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

[USS Redskins]

So what is the real story here - its an obscure Youtube video online for months or a planned attack?

also - what does the white house think about the bin laden movie they gladly helped create, now?

I know the movie wont be anti-muslim, more anti-terrorist or whatever, but I cant see those rioting being real understanding about the point of the movie.

[LadySkinsFan]

These radical Muslims don't see themselves as terrorists, they believe that they are defenders of their faith. Not the use of the word "crusaders" a word that was used by Bush. No wonder they are inflamed.

They are inviting us out of their countries. We should take them up on it. Develop our own forms of energy, have the President call on all in the US to practice conservation, which we should be doing with regard to water anyway.

[twa]

you;re saying they are like teenagers>....send money,but leave me alone?

[visionary]

https://twitter.com/JomanaCNN

Libyan official 2 CNN: Libyan officials held meetings in Tripoli wth US diplomats& security officials 2 assess what went wrong in Benghazi

12:01 PM

Libyan official: Libya leadership urged US to not take any military action after Benghazi attack

12:03 PM

Official: “we felt, assumed & suspected” an increase in U.S. drone activity & were v concerned the US could take mil action.

12:04 PM

Libya official: they were very worried the Obama administration would be “pushed to do something crazy” by domestic political consideration

12:05 PM

cause of “strategic objectives for both of us & understanding our enemy,” he says any military action would create “absolute chaos"

12:08 PM

[LadySkinsFan]

you;re saying they are like teenagers>....send money,but leave me alone?

Did I say give them money? No, I didn't. I don't think we should spend any more of our money on these people who don't appreciate it. And that includes giving them money to buy US weapons either.

We should be spending this money on OUR infrastructure and to strengthen our economy. I'm sick of the US being the arms suppliers of the world, even if only by supplying the money to buy those arms. We are not being very successful in buying their loyalty or allegience.

[visionary]

http://www.libyaherald.com/?p=14638

US Embassy thanks Libyans for help following ambassador death

Tripoli, 18 September:

The US Embassy has issued a brief statement thanking Libyans for the help they provided in the aftermath of the 11 September attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi.

Several Libyans were wounded in the assault, which left four Americans dead including US Ambassador Chris Stevens.

“We thank all the Libyans in Benghazi and Tripoli who helped us in our most difficult moments last week, and a special heartfelt thank you to those in Benghazi who participated in the rescue attempt”, the US Embassy said, in a statement issued in Arabic on its official Facebook page.

The rescue attempt refers to an effort by a group of Libyan men to rescue Ambassador Stevens from the burned-out consulate, captured in an amateur video.

Since last Tuesday, Libyans both at home and abroad have staged protests and vigils in memory of the dead, and have called on the government to bring those responsible to justice.

[Stadium-Armory]

Did I say give them money? No, I didn't. I don't think we should spend any more of our money on these people who don't appreciate it. And that includes giving them money to buy US weapons either.

We should be spending this money on OUR infrastructure and to strengthen our economy. I'm sick of the US being the arms suppliers of the world, even if only by supplying the money to buy those arms. We are not being very successful in buying their loyalty or allegience.

Part of our strategic interest in the region is the support of Israel. We can debate whether or not that makes sense, but I don't see it changing any time soon.

[visionary]

http://www.tunisia-live.net/2012/09/18/tunisian-government-to-cover-costs-of-damage-to-us-embassy-and-american-school/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tunisia-live%2FyMtB+%28Tunisia+Live%29

Tunisian Government to Cover Costs of Damage to US Embassy and American School

Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafik Abdessalem stated today in a press conference that Tunisia is to cover the physical damage done to both the US Embassy and the American Cooperative School in Tunis, following incidences of vandalism and arson at both facilities last Friday, September 14.

The press conference comes after Abdessalem met with US Ambassador to Tunisia Jacob Walles yesterday in the presence of other foreign ambassadors.

“We [the Tunisian government] expressed our regret and condemnation of what happened on Friday to Ambassador Walles… We are committed to cover the physical damage caused by the protest,” he stated. Abdessalem emphasized the government’s commitment to providing the necessary protection to American citizens and facilities.

“It is a one time incident… It is painful and saddening. But it does not reflect Tunisia’s true image to the world,” he added.

According to Abdessalem, the vandalism that took place on Friday was an “organized crime.” An investigative committee has been created in order to make sense of the incident and hold those responsible for it accountable. Additionally, he stated that the shortcomings of Tunisian security forces were undeniable, yet asserted that the law will be strictly applied to looters, regardless of their ideological background.

[Jumbo]

I thought Stewie did a good job, actually, of jabbing at the whole of Islam as a religion last night. He backed up his jabs with citing how The Life of Brian has been aorund 30 years and hasn't generated Christians attacking (British comedians I guess) and how another film (can't remember the name) that maligns Jews hasn't evoked a Hebrew version of retaliation. He was saying Islam needs to "grow up" and "find adult ways to express their viewing displeasure." There was more.

John Oliver then rebuts, saying Islam wasn't an adult yet and was still young: "Islam is like a teenager because it is ony 14 hundred years old. Remember what Christianity was doing when it was only 1400 years old? Crusades, Inquisitions, oppressing women. C'mon, John!"

[Koala]

you;re saying they are like teenagers>....send money,but leave me alone?

Comeon you're smarter than that, twa. Money buys influence, and this is a region we want to influence for a number of reasons. Money also buys bombs, but influence is more effective than bombs in some situations, dont you think? Its worked out pretty well with the Sunni Iraqi's didnt it?

I dont think the Libyans really want an expanded Al-Qaeda influence. But Al-Qaeda seems to have learned from its lessons in Iraq and has refocused its efforts on the West while being more careful not to raise the ire of the locals. Libyans however, are about to get a tough lesson in the fact that there is no such thing as a benign Al-Qaeda presence. At best, they still attract negative attention, possibly bombs, and do things that embarass an entire nation like the killing of the ambassador.

On our end, we remain the adults in this situation. Libya is still a country in turmoil with no security apparatus in place, they are just now discovering that freedom and responsibility go hand-in-hand. Give them a couple elections to put in place a government that makes security a high priority, THEN judge them.

But Libya is also now the country with the highest % of pro-American views according to polls, behind only Israel, in the middle-East. Lets not walk RIGHT into the extremists hands and throw that burgeoning friendship out the window. No doubt, the extremists are more bothered by those pro-American polls than they ever were about the movie, so lets keep taking the one thing away from them they cant stand to lose: the hearts of the Libyan people.

[visionary]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/fbi-arrives-in-libya-to-probe-deaths-of-four-americans/2012/09/18/5f404560-01d0-11e2-9367-4e1bafb958db_story.html

FBI arrives in Libya to probe deaths of four Americans

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that a team of FBI agents has arrived in Libya to investigate the deaths of four Americans who were killed when the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi was overrun last week.

The FBI’s arrival had been delayed by concerns about continued violence in the eastern Libyan city. Clinton did not provide any details of how many agents were involved or whether the team has arrived in Benghazi yet.

“The FBI has joined the investigation on the ground in Libya and we will not rest until the people who orchestrated this attack are found and punished,” Clinton told reporters after a meeting with Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa at the State Department.

Hopefully this will move things along a bit.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ambassador-chris-stevens-breathing-libyans-found-american-consulate-rescue-article-1.1161454

Ambassador Chris Stevens was still breathing as video emerges showing Libyans trying to rescue him

[visionary]

http://wires.univision.com/english/article/2012-09-19/france-steps-up-security-at

France steps up security at embassies

France has stepped up security at its embassies in countries where there could be a hostile reaction to a French magazine's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Wednesday.

"I have obviously issued instructions so that special security measures are taken in all the countries where this could pose a problem," Fabius said, admitting that he was "concerned" by the potential for a backlash to satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo's printing of the cartoons.

https://twitter.com/mpoppel

REU: FRANCE TO CLOSE EMBASSIES, SCHOOLS IN 20 COUNTRIES ON FRIDAY BECAUSE OF PROPHET MOHAMMAD FILM AND CARTOONS - FOREIGN MINISTRY

5:43 AM

[visionary]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443995604578001960896918762.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Hope Yet for Libya

But my impression, after three weeks traveling from the country's far west coast to the far east, is that while Libya may be on the verge of being a failed state, many if not most of its cities are working. The eastern port city of Derna, population somewhere between 85,000 and 120,000, is a case in point.

Just about every English-language news article on Derna refers to it as a hotbed of Islamic extremism. It's true that more foreign suicide bombers in Iraq over the last decade came from Derna than from any other city—perhaps because the city has been economically moribund for generations. It's true that everyone knows a local boy or two fighting in Syria. And during Ramadan in August, Wahhabists blew up an ancient shrine in the center of the town's main mosque.

But scarcely a month later, the shrine had already been rudely reconstructed using the same stones. A foreigner walking through the mosque and around the old town center—skillfully renovated under the auspices of Unesco just before the revolution—gets friendly greetings and endless questions: "What do you think of Derna?"

Libya's elections in July tell some of the story. Derna is represented by two women and three men in the newly seated National Assembly. Derna's local council doesn't include any women, but two women were among the 90 candidates who vied for the 23 neighborhood representative positions.

Randa el Goudary, a Libyan-American from Ashburn, Virginia, readily admits that there is a fashion among some of Derna's youth for the garb of Islamic extremists. "But I am going everywhere like this"—she points to her diaphanous headscarf and contemporary slacks and shirt. "I am driving myself, and no one says anything. Do you think if Qaeda is here that I will be here?"

[Redskins Diehard]

Part of our strategic interest in the region is the support of Israel. We can debate whether or not that makes sense, but I don't see it changing any time soon.

I think that debate needs to happen. I think what you lay out there is more than a part of our strategic interest in the region. It is about half of our strategic interest. The other half being the role that oil plays in our economy....no matter who the President is.

[twa]

admitting the obvious...finally

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/09/19/obama_official_benghazi_was_a_terrorist_attack

The Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was in fact "a terrorist attack" and the U.S. government has indications that members of al Qaeda were directly involved, a top Obama administration official said Wednesday morning.

"I would say yes, they were killed in the course of a terrorist attack on our embassy," Matt Olsen, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said Wednesday at a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security Committee

..Committee ranking Republican Susan Collins (R-ME) declared at the hearing that she believes the attacks were planned well in advance and she referenced information she had received from U.S. intelligence officials behind closed doors.

"First, I will tell you that based on the briefings I have had, I've come to the opposite conclusion and agree with the president of Libya that this was a premeditated, planned attack that was associated with the date of 9/11, the anniversary of 9/11," she said. "I just don't think that people come to protests equipped with RPGs and other heavy weapons. And the reports of complicity -- and they are many -- with the Libyan guards who were assigned to guard the consulate also suggest to me that this was premeditated."

Collins said she was concerned by the lack of security at the Benghazi consulate, especially since there had been an attack on the mission in June and a more serious attack on the British ambassador's convoy as well. Olsen said the U.S. government was aware of the danger but not of impending attack that killed the four Americans.

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/20/us-usa-libya-clinton-panel-idUSBRE88J11F20120920

Clinton forms panel to investigate Benghazi attack

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday she has formed an "accountability review board" to investigate the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

Clinton told reporters that the panel would be chaired by Thomas Pickering, a highly regarded retired U.S. diplomat who served as ambassador to Russia, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, Jordan and at the U.S. Mission at the United Nations.

[visionary]

Video feed of rally in Benghazi today.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/libya-alwataniya

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/libyans-march-against-militias-after-attack

Libyans hold giant march against militias

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Around 30,000 Libyans marched through the eastern city of Benghazi on Friday in an unprecedented protest to demand the disbanding of powerful militias in the wake of last week's attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.

The attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, in which at least one militia is suspected of participating, has sparked a backlash among many Libyans against the multiple armed factions that have run rampant for months in cities around the country. The militias have become more powerful than the regular security forces, and successive governments since last year's fall of Moammar Gadhafi have been unable to rein them in.

The militias, which are the legacy of the "revolutionary brigades" that fought Gadhafi in the civil war, have taken on roles as security, guarding state facilities and neighborhoods, but they also are accused of acting like gangs, detaining people, intimidating critics and clashing in the streets.

Friday's march targeted in particular Ansar al-Shariah, a militia of Islamic extremists who officials and witnesses say participated in the consulate attack. The group is also accused of attacking Muslims who don't follow its harsh interpretation of Islam.

"No, no, to militias," the giant crowd chanted as it marched along a lake in the center of Benghazi, filling a broad boulevard. They carried banners and signs demanding that militias disband and that the government build up police to take their place in keeping security. "Benghazi is in a trap," signs read. "Where is the army, where is the police?"

Other signs mourned the killing of U.S. Amb. Chris Stevens, reading, "The ambassador was Libya's friend" and "Libya lost a friend."

"Benghazi has been thrown wide open, it's full of chaos, looting and crime," said Ihsan Abdel-Baqi, a woman in her 50s who joined the march. "We want our dignity back. We are not afraid of anything."

The giant crowd poured into a square in front of the main camp of Ansar al-Shariah in the city, unfurling a long Libyan flag and chanting, "With our lives and souls, we redeem you, Benghazi." Military helicopters and fighter jets flew overhead, and police mingled in the crowd.

Several thousand Ansar al-Shariah supporters lined up in front of the camp in the face of the crowd, waving black and white banners. But there was no immediate friction between the two sides.

[FLRedskins]

All I can say is Nuke and pave over

[Jumbo]

All I can say is Nuke and pave over

If that's all you can say, then next time just keep it to yourself.

[visionary]

Oh ****....I wonder what's going on.

I just got home from visiting a friend.

I need to look into this some more.

https://twitter.com/libyanproud

Breaking : Protesters breach Ansar Shariaa Brigade headquarters in Benghazi via @skynewsarabia

4:44 PM

https://twitter.com/Reuters

Hundreds of pro-government activists storm main Islamist military base in Libya's Benghazi - Reuters witnesses breaking

5:01 PM

https://twitter.com/2011feb17

Confirmed: SaveBenghazi protestors stormed AnsarAlSharia base. Just saw footage aired on @skynewsarabia. YESSSS!

5:05 PM

https://twitter.com/4Adam

[PIC] Ansar al Sharia battalion headquarters is stormed by Benghazi's youths. The building be handed over Nat. Army. pic.twitter.com/YAJQJcqa

5:17 PM

[Predicto]

Oh ****....I wonder what's going on.

I just got home from visiting a friend.

I need to look into this some more.

https://twitter.com/libyanproud

https://twitter.com/Reuters

https://twitter.com/2011feb17

https://twitter.com/4Adam

Wow. That is amazing (if accurate).

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/21/us-libya-benghazi-militia-idUSBRE88K17920120921

Protesters storm main Islamist militia HQ in Libya's Benghazi

Hundreds of pro-government protesters stormed the headquarters of the main Islamist militia group in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Friday, Reuters witnesses said.

Chanting "Libya, Libya", the demonstrators pulled down flags of the Ansar Al-Sharia militia and torched a vehicle inside the base. There was no sign of resistance from the militia.

Earlier, protesters entered a separate compound belonging to the militia.

https://twitter.com/EmadDlala

Bless you, all! You made the world proud tonight!

5:42 PM

Here's a video showing demonstrators storming Ansar Sharai brigade

5:44 PM

It seems Ansar Sharai evacuated all weapons from the base? They can run but they can't hide

5:47 PM

Benghazi tonight made me recall the old days of the revolution when FFs would take over Gaddafi positions. Unforgettable

5:48 PM

https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin

BREAKING: Protesters took control of Gout al-Sha'al brigade HQ in Libya's capital Tripoli - Picture pic.twitter.com/Za5w7oPK

5:40 PM

BREAKING: Protesters took control of a second Ansar al-Sharia'a post in Benghazi Libya stationed in al-Jala'a Hospital - Witnesses

5:49 PM

Video: Protesters are taking control of several Ansar al-Sharia posts in Benghazi

…

5:54 PM

https://twitter.com/Brown_Moses

Protests from today in Libya, nicknamed "Rescue Benghazi" http://twitpic.com/ax09ag

https://twitter.com/JomanaCNN

CNN is covering tonights events in Benghazi @arwacnn & team on the ground.

5:31 PM

Libyans have had it- months now they've been calling for action by govt to disarm militias & build security forces. now they take the action

5:40 PM

If you missed it- Benghazi is on a mission tonight! Protesters storming number of militia HQs

6:04 PM

They're talking about it on CNN tv right now.

Arwa Damon gave a somewhat confusing report about Tripoli.

She said that protesters were being tricked by pro-Gaddafi elements to attack a government endorsed brigade.

From what I'm seeing on twitter all the stuff being done tonight has a wide range of popularity.

Also it seems the brigades being stormed are all responsible for shrine destruction and other criminal acts.

There are reports of the brigade in Tripoli shooting at protesters and others and wounding a few, including a news cameraman.

Things are a bit chaotic at the moment though, so we'll have to see what happens with all this.

There are reports of gunfire in Benghazi too now.

Things could get ugly if the government doesn't do their job for once as they should have ages ago.

[visionary]

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/21/14018495-protesting-libyans-overrun-militant-compound-in-backlash-against-armed-groups?lite

Protesting Libyans overrun militant compound in backlash against armed groups

Hundreds of Libyan protesters stormed the compound of Ansar al-Shariah in Benghazi Friday night, driving out its militant occupants and setting fire to the compound, in an unprecedented public backlash against armed groups that have run rampant in the country since the 2011 ouster of former dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

At least one person was killed and 20 wounded in the confrontation, a hospital source told Reuters on Saturday.

According to The New York Times, protesters seized control of several other militia headquarters in the city as well.

The demonstrators demanded that militias in the country hand over their weapons to the fledgling post-Gadhafi government, and declared their solidarity with the United States in condemning terrorism.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/world/africa/pro-american-libyans-besiege-militant-group-in-benghazi.html?_r=0

Angry Libyans Target Militias, Forcing Flight

Galvanized by anger over the killing of the popular American ambassador here last week, thousands of Libyans marched through this city on Friday, demanding the disarming of the militias that helped topple the dictatorship but have troubled the country with their refusal to disband.

In a show of mass frustration at the armed groups, protesters seized control of several militia headquarters on Friday night and handed them over to Libya’s national army in what appeared to be a coordinated sweep. They also stormed the headquarters of Ansar al-Sharia, a hard-line Islamist militia that has been linked to the attack on the United States Mission in Benghazi that killed the ambassador and three other Americans.

As members of Ansar al-Sharia fled their headquarters, protesters set at least one vehicle on fire, and Reuters reported that one person was killed. There were unconfirmed reports that several had been wounded by the departing gunmen.

At the seized headquarters of another militia, protesters burned and pillaged a large number of weapons, and hundreds of looters could be seen walking away with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

It was unclear whether the backlash against Ansar al-Sharia and the other militias on Friday represented an opportunity for the government to consolidate its power in the post-Qaddafi era or would lead to new violent confrontations.

But no weapons were left behind in most of the seizures, protesters and officials said, suggesting the militias had been anticipating such an event because of a buildup of resentment against them.

[Unforgiven]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/22/cnn-christopher-stevens-personal-journal-libya_n_1905650.html

CNN Reveals Finding Ambassador Christopher Stevens' Journal And Discloses Reporting With It

I'm glad they returned it to his family, but it seems wrong to me they went through it to mine it for information for their own use first.

[visionary]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/09/2012922231155740677.html

Libya moves to ban non-state militias

Two groups in eastern city of Derna announce they will lay down arms, as Tripoli bans all non-state-sanctioned militias.

Authorities in Libya have announced a decision to dissolve all militias and armed groups that did not come under the authority of the state after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

The announcement was made by Mohammed al-Megaryef, the head of the Libyan national assembly, late on Saturday.

The authorities also decided to put in place an "operations room" in Benghazi bringing together the army, forces of the interior ministry and defence ministry brigades comprising former rebels.

They have called on the army to impose its authority by putting its own officers at the head of brigades born out of the 2011 revolt, which escalated into civil war and toppled Gaddafi's government.

The announcement of the ban came hours after two armed groups said they would lay down their weapons and leave their bases in the eastern city of Derna.

Derna residents say five military camps are now empty, after Abu Slim and Ansar al-Sharia, the two main militias in the area, withdrew.

"Abu Slim had three camps and Ansar al-Sharia had two. So it's five. Empty. All empty," Siraj Shennib, a 29-year-old linguistics professor who has been part of protests against the militia, told the Reuters news agency by telephone