What a totally misleading headline, at least as far as the actual reportage goes. The only people opposing the idea of allowing our military personnel to defend themselves are some admiral who is essentially betraying his own troops, and, surprise, the Obama WH. Hmmm. One wonders if Bambi will practice what he preaches and give up his own armed security.

Lawmakers on Sunday quickly rejected a Republican proposal that would allow military personnel to carry concealed weapons on bases — raised just days after the horrific Fort Hood base shooting that left four soldiers dead.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Mike McCaul raised the controversial idea on “Fox News Sunday,” explaining that soldiers shouldn’t be defenseless on their own bases.

“We should be looking at the idea of senior leadership at these bases, give them the ability to carry a weapon,” the Texas Republican said.

“They defend us overseas and defend our freedom abroad, so the idea that they are defenseless when they come on our home bases, I think, Congress should be looking at that and having a discussion with the bases about what would be the best policy,” McCaul added.

But a number of other politicians claimed that putting guns in the hands soldiers on bases — which is currently forbidden in most circumstances under Department of Defense policy — might only lead to further violence.

I’m not one, as someone who has been on many, many bases and posts, that would argue for arming anybody who is on base,” Adm. Michael Mullen, who worked as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents George W. Bush and Obama, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I think that actually invites much more difficult challenges.”

“Certainly we have to do everything we can to protect everybody that’s on base," Mullen said. “But I’d be much more in the camp of … focusing on the individuals rather than routinely allowing arms on any military base in the country.”

White House officials were also quick to reject McCaul’s idea, claiming that Defense Department have already ruled out such ideas in the past.

“The Pentagon has looked at proposals like the one Congressman McCaul is talking about. They don't think it's a good idea,” White House Senior Adviser Dan Pfeiffer said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics...9#ixzz2y8b5GqoN