Misdirection
“The deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya may have been a planned operation and not a spontaneous protest that turned violent, U.S. officials told the New York Times and CNN on Wednesday.” Yahoo News reveals that the initial belief that the assaults were caused a spontaneous mob maddened by an anti-Muslim video may not have been true.
Initial reports suggested that protesters in Benghazi, Libya, were angry about an online video that mocked the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, and then attacked the consulate, killing U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other foreign service workers. But now, according to the New York Times, officials suspect that “an organized group had either been waiting for an opportunity to exploit like the protests over the video or perhaps even generated the protests as a cover for their attack.” U.S. sources told CNN that they don’t think Stevens was a specific target of the attack.
This astonishing development may come as a surprise to a university professor who Tweeted that the producer of the video deemed a hate statement should be jailed. A University of Pennsylvania professor wrote, “Good Morning. How soon is Sam Bacile going to be in jail folks? I need him to go now. When Americans die because you are stupid…” Just who she was referring to as the object of ‘stupid’ is unclear.
But this was mild stuff. Other Twitter posts were calling for the arrest and lynching of those associated with inflammatory film. Said one Tweet “so…I generally don’t call for mob justice on Twitter, but Terry Jones needs to die.” And who else besides one might ask?
Information that al-Qaeda was operating to a plan must come like a bombshell to these individuals. All the same Grace Wyler at the Business Insider writes that “Mitt Romney Is Getting Completely Shredded For His Response To The US Embassy Attacks”. Reporters eager to get the truth were caught on an open microphone coordinating the questions they would put to Romney.
REPORTER 1: Yeah that’s the question. I would just say do you regret your question.
REPORTER 2: Your question? Your statement?
REPORTER 1: I mean your statement. Not even the tone, because then he can go off on …
REPORTER 2: And then if he does, if we can just follow up and say ‘but this morning your answer is continuing to sound…’ – *becomes unintelligble*
REPORTER 1: You can’t say that.. I’m just trying to make sure that we’re just talking about, no matter who he calls on we’re covered on the one question.
REPORTER 2: Do you stand by your statement or regret your statement?
It was like asking Romney, ‘when did you stop beating your wife?’ It might not have been true, or even relevant, but that is not what Talking Points are about. E.D. Morel observed that ‘Truth is the first casualty of war.’ He might have added that the Narrative is war’s inevitable victor. Eventually a Story is established. Whether it is true or not is beside the point. Napoleon Bonaparte, who knew a thing or two about warfare and historical events declared ‘what is history but a fable agreed upon?’
But it is always a fable with a purpose. Winston Churchill emphasized that the real purpose of contrived narrative was to obscure the truth and ensure that nobody got to it through the thicket of false trails. Describing efforts to protect Operation Overlord from discovery Churchill wrote that “in war-time, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies”.
So the question implied by the presence of a Lie is usually ‘what truth is it protecting?’
In the case of the attacks on the Libyan and Egyptian diplomatic facilities “the Lie” of an anti-Islamic video was manifestly to serve as smokescreen to let militants to approach under the cover of a mob raised for the purpose. That was the purpose of the first lie. But what is the purpose of the second? What goal is accomplished by the feverish finger pointing at Romney? What is this contrived outrage intended to obscure?
The truth is a dangerous business. Recently the doctor who helped American intelligence find Bin Laden described his reward for helping America: torture by the ISI.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Shakil Afridi, the medical doctor who helped pinpoint bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound before last year’s raid by SEAL Team 6, described brutal torture at the hands of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, and said the agency is openly hostile to the U.S. … Pakistan’s powerful spy agency regards America as its “worst enemy,” and the government’s claims that it is cooperating with the US are a sham to extract billions of dollars in American aid, according to the CIA informant jailed for his role in hunting down Usama bin Laden …
“I was told by others that the ISI advises militants to make things up to tell CIA interrogators, pretend this and that,” Afridi told Fox News.
Why not? America is no longer in the business of taking prisoners after the humanitarian decision to freeze admissions into Guantanamo so it will have to drink from the ISI fountain for time to come. But maybe the reason for icing Guantanamo too is a lie. Suppose the whole purpose for replacing detention with a program rendition and execution by drone is to attain goals other than stated. At least one day we’ll know the truth. The press will tell us.
Belmont Commenters
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No Way In at Amazon Kindle $8.95, print $9.99
The truth that the last similar occurrence was during a similarly failed presidency, one that intentionally reduced the power, influence and prestige of the United States: Carter.
The truth that the people and movements which were aided by Obama, late to the party in Egypt, and prematurely in Libya (a**holes can’t time, ain’t got rythm) and his crew of lefty Euros still hate us, it gathered NOTHING for the expense in material, and further cost us this humiliation.
The truth that there ain’t nuthin Obama is goin to do ’bout it.
The truth that “lead from behind” means “I don’t have a clue what to do about this.”
This contrived outrage is intended to obscure Obama’s failure as an American President because of his jaunticed view of America. What else is new with the TWANLOCS! Of course this “outrage” is designed to help the TWANLOC cause.
I like that TWANLOC term but it is a bit frightening to me. TWANLOCS seem to end up shooting at each other for control of the land eventually. I hope we can avoid that.
But damn, that cut-throat politics is fun! Puhleeeeze Romney, kick butt!
Best regards Y’all!
Stupid whores. Stupid because they are not even payed for this. Whoring just for the “fun” of it. Communists after coming to power (in large part due to whoring “intelligentsia”) in the last century and in a different country rounded them up by hundreds at a time when no loner needed.
“Suppose the whole purpose for replacing detention with a program rendition and execution by drone is to attain goals other than stated.”
Hah! Who’d believe that? Next you’ll be telling us that there are a lot of things that have purposes other than those stated. Then where would that lead us but to a maze of mirrors?
Wretchard said:
“Yahoo News reveals the initial belief that the assaults were caused a spontaneous mob maddened by anti-Muslim video may not have been true.”
I speculated about this in the previous thread. The Libyan and Cairo attacks were probably coordinated by al Qaeda and used the Coptic/Mohammed Youtube video as a pretext for a previously planned operation. What did not add up was al Qaeda’s motivation. If al Qaeda wanted to weaken Obama’s reelection prospects then their plan was effective. However, given that Obama has shown himself to be sympathetic to Islamic Fascism, it makes no sense for al Qaeda to be undermining him.
Possible explanations:
1) Al Qaeda is motivated purely by hate and unconcerned about the consequences of their actions, i.e. there is no logic behind their behavior.
2) Al Qaeda has an agenda that is not concerned with the outcome of the American Presidential election, e.g. they feel compelled to attack by their religious beliefs even though doing so is counter productive to their strategic objectives.
3) Al Qaeda for some mysterious reason finds it beneficial to attract a more forceful response by the United States.
4) Al Qaeda is completely focused upon how they are perceived by the Islamic world and feel the need to appear aggressive, i.e. the death of bin Laden makes them appear unacceptably weak.
5) Al Qaeda for some reason thinks Obama would be more aggressive against Islamic Fascism than Romney. Therefore Obama’s reelection needs to be undermined.
6) …..?
Personally I think the ultimate victims of disinformation are the purveyors of falsehoods themselves. If you look at the trajectory of fallen empires and failed institutions that were ‘too big to fail’ the common thread running through them is that they became irrational. They had destroyed their database of facts and thus could no longer calculate their best interests.
“Whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad”. The Third Reich, Soviet Union and North Korea were continuously winning until suddenly they were completely collapsed. The subprime crisis was like that too.
Once the lie gets too big it takes on a momentum of its own. At first those who created the disinformation know the difference between the truth and the falsehood. But given enough time even they forget and the collapse begins.
I don’t believe anyone knows the truth any more. Least of all Hillary or President Obama. They may know about plots they’ve hatched, but that is not the same as knowing the picture on the ground. Corruption blinds itself. There’s such a thicket of concealment about that things are opaque, even to them. Perhaps especially to them.
Therefore when faced with the lie it is less important to denounce it than to avoid lying yourself. The sole advantage of the rebel is that he has no vested interest in perpetuating the lie and can see things for what they are. Ultimately the thicket of lies burns down in episodes called ‘revolutions’. They are almost instantly replaced by a new set of mythologies.
Perhaps that’s human nature. About all we can hope for is to know the approximate truth. What is good enough for government work. I don’t envy the recipients of Talking Points. If they thought about it, they would not envy themselves.
It appears that the background surrounding the movie that caused the uproar is a bit murky according to BBC.
Muhammad film has murky background
My thought is that Iran is behind it. The Mad Dog Mullahs have Observed that the 0bumbler likes boycotts, being a coward. So they have Oriented that Observation to their condition of being under boycott. A boycott that is starting to pinch. Their Decision is to Act by creating another chance for the 0bumbler to boycott somebody. Libya.
The 0bumbler HAS to do something. If he doesn’t, he is another Jimmmah Carter. Being a coward and not very smart, he will reach for his favorite tool that doesn’t work. He can boycott Libya.
That means cutting off European OIL from Libya. That would be like throwing them under the bus, then throwing the bus under a 1 ton asteroid coming down at 37,000 Kps.
I haven’t looked yet to see if Germany killed the Euro today, or if they committed economic suicide instead but regardless, an OIL embargo of Europe will pretty much finish off the EU.
The Clown Posse is actually stupid enough to fall into this trap. I always figured it took a certain type of fool to prefer ruling in ‘ell over serving in heaven. In a sick sort of way I can’t help but admire the organizational talent required to assemble so many such fools in one place.
Spotting the glint of silver, I marvel at the ability of the Mad Dog Mullahs to once again show a weak POTUS to the door. I just wish I was smart enough to figure out what was in it for them?
Oderint dum metuant.
IF this is really the work of Al Qaeda, THEN the Obama administration has screwed up. Why? Because it shows that there aren’t enough spy boots on the ground gathering intel to keep abreast of Al Qaeda’s operations. I.e. Obama has spent too much time with predator drone attacks and not enough with good old fashioned spying. Obama, wallowing in the hubris of OBL’s death, has dropped his guard.
IF it is not AQ’s operation, then Obama has still screwed up by not getting up to date intel on a volatile country to protect American assets. Also, folks are wondering why the Marine guard wasn’t beefed up.
I don’t see a scenario yet where Obama isn’t at fault. Can’t blame it on Bush. Can’t blame it on Congress. Can’t blame it on Hillary. And blaming it on Romney will make Obama look very small and impotent.
More Obama is not the cure for the nation’s ills – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4nvhAZ0vr0
7. Aristide
More about the mysterious Mr. Bacile:
Actually, there’s basically no evidence that “Sam Bacile” even exists. The closest person who fits that description (at least electronically) is a self-proclaimed Egyptian “movie-maker” in California, who calls himself “Sam Bassel” on Facebook. Bassel has been registered on Facebook since 2010, and has posted regularly about the movies he supposedly produces, including the one that was used as a pretext for the Egyptian riots.
“Hello, I am a producer in a America and I live in Hollywood California,” he wrote in a July 15 post, well before the controversy erupted in Egypt. “I recently produced a movie that I believe to be one of the most historically important movie of our times. It is a 2 hour long movie about the entire life of the Prophet Muhammad from start to finish. Everything that is depicted in the movie is very true and well documented in all historical books that are found and taught in all Islamic countries.”
Bassel has posted about the film often over the past few months. According to one post, the movie took Bassel 12 years to complete and “blames America for the wars that occurred recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2012/09/12/who-is-sam-bacile/#more-805358
dla @ 9: Can’t blame it on Bush
Sure they can.
Makes as much sense as anything they say.
… which may take down the credibility of everything they say.
Finally.
In any case, you may be certain they will try.
ps – I read an earlier article on the (un)reality of Mr. Bacile, but the article has already been updated, morphed, or vanished, I’m not sure which. Seems in any case he is neither Holy, Roman, nor an Empire, and I can’t see it would matter if he were any or all of those.
#8 stoicheion – I think Iran was behind it too, and I think that Canada’s embassy in Tehran was intended to be target #3. Since there’s no American or British embassy there anymore, we’re the most plausible standin target for some mob action. But if that’s true, then we must have had intelligence that this was coming, and got our people out in time. And if THAT’S true, then it means that the U.S. must have gotten the same intelligence (no one would warn JUST the Canadians, and even if they did, the Canadians would immediately tell the Americans) and just passively sat there and did nothing.
@ 5. Eggplant,
6) They’re dumb as a box of rocks and batshit crazy.
October Surprise : Mitt Romney assassinated by Drone Strike?
“Mitt Romney Is Getting Completely Shredded For His Response To The US Embassy Attacks”. No, what Romney is getting is the same treatment from the MSM that Sarah Palin after the Congresswomen Gifford’s shooting. The MSM is doing its best to deflect this mess away from where it belongs, the Obumbler, and onto Romney. Hope he is learning his lesson here. So far the reviews of his performance are not good. Another big soft slow pitch that events have put in front of Mittoast. Instead of knocking it clean out of the park, it is another swing and a miss.
“The deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya may have been a planned operation…”
What? AL Queda plans well in advance an attack and that is timed to occur on 11 Sep?
Good Lord! Who could have foreseen that might occur?
Word has it that a senior Libian AL Queda member was killed recently and they wanted revenge. Another unforeseen development no one could have predicted – without at least a 3rd grade education. And without a college education, which appears often to be of negative value in such deductions.
Interesting, how social media and the Internet supposedly was so key to the Arab Spring but that some today would hold that the Arabs need to be kept from access to all of it lest they engage in fatal temper tantrums. Which is is gonna be, folks? Are they thirsting for freedom or begging to be protected from it?
“Obama, Obama, there are still a billion Osamas!” http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/09/obama-obama-there-are-still-billion.html It was not the Mohammed video that sparked this!
President Obama wants to avoid his “Arab Spring” policy from being blamed.
First, Who really believes the US Government didn’t know the Libyan attack wasn’t a coordinated attack BEFORE the NYT ran their BS story! They knew it was an coordinated ATTACK 5 minutes in (they being the Intel apparatus). Second How can anyone really believe that after hearing that the CBS and other reporters were coordinating their question to Romney aren’t a complete extension of the 0bama campaign now? This election should be a real eye open for those that are sitting on the fence and wanted to give the Demoncrat’s and our vaulted “Free” press the benefit of the doubt….
12. Dr. Mabuse: I can’t find it now, but a couple of days ago the Globe and Mail had an article suggesting that Canada’s severing diplomatic ties with Tehran was in response to intel of a significant and imminent threat. It speculated different possibilities including backlash against Canadians in Iran subsequent to an Israeli attack, but also the possibility of terrorist sleeper cells in Iranian embassies in the Americas. And as you say, if Canada knew something was imminent then the US did too.
The twin attacks on the anniversary of the attacks on the twin towers have been planned for a while. Early Spring, at least. Looking for “reasons” is a western excuse for procrastination. They attacked because they saw a weakness to exploit. They being Muslims. Not extremists but your normal, run of the mill, 7th century, late stone age savage.
IIRC, we kicked that can around a little here. Everybody was predicting something on this 9-11. It is just very difficult to discern a black swan in a dark future.
I just hope this is not to early. 0bama has the canney slyness evil people often possess. Him and Axelclod both. They might have time to figure out a way to escape the trap the Mullahs put them in. One hopes not.
Celer, Silens. Motralis.
I think there was something highly symbolic about the attacks. Embassies and ambassadors are the embodiment of nations’ desire to conduct their relations in a peaceful manner. Burning down an embassy and parading am ambassador’s murdered body says something in that regard.
#5 Eggplant
I am tending to catagorize them as MB, instead of their offshoot AQ, noting the overlap. YMMV
1) We are Dar al Harb, so this is definitely a factor.
2) Definitely true, with the proviso that it may not be counter to their strategic objectives, but they may have a different set of objectives than we are thinking of.
3) That is definite, although that forceful response so long as it is short of victory is a plus for them. It draws in more recruits, draws support from the Ummah, and elevates the Muslim Brotherhood above rival groups. They are, with some justification, possibly also anticipating that our forceful actions will be a) counterproductive and b) set us up for a war of attrition.
4) Quite possible
5) N-a-a-h not buying that one as a possibility. Keep in mind that just as the are the “Other” to us, we are the “Other” to them. They have minimal respect for any of us infidels, and we are interchangable to a certain extent. So far we have not come up with a modern Jan III Sobieski, Jean de la Valette, or even a John J. Pershing.
If I may, some Datapoints and a conjecture:
Despite the Democratic Party/Leftist theology that any violent act(s) against Americans or American interests worldwide are the result of spontaneous, righteous local rage at the existence or actions of the United States; the attacks on our embassies and the death of American diplomats and government personnel show every evidence of being planned.
1) It is admitted by the government that the actions in Egypt, Libya, and possibly elsewhere were/are coordinated.
2) It is a reasonable first working assumption that the coordination comes from the Muslim Brotherhood. This is based on the predominant political forces in Egypt and Libya, the statements and actions of the attackers, and their use of the Muslim Brotherhood flag. Additionally, Al Quada is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the date of the attacks, 9/11, commemorates the Al Quada attack on the United States 11 years ago.
3) The extent of that coordination in the Ummah is not yet determined. I have heard, but not confirmed, that similar actions are beginning in Morocco and the Sudan. Included in this question must be the possibility of penetration of the policy-making apparatus of the US Government by forces friendly to the hostile forces in Egypt and Libya. Two prominent risks are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s long-time close personal companion Huma Abedin Weiner, whose immediate family has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, and Iranian born Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett who was one of the prime movers of the Obama policy that took us unconstitutionally to war and overthrew the governments of Egypt and Libya, replacing them with the Muslim Brotherhood. These are indicative, but not yet probative.
4) Coordination implies a coordinator or group of coordinators [ “Center” notationally] evaluating intelligence information, acting, and reacting.
5) There is every indication that the “Center” has the operational initiative and is well inside the OODA loop of the US government; even making the as yet unconfirmed assumption that the goal of the National Command Authority is the protection of the US and its interests.
6) The “Center” has undoubtedly noted the results and reactions to the invasion of our Embassy in Egypt and the burning of the Consulate in Benghazi and the killing of the US Ambassador and dragging his body through the streets, the killing of 3 other US government employees, and an unknown number of American wounded.
7) They will have noted the total lack of reaction to the physical invasion of the Embassy in Egypt, and the minimal reaction [restricted to words] to the attacks and killings of American diplomats in Libya.
There is more than a little congruence in the tactics of Marxist-Leninists and Jihadists. This is not totally coincidental. There is a Lenin quote that is on point: “Probe with a bayonet: if you meet steel, stop. If you meet mush, then push.”.
Which does the current regime resemble more, steel or mush?
Conjecture: while they are still within Obama’s OODA loop; there will be further attacks. The three Islamist “victories” of modern times are the bombings of the Marine Barracks in Beirut, the taking of the American Embassy in Iran, and 9/11. There are, as far as I know, no similar vulnerable troop positions akin to the Marine Barracks. If they could hit the ZI again, they would have already. There is still at least one open and vulnerable Embassy, and they know that it can be penetrated en-masse, and that our ROE preclude active defensive measures.
They know that the odds of Buraq Hussein Obama changing those ROE, or reacting effectively are minimal.
I expect that in the near future; forces of the Muslim Brotherhood, with the active assistance of the government of Egypt [remember, officially it was a bunch of students holding the Embassy in Iran], will capture and hold the Embassy in Cairo. Wait for it.
Subotai Bahadur
My two cents worth is that the Islamists are on their own time and schedule and the Great Satan will be enemy with Obama, Romney, or Louis Farrakhan. They sally forth because the time is as good as any.
The US is a perfect foil against domestic unrest, a source to blame like O’ blames GWB for his own power loving cupidity. Every time the US attacks the Islamists, it is nothing more than a catalyst for the inevitable MENA caliphate. It just tills the soil and allows the worst seed to take root.
We tried nation building but will never be effective until the cold civil war determines whether we will be a nation that cherishes its own freedom first over progressive hate-based ideology that is held in place with a tyranny of group think. Yeah, the first amendment is that important. But democracy is failing in America and we cannot export that which we are incapable of at home.
I think the media is still stuck in the Summer of Recovery. You know, in that ditch they were always talking about.
Some years ago Professional Wrestling was told it must no longer call itself a Sport. It had the form of a sport but the narrative led to a predetermined conclusion. That is a lot like our current news media: they claim to provide objective information but instead create a narrative to promote a predetermined outcome. And yet they are still allowed to call themselves the “news” and say that they provide “information.” It is all a bigger sham than Professional Wrestling. Where are the outraged New York Times editorials? In the name of fairness we must now call “news programs” exhibitions and “journalists” what they are: exhibitionists.
10. PA Cat
The quoted words of “Sam Bassel / Basile” strike me as not coming from a native “American English” speaker.
More wheels within wheels?
Eggplant, I go with #4)
4) Al Qaeda [ed: or whoever it really was behind the attacks] is completely focused upon how they are perceived by the Islamic world and feel the need to appear aggressive, i.e. the death of bin Laden makes them appear unacceptably weak.
The attacks were most likely something totally internal to muslim power struggles. However, it is very interesting that the supposed movie maker was previously so unknown before become the proffered cause of the lastest islamic temper tantrum.
Also interesting, unsurprising, and disgusting, that the MSM would be huddled together frantically trying to come up with a game plan to blame it all on Romney.
Wish that Romney would announce that no taxpayer money will be expended to support organizations that do not function as news gatherers but as partisans. Turn off CNN in every government facility and refuse to allow any government money to be spent on the NYT or CBS. Kick the hyenas out of the White House and restore the swimming pool that American children gave their dimes for to build for the sick FDR. Open the pool to the poor of Washington once a week.
Wish that Romney would announce that he is tripling the US military over an 8 year period.
Why did AQ strike now? While they would benefit from an Obama reelection by their calculus there is a risk in waiting and getting caught by his defeat anyway. Their fortunes are at flood. Also given the Spanish precedent a well timed attack could paralyze their victims and ensure the defeat of the conservatives.
Iran has a track record of using cut-outs…
Meaning that I’d put my money on the Shi’ite Salafists running a false flag game — of which Canada got a whiff.
Befouling Libya’s economic — and oil export — relations would be a natural for the chess masters of Tehran.
In which case, they’re way over flowing the Wan’s input buffer.
This is all of a part of their scheme to bluster through to the Bomb.
Mr analytic is going to be paralyzed in mid put. — Golf warrior and all.
Obama administration officials say, “The statement was just tone deaf. It didn’t provide adequate balance. We thought the references were inappropriate, and we strongly advised against the kind of language that talked about ‘continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims.’”
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/09/12/administration-officials-romney-was-right-that-statement-from-the-cairo-embassy-was-awful/
I have no trouble admitting that someone is inside my OODA loop! al Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood, Iran? Occam’s Razor says MB – it was their flag, but I have to admit it was al Qaeda’a national holiday. Iran, initially I don’t think so. But there is the Canadian angle and the near showdown between Israel and the US.Too soon to tell. I think that the effect on the elections might not be what a lot of people might assume. Walter Russell Meade at Via Meadia argues that while this incident might hurt Obama, it could well cause an electorate weary of war to stick with the President. All I can say to someone thinking like that is weary or not – the Islamists are not going to stop attacking us and are not going to go away until we make them go away.