U.S. Marine Corps Website Hacked by Syrian Electronic Army

Pro Syria hackers attacked the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting website, Marines.com this past Monday.  None of the websites information was  put at risk.  Although, the website was tampered with, it redirected visitors to  another site with images of people wearing U.S. military uniforms holding signs that read, “I will not fight for Al Qaeda” and “I didn’t join the Marine Corps to Fight for Al Qaeda in a Syrian civil war.”

Photo credit: Marine Corps website

The message on the compromised site was a plea for Americans to fight alongside the Syrian army and not aid the rebels.
Capt. Eric Flanagan, spokesman for the Marine Corps, unquestioned that the Syrian Electronic Army claimed responsibility.
“The Syrian army should be your ally not your enemy,” the letter read.  “Refuse your orders and concentrate on the real reason every soldier joins their military, to defend their homeland.  You’re more than welcome to fight alongside our army rather than against it.”
This attack happened because the recruiting website is on a commercial network rather than the Pentagon’s network.  The U.S. government has decided to launch a limited strike on Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons on August 21, 2013.
A statement given from the Marines recruiting facility said, the site is now operating normally and they are monitoring the situation to prevent further attacks.
The Obama administration has now positioned a Navy ship carrying Marines in the Eastern Mediterranean.  U.S. officials said those Marines are not going to be a part of any strike on Syria.  The strike will most likely be carried out by cruise missiles fired out by Navy ships.
The SEA hacker group claimed responsibility for disrupting the New York Times, social media site Twitter and other websites.  The SEA told U.S. troops that the Syrian army was their ally rather than an enemy in fighting the common enemy of terrorism.
What are your thoughts on this website attack?  Is this a plea from the Syrian army or a maneuver to try and deceive Americans?
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References:
Pro-Syrian group hacks U.S. Marines website – USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/02/marines-hackers-syrian-electronic-army/2755265/
September 2, 2013
Syrian Electronic Army Hacks Marines Website – The Wall Street Journal
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/09/02/syrian-electronic-army-hacks-marines-website/
September 2, 2013
US Marines website hacked – DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/world/1883662/report-us-marines-website-hacked