Yahoo.com : US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens killed in consulate attack in Benghazi

[visionary]

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/sudan-rejects-us-request-to-send-marines-to-secure-embassy/

Sudan rejects U.S. request to send Marines to secure embassy

KHARTOUM, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Sudan has rejected a U.S. request to send a platoon of Marines to bolster security at the U.S. embassy in Khartoum, the state news agency SUNA said on Saturday.

On Friday, a U.S. official told Reuters that Washington would send Marines to Sudan to improve security at the embassy after protesters entered the mission in a demonstration against a film that insults the Prophet Mohammad.

"Sudan is able to protect the diplomatic missions in Khartoum and the state is committed to protecting its guests in the diplomatic corps," Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti told SUNA. (Reporting by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

[The 12th Commandment]

Southern Sudan would be quite happy to host as many of our Marines as we like, I would imagine. Should that become necessary of course.

[Duckus]

Listening to Fox News talk foreign policy this morning is terrifying.

[Zazzaro703]

Attacking our embassy and then killing our Ambassador crosses a line. This is an attack on US soil.

Our response needs to be one that will send a serious message. If it were me, I wouldn't rule out military action.

Man exactly this. An attack on a US Embassy is an attack on US soil. Then throw in they killed and wounded Americans, one of which was an ambassador. We should just flex our muscle and take over their air space and patrol it with bombers just because we can. USA! USA! USA!

[Jumbo]

Listening to Fox News talk foreign policy this morning is terrifying.

You know the movie Zombieland. They live in Crazyland.

[visionary]

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/topic/anti-islam-film-protests-10701

As the streets of Sanaa are calm today and free of protesters, the point-scoring and wrangling by various elements in country have started.

The quiet arrival of around 50 US Marines into Yemen on Thursday has proved a useful weapon for the new President Hadi's critics, as the Yemeni parliament issued a statement today strongly opposing such a "foreign presence".

This is set against a backdrop of Hadi's extremely close relationship with the US and his willingness to tolerate a huge spike in drone attacks on suspected al-Qaeda targets in Yemen.

The opposition by the parliament is likely to be symbolic only. There has always been a small amount of military personnel at the US embassy, and the new platoon not likely ever to leave the embassy compound. But with a local population extremely wary of a US presence because of drone strikes, it is still a criticism which could whip up malcontent from Yemenis.

about 2 hours ago

Hundreds of mourners in the Yemeni capital Sanaa attended the funeral on Saturday of a young protester who was shot dead when riot police battled a crowd attacking the US embassy over a US-made film mocking the Prophet Muhammad.

"The Americans, the Marines are the ones who shot at the protesters and killed Mohammed. They were peaceful protesters and they had nothing in their hands to kill. Such a protest does not justify killing," he said.

A Reuters witness saw US soldiers armed with rifles standing on a hill near the embassy, watching as protesters stormed the compound on Thursday, but did not see them fire any shots.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/15/us-protests-libya-idUSBRE88E0BD20120915

Libyan authorities have identified 50 people who were involved in the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi in which the ambassador and three other Americans were killed, a security official said on Saturday.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Thanks as always Visionary for doing what you do in these threads. It's appreciated.

---------- Post added September-15th-2012 at 02:53 PM ----------

Listening to Fox News talk foreign policy this morning is terrifying.

What wee they saying?

[alexey]

Nothing wrong with that, but what directs and releases it are more critical to me.

Energy can be beneficial or deadly

Makes sense.

Come to think of it, maybe this is a new (or maybe not really new) strategy by terrorist groups. Instead of using small numbers of people to plan and attack particular targets, maybe they are instigating these protests and using the power of the crowd. This is less risky for them, causes more damage, and does not entail bad PR for blowing things up. It is scary how easy it is to get so many people riled up.

[visionary]

https://twitter.com/mpoppel

U.S. State Department orders all non-emergency U.S. gov't personnel to leave Tunisia following embassy attack.

4:59 PM

https://twitter.com/BreakingNews

US orders all family members and non-essential staff to leave its embassies in Tunis and Khartoum - @Reuters

5:11 PM

[twa]

Sweet Jesus, please tell me you didn't mean this?

Of course I do, and the drones,spies,Marines and warships on the way indicate I ain't alone.

did you think all the bombing and missiles we used were just killing objects?

[LadySkinsFan]

We could always get out the nukes and bomb them back to the Stone Age. We landed 2 in Japan and look at how nice and quiet the Japanese have been ever since!

Ya, that's the ticket!

[thebluefood]

We could always get out the nukes and bomb them back to the Stone Age. We landed 2 in Japan and look at how nice and quiet the Japanese have been ever since!

Ya, that's the ticket!

I'm sorry, I have to address this.

While I hate the bomb and the destruction it causes, it was either that or a full on land invasion of Japan, which probably would've killed more people (American and Japanese) than the bombs did.

[GoSkins561]

Freaking maniacs...

Hezbollah's leader makes rare public speech at Beirut rally

http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=285356

[twa]

Interesting allegations....IF true

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/14/Colonel-Says-Hillary-Clinton-Made-Decision-to-Have-No-Marines-at-Benghazi

might be why they are pushing the spontaneous meme so much

[Jumbo]

I'm sorry, I have to address this.

While I hate the bomb and the destruction it causes, it was either that or a full on land invasion of Japan, which probably would've killed more people (American and Japanese) than the bombs did.

No you didn't. And this will be the end of it here. For everyone.

Derail declined.

Hope I'm being clear.

[grhqofb5]

No you didn't. And this will be the end of it here. For everyone.

Hope I'm being clear.

Kind of ironic. That's what Truman said.

[Jumbo]

Kind of ironic. That's what Truman said.

Dude. You suffer from a bad condition es-wise. Your posts are sometimes interesting and all, and have often been downright weird, but that's not the condition. It's the one where you really don't know what not to do or when not to do it. This is why you have 11 user notes, multiple mod actions (including previous bans) for multiple mods (old staff and current), and now have a 3 month vacation for this one where you think you're "funny" in directly doing what I said not to do was somehow "ok." Your judgement sucks in these matters is your condition.

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/17/us-libya-attack-sacking-idUSBRE88G10R20120917

Libya sacks Benghazi security chiefs after U.S. attacks

Libya has sacked its security chiefs for Benghazi after a deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern city last week, Interior Minister Fawzi Abdel A'al told Reuters.

Colonel Salahadeen Doghman will replace the deputy interior minister for the east, Wanis Sharif, as well as the head of national security for Benghazi, Hassan Bou Hmida.

"The decision to replace Mr. Sharif and the security chief was made last week," Abdel A'al said.

"We will do what we think is right if there is a weakness within the security leadership that has affected the security work in the city."

[thebluefood]

No you didn't. And this will be the end of it here. For everyone.

Derail declined.

Hope I'm being clear.

Duly noted.

---------- Post added September-17th-2012 at 03:09 PM ----------

Interesting allegations....IF true

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/14/Colonel-Says-Hillary-Clinton-Made-Decision-to-Have-No-Marines-at-Benghazi

might be why they are pushing the spontaneous meme so much

Big, big if (considering the source material).

If it is true, though, the State Department will have a lot of 'plainin' to do.

[heyholetsgogrant]

Interesting allegations....IF true

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/14/Colonel-Says-Hillary-Clinton-Made-Decision-to-Have-No-Marines-at-Benghazi

might be why they are pushing the spontaneous meme so much

I thought 2 marines were killed in the raid?

[twa]

I thought 2 marines were killed in the raid?

there was a rescue attempt made from Tripoli that came under attack as well

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/12/libya-ambassador-battle-idUSL5E8KCMYB20120912

"RAINING DOWN FIRE"

Of the eight American troops who had come from Tripoli, one was killed and two were wounded, Obeidi said. A Libyan deputy interior minister said a second American was also killed in the attack on the safe house. It was not clear if this was a diplomat or one of the consulate's original security detail.

"It began to rain down on us," Obeidi told Reuters, describing the moment the attack began - just as the Libyan security force was starting up the 10 pickup trucks and sedans they had brought to ferry the Americans to the airport.

"About six mortars fell directly on the path to the villa," he said. "During this firing, one of the marines whom I had brought with me was wounded and fell to the ground.

"As I was dragging the wounded marine to safety, some marines who were located on the roof of the villa as snipers shouted and the rest of the marines all hit the ground.

"A mortar hit the side of the house. One of the marines from the roof went flying and fell on top of us."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/9542118/US-consulate-attack-in-Libya-security-lapses-disclosed.html

The comparative lack of security at the US consulate in Benghazi was disclosed as officials admitted that it was only an "interim facility" with no bullet proof glass, reinforced doors or marine guard.

[visionary]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/09/17/168782/us-libyan-officials-offer-vastly.html

U.S., Libyan officials offer vastly different version of Benghazi consulate attack that killed 4

U.S. and Libyan officials are giving significantly different accounts of the gunfire and rocket-propelled grenade attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.

The Obama administration says the assault was a spontaneous local reaction inspired by a demonstration that was taking place at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo against a video made in the United States slurring the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic faith. It also contends that the attack grew out of a small protest.

A senior Libyan official says the attack was organized and planned by foreigners – some with links to al Qaida – involved a local Islamic militia, and was timed for the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Moreover, the Libyan official appeared to question whether there was a protest beforehand.

“The way these perpetrators acted and moved, and their choosing a specific date for this so-called demonstration, I think that this leaves us with no doubt that this was pre-planned, pre-determined,” Mohammad Magarief, the head of the Libyan National Congress, the recently elected interim government, said Sunday.

The drastically different versions come as the investigation into the assault still is in its preliminary stages. FBI agents who are to assist their Libyan counterparts have yet to arrive in the North African country, and the Libyan Interior Ministry official who was in charge of the investigation was fired Monday.

Both governments would have good reason to promote their version of the incident.

[88Comrade2000]

Wonder if they will be reaction to the Killing of Bin Laden movie that is coming out later this year; especially in Pakistan.

[visionary]

Here's an"interesting" take on the situation:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81330.html

Ben Stein: Hillary should resign

Washington has debated and compared the responses of President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney to last week’s attacks in Libya, but Ben Stein has his eye on a different politician.

It’s Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who has to answer for the death of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador, in Benghazi, he says. And she could start by resigning.

“I think there’s been a very, very serious breach of decorum by Mrs. Clinton in not offering to resign over failure to protect her diplomats adequately,” Stein, a Republican, told POLITICO. “She’s in charge of the ambassadors, she’s in charge of the foreign service. She absolutely should not have let those people go to Benghazi, which she knew was in a state of extreme unrest, without having adequate protections. That was a very serious mistake that cost several people their lives, and she’s responsible.”

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

[visionary]

http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL5E8KI04X20120918?feedType=RSS&feedName=libyaNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=newsinlibya

INTERVIEW-Libyan brigade warns of "inferno" if U.S. intervenes

A Libyan Salafi group which has denied it was involved in a deadly assault on the American consulate in Benghazi said on Tuesday Libya would turn into "an inferno for U.S. troops" if the U.S. military retaliated.

Yousef Jehani, a senior member of Ansar al-Sharia, told Reuters that the armed group, which espouses an austere form of Islam, wanted to avoid confrontation but was ready for a showdown if Washington acted "foolishly".

Any U.S. military intervention could push Libyans to wage a holy war, or "jihad", to defend their nation, said Jehani, whose group is a powerful force in Benghazi, a stronghold for Islamists and cradle of the revolution which toppled Muammar Gaddafi last year.

"If one U.S. soldier arrives, not for the purpose of defending the embassy, but to repeat what happened in Iraq or Afghanistan, be sure that all battalions in Libya and all Libyans will put aside all their differences and rally behind one goal of hitting America and Americans," Jehani said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19638582

Meeting Mohammad Ali al-Zahawi of Libyan Ansar al-Sharia

Mr Zahawi confirmed in the interview that his brigade had demolished and desecrated Sufi shrines in Benghazi, which they regard as idolatrous.

"It is a religious duty to remove these shrines because people worship the deceased and this is prohibited. It is not me who says so but rather our religion."

Mr Zahawi believes that the United States has an agenda.

The US consulate in Benghazi was set on fire last week, killing Ambassador Stevens "Make no mistake, there is a massive American onslaught on Muslim countries. The crusaders want to occupy our countries and act as our guardians. They do not respect our sovereignty," he said.

His brigade was not linked to al-Qaeda though he thoroughly approves of its strategy, he said.

"Al-Qaeda's strategy is aimed at weakening US hegemony on the Muslim nation," he said.

Asked what he thinks of recent statements made by al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mr Zahawi said: "Such statements are a wake-up call for Muslims.

"They help galvanise the Muslim nation, maintain its dignity and pride.

"Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri is keen on safeguarding Muslim rights."

Mr Zahawi reiterated his brigade was not behind the attack on 12 September on the US consulate in Benghazi.

But he stopped short of condemning the death of the US ambassador.

"Do you think that the killing of the US ambassador is more heinous than the several insults made about the Prophet, peace be upon him?" he asked.

Crazy nutbags. This group needs to be dismantled and the leaders need to be in prison now.