Noting that a State Department review board is examining the “terrorist attack” on the Benghazi compound, but not the slew of congressional investigations underway, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lauded late Ambassador Chris Stevens at an awards dinner last night.
The Common Ground Award was accepted in Washington by Stevens’ sister, but Clinton gave a lengthy address on the diplomat’s life and sacrifice.
Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate, which the administration initially blamed on an anti-Muhammad video.
“Chris would have been the first to say that the terrorists who attacked our mission in Benghazi on September 11th did not represent the millions of Libyans who want peace and deplore violence. You saw and you heard the president’s inspired and inspiring words about that,” Clinton said.
“Chris understood that most people, in Libya or anywhere, reject the extremist arguments that violence and death are the only way to reclaim dignity and achieve justice. He understood that’s why he was in Libya, and there was no substitute for going beyond the Embassy walls, building relationships, and finding common ground. He also knew that when America is absent, especially from the dangerous places, there are consequences. Extremism takes root, our interests suffer, and our security at home is threatened.”
Noting the global reach of State Department posts, Clinton said Stevens “understood that diplomats must operate in many places where soldiers do not, where there are no other boots on the ground, and security is far from guaranteed.”
“And he volunteered for those kinds of assignments,” she said. “He understood that we will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security in this world, and that our diplomats cannot work in bunkers and do their jobs, that we inevitably must accept a level of risk to protect our country, a country we love, and to advance our interests and values.”
Part of the Benghazi investigation, though, focuses on Stevens’ unheeded requests for more security.
“Of course, it is also our responsibility to constantly improve, to reduce the risks our people face, to make sure they have the resources they need to do what we ask of them. And nobody takes that more seriously than I do, and the security professionals at the State Department,” Clinton said. “We now have a formal Accountability Review Board investigating the terrorist attack that killed Chris, and we will certainly apply its recommendations and lessons learned to improving security everywhere. It’s appropriate that we do so based on facts and evidence. Chris’s family, his colleagues at the department, and the American people deserve nothing less.”
“From Tehran and Beirut to Islamabad, East Africa, and Saudi Arabia, and now in Benghazi, and many other places in between over the years, we have seen our diplomats devoted to peace targeted by terrorists devoted to death. But we cannot, indeed we must not, be intimidated,” she added.
UPDATE: A photo released of Anne Stevens Sullivan, who sat next to Clinton during the ceremony, accepting the award for her late brother.
Hey Hillary, why don’t YOU go spend a couple of weeks in Benghazi with no security personell except your little girlfriend Huma. I’m sure the SEALS would be glad to publish your itenerary on the internet (just to “help you out in your mission”) bitch!
Hanta, GREAT advice to Hill.
You want more ammunition, here is the poop and scoop……http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/11/07/spotlight-on-huma-abedin-islamist-infiltration-in-washington-arabmuslim-world-turning-up-the-heat-via-bengazigate-addendum-to-hillary-takes-the-fall-but-there-is-a-silver-lining-sp/
You may have no idea, how on precisely target your remark is.
Why doesn’t Hillary just go home and work on her cookie recipes.
Maybe she can pick up a diplomatic pouch full of Moroccan hashhish to work into them, before she goes.
I’m sure she wants to write her book, and a few good recipes would probably increase the sales greatly.
A “Rose” by any other name … will be Benghazi.
All this, yet Chris kept asking for more security. Almost like he didn’t really want to be kidnapped, raped, and murdered – while the White House staff watched and did nothing.
Greetings:
Hillaryspeak: ” I did not hang that ambassador out to dry.”
With apologies to the Mr.
OK, soldiers weren’t there. We noticed. Why nobody from Diplomatic Security? (Tripoli’s Regional Security Office (RSO) is Diplomatic Security’s “boots on the ground”.) Why did the Tripoli RSO not add a Deputy RSO to the party? They brought along Sean Smith (apparently Tripoli’s Information Management Officer). Hillary is directly responsible for DoS measures taken and not taken. This, by the way, should eviscerate any serious suggestion that she has a future in government service.
Obama is culpable in the largest sense, especially in an arena where DoD, DoS and the Intelligence community are all active. Obama, as G.W. Bush might say, was the “Decider”. He would adjudicate which USG assets should be utilized. Past was prologue; he really does seem to have voted “present” during the destruction of our Consulate.
A final thought: we here to no end of the dangers and sacrifices of our uniformed services. We might note the same of our Foreign Service.
It’s been widely reported in the open-source media that there were five Diplomatic Security agents in Benghazi. Surprisingly, it seems that five guys with M4s just weren’t much of a match for a company-size element of attackers armed with automatic weapons, RPGs, and mortars. But, given that Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith reportedly died of smoke inhalation, not sure how much good having more “boots on the ground” would have done. (The DS guys reportedly searched the burning building repeatedly, but were unable to locate Stevens due to the heavy smoke).
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/10/the-amazing-story-of-what-happened-in-libya/263597/
“But, given that Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith reportedly died of smoke inhalation, not sure how much good having more “boots on the ground” would have done.”
Call me crazy but, maybe a greater security presence/posture might have dissuaded the bad guys from even breaching the walls and setting the fire! Negligent homicide, hello!
Was he dead or alive when he was raped? I thought he was chocked to death.
Hillary always forgets the inconvenient facts. The Rose Law Office records, the “dangerous mission and gun fire” in the Balkans, and now the Ambassador as
“hero.” When every one is a hero, there are not heros.
Perhaps he volunteered for this dangerous Libya post. Regardless, he assumed that the U.S.A. had his back. We did with plenty of fire power, but in the Obama Administration there is not “I got your back.”
Ask Israel now that “Sticks” Obama is reelected. Obama will share Israel with all the Palestians who want a piece of the action. However, when Obama [and the US] abandon Israel, I fully expect the God of Israel and Protector of the Hebrew people will step in and demonstrate his Might and Power and Wrath.
Judgment is not beautiful when the trial ends and the sentence is pronounced.
“Sticks” will be amazed because “Sticks” has thrown himself under the bus.
From your pen to God’s ear.
In other words: “Only by showing that we will allow you to kill us can we show the love of the United States for the world.” Very Christian of Mrs. Clinton.
Libertatem Resurgit
While I appreciate this snippet of news, I’d be very interested in what the sister said, or if she was allowed to speak at all. And, if she wasn’t allowed to speak, a good reporter would have gone to ask her to speak, and respond to Sec. Clinton’s speech.
If this site isn’t going to give the extra details for those of us interested, we’ll have to go to some other site. And if we have to go there anyway, why come here?
I’d really like a better news system than the secret-Democrat current media we have, and Fox is not enough, either.
Bridget Johnson serves only one purpose on this site: to be irritating. You won’t get comprehensive news or insights from her. I guess she’s PJM’s “straight news” mascot or something. She should just be a stringer for AP.
I’m still wondering why the embassy in Brussels has a bunch of Marines for security, but the Benghazi consulate was supposed to be secured by locals.
And if the facts out so far are true (calls for security rejected, orders to stand down during the attack), nothing less than treason charges will suffice.
I’m guessing with Boehner in charge of the house, we’ll be too busy “reaching across the aisle” to worry about something that happened back in September.
Perhaps. Issa will still be there, and he is not going to let any of this go. It’s a real shame that spineless Boehner is still going to be Speaker. There has got to be someone better. Like Paul Ryan.
Last para should have read: “A final thought: we HEAR to no end of the dangers and sacrifices of our uniformed services. We might note the same of our Foreign Service.”
Longdrycreek just caused me to realize a bigger issue. Just as Reagan’s first foreign policy success was his firing of the PATCO strikers (telling the world that he backs up his words with deeds), so also Obama may have just told the world that he will not even “intervene” to save his own men. What good are his assurances that he would have ANYONE’s back, especially Israel’s? What would he do if NORAD informed him of a missile launch? God help us.
I’m really surprised. Obviously it was just a fluke, not to be confused with Sandra, when all those career diplomats protested forced postings to Baghdad because no one would volunteer for a dangerous war zone after the UN compound was blown up. How many diplomats resigned or took early retirement to forgo being heroes on the road to Damascus? Obviously those old salts had a more realistic risk assessment model for disposing of threats than the current Mr. Clapper’s crapper. Truly, ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country; provided there’s no military draft but plenty of free condoms for law schools, free no down mortgage loans, and plentiful career enhancements for pretending to be a licensed Indian lawyer.
Yes, Hillary mouthed the appropriate words. However, at the end of the day, the United States of America failed Ambassador Stevens.
When is the Hildabeast hitting the exit from the Benghazi Administration?
“there was no substitute for going beyond the Embassy walls, building relationships, and finding common ground.”
“the terrorists who attacked our mission in Benghazi on September 11th did not represent the millions of Libyans who want peace…”
He died within the walls of the consulate — in a place in which he should have had some safety. Or at least backup. The next gang of poorly trained terrorists will not think twice about killing a US diplomat. You have made all Americans less safe by your weakness, Secretary Clinton. It’s sad that you even presume to represent the millions of Americans “who want peace,” and who are willing to kill some terrorists to earn it.
Given Hillary’s role in the Benghazi coverup for her to even open her mouth at an event to honor Chris Stevens just proves once again that she is a shameless b###h.
And if Stevens supported the “arab spring” and getting arms to the Syrian “freedom fighters” he was too naive to be part of America’s defense/diplomatic system.We can not afford her kind of corruption or his kind of naivete.
Billary and Hillary are a real pair of door-to-door carpet cleaner salesmen. Billary wanted nothing to do with the possibility of military conflict or lost blood on his watch or his legacy would have been ‘stained’ once more. Hillary, on the other hand is a cold hearted woman on a ‘personal’ political mission and could care less about any unecessary lost blood.
U.S. Marines whose detachment provide security at American Embassies, American Consulates and other official United States Government offices.
The formal and permanent use of Marines as security guards began with the Foreign Service Act of 1946, which authorized the Secretary of Navy to, upon the request of the Secretary of State, assign Marines to serve as custodians under the supervision of the senior diplomatic officer at a diplomatic post. The authority granted in the Foreign Service Act of 1946 has since been replaced by 10 U.S.C. § 5983 and the most recent Memorandum of Agreement was signed in August 2008.
The four lives lost are directly on the hands of Hillary! The DOD and the Marine Corps has NOT even discussed the idea that the law be changed and thus no appropriate Marine detachment assigned to the Libyian offices. Quite the contrary! The request for more security was requested and then ignored by Hillary’s DOS loons.
At NO time in my lifetime do I ever remember a foreign office being denied whatever military support was requested. I do know that in some instances it was deemed not politically practical and the offices were closed until the circumstances changed.
Hillarys comment “Stevens “understood that diplomats must operate in many places where soldiers do not, where there are no other boots on the ground, and security is far from guaranteed” couldn’t be more wrong. Her statement only applies to some operations of the CIA and a few other types of black ops.
In conclusion Hillary, according to public information thus far, knew that it was a dangerous place and additional security assistance had been requested yet, she and other ignored the information and security requests knowingly and willingly placing life in jepardy. Life was lost and Hillary should be relieved and charged — plain and simple! But of course, there will be a complete government skewing of the facts and a coverup.
I wonder if Stevens should have adopted the approach of Gaius Popillius Laenas when he faced down a king and his army?
‘Everything that Rome is, has been, and will be, is standing before you here and now. I am Rome, no less than Rome’s largest army. And in the name of Rome, I say to you a further time, go home!’
I am sure that Obama and Hillary would have backed him up.
When Mr.Obama walks on American soil he is surrounded by a large security detail. When Mr.Stevens, who, in his role as ambassador, is in fact the president’s deputy,walked the streets of Benghazi the State Department afforded him no protection. Is America more dangerous that Libya???
Yes, but you notice that Valerie Jarrett, the Iranian-born newest American envoy cum butt-kisser to the Ayatollah of Iran, is entitled to a full Gestapo – oops, sorry, Secret Service – protective detail 24/7 and has had it for months. I didn’t realize she was the head of state, but it is clear now that she is the one who, literally, calls the shots.
Yes, but you notice that Valerie Jarrett, the Iranian-born newest American envoy cum butt-kisser to the Ayatollah of Iran, is entitled to a full Gestapo – oops, sorry, Secret Service – protective detail 24/7 and has had it for months. I didn’t realize she was the head of state, but it is clear now that she is the one who, literally, calls the shots.
She can never legally be President, but he has handed her the keys to the country, while he goes golfing.
“He understood that we will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security in this world, and that our diplomats cannot work in bunkers and do their jobs, that we inevitably must accept a level of risk to protect our country, a country we love, and to advance our interests and values.”
Or we could just leave these animals alone and let them eat their own. Let’s get real here. If it wasn’t for Libyan oil, there would have been no reason to even get involved with Libya. Thousands were slaughtered in places like Darfur and Obama didn’t lift a finger to help them. So what makes Libya so important? Oil. Especially since countries like Italy and France depend on that oil being plentiful and cheap. Pity the Libyan radical Islamists that populate about half that country don’t see it our way. These are the same terrorists in Benghazi who volunteered to kill Americans in Iraq. Now we’re helping them. Sure, they took our help and now that Gaddafi is gone they’re more than willing to go back and start killing Americans again.
Like I said, leave that country and let them eat their own. We have aboslutely no national interest in being there and now, thanks to idiots like Clinton and Obama, they have destabilized Libya to the point that it is the new Somalia, only this one is on the Mediterranean, just a few miles from mainland Europe.
And these are the people 50% of Americans re-elected to handle our foreign policy? Our diplomats should stay home. It’s a lot safer that way instead of entrusting these jerks with the lives of more American diplomats.
Chris Stevens’ blood for Europe’s oil.
Translation of Hillary’s babble:
If terrorists attack America and kill Americans, we won’t do anything about it. We will, however, use the United States military to help Muslim foreigners seize control of places like Libya.
Your tax dollar at work.
Actually I think our military are excellent diplomats–I remember wondering in 2004-05 with their wonderful work in Iraq, what use is our Hiss-like State Department? And that’s when the Iraq war shuddered–when the State Department took over. It should be called the Department of Treachery. Remember when they didn’t want to go into a war zone?
I notice the Secretary is styling her hair now, now that she has a legal team.
I keep thinking Hillary can’t get anymore frumpy and frowsy, but every new picture of her proves me wrong.
That photograph just makes me sick. My sister just celebrated a birthday and I rejoiced with her. How can anyone grin like that, less than two months after the appalling murder of her own flesh and blood?
– the ambassador can hope for now is Karma upon Obama.
Clinton said. “We now have a formal Accountability Review Board investigating the terrorist attack that killed Chris, and we will certainly apply its recommendations and lessons learned to improving security everywhere. It’s appropriate that we do so based on facts and evidence. Chris’s family, his colleagues at the department, and the American people deserve nothing less.”
Thank god there’s a formal Accountability Review Board investigating the terrorist attack that killed Chris. I feel so much better myself, how about you guys?
Even though the democrat media has sit on it’s hands pertaining to this story, I believe enough info has been provided by the female reporter on FOX, Jennifer (I can’t remember her last name) for me to have a pretty good Idea of what happened.
It’s time for Obama to explain to the families of those lost and to the American people what he did and why. Did he try to send help or did he tell them to stand down? Based on the outcome it looks like he said to stand down.
Why can’t Obama, Hillary and the other heads of the departments involved just sit down together and explain what they did and why without having to involve some formal Accountability Review Board of which the members probably weren’t directly involved in the incident that ended in 4 dead Americans?
What a complete joke this Review board dog and pony show is.
Hillary. Obama, we know you failed, we just want to know why! And all of the news organizations who haven’t investigated this story, or have and are just sitting on the information should be stripped of their broadcasting rights.
What the Obama administration has done with F&F and Benghazi makes Watergate look like a high school prank, yet the news media were like sharks in a feeding frenzy in their pursuit to destroy the POTUS Richard Nixon.
I was a kid but still picture the arrogant jerk reporter Dan Rather questioning the president and showing him no respect whatsoever. I loved seeing the tables turn on that SOB after he tried to destroy the presidency of G.W. Bush.
He never once treated a democrat president with the lack of respect as he had Nixon and Bush.
Now that Obama has been reelected we will never have this resolved. In my opinion this was a CIA operation with Stevens as the point man. Like fast and furious a gun deal gone bad. This administration lies to everyone and to each other. Obama should just go on vacation the next four years, about the only thing he is good at.