US Ambassador to Libya and 3 staff members killed

[LongBlade]

The president is scheduled to speak about this in 30 minutes - 10:35 Eastern if anyone wants to tune in. I'll probably watch. Hopefully we'll get the strongest possible statement on this to discourage more violence.

[Bison]

The Arab Spring is turning into exactly what I expected it too.  God bless those who lost their lives in service to the United States.

[Bison]

No surprised by any of this. 

[LongBlade]

No surprised by any of this.

I'm surprised at the timing. Seems suspect but what do I know?

[OJsDad]

I know I shouldn't be surprised by the apology.  I was really hoping for us to, you know, act like we have a pair.

He would have to fight Michelle for them, and frankly he is to scared of her to try and get them back!!  :P

[OJsDad]

I bet we end up apologizing for this 'film'    >:(


By the way what film are they all worked up about?

All the news is really mum about this "film." Like really bad journalism mum. They barely mention it and it seems pretty key to the protestors (or at least we are supposed to believe it was key for the protesters).

The CNN article has some strange reference to the film being made by the "expatriate members of Egypt's Christian minority in the United States." Huh?! And apparently they are worked up because it discusses Mohammed's sex life?

The total lack of coherent coverage of this seems to be bizarre.

But, on the other hand, I'm glad this isn't front page today. We need 9/11 remembrance on the front page. Let the hate these people are spewing hit lower pages until tomorrow.

It may be because this isn't anything new.  We see this every couple of years.  Someone practices freedom of speech in their country and the radical Muslims go crazy. 

[Bison]

I don't know if they were coordinated in two different nations seems unlikely.  However that is something we may find out later to be the case.  I seems very likely IMO that the Egypt attack was coordinated for 9/11.  I need to find out more about this supposed film.  When was it made?  Where was it shown?  Only to find out how close it all was to the attack. 

Now you have Hamid Karzai condemning the movie and religious intolerance in Afghanistan.  Whether the attack was planned doesn't matter.  It's going to inflame anti-American rhetoric dramatically in the region.  Especially because of the "success" that I'm sure many of the extreme movements will view it as being.  Tearing down an American flag from an Ambassy and killing an Ambassador? 

[LongBlade]

I have merged these topics - it's getting intertwined and a bit difficult to follow the discussion(s).

In addition, Romney has just made a statement in between Hillary's statement and the upcoming Obama statement.

It seems pretty clear Romney is going to make this a political issue front and center.

I don't like how Obama has handled things but I'm not sure we need what may appear to be a divided voice.

[bayonetbrant]

I need to find out more about this supposed film.  When was it made?  Where was it shown?  Only to find out how close it all was to the attack. 

It was made in the US and distributed through YouTube.  As of yesterday, it had about 6000 hits.  Total.  Count has gone up significantly with all the US folks wondering what the story was.
However, the word that was spread in the MidEast was that it was some "Hollywood blockbuster" and because most of the undereducated psychoreligiofantatics that inhabit the third world sandpits of the MidEast can't envision any society in which things happen without explicit gov't approval, clearly no film could ever be made without the US gov't approving it, right?  Therefore this was US policy to insult Islam and denigrate their religion and we had to be taught a lesson. 
The knowledge of the film had been spreading across the MidEast for some time (at least 2-3 months) and the story apparently morphed into "it was being released nationwide in the US on 9/11" and thus the timing of the protests at the embassies.

I don't think that "fuck it, we're going home" is the right answer, because you can't just walk away from a discussion with someone and then expect them to suddenly somehow see your point.  We can't withdraw our diplomatic missions, but we damn sure need to protect them better.
That said, I think we absolutely can turn off the money pipes, and tell folks that until our diplomats can be protected by the host nations, we'll spend their aid money fortifying our embassies instead.  Just be prepared for the Putin kleptocracy to step in with their petro-dollars to fill the void.

[Bison]

I think the US need to re-evaluate it's entire policy of foreign aid.

[bayonetbrant]

I think the US need to re-evaluate it's entire policy of foreign aid.

+1

[LongBlade]

The president just spoke.

He said all the right words but somehow he seemed...almost out of touch. Maybe shocked. I don't know. Something seemed wrong there. I can't put my finger on it.

[steve58]

I think the US need to re-evaluate it's entire policy of foreign aid.

At the very least, we need to re-think sending $$ to countries that obviously don't like us i.e., Pakistan

[steve58]

The president just spoke.

He said all the right words but somehow he seemed...almost out of touch. Maybe shocked. I don't know. Something seemed wrong there. I can't put my finger on it.

He's probably in denial.  He can't believe that he's going to haver to deal with a major international incident while he's campaining for re-election. His whole re-election bid depends on how he handles this...

[Centurion40]

No surprised by any of this.

I'm surprised at the timing. Seems suspect but what do I know?

You think that the Mormon/Republican Illuminati is out kicking hornet's nests in Egypt and Libya to make Barry look bad?