On the evening of 9/11/12 unknown forces assaulted the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. A fierce mortar and RPG barrage forced local security forces to abandon their position, as attackers stormed the nine-foot walls topped by barbed wire and set fire to the diplomatic residence. Ambassador Stevens and Information Specialist Sean Smith perished from smoke inhalation in the lock-down room after an attempt to break out of the consulate after Libyan militia members told the security team, “We’ve got to leave, we can’t hold the perimeter.”
The morning sun rose over Benghazi with four dead Americans.
The government initially announced that the deadly attack came as a reaction to the outrageous film THE INNOCENCE OF MUSLIMS, however ensuing information cause the White House to reiterate this report and at the UN General Assembly President Obama vowed to avenge the fallen.
This was not good enough for the GOP who have demanded for an honest accounting of the mistakes at the U.S. consulate in Libya. California Congressman Daniel Issa led the charges against Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice for misleading the populace as to the safety of the nation from al-Qaada.
At this point those that know what happened aren’t saying that those that don’t know are saying too much as usual, but Mitt Romney has battered the President on this issue in stump speeches throughout the swing states, bolstered by the congressional testimony of a. Lt Col. Wood, who said that at the US diplomatic special security teams had been downsized since August, but diplomats have long been at odds with their security teams, which like to play it very safe with good reason, but also interfere with the daily business of the embassy.
Last year I lived at a diplomatic mission in Europe. A fierce English bulldog and I were the only security at the residence at night. Dido was eternally alert, although I tended to sleep deeply on the top floor. Drink might have had something to do with that lapse.
Despite that the ambassador and I felt very safe.
Then again we weren’t in Libya or the American embassy.
Tuesday night Mitt Romney will meet to debate President Obama.
This issue will be big.
Nothing will bring back the dead and my thoughts go out to their families.
They fell in service to this country.
We may never know the whys, but the guy in the above photo will get his.
And that is a given.