Hillary Takes Hit for Obama on Libya

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Oct. 16, 2012
All Rights Reserved.                                         

        On the eve of President Barack Obama’s do-or-die town hall-style presidential debate at Hofstra University in Long Island, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton took the blame for the Sept; 10 U.S. consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya that killed 52-year-old U.S. Amb. Chris Stevens and three other Americans.  “I take responsibility,” said Hillary.  GOP presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney blasted Barack at their first debate Oct. 3 at the University of Denver for not providing adequate security.  While gaining mileage now criticizing Obama for almost anything, Romney pounced on the Benghazi attack as proof of Barack’s “weakness” in U.S. foreign policy.  White House officials blamed the attack on an Arab street backlash to a viral video defaming the prophet Mohammed by an unknown U.S. video producer  It didn’t take long for U.S. officials to reverse course and blame the incident on a calculated al-Qaeda terrorist attack.

           Blaming Obama—or any other U.S. official—for a lack of consulate security in Libya defies the long tradition of pulling together when mishaps occur.  When the U.S. Marine barracks  was truck bombed Oct. 23, 1983 killing 241 U.S. servicemen Democrats didn’t jump all over the late President Ronald Reagan for providing too little security.  Both parties came together to help fulfill Reagan’s promise of “swift-and-effective retribution” for terrorists.  While it’s still unclear which terror groups were responsible, the incident was attributed to Iran-and Syria -backed Hezbollah militia now run in Lebanon by 52-year-old Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah.  Some terrorist experts think Osama bin Laden had his fingerprints all over the debris. Romney and his VP Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) blame Obama for the Sept. 10 rocket-propelled grenade attack in Benghazi while former President Bill Clinton didn’t get blamed fort the June 25, 1996 Bin Laden truck bombing of Khobar Towers.

            Killing 19 U.S. Air Force personnel in Saudi Arabia didn’t prompt Republicans to lash out at Clinton.  Even when Bin Laden struck again two years later bombing U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya, Republicans didn’t finger Clinton for providing lax security.  Today’s bitter partisan attacks show how there’s nothing off-limits in today’s  politics.  “I want to avoid some kind of political gotcha,” said Hillary, telling voters that Obama and Biden had nothing to do with securing U.S. embassies overseas.  Romney’s knee-jerk attacks on Obama after the Benghazi attack showed there’s nothing sacred in today’s election.   Ryan made a big deal when he debated Biden Oct, 11 telling voters that the U.S. didn’t get its story straight following the Benghanzi incident.  For those that recall Sept. 11, it took days before former President George W. Bush was reluctant for days to identify Osama bin Laden as responsible for Sept. 11. 

            When Mitt lashes out tonight at Hofstra University, Barack needs to dish it back questioning whether it’s time to point fingers.  Romney was asked by the mother of now deceased Navy Seal Glen Doherty to stop using her son’s death to rip Obama on the lack of Benghazi security.  Romney’s idea of respecting the military is giving the Pentagon a blank check, not keeping young men women out of harm’s way. When questioned about the 11-year-old Afghan War, Mitt and Ryan won’t give a date-certain for withdrawal.  Both claim it telegraphs to our enemies U.S. weakness  Neither accept the premise that it’s time for Afghan President Hamid Karzai to step up and take charge of Afghan security.  Using Doherty’s name to highlight Obama’s incompetence in managing security at U.S. embassies and consulates shows how low the Romney campaign goes to score political points.  Hillary’s latest mea culpa was unnecessary and misguided. 

             Obama has nothing to apologize when it comes to terror attacks around the globe.  When a U.S predator drone killed Yemen’s No. 2 al-Qaeda operative Sseed al-Shihiri Sept. 10, it was no accident that al-Qaeda retaliated in Benghazi.  While the media ran with viral video defaming the prophet Mohammed, al-Qaeda was busy retaliating for al-Shihiri’s death.  No president has done more than Obama to go after al-Qaeda terrorists around the globe.  Romney and Ryan give Obama no credit for “Operation Geronimo” that finally got Bin Laden May 1, 2011.   Neither mention a word of Obama’s relentless attacks on terrorists that threaten U./S. national security.   When U.S. targets are hit overseas, it’s up to the State Department to ask for beefed up security or close down diplomatic missions in dangerous spots overseas.  “We cannot retreat,” said Hillary, insisting the U.S. must continue conducting business-as-usual at embassies and consulates around the globe.

 John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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