Slog
News & ArtsTuesday, October 16, 2012
2012 Libya Security Lapse: Clinton's Fault
Posted by Eli Sanders on Tue, Oct 16, 2012 at 6:00 AM
Via the New York Times:
On the eve of the second presidential debate, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday night that she took “responsibility” for the failure to successfully defend against the Sept. 11 attack on the United States diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.
“I take responsibility,” she said in an interview with CNN. “I want to avoid some kind of political gotcha.”
Mrs. Clinton made the comments shortly after she arrived in Lima, Peru, for a diplomatic visit, and they appeared to be an effort to inoculate President Obama from criticism for any security lapses in Libya as he prepared for Tuesday’s debate with Mitt Romney, his Republican challenger.
1
It might take the edge off any comments at the debate, but the issue will still come up.
It was a clever move, though. Clinton is high enough profile that it may work enough, even if not completely.
It was a clever move, though. Clinton is high enough profile that it may work enough, even if not completely.
2
I'm still trying to figure out how the hell the 87 people who voted, included myself, are even up at this hour.
5
It will help. Hillary is quite possibly the most popular pubic official in the U.S., and this is a real "buck stops here" statement, while point out that while the White House runs the show, they do so by delegating to folks like the Secretary of State.
However, I don't have faith that folks will understand that Obama/Biden do not and cannot know everything that's going on in every office in every department. It's common sense, but the delayed response doesn't help.
However, I don't have faith that folks will understand that Obama/Biden do not and cannot know everything that's going on in every office in every department. It's common sense, but the delayed response doesn't help.
6
So much for her Medal of Freedom! They only give those to "leaders" who don't lead or take responsibility for mistakes. (Bremer, Tenet)
7
Yes, but who hired you, Mrs Clinton?
Bosses are responsible for the behavior of the employees they oversee. If they are not, then there is no reason for an employee to follow a boss' directives.
The Buck Stops Here worked for Truman. People like to see Presidents take responsibility. The ones that don't wind up like Nixon.
Bosses are responsible for the behavior of the employees they oversee. If they are not, then there is no reason for an employee to follow a boss' directives.
The Buck Stops Here worked for Truman. People like to see Presidents take responsibility. The ones that don't wind up like Nixon.
8
I like how Obama is responsible for every single decision made by any employee of the federal government.
9
The amount of nuance in this issue is way to deep for the average voter to know/care about, so it is going to end up hurting Obama.
Unfortunately, people do not care to realize that it is a foriegn nation hosting us diplomatically and we can not just start building military barriers, nor deploy 50 armed Marines to patrol the area. Would anyone want hundreds of armed foreign nationals patrolling the embassies in D.C.? Other countries have the same rights.
Furthemore, no amount of security besides a fortified military base could stop such an attack. 70 guys in trucks using military grade weaponry who do not care about whether they live or die. Can't stop that with the best embassy security.
Also, no one seemed to think it was a huge security issue when our embassies were attacked over once a year under Bush (most in a presidential tenure, by the way). Odd memory our nation has.
Unfortunately, people do not care to realize that it is a foriegn nation hosting us diplomatically and we can not just start building military barriers, nor deploy 50 armed Marines to patrol the area. Would anyone want hundreds of armed foreign nationals patrolling the embassies in D.C.? Other countries have the same rights.
Furthemore, no amount of security besides a fortified military base could stop such an attack. 70 guys in trucks using military grade weaponry who do not care about whether they live or die. Can't stop that with the best embassy security.
Also, no one seemed to think it was a huge security issue when our embassies were attacked over once a year under Bush (most in a presidential tenure, by the way). Odd memory our nation has.
10
So thoughtful of Hillary to take a bullet for the team. I trust that Michelle and Barack will have the decorum and courtesy to send her a Thank You note.
12
Whose fault was the original 9/11? Because I don't remember anyone in the Bush administration ever taking responsibility for the greatest security failure in US history.
13
Hillary is right to do this because it is also in line with what the father of Christopher Stevens who said his son’s death shouldn’t be politicized in the presidential campaign.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-14…
what really is disrespectful and irresponsible is the way Issa, Chaffetz and Fox News are trying to use the events in Benghazi in a desperate & pathetic 11th hour political ploy.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-14…
what really is disrespectful and irresponsible is the way Issa, Chaffetz and Fox News are trying to use the events in Benghazi in a desperate & pathetic 11th hour political ploy.
14
Dana Milbank: Forget about Big Bird - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/d…
* * *
... House Republicans cut the administration’s request for embassy security funding by $128 million in fiscal 2011 and $331 million in fiscal 2012. (Negotiations with the Democrat-controlled Senate restored about $88 million of the administration’s request.) Last year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Republicans’ proposed cuts to her department would be “detrimental to America’s national security” — a charge Republicans rejected.
Ryan, Issa and other House Republicans voted for an amendment in 2009 to cut $1.2 billion from State operations, including funds for 300 more diplomatic security positions. Under Ryan’s budget, non-defense discretionary spending, which includes State Department funding, would be slashed nearly 20 percent in 2014, which would translate to more than $400 million in additional cuts to embassy security.
* * * *
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/d…
* * *
... House Republicans cut the administration’s request for embassy security funding by $128 million in fiscal 2011 and $331 million in fiscal 2012. (Negotiations with the Democrat-controlled Senate restored about $88 million of the administration’s request.) Last year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Republicans’ proposed cuts to her department would be “detrimental to America’s national security” — a charge Republicans rejected.
Ryan, Issa and other House Republicans voted for an amendment in 2009 to cut $1.2 billion from State operations, including funds for 300 more diplomatic security positions. Under Ryan’s budget, non-defense discretionary spending, which includes State Department funding, would be slashed nearly 20 percent in 2014, which would translate to more than $400 million in additional cuts to embassy security.
* * * *
16
I'm sure for Republicans anything short of the immediate resignation of every Democrat in office is insufficient. I also think many voters think the US is all-powerful and so everything bad that happens must have been preventable.
For anyone who understands the real world, this incident is unfortunate but says nothing about the effectiveness of administration policy, or its ability to do the right thing. But taking responsibility in words and trying to make amends through deeds is a good start. I think that Hillary Clinton has done well responding to this situation, and that response is a credit to both her and the president. We need to keep these guys in their positions, instead of conceding our nation's foreign policy to far-right warmongering ideologues who have a long record of never taking responsibility for anything.
Obama 2012, Clinton 2016.
For anyone who understands the real world, this incident is unfortunate but says nothing about the effectiveness of administration policy, or its ability to do the right thing. But taking responsibility in words and trying to make amends through deeds is a good start. I think that Hillary Clinton has done well responding to this situation, and that response is a credit to both her and the president. We need to keep these guys in their positions, instead of conceding our nation's foreign policy to far-right warmongering ideologues who have a long record of never taking responsibility for anything.
Obama 2012, Clinton 2016.
17
Mitt's handling of the tragedy was more inept than any security fuck up. It just didn't cause as much damage because the asshole doesn't have power over life and death yet.
19
Figures this would happen, after all, Clinton appointed Geo. W. Bush inner circle types like Marc Grossman and Victoria Nuland to her State Department, what would anyone sane expect to happen.
100% neocon administration of President Obama --- what to go, faux crats!
sgt_doom, an authentic democrat and progressive, which is why I'm voting Green!
100% neocon administration of President Obama --- what to go, faux crats!
sgt_doom, an authentic democrat and progressive, which is why I'm voting Green!
20
It is a consulate building, not an embassy. It's a shame people keep conflating the two.
Especially, because the calls for increased security were for the embassy.
Strangely, the satellite photos of the building are not obscured in Google maps, and it is easy enough to take a look at the "compound".
Further, a Marine Detachment from the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, is small (40% are 5 members and another 40% are between 6 and 10 members strong) so the inclusion of one, given the raid details, may have merely increased casualties on both sides.
Especially, because the calls for increased security were for the embassy.
Strangely, the satellite photos of the building are not obscured in Google maps, and it is easy enough to take a look at the "compound".
Further, a Marine Detachment from the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, is small (40% are 5 members and another 40% are between 6 and 10 members strong) so the inclusion of one, given the raid details, may have merely increased casualties on both sides.
21
From the title, I assumed you meant Fox had somehow come up with a way to blame both Obama and Bill Clinton for this. And I was not in any way surprised that they'd try.
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