Un-Fortified Embassies in Volatile Countries.

by Little Miss Attila on September 13, 2012


On 9/11.

This is unreal. I simply can’t believe we let something like this happen.

The only thing that keeps me from flying into a white-hot rage over the murders of Americans in Libya on 9/11/12 is that I want to find a way to disseminate the information to independent and centrist voters without appearing like I’m a frothing-at-the-mouth conservative Republican. Or like I’m livid that the MSM wants to let nitpicking over the events in Egypt, and Romney’s response, overshadow the far more serious events in Libya . . . and the President’s underreaction thereto.

I’m also aware of the pitfalls in looking like we want to get “bogged down” in the Middle East one more time. There has to be a way of communicating to even the isolationists that we cannot simply “leave” dangerous parts of the world in the way they would like us to—and that being careless about our embassies and personnel abroad is not only an amoral abandonment of our diplomats and armed forces, but truly hurts our international standing.

I actually suspect Romney will be able to strike the balance, because he tends to go for the jugular . . . and the primaries taught him how to do it without losing his cool. He has a thicker skin than the President; he’ll find a way to use that fact.

This diplomatic/security failure should be hammered in the debates—particularly in light of the fact that the President has been skipping his national security briefings over half the time. A habit he continued in the weeks leading up to the anniversary of 9/11.

This isn’t about politically exploiting the murders, but rather reminding people that one of the guys interviewing for the job Leader of the Free World has as troublesome a track record on diplomatic/security issues as he does on economic ones.

Also, my fellow Marine wife Cassandra reminds us that we basically have no details about the murders in Libya . . . so beyond the bad planning of having everyone in an unsecured building on the 11th of September, we don’t know much. We need to keep our powder dry regarding the Ambassador’s death in particular until more reliable reports come in.

But I honestly don’t think the MSM will be able to keep attention off of the Libya incident forever by criticizing Romney’s reaction to the clumsy statement made at our Egyptian embassy . . . particularly since it was indefensible in and of itself.

UPDATE: Moe Lane tries to explain to the President that in the Middle East, Western democracies should adhere to, um, prison etiquette. Which means doing our best to look like a nation that one wouldn’t necessarily want to fuck with.

UPDATE II: Phil Klein has more on the media’s attempts to make this into a “Romney gaffe” (my understanding is that a Romney gaffe these days is anything he says that appears uncomplimentary toward the President):

When Romney gave a press conference Wednesday, the questions focused on whether it was appropriate for him to criticize Obama at the time he did. Romney’s responses didn’t really matter, because reporters had already decided their narrative. Obama did not take any questions in his own press conference moments later.

In 2004, John Kerry routinely attacked President Bush’s handling of Iraq when things weren’t going well in the country. And the media dutifully reported on Bush’s foreign policy blunders in Iraq. But now, instead of scrutinizing Obama’s handling of a foreign policy crisis, the media has decided that the real story in Egypt and Libya is a Mitt Romney gaffe.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

EBL September 15, 2012 at 10:19 am
occam September 18, 2012 at 6:30 am

Neither Mossad nor the IDF were in favor of our invasion/occupation of Iraq. Presumably they knew that the devil you know maybe better than the one you are about to meet

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Glenn Mark Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RET September 18, 2012 at 9:43 pm

I had visions of November of 1979 when these events happened. It was obvious that some obscure YouTube video was not the cause.
I too, am waiting on the after action report, or the best representation there of.
I have to take anything that comes from the white house and state department with a container of salt anymore. Given the very nature of the cinc and secstate, one must be very wary of what comes from their mouths…………………………

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From elsewhere with love December 27, 2013 at 4:08 pm

Nice blog, when you go around killing people, people come back and kill you . You have 0 international standing, so it’s a non-issue anyway .

Other stuff of worthy note :
“Leader of the Free World” : delusions of grandeur
” we cannot simply … they would like us to” : paranoid ideation
“I actually suspect … Romney to go for the jugular” : what if he goes for the moneyshot ?

Take it easy now and remember, naiveté is no excuse for blind idiocy .

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