Back when she was running for president, against then-candidate Barack Obama, Hillary's campaign ran a famous ad insinuating that she, unlike her greenhorn opponent, had the experience to handle a crisis:
It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. But there’s a phone in the White House and it’s ringing.
Something’s happening in the world. Your vote will decide who answers that call, whether it’s someone who already knows the world’s leaders, knows the military — someone tested and ready to lead in a dangerous world.
It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. Who do you want answering the phone?
Well, that was hypothetical, but later on, Hillary did, in fact, receive her 3 AM phone call. It was the Benghazi attack. And she bungled the crisis.
Hillary may run for president in the next election cycle. Remember the ad. Remember how badly she performed when she was put to the test.
I want someone who will do the right thing at 3am and then when fully awake later in the day ignore the fact that 3500 of his or her neighbors are being murdered in the USA!
ReplyDeleteI had lived in foreign countries since I was young, then 10 years, as part of a missionary family. I had learned that the US government was not a resource to help us in any situation. It was just the way things were done. I do not think that there was any wrong doing in the Benghazi temporary embassy arrangement. You live there in the approval and might of a foreign government. Their sense of appropriateness of safety arrangements is different than ours. If they are indifferent to American safety, it is the cost of doing diplomacy. Somebody made a call that it was worth to have American diplomats there in that situation. (just like soldiers going into war) Generals make those kind of decisions. (--- We still support our generals)
ReplyDeleteThis is not an issue that weighs on me whether Hillary Clinton is qualified for presidency. There are many practices of government that sinful, not to individuals best interests. I trust that you guys will support the best candidate that you can. May God use the means to His ends.
In Benghazi, it was amazing to me how the local quazi-military, vigilante group flipped from a peaceful status to a killing program. In their hearts and consciousnesses, a vexing report of people in another part of the globe was enough for them to decide to do harm to an entirely another set of people.
I know that some more pragmatic people say that we should be ready to kill those who kill so quickly. Unfortunately diplomats are in the business of begging the question for an agenda that is farther away.
Rob.
"a vexing report of people in another part of the globe was enough for them to decide to do harm to an entirely another set of people."
DeleteSo you believe the "spontaneous negative movie review" theory as to why the attack took place?
"I know that some more pragmatic people say that we should be ready to kill those who kill so quickly."
How about responding to a call for help from people located on United States territory?
i) The State Dept. has a duty to protect overseas personnel. If it can't take reasonable precautions to protect them, or if the host gov't won't allow the State Dept. to take the necessary measures, then the embassy should be closed and the personnel recalled.
Deleteii) The State Dept. disregarded warnings regarding inadequate security. It was a foreseeable and avoidable debacle. Hillary proved herself to be a typical crisis-driven bureaucrat who waited until it was too late to do something.
iii) Some generals are incompetent. Unfortunately, war is often the only way to sift the talented commanders from the pencil pushers and time-servers. Sometimes generals have to take a calculated risk. I wouldn't cashier a general who lost the bet. But we do judge generals by their performance in a tight situation. Are they resourceful and adaptable?
Also, soldiers are entitled to back-up (e.g. air support).
iv) Hillary bragged about her ability to deal with a crisis. Well, here's the real thing. A preventable crisis on her watch.