Why, exactly, are we closing these embassies in the middle East?

[aaronleland]

If he closes these embassies, and nothing happened, you would call him weak. If he didn't, and someone died, you'd be screaming BENGHAZI!!!!!

 

[freedombecki]

President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry do not want another Benghazi attack killing another ambassador to blight their future plans.

The last time we went isolationist, WWII broke out. It's a no-win situation either way, imho.

Not that it would matter with the Press mum on the most egregious of issues but full of information that baits the loyal opposition into winless arguments.

 

[Missouri_Mike]

If he closes these embassies, and nothing happened, you would call him weak. If he didn't, and someone died, you'd be screaming BENGHAZI!!!!!

I would actually call him weak in either situation. He's shown he doesn't have the fortitude to protect our embassies and now he's proven he won't even try. Any chance we can get this *sshole to step up and be the president?

 

[OnePercenter]

Could be due to the Republicans reducing security budget by $370M.

 

[Moonglow]

But the GOP is inadvertently pushing the US into a posture of dangerous diplomatic weakness. This weakness is clear in the unprecedented closing of 21 US embassies in the Middle East this weekend because of a vague terrorist threat apparently emanating from “al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula,” based in Yemen.

The Obama administration most likely took this weird step to insulate itself from any further witch hunts of the sort the Republicans launched over the tragic attack on a CIA safe house doubling as a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, 2011. That a radical extremist cell should have attacked in this way was a surprise, since the radicals had been persecuted by Muammar Gaddafi, and the US had helped overthrow the dictator. I was in Benghazi in summer of 2011 and was told that personal security was not so bad (you wouldn’t be mugged as an individual), but that militias might steal from, e.g., a company. The existence of a set of terrorist cells that would and could kill ambassador Chris Stevens and three others was not clear. When the surprise attack was launched, the Libyan government organized a special forces unit to extract the remaining dozens of Americans and get them to Tripoli, with it did without further loss of life. There is no reason to think that the Obama administration behaved inappropriately through the crisis.

But the constant innuendos on the Hill that some sort of malfeasance occurred in Benghazi has pushed the Obama administration to cover its collective behind. So the Tunisian and Libyan embassies are skeleton crews, with very few personnel, and their families have been sent back to the states. An embassy can’t be effective like that. But the embassies are less vulnerable to becoming Washington scandals if there is almost no one there, reducing casualties if there were another attack.

In 1983 the US embassy in Beirut was blown up, and the Democrats who controlled both houses of Congress didn’t try to impeach Ronald Reagan about it, or force Reagan into closing down embassies lest he be crucified by the other party. The Dems in Congress actually agreed to Reagan’s request after the bombing to give Lebanon $225 mn in aid! It didn’t occur to them to try to impeach Reagan because an embassy got blown up on his watch.

How the GOP Libya Witch Hunt Made us Close our Mideast Embassies and Crippled US Diplomacy | Informed Comment

 

[Moonglow]

If he closes these embassies, and nothing happened, you would call him weak. If he didn't, and someone died, you'd be screaming BENGHAZI!!!!!

I would actually call him weak in either situation. He's shown he doesn't have the fortitude to protect our embassies and now he's proven he won't even try. Any chance we can get this *sshole to step up and be the president?

Even Reagan cut and ran after the US Embassy in Beirut was blown up and over 300 marines died, hell, he didn't even punish those that were responsible.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Could be due to the Republicans reducing security budget by $370M.

Could be that the ARB report did not cite that as a reason for the failure.

Lie much?

 

[TemplarKormac]

If he closes these embassies, and nothing happened, you would call him weak. If he didn't, and someone died, you'd be screaming BENGHAZI!!!!!

I would actually call him weak in either situation. He's shown he doesn't have the fortitude to protect our embassies and now he's proven he won't even try. Any chance we can get this *sshole to step up and be the president?

Even Reagan cut and ran after the US Embassy in Beirut was blown up and over 300 marines died, hell, he didn't even punish those that were responsible.

300 Marines did not die in that bombing.

63 people died, only 1 Marine was killed in the blast. The Embassy was moved to Eastern Beirut after the attack, but again was attacked, killing 20 Lebanese and 2 American soldiers. Reagan never cut and ran. He sent two envoys to continue the negotiations for Lebanese troop withdrawal.

So why do you twist the facts, Moonblow?

1983 United States embassy bombing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Moonglow]

i want to be more like you.

 

[TemplarKormac]

i want to be more like you.

How lame. If you wanted to be more like me, maybe you do some damned research? Start telling the truth for a change?

Idiot.

 

[Politico]

Why, exactly, are we closing these embassies in the middle East?

Because there is a threat. They don't know who, when, where or why but it's there damn it. And all you sheeple are in full condition brown.

 

[theHawk]

Its the new US policy regarding threats: close up shop and retreat.

 

[theHawk]

If he closes these embassies, and nothing happened, you would call him weak. If he didn't, and someone died, you'd be screaming BENGHAZI!!!!!

No one ever suggested the site in Benghazi be shut down. Ever heard of beefing up security to counter a threat?

 

[Saigon]

Its the new US policy regarding threats: close up shop and retreat.

How is it new?

Countries have been closing embassies in response to security issues for at least the past 100 years -

The U. S. severed diplomatic relations with Nicaragua on December 1, 1909. Normal diplomatic relations were restored in 1911.

The U. S. severed diplomatic relations with Nicaragua and withdrew recognition in 1926 following a coup d’état by Emiliano Chamorro Vargas. The U. S. recognized the successor government and reestablished relations later that year.

The U. S. severed diplomatic relations with Nicaragua in 1947 following a coup d’état by Anastasio Somoza García. Relations were reestablished in 1948 following elections in Nicaragua.

In 1988 the Sandinista government of Nicaragua expelled the U. S. ambassador and seven members of the diplomatic corps. The embassy remained open under a chargé d’affaires a.i. until a new ambassador was commissioned in 1990.

History of United States diplomatic relations by country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Saigon]

Ever heard of beefing up security to counter a threat?

How well did that work in Lebanon?

The Beirut Barracks Bombing (October 23, 1983 in Beirut, Lebanon) occurred during the Lebanese Civil War, when two truck bombs struck separate buildings housing United States and French military forces—members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon—killing 299 American and French servicemen. The Islamic Jihad Organization claimed responsibility for the bombing.[1]

1983 Beirut barracks bombing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ramping up security to protect against a truck with 5,400 pounds of TNT on board is not always feasible. Far better to close the embassy and protect the lives of people while the hunt for the bad guys takes place.

 

[theHawk]

Its the new US policy regarding threats: close up shop and retreat.

How is it new?

Countries have been closing embassies in response to security issues for at least the past 100 years -

The U. S. severed diplomatic relations with Nicaragua on December 1, 1909. Normal diplomatic relations were restored in 1911.

The U. S. severed diplomatic relations with Nicaragua and withdrew recognition in 1926 following a coup d’état by Emiliano Chamorro Vargas. The U. S. recognized the successor government and reestablished relations later that year.

The U. S. severed diplomatic relations with Nicaragua in 1947 following a coup d’état by Anastasio Somoza García. Relations were reestablished in 1948 following elections in Nicaragua.

In 1988 the Sandinista government of Nicaragua expelled the U. S. ambassador and seven members of the diplomatic corps. The embassy remained open under a chargé d’affaires a.i. until a new ambassador was commissioned in 1990.

History of United States diplomatic relations by country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Severing diplomatic relations with the country and closing the embassy is an entirely different senario.

Are we severing diplomatic relations with every ME country?

 

[theHawk]

Ever heard of beefing up security to counter a threat?

How well did that work in Lebanon?

The Beirut Barracks Bombing (October 23, 1983 in Beirut, Lebanon) occurred during the Lebanese Civil War, when two truck bombs struck separate buildings housing United States and French military forces—members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon—killing 299 American and French servicemen. The Islamic Jihad Organization claimed responsibility for the bombing.[1]

1983 Beirut barracks bombing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ramping up security to protect against a truck with 5,400 pounds of TNT on board is not always feasible. Far better to close the embassy and protect the lives of people while the hunt for the bad guys takes place.

I am well aware of the Beirut bombings. How does citing another example of insuffient security disprove my point?

 

[Saigon]

Severing diplomatic relations with the country and closing the embassy is an entirely different senario.

I chose that example deliberately - embassies are closed for many reasons, policies dating back at least a century.

There is nothing new in this, and it's been done as often by GOP Presidents as Democrats.

Remember the US Embassy in Jakarta being attacked? Nairobi?

Wouldn't it have been better to have closed them first?

 

[Saigon]

. How does citing another example of insuffient security disprove my point?

Because, as I said, protecting yourself against a truck loaded with 5,400 pounds of TNT isn't always feasible, obviously.

 

[theHawk]

. How does citing another example of insuffient security disprove my point?

Because, as I said, protecting yourself against a truck loaded with 5,400 pounds of TNT isn't always feasible, obviously.

I see and we have knowledge that a truck with 5,000 pounds of TNT is going to attack one of our embassies?