What should the US response be to the attacks on its missions in Egypt and Libya?
Personally I think a firm and decisive response is needed to drive home the message that these kinds of attacks will have an unbearable cost for those who attempt them.
In Libya the government has already apologized and condemned the attack, and this should be acknowledged. As a further step the Libyan government should provide all necessary information as to which groups were behind this attack. They should then be targeted for military elimination by US forces.
In Egypt the US should also demand an apoloy from the government and an unequivocal condemnation of the attack there. The US government should order its staff to take down the black flag that was hung up there and it should be destroyed. Furthermore the Egyptian government should be told to immediately arrest the organizers of the demonstrations and to make clear that anybody calling for violence against the US will also be arrested. It should clamp down on extremist groups. If it fails to act, all aid to Egypt should be cancelled as well as all supply of military material and a boycot of Egyptian goods and travel to Egypt put in place.
Not going to happen.
Now back in the day Russia would have unloaded. But us....we write strong letters. When we do fight we do so with our hands tied.
We dont need another drawn out war. We dont fight to win wars just objectives, we dont want to make them mad while shooting them. God help us if a country voices disapproval.
We will suddenly want to model our health care systems after them.