Month: October 2012

This is not a political blog.  Plenty of those around for your reading pleasure.

But when stuff like this happens it just shows how our government and leaders can say anything and expect us to believe it.  Let me just get you updated quickly on this story.

1. On Sept. 11, 2012, heavily armed Islamist militants stormed and burned the American Consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi, killing the United States ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, and three others: Sean Smith, a Foreign Service officer, and Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty, both former members of the Navy SEALs who helped protect diplomatic personnel.
2. American officials initially described the violence as part of riots that had broken out in Benghazi and Cairo that day in response to an American-made video promoting an anti-Muslim film called “Innocence of Muslims” that had been uploaded to YouTube. The amateurish 14-minute trailer mocked Islam’s founding prophet.
3. But later accounts provided by the State Department made no mention of a protest. Instead, they pointed to the extremist militia Ansar al-Shariah, as well as Al Qaeda’s arm in North Africa, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
4. Five days after the attack, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice said there is no evidence “at present” that proves the attack was “premeditated or preplanned.”
5. A few days later, President Obama called the incident a terrorist attack.
6. The U.S. intelligence community has revised its assessment of the deadly attack on the American consulate in Libya, saying it now believes it was a deliberate terrorist assault. In an unusual statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence sought to explain how it has revised its view of the September 11 attack on the diplomatic post that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others.  The assessment moves away from the initial belief the Benghazi attack began spontaneously following a protest over an anti-Muslim film. The intelligence community now believes it was “a deliberate and organized terrorist assault carried out by extremists” affiliated or sympathetic with al Qaeda.
7. On “Face the Nation” yesterday, Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., accused the Obama administration of either “misleading” Americans about the nature of the attack, or of being “incredibly incompetent.”Graham said that evidence is “overwhelming” that there was no riot. He said he was briefed by members of the intelligence community who are on the ground in Libya and was told that it was a “sustained attack that lasted for six or eight hours, using heaving weapons.”Graham said he believes the administration knew “within 24 hours” that the attacks in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were coordinated and were conducted by an al Qaeda-associated group.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162-57532036/sen-graham-libya-is-exhibit-a-of-a-failed-foreign-policy/?tag=showDoorLeadStoriesAreaMain;ftnLeadHero

More political jive?  A cover-up by the government? Focused more on getting re-elected or on protecting our nation?  Americans are dead.  We continue to believe that we can control/influence this region of the world.  Unfortunately our efforts have had no impact and this entire region is on the brink of disaster.  What are we doing?

Please let me know what you think by posting your comments below.

Webman