29. Well he was coming from Crawford , so it might have been the

combination of Pig Shit and Monkey poop.

[lpbk2713]

15. The Marine White House detail is expected to be slim and trim.

I wonder if he skipped a meal or two and maybe overdid it when he exercised?

[kirby]

16. Marine Two is now Marine One?

Poor guy... Hope he is okay.

[SoCalDem]

17. Maybe Cheney has first dibs..:)n/t

[peaches2003]

19. For how long at attention?

Apparently the Boy King was not on the helicopter any longer or we know he would have rushed down the steps for a photo-op. How long do the Marines have to stay at attention- the entire time Bush is in Canada in case he comes back to the 'copter unexpectedly?

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

23. Hope the Marine is okay.

The American president was first greeted at Ottawa International Airport by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean. Mr. Bush gave a quick wave to photographers as he descended the stairs of Air Force One to shake Jean's hand.

The president and Ms. Jean chatted amiably, smiling often at each other, as they walked to an airport lounge, where they met privately for about 15 minutes before Mr. Bush was to embark Marine One, the president's helicopter, to travel to Montebello.

One of the Marine guards collapsed near one of Mr. Bush's helicopters while he met Ms. Jean inside the hangar. He required medical attention after apparently passing out from the heat on the tarmac.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=45496ef4-0821-462a-933b-00178d3c7a32&k=87635

[RaleighNCDUer]

24. The FIRST thing you learn in boot, is

Do not lock your knees when standing at attention.

It'll happen every time.

[DS1]

26. There's no way this guy got through Embassy duty school without knowing that

They were probably out there for hours, unable to walk a perimeter or anything that would keep blood flowing

[JanMichael]

30. Oh shit!!! Did he accidentally look in The Dark Lord's eyes???

He's freakin' lucky he's not a pillar of salt.

[Wiregrass Willie]

31. The last Marine I heard of passing out was at JFK's funeral

It turned out he was dead. The more suspicious types have always thought he was killed because he overheard something he was not suppose to. I wonder if this guy heard anything ?

[stirlingsliver]

33. Some People Will Do ANYTHING

Some people.

They will do anything to take advantage of the health care system in Canada.

I hope the young man is OK.

[Azathoth]

34. Bush's response? "Get me another one!" n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

36. At least one news source is reporting this was a woman, not a man

MSNBC said that (I think) a Canadian news agency was reporting the felled Marine was a woman.

No matter the gender, standing in full dress, at attention, in a hot sun, can be pretty hard to do. Fainting is not uncommon and not a sign of weakness.

[lpbk2713]

38. The hat on the ground looks like a WM's hat.

[Stinky The Clown]

40. Yeah ... it sorta does

Hard to tell.

I saw other pictures, either closer or blown up, but the face was, in all cases, obscured.

I know this will sound silly, but in one the part of the face that could be seen looked fair and hairless.

Again, really hard to tell.

[Mike 12]

61. Its a Female

I know her personally and she was not out there for very long maybe 30 minutes at the most. And she wasn't even at attention the whole time.

[Mike 12]

62. Its a Female

I know her personally and she was not out there for very long maybe 30 minutes at the most. And she wasn't even at attention the whole time.

[Kadie]

60. Oops! My bad.

I should not have assumed the marine was a man.

:spank:


Thanks for the info.

[Up2Late]

39. Damn! How hot was it there today?!?

In Ottawa, CANADA!

Are they under-staffing the Old Guard now too?

[B Calm]

44. I wonder if he is an Iraqi war vet.. suffering from depleted uranium

poisoning...

[Lex]

45. God's aim is off.

:shrug:

[alfredo]

50. He was overcome by a bush fart.

[B Calm]

51. A Navy seaman probably slapped him..

[alfredo]

54. Sounds like inter service rivalry.

[6000eliot]

53. More like the stench of mendacity!

[usregimechange]

55. Did it keep Bush from his photo op?

[Canuckistanian]

57. Nah, they'll just crop out the Marine

Those photo ops are expensive.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

58. I owe him a serious apology

I got this here new doll thing,equiped with pins, and hair and a photo of the president, and it even has the chopper in the background. Well, I stuck a pin into the doll's tummy, and just then, whoosh, the troop fell. talk about bad aim.

I did not MEAN YOU! REALLY! Please accept my apologies.