http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/17/crowley-says-she-did-not-backtrack-on-libya-acts-of-terror-debate-moment/
http://tinyurl.com/bm4hs3w --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "raunchydog" <raunchydog@...> wrote: > > Benghazi attack timeline: > http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/10/15/1014241/timline-benghazi-attack/?mobile=nc > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@> wrote: > > > > And oh, by the way, from remarks by the president in Golden, Colorado, > > September 13, 2012, concerning the Benghazi attack: > > > > "Let me say at the outset that obviously our hearts are heavy this week -- > > we had a tough day a couple of days ago, for four Americans were killed in > > an attack on our diplomatic post in Libya. Yesterday I had a chance to go > > over to the State Department to talk to friends and colleagues of those who > > were killed. And these were Americans who, like so many others, both in > > uniform and civilians, who serve in difficult and dangerous places all > > around the world to advance the interests and the values that we hold dear > > as Americans. > > > > "And a lot of times their work goes unheralded, doesn't get a lot of > > attention, but it is vitally important. We enjoy our security and our > > liberty because of the sacrifices that they make. And they do an > > outstanding job every single day without a lot of fanfare. > > > > "So what I want all of you to know is that we are going to bring those who > > killed our fellow Americans to justice. I want people around the world to > > hear me: To all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go > > unpunished. It will not dim the light of the values that we proudly present > > to the rest of the world. No act of violence shakes the resolve of the > > United States of America." > > > > http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/13/remarks-president-golden-co > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/9ulcxkt > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Xenophaneros Anartaxius" > > > <anartaxius@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Ah semantics. When something like Benghazi happens, governments have a > > > > lot to think about. What happened? Did we screw up somehow? Do we have > > > > to cover our asses? How shall we respond? There is also the concern > > > > that saying something abrupt might endanger relations with the > > > > government in the country where the incident took place. > > > > > > > > I do not think Obama actually said it was a terrorist attack. He spoke > > > > of 'acts of terror' in a general sense. > > > > > > He clearly included the Benghazi attack in "acts of terror," > > > and he repeatedly referred to it as an "attack" in the > > > statement. > > > > > > > This is diplomatic-speak so that later on, if the statement is general > > > > enough, one can connect dots between different parts of a statement. It > > > > is interesting that the transcript of this speech on the White House > > > > website is far more truncated than what he actually said. The White > > > > House transcript is rather short and mentions the word attack only once > > > > in the title, and none of the statement mentions the word terror: > > > > > > Here's the full transcript (which refers to it as an > > > "attack" multiple times and includes the phrase "acts of > > > terror"); I gather you didn't bother to look at it when I > > > posted the link: > > > > > > http://whitehouse.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/12/president-vows-justice-will-be-done-after-killing-of-u-s-ambassador-to-libya-and-three-american-diplomats/ > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/9y9hj7n > > > > > > This is a truncated version: > > > > > > > 'Statement by the President on the Attack in Benghazi' > > > > > > > > 'I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility > > > > in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including > > > > Ambassador Chris Stevens. Right now, the American people have the > > > > families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers. They exemplified > > > > America's commitment to freedom, justice, and partnership with nations > > > > and people around the globe, and stand in stark contrast to those who > > > > callously took their lives.' > > > > > > > > 'I have directed my Administration to provide all necessary resources > > > > to support the security of our personnel in Libya, and to increase > > > > security at our diplomatic posts around the globe. While the United > > > > States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we > > > > must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took > > > > the lives of these public servants.' > > > > > > > > 'On a personal note, Chris was a courageous and exemplary > > > > representative of the United States. Throughout the Libyan revolution, > > > > he selflessly served our country and the Libyan people at our mission > > > > in Benghazi. As Ambassador in Tripoli, he has supported Libya's > > > > transition to democracy. His legacy will endure wherever human beings > > > > reach for liberty and justice. I am profoundly grateful for his service > > > > to my Administration, and deeply saddened by this loss.' > > > > > > > > 'The brave Americans we lost represent the extraordinary service and > > > > sacrifices that our civilians make every day around the globe. As we > > > > stand united with their families, let us now redouble our own efforts > > > > to carry their work forward.' > > > > > > > > http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/09/12/president-obama-speaks-attack-benghazi > > > > > > > > So obviously he said more than this but even in a full transcript 'No > > > > acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation' is > > > > pretty vague as a direct reference to this specific attack since he > > > > used the word 'acts', not specifically referring to this one at > > > > Benghazi. > > > > > > Oh, please. I posted the mention of "acts of terror" in > > > full context, but you didn't read that either. It's crystal > > > clear that it includes this specific attack: > > > > > > "Of course, yesterday was already a painful day for our nation as we > > > marked the solemn memory of the 9/11 attacks. We mourned with the > > > families who were lost on that day. I visited the graves of troops who > > > made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hallowed > > > grounds of ArlingtonCemetery, and had the opportunity to say thank you > > > and visit some of our wounded warriors at Walter Reed. And then last > > > night, we learned the news of this attack in Benghazi. > > > > > > "As Americans, let us never, ever forget that our freedom is only > > > sustained because there are people who are willing to fight for it, to > > > stand up for it, and in some cases, lay down their lives for it. Our > > > country is only as strong as the character of our people and the service > > > of those both civilian and military who represent us around the globe. > > > > > > "No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, > > > alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand > > > for. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of > > > the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see > > > that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice > > > will be done." > > > > > > Obviously he wanted it understood that he was including > > > Benghazi in "acts of terror." He even used a very similar > > > phrase for it, "terrible act," two sentences later. That > > > was not an accident. > > > > > > As I pointed out earlier, imagine if someone had *objected* > > > to his having called the Banghazi attack an act of terror > > > and he wanted to make it seem that he hadn't--what could > > > he possibly have said that would have been convincing? > > > > > > > An act of terror is not necessarily terrorist in nature, > > > > people just have to experience terror. > > > > > > Give it up, Xeno, that's about as implausible as it gets. > > > Nobody refers to an "act of terror" except in the context > > > of terrorism. > > > > > > > Obama called it a 'terrible act'. He called it 'this type of senseless > > > > violence'. > > > > > > And "outrageous and shocking." > > > > > > > He spoke of 'brutal acts' in a general sense. It seems to me that > > > > depending on who you support in the election, and your prior beliefs - > > > conservative or liberal - anyone can pick and infer whatever they want. > > > > > > Not in context, not *honestly*, nope. > > > > > > <snip> > > > > So the advice is to speak in the vaguest terms possible so that you > > > > cannot be specifically pinned down for having said something to the > > > > point. The downside to this is, depending on ones views, such > > > > statements can be read in many different ways if you assume statement x > > > > is really connected to statement y and is bolstered by comment z. > > > > > > No honest reading of the statement could possibly conclude > > > that it was too vague to discern for sure that Obama meant > > > that morning to characterize it as a terrorist attack. It > > > was only as time went on and information began to come in > > > from the field that it seemed prudent not to be specific > > > until the full story was known. If anything, Obama jumped > > > the gun in labeling it terrorism. There was a real question > > > for a while as to whether it had actually been a > > > spontaneous demonstration against that vile video. > > > > > > > If Obama has said unequivocally 'this is a terrorist attack and the > > > > embassy did not have adequate protection in place' then this thread on > > > > FFL and similar ones on other sites would not have much going for them. > > > > > > > > We do seem to know now that it was a terrorist attack. And that it was > > > > successful. Therefore whatever protection was in place was inadequate, > > > > by definition. > > > > > > Which is why he didn't need to say that it was inadequate > > > when he was making his first statement. The only issue is > > > *why* it was inadequate, and he didn't know that then. > > > > > >
