Ros-Lehtinen on Attacks: 'We Have Nothing for Which to Apologize'

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) began this morning’s hearing to mark up a bill about territorial disputes in the South China Sea with a statement calling yesterday’s embassy attacks the most recent 9/11.

Ros-Lehtinen began the hearing with a moment of silence for the four Americans killed in Benghazi yesterday, including Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens. “They died in the service of our nation and we are forever grateful. They risked their lives to help the people of Libya free themselves from the oppression of Qaddafi and rebuild their nation,” she said.

She also thanked the men and women serving in the embassy in Egypt that also came under attack from mob violence.

“Yet, on a day marking the 11th anniversary of the deplorable acts against our nation of September 11, 2001, radicals chose to attack and kill our diplomats in Benghazi,” Ros-Lehtinen said.

“Let us be clear: There is no justification for the murder of our diplomats and attacks of our embassies,” she continued. “We have nothing for which to apologize. We must ensure that the perpetrators of this recent round of 9/11 attacks are held accountable.”