Benghazi in review
By: dgun
October 30th, 2012
9:59 pm
For review, I pulled headlines from Reuters news service each day starting September 11, 2012 and ending September 17, 2012. The purpose of this exercise is to add context to the current debate and discussions of the attack in Libya. I found several interesting tidbits looking back on the information we were getting from the press. For one, look at the early description by officials of the attackers as militants and contrast that with Obama's press secretary's statement a full three days later. My inline comments on the news reports are italicized. Image on the front page is of protestors attempting to scale the embassy wall in Yemen.
9-11
Egyptians angry at film scale U.S. embassy walls
Originally Posted by
Gunmen attacked U.S. consulate offices in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Tuesday, and fought with security forces in protest against a U.S. film they say is blasphemous, a security official said.
Gunmen attacked U.S. consulate offices in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Tuesday, and fought with security forces in protest against a U.S. film they say is blasphemous, a security official said.
Originally Posted by
“There are fierce clashes between the Libyan army and an armed militia outside the U.S. consulate,” said Abdel-Monen Al-Hurr, spokesman for Libya's Supreme Security Committee.
U.S. confirms death of official in Benghazi attack“There are fierce clashes between the Libyan army and an armed militia outside the U.S. consulate,” said Abdel-Monen Al-Hurr, spokesman for Libya's Supreme Security Committee.
Originally Posted by
“Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet. The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others,” she said in a statement. “But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind.”
U.S. condemns attack on American diplomatic compound in Libya“Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet. The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others,” she said in a statement. “But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind.”
Originally Posted by
State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement: “We can confirm that our office in Benghazi, Libya has been attacked by a group of militants. We are working with the Libyans now to secure the compound. We condemn in strongest terms this attack on our diplomatic mission.”
9-12State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement: “We can confirm that our office in Benghazi, Libya has been attacked by a group of militants. We are working with the Libyans now to secure the compound. We condemn in strongest terms this attack on our diplomatic mission.”
Libya attack may have been planned and organized, U.S. officials say
Originally Posted by
The attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other American diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, may have been planned and organized in advance, U.S. government officials said on Wednesday.
The officials said there were indications that members of a militant faction calling itself Ansar al Sharia - which translates as Supporters of Islamic Law - may have been involved in organizing the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya's second-largest city.
In Libya, deadly fury took U.S. envoys by surpriseThe attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other American diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, may have been planned and organized in advance, U.S. government officials said on Wednesday.
The officials said there were indications that members of a militant faction calling itself Ansar al Sharia - which translates as Supporters of Islamic Law - may have been involved in organizing the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya's second-largest city.
Originally Posted by
Accounts from Libyan and U.S. officials, and from locals who watched what began as a protest on Tuesday against a crudely made American film that insults the Prophet Mohammad spiral into violence and a military-style assault on U.S. troops, point to a series of unfortunate choices amid the confusion and fear.
Accounts from Libyan and U.S. officials, and from locals who watched what began as a protest on Tuesday against a crudely made American film that insults the Prophet Mohammad spiral into violence and a military-style assault on U.S. troops, point to a series of unfortunate choices amid the confusion and fear.
Originally Posted by
Among the assailants, Libyans identified units of a heavily armed local Islamist group, Ansar al-Sharia, which sympathizes with al Qaeda and derides Libya's U.S.-backed bid for democracy.
Obama vows justice after U.S. envoy killed in LibyaAmong the assailants, Libyans identified units of a heavily armed local Islamist group, Ansar al-Sharia, which sympathizes with al Qaeda and derides Libya's U.S.-backed bid for democracy.
Originally Posted by
“It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks,” Romney told reporters in Florida. He has accused Obama of a failure of world leadership and of not upholding American values.
“It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks,” Romney told reporters in Florida. He has accused Obama of a failure of world leadership and of not upholding American values.
Originally Posted by
and the president retorted that his campaign rival had a tendency to “shoot first and aim later.”
Obama vows to track down ambassador's killersand the president retorted that his campaign rival had a tendency to “shoot first and aim later.”
Originally Posted by
U.S. government officials said the Benghazi attack may have been planned in advance and there were indications that members of a militant faction calling itself Ansar al Sharia - which translates as Supporters of Islamic Law - may have been involved.
U.S. says Benghazi was "complex attack", no word on attackersU.S. government officials said the Benghazi attack may have been planned in advance and there were indications that members of a militant faction calling itself Ansar al Sharia - which translates as Supporters of Islamic Law - may have been involved.
Originally Posted by
The assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador was “clearly a complex attack,” a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, while declining to speculate on who the perpetrators might be.
The official said the United States, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, would work with Libyan officials to investigate the incident but that it was too early to discuss who might have been responsible for the attack or whether they had affiliations outside of Libya.
West shocked by U.S. envoy death, Muslims condemn filmThe assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador was “clearly a complex attack,” a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, while declining to speculate on who the perpetrators might be.
The official said the United States, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, would work with Libyan officials to investigate the incident but that it was too early to discuss who might have been responsible for the attack or whether they had affiliations outside of Libya.
Originally Posted by
Western countries denounced on Wednesday the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff by armed attackers, while many Muslim states focused their condemnation on the anti-Islamic film that provoked the violence.
9-13Western countries denounced on Wednesday the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff by armed attackers, while many Muslim states focused their condemnation on the anti-Islamic film that provoked the violence.
UN chief appeals for calm as 'hateful' film sparks violent protests
Originally Posted by
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday appealed for calm in North Africa and the Middle East after a film deemed insulting to Islam sparked riots across the Arab world and an attack that killed the U.S. envoy to Libya.
Sudan calls mass protest against anti-Islam filmU.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday appealed for calm in North Africa and the Middle East after a film deemed insulting to Islam sparked riots across the Arab world and an attack that killed the U.S. envoy to Libya.
Obama orders all necessary steps to protect Americans abroad
Originally Posted by
President Barack Obama said on Thursday he had ordered his administration to do whatever is necessary to protect Americans abroad, as U.S. diplomatic compounds in the Middle East faced continuing violent protests.
U.S. intelligence agencies didn't issue high alert about Mideast unrest threatPresident Barack Obama said on Thursday he had ordered his administration to do whatever is necessary to protect Americans abroad, as U.S. diplomatic compounds in the Middle East faced continuing violent protests.
Originally Posted by
Although U.S. authorities believe anti-American violence that erupted on Tuesday in Libya and Egypt was triggered by an Arabic talk-show broadcast three days earlier, U.S. officials said high-alert warnings were not issued to American outposts in the region about the possibility of unrest.
Although U.S. authorities believe anti-American violence that erupted on Tuesday in Libya and Egypt was triggered by an Arabic talk-show broadcast three days earlier, U.S. officials said high-alert warnings were not issued to American outposts in the region about the possibility of unrest.
Originally Posted by
The lack of major warnings appears to illustrate how, in today's world of globalized social media, threats to U.S. interests can gather strength rapidly and seem to appear out of nowhere. The events also underline the role of the Middle East's more freewheeling media, loosened from state restrictions after the fall of longtime dictators.
Obama: Egypt neither enemy nor allyThe lack of major warnings appears to illustrate how, in today's world of globalized social media, threats to U.S. interests can gather strength rapidly and seem to appear out of nowhere. The events also underline the role of the Middle East's more freewheeling media, loosened from state restrictions after the fall of longtime dictators.
Originally Posted by
“I don't think that we would consider them an ally, but we don't consider them an enemy,” Obama told Telemundo, a Spanish-language network, on Wednesday after mobs of demonstrators angry over a film they consider blasphemous to Islam assaulted the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
continued...
“I don't think that we would consider them an ally, but we don't consider them an enemy,” Obama told Telemundo, a Spanish-language network, on Wednesday after mobs of demonstrators angry over a film they consider blasphemous to Islam assaulted the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
2 comments on "Benghazi in review"
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dgun
9-14
Protesters clash with police near U.S. Embassy in Cairo, one dead
Originally Posted byTwo dead as protesters attack U.S. embassy in Tunisia
Clashes near the U.S. Embassy in central Cairo between police and Egyptians incensed over a film denigrating the Prophet Mohammad entered their fourth day early on Saturday, leaving one protester dead and dozens more injured.
Three killed as Sudanese storm U.S., German embassies
Anti-American fury sweeps Middle East over film
The following is where a lot of the confusion began. After US officials had been calling the attackers militants and suggested that the attack may have been planned and carried out by a particular terrorist group, Obama's press secretary got cute with his language.
U.S. officials offer differing explanations of Libyan attack
Originally Posted byThe article points out that those familiar with the intelligence say the press secretary's statement is arguably true, but misleading. And goes on to say:
On Friday, however, President Barack Obama's press secretary, Jay Carney, offered a different version of events. “We do not at this moment have information to suggest or to tell you that would indicate that any of this unrest was preplanned,” Carney told a press briefing.
Originally Posted by
The sources, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive information, said that based on information currently available, most other government officials believe there was at least some planning and organization behind the Benghazi attack.Originally Posted byU.S. drones fly over Benghazi; cause airport to shutdown
At the same time, he said, hard evidence so far is lacking that the planning behind the attack began long in advance of the mob demonstration.
There is a thread about drones in Benghazi on Democracy Forums. I'm not sure when the thread was started, but it was apparently well known on September 14th that there were drones in Benghazi.
White House: No “actionable intelligence” in advance about Libya attack
The term “actionable intelligence” takes me back to the glory of the Bush years. I bet Condoleezza Rice still says it in her sleep occasionally. “No actionable intelligence …. I know he wanted a job in Homeland Security … name of memo...”.
9-15
Fury over Mohammad video simmers on in Muslim world
Originally Posted byU.S. orders embassy staff to leave Tunis, Khartoum
Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority denounced the attacks on diplomats and embassies across the Middle East as un-Islamic.
Egyptian police clear protesters near U.S. mission
Al Qaeda in Yemen urges Muslims to kill U.S. diplomats over film
Libya identifies 50 involved in U.S. attack: official
9-16
Hezbollah supporters to protest against Mohammad film
One dead, five injured in anti-U.S. protests in Pakistan
9-17
Intel agencies warned U.S. Embassy in Egypt of possible violence
This report by Reuters seems to at least partially contradict a report from a few days earlier. The devil is in the details, I suppose.
Originally Posted by
The cable, dispatched from Washington on September 10, the day before protests erupted, advised the embassy the broadcasts could provoke violence.Originally Posted byVideo shows Libyans helping rescue U.S. ambassador after attack
Copies of the cable were not sent to other U.S. outposts in the region, including the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, where violence took the life of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The ties between the Benghazi violence and the crude anti-Muslim film are still unclear
Originally Posted by
The identity and motive of the attackers remain unclear. Activists who took part in the protest said the motive was rage at the video produced in California and which describes the Prophet as a homosexual and womanizer.
In this report, and remember this already six days after the attack, Reuters is identifying an individual by name as an “activist”. Which would seem to suggest that he was protesting the film before he and others attempted to rescue the Ambassador.
Originally Posted by
Fahd Al-Bakoush, a young activist who took the video, said he saw the ambassador “moving his lips and his eyes moving and his body darkened by smoke.”Originally Posted byMuslim protesters rage at United States in Asia, Middle East
Bakoush told Reuters the storming of the embassy happened shortly after several armed Libyan guards at the entrance refused protesters' demands to enter the compound and take down the U.S. flag.
Originally Posted byI've heard some critics of the President claim that the President was talking about the anti-Islamic film in a UN speech after the Libyan attack. The suggestion being that the President was attempting to mislead people concerning the attack on the consulate. Considering the violent protests happening in the middle-east over the video, it would have been astounding for the President not to mention it.
Protesters enraged by a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad battled with police in several Asian cities on Monday and vented their fury against the United States, blaming it for what they see as an attack on the Muslim religion.
I now wonder if our 24 hour information feed from cable news has created a situation in which recent history is indeed old news. -
Road Warrior
Originally Posted by dgun24 hour news is a business. The need for news feed is so great that they will now broadcast information the moment it is received instead of waiting for verification. This has led to many false stories, the latest of which involved Hurricane Sandy with CNN broadcasting a story that turned out to be false:
I now wonder if our 24 hour information feed from cable news has created a situation in which recent history is indeed old news.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...rrors/1668911/
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Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the U.S. embassy on Tuesday, tore down the American flag and burned it during a protest over what they said was a film being produced in the United States that insulted Prophet Mohammad.