US 'Defense' Secretary and former CIA chief Leon Panetta. The US is once again preparing to counter the revolutionary movements in the Middle East in a last-ditch effort to prevent the spread of true freedom and democracy.
The Pentagon had already sent troops to "a number of areas in the region to be prepared to respond to any requests that we receive to be able to protect our personnel and our American property", he said.
But Panetta declined to provide more details on reports that the military may be moving additional forces so they can respond to unrest in any of a number of cities of concern to the US.
"I think our approach right now is to not do anything until we've been requested to do it by the state department," Panetta told reporters travelling with him to Asia. But he noted that "I think that we have to continue to be very vigilant because I suspect that ... these demonstrations are likely to continue over the next few days, if not longer."
Protests by Muslims have erupted in countries around the world in recent days, with some spawning violence and even deaths over an anti-Islam video shot in California that denigrates the Prophet Muhammad.
In places like Libya, Sudan and Tunisia, protesters stormed US embassies, and American fast food restaurant KFC was burned in Lebanon.
In response, the Pentagon dispatched elite marine rapid response teams to Libya and Yemen, but a team deployed to Khartoum on Friday was turned back when the Sudanese government objected.
Asked about Sudan's decision, Panetta said host countries have the right to reject such military deployments.
"My understanding is that they felt that they could provide sufficient security to be able to protect our embassy and our personnel there," said Panetta. "And you know, in many ways, as all of you know the primary responsibility for protecting embassies rests with the host country."
Known as a fleet anti-terrorism security teams, the units were sent in response to violent protests in Khartoum where protesters tried to climb the walls of the US embassy, setting off a battle with police.
The Navy also moved two warships to positions off the coast of Libya. The two destroyers are largely meant as a show of force, but they carry Tomahawk missiles and can also be available for evacuations or other missions as needed.
The intensity of the anti-American fervor initially caught US leaders by surprise, but in the last several days the Obama administration has deployed military units to shore up security in hotspots, and used diplomacy to call for calm and urge foreign governments to protect American interests in their countries.
It also has been unclear how much of the violence was spontaneously triggered by the film and how much of it was spurred on by anti-American militants using it as a tool to grow and enrage the crowds.
The al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen praised the killing of the US ambassador in Libya in an online statement Saturday and called for more attacks to expel American embassies from Muslim nations.
Chris Stevens, the US ambassador to Libya, was killed Tuesday along with three other Americans, as violent protesters stormed the consulate in Benghazi. President Barack Obama has vowed that the attackers would be brought to justice, but has also stressed that the US respects religious freedom.
The protests were set off by a low-budget, crudely produced film called Innocence of Muslims, which portrays Muhammad as a fraud, a womaniser and a child molester. A 14-minute excerpt of the film, which is both in English and dubbed into Arabic, has been available on YouTube, although some countries have cut access to the site.
A film-maker linked to the offending movie clip was questioned Saturday in the US over whether he had violated the terms of a five-year probation in relation to a bank fraud conviction.
He has since been released and is believed to be in hiding.
"He is gone. We don't know where he went. He said he is not going back to his home," Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Los Angeles country sheriff's department said.
The US is in way over it's head, but is too naieve to realize the predicament it now finds itself in. Sending in more forces is only going to delay the inevitable at best, toss gas on the fires at worst.
The correct move is to bring them home now.
It is better to lose face today than to lose an army tomorrow.
Take a moment to look at Panetta and his Rock Star boss. Not much chance that they get what's happening. Imperialism is intoxicating.