I'm getting tired of all this outrage about Benghazi from the republicans and we've only just begun. They have been trying to find everything in the book to use against President Obama and this is a two-for-one. They can whip up outrage about the mismanagement of the attack on the Libyan embassy claiming it is now Hillary Clinton's fault for the failure. Before Hillary was the target they attacked Susan Rice for saying Benghazi wasn't a premeditated attack. She was wrong but the damage was already done. Now they are using Hillary Clinton to smear the democratic party and hopefully derail the Clinton momentum for a 2016 Presidential campaign.
Susan Rice blamed the attack on a film that swept across the internet and American news media that defamed the prophet Muhammad. The film had incited violence in Cairo, Egypt days before the attack on the Libyan embassy. It is understandable that she would make that connection, but it is also obvious that it was a planned attack on Libya's US embassy. How you can call an attack in a foreign country a terrorist attack, I do not know, but that's how they labeled it. I don't know if people from other countries would label an attack by Americans on American soil as a terrorist attack against their embassies or not, but it would have definitely been a riot. No matter what you call it, four Americans were killed in the Libyan attack, including the Ambassador of Libya, Christopher Stevens.
Mr. Stevens and his fellow comrades died because of a sustained attack on the embassy that didn't have enough armed personnel to protect them. Funding for foreign embassies had been cut by thousand of dollars because of budget cuts. Without those funds there wasn't enough money to pay for protective forces on the ground. The embassy had to rely on independent forces in Libya to protect them. It is outrageous to assume you can depend on a foreign country to protect your people in a hotbed of unrest like the middle east. It is wrong to blame the murders on the lack of oversight by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or her contingent of employees. The real blame, and the real shame, should be laid at the feet of the congressmen who opposed funding for embassies overseas.
Jason Chafffetz on the Embassy
Our embassies have been attacked for decades. The Iranian attack on the American embassy in Iran lasted for 444 days (Nov. 4, 1979-Jan.20, 1980) when the embassy was stormed by students and military. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage. President Carter worked tirelessly to try to free the hostages. He didn't focus on his reelection, but put every bit of energy in freeing these Americans.
Ronald Reagan worked secretly behind the lines to make sure that the hostages would not be released until after the election and until he was sworn in as president. Anybody remember the Iran-Contra affair? In November 1986 it came to light that the Reagan administration secretly sold weapons to Iran in a hope of freeing hostages, although Iran was under an arms embargo. Reagan didn't suffer any consequences for his duplicity but Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North was arrested for arranging sales of weapons to Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
We have never learned to stay out of the middle east or out of their business. We have two recent wars to prove it. Our government will arm rebels and then wonder why they turn their weapons on us. We don't have the wherewithal to decide who is, or who isn't, our enemy. We interfere in foreign elections, civil unrest, and government issues without understanding the culture and mindset of the people we are seeking to control. We play like we are puppet-masters and believe we can manipulate and control foreign countries. We are the same people who are appalled at the very idea of other countries interfering in our politics.
The unprovoked invasion of Iraq is a good example of our interference and the devastating consequences of that action. When George W. Bush was beating the war drum he claimed we would be freeing the citizens of Iraq and America would be welcomed as heroes. Instead, the downfall of Saddam Hussein broke the country down into warring factions that tried to take control of the country. Iran was poised to try to take control of the country. Saddam had been the one controlling force in that part of the Middle East. He was a tyrant and a despot but he was still a leveling force in the east. Before the attack on Iraq women were allowed to dress in western clothing and were doctors and teachers. Now women have lost all their rights and are no longer allowed to dress as they please or even work in their previous positions.
America hand picked Nouri al Malachi and stayed in the country hoping to establish fair and democratic elections. Instead, today Iraq is a hotbed of violence and discrimination. There are still bombings and killings daily. Al Malachi has a stranglehold on the country, arresting and jailing anyone he considers a threat. We replaced one tyrant with another one. Our attempt at liberating and civilizing Iraq has really demoralized and demolished law and order.
During George Bush's administration there were eleven attacks on embassies around the world, killing 59 people working at the embassies. At least 90 people were injured. This doesn't include the number of girls killed or injured when a bombing hit a girls school nearby.
Bush Watch
My sympathy goes out to the families of those who have been killed in attacks on American embassies. The people who work around the world representing the American government put their lives on the line every day in these countries of unrest. Americans are not loved and respected. Americans are considered devils who are pushing our agenda on the world. The men and women working overseas are very brave and are doing everything in their power to help relations with America and countries around the world. They do not deserve to be treated as playing cards to be used against one another on the American political scene. Their lives and sacrifices should be remembered and honored.
If the republicans really wanted to get to the bottom of the attack on Benghazi they would have called to witness the real players in the situation like the commanders who would have had to send air reinforcements to Libya. Planes were in Croatia and would have taken 7 hours to reach Benghazi. By then the first attack had already happened and they would have been ineffective. Ambassador Stevens and his companions had already been killed.
John Bolton on Benghazi
It is important for us to get the facts about the attack on the embassy in Libya and strengthen security at all our embassies around the world. We shouldn't have to rely on security from the country in which we are placed because oftentimes their interests and ours are not the same. We shouldn't whitewash this tragic attack but we must not use it to attack the present administration except to make sure our lawmakers do not ever cut funding for security again.
May 14, 2013 Stop Holding Democrats To A Different Standard
http://www.salon.com/2013/05/14/on_scandals_obama_held_to_higher_standard_than_bush/
Susan Rice blamed the attack on a film that swept across the internet and American news media that defamed the prophet Muhammad. The film had incited violence in Cairo, Egypt days before the attack on the Libyan embassy. It is understandable that she would make that connection, but it is also obvious that it was a planned attack on Libya's US embassy. How you can call an attack in a foreign country a terrorist attack, I do not know, but that's how they labeled it. I don't know if people from other countries would label an attack by Americans on American soil as a terrorist attack against their embassies or not, but it would have definitely been a riot. No matter what you call it, four Americans were killed in the Libyan attack, including the Ambassador of Libya, Christopher Stevens.
Mr. Stevens and his fellow comrades died because of a sustained attack on the embassy that didn't have enough armed personnel to protect them. Funding for foreign embassies had been cut by thousand of dollars because of budget cuts. Without those funds there wasn't enough money to pay for protective forces on the ground. The embassy had to rely on independent forces in Libya to protect them. It is outrageous to assume you can depend on a foreign country to protect your people in a hotbed of unrest like the middle east. It is wrong to blame the murders on the lack of oversight by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or her contingent of employees. The real blame, and the real shame, should be laid at the feet of the congressmen who opposed funding for embassies overseas.
Jason Chafffetz on the Embassy
Our embassies have been attacked for decades. The Iranian attack on the American embassy in Iran lasted for 444 days (Nov. 4, 1979-Jan.20, 1980) when the embassy was stormed by students and military. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage. President Carter worked tirelessly to try to free the hostages. He didn't focus on his reelection, but put every bit of energy in freeing these Americans.
Ronald Reagan worked secretly behind the lines to make sure that the hostages would not be released until after the election and until he was sworn in as president. Anybody remember the Iran-Contra affair? In November 1986 it came to light that the Reagan administration secretly sold weapons to Iran in a hope of freeing hostages, although Iran was under an arms embargo. Reagan didn't suffer any consequences for his duplicity but Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North was arrested for arranging sales of weapons to Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
We have never learned to stay out of the middle east or out of their business. We have two recent wars to prove it. Our government will arm rebels and then wonder why they turn their weapons on us. We don't have the wherewithal to decide who is, or who isn't, our enemy. We interfere in foreign elections, civil unrest, and government issues without understanding the culture and mindset of the people we are seeking to control. We play like we are puppet-masters and believe we can manipulate and control foreign countries. We are the same people who are appalled at the very idea of other countries interfering in our politics.
The unprovoked invasion of Iraq is a good example of our interference and the devastating consequences of that action. When George W. Bush was beating the war drum he claimed we would be freeing the citizens of Iraq and America would be welcomed as heroes. Instead, the downfall of Saddam Hussein broke the country down into warring factions that tried to take control of the country. Iran was poised to try to take control of the country. Saddam had been the one controlling force in that part of the Middle East. He was a tyrant and a despot but he was still a leveling force in the east. Before the attack on Iraq women were allowed to dress in western clothing and were doctors and teachers. Now women have lost all their rights and are no longer allowed to dress as they please or even work in their previous positions.
America hand picked Nouri al Malachi and stayed in the country hoping to establish fair and democratic elections. Instead, today Iraq is a hotbed of violence and discrimination. There are still bombings and killings daily. Al Malachi has a stranglehold on the country, arresting and jailing anyone he considers a threat. We replaced one tyrant with another one. Our attempt at liberating and civilizing Iraq has really demoralized and demolished law and order.
During George Bush's administration there were eleven attacks on embassies around the world, killing 59 people working at the embassies. At least 90 people were injured. This doesn't include the number of girls killed or injured when a bombing hit a girls school nearby.
Bush Watch
My sympathy goes out to the families of those who have been killed in attacks on American embassies. The people who work around the world representing the American government put their lives on the line every day in these countries of unrest. Americans are not loved and respected. Americans are considered devils who are pushing our agenda on the world. The men and women working overseas are very brave and are doing everything in their power to help relations with America and countries around the world. They do not deserve to be treated as playing cards to be used against one another on the American political scene. Their lives and sacrifices should be remembered and honored.
If the republicans really wanted to get to the bottom of the attack on Benghazi they would have called to witness the real players in the situation like the commanders who would have had to send air reinforcements to Libya. Planes were in Croatia and would have taken 7 hours to reach Benghazi. By then the first attack had already happened and they would have been ineffective. Ambassador Stevens and his companions had already been killed.
John Bolton on Benghazi
It is important for us to get the facts about the attack on the embassy in Libya and strengthen security at all our embassies around the world. We shouldn't have to rely on security from the country in which we are placed because oftentimes their interests and ours are not the same. We shouldn't whitewash this tragic attack but we must not use it to attack the present administration except to make sure our lawmakers do not ever cut funding for security again.
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Comment I saw on May 14, 2013 by a reader called J:I understand – regarding the DOJ and the AP phone numbers – there was a bill to prevent this and Issa was just one of the republicans that voted against it!May 14, 2013 Stop Holding Democrats To A Different Standard
http://www.salon.com/2013/05/14/on_scandals_obama_held_to_higher_standard_than_bush/
AS ALWAYS
PIO
