09.30.2012
10.01.2012 minor edit
U.S. Embassies & Staff Come Under Attack, Part III: Security Lacking
original article written by Net Advisor™
Excerpt: This is Part III of our 5-part series report on not just recent, but numerous terrorists attacks on U.S. Embassies and staff covering especially the last four years. The Obama Administration has blamed a “video” for recent terrorists attacks against U.S. Embassies and staff in Libya. The Administration claims they didn’t know the recent attacks were coming. We have found that the Administration has done very little to keep U.S. Embassies and staff safe from ongoing attacks.
Part III discusses the lack of security at U.S. Embassies world-wide. The Obama Administration has been outsourcing embassy security who have been less-than-effective. The Obama Administration has the authority to act to protect Americans and our embassies, but has shown little toward that effort.
[1] Americans Not Adequately Protected at the U.S. Embassy
In Libya, the Obama Administration has apparently outsourced U.S. security detail to a small group Libyan locals.
“In Benghazi, a large mob stormed the U.S. consulate, with gunmen firing their weapons, said Wanis al-Sharef, an Interior Ministry official in Benghazi. A witness said attackers fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at the consulate as they clashed with Libyans hired to guard the facility.
Outnumbered by the crowd, Libyan security forces did little to stop them, al-Sharef said.”
— Source: Fox News (bold type added to emphasize the point)
Does anyone think that the U.S. military would just “give up” protecting civilian Americans at U.S. Embassies as Obama’s outsourced Libyan security did? The U.S. military are dedicated people and committed to protect U.S. interests, especially innocent American civilians. They would not give up or give in. The U.S. needs adequate protection for embassy employees especially in counties that generally have shown hostility toward the U.S. Why the U.S. maintains embassies in violent, war-torn, anti-American counties in the first place is a whole other question.
[2] State Department Claims to Honor Deaths, but Dishonored Them with Lack of Security
The State Department issued an official statement on the death of American personnel killed in Libya on September 12. It was noted that Ambassador Stevens had been in Libya for only three months (Source: U.S. Department of State – PDF).
A report in the UK media discussed that there was a lack of security at the U.S. Embassy in Libya, where the four Americans working there were killed.
“The comparative lack of security at the US consulate in Benghazi was disclosed as officials admitted that it was only an “interim facility” with no bullet proof glass, reinforced doors or marine guard.”
In the same report, U.S. officials naturally denied that security was inadequate.
“A US official defended the arrangements, saying security in Benghazi included a local guard force outside the compound, and was “similar to the way we are postured all over the world” at similar facilities.
“We had a physical perimeter barrier and … a robust American security presence inside the compound, including a strong component of regional security officers,” said the official.”
Hate to break the news to whoever this so called U.S. official was who made the previous statements, but your security evaluation, methods, procedure, and execution of security policy sucks. It got four innocent Americans killed, and it took only “minutes” to breach your “robust security” at the U.S. the Embassy. This person should be immediately terminated from their job. Would you want this person to be in charge if your personal security?
[3] GAO Report Also Found Issues with Security in August 2012
Despite denial about how great U.S. Embassy security is, when we have seen otherwise, to no surprise a GAO report just released mirrored my suspicions.
“The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Protective Service (FPS) is not assessing risks at federal facilities in a manner consistent with standards such as the National Infrastructure Protection Plan’s (NIPP) risk management framework…”
— Source: General Accountability Office (GAO.gov) PDF
In other words, the Obama Administration is failing to provide Americans with adequate security.
[4] U.S. Response in the Middle-East
After the Obama Administration’s apology tour for a video trailer that they nor anyone else really knew about, nor had nothing to do with, the U.S. eventually took some but limited action by sending 50 marines to Yemen to deal with 1,000’s of protestors (Source: NBC News).
When the initial crowds gathered around chanting at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, those personnel should have alerted Washington DC about the events. Officials should have immediately increased security, not rely on foreign unstable governments to defend U.S. Embassies and their staff, prepare to use an exit plan, and alert all U.S. embassies via instant message, cable, fax, etc., as to the warn of possible or current hostiles that could affect their embassy too.
[5] Commander in Chief Failed to Act in Time of Crisis
The Commander in Chief (President Obama) did nothing to even try and save U.S. Ambassador Stevens, or the three other Americans killed, or protect the U.S. Embassy or other staff from violent armed assault. Obama had at least five hours since the attacks began to send a Navy air-team from (for example) Air-Craft Carrier USS Eisenhower (PDF) stationed (view HTML or PDF) in the Mediterranean Sea (Source: ABC News, PDF).
ABC News Video (09.12.2012):
NOTE: After our report, video has since been moved or deleted.
U.S. Navy teams could be used to either provide cover and evacuate U.S. personnel by helicopter, or create defensive positions to protect the Embassy and staff from being attacked by groups armed with AK-47 machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades.
[6] The President Had the Authority to Act.
“The terrorist attacks of September 2001 created new complications for the separation of powers within the war powers sphere. After September 11, the United States Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force against Terrorists (AUMF). While the AUMF did not officially declare war, the legislation provided the President with more authority upon which to exercise his constitutional powers as Commander in Chief. “
— Source: Commander in Chief Powers, Cornell Law School (PDF) (legislation history)
Instead, the Commander in Chief did nothing. He stood by and allowed Americans to come in harm’s way. Then he apologized to the Muslims who had their ‘feelings hurt.’ After it was “over,” Americans were killed and the damage was done, only then did Obama come out and say he would bring those to justice who committed such violent acts. That is a weak response to a terrorist attack.
Can you imagine say Israel was just violently attacked by the PLO or some other anti-Israeli terrorists group, and their prime minister comes out and says, “we will bring those to justice.” Israel would not only be laughed at, they would be attacked again and again on such a weak response.
Israel doesn’t sit around and wait to see how it should respond when attacked by armed hostiles. They don’t need committees to contemplate on things might look before an election. Israel responds promptly and strategically in kind. A real leader does not allow its people to be constantly attacked all over the world for four years, then make a speech after the fact about “tough talk” on terrorism. Obama used the same “tough talk” rhetoric in 2010 on Iran, and Iran is just progressing toward going nuclear anyway (Source: Reuters).
Case in point:
In 1986, President Reagan ordered bombing strikes against (of all places) Libya in response to the bombing of La Belle discoteque in West Berlin where two American soldiers were killed and some 225 others including 200 Germans were wounded. Then Libyan ‘leader’ Colonel Muamar Gaddafi was behind the terrorists bombing at the German night club frequently visited by U.S. service personnel (Sources: BBC and Der Spiegel).
Obama’s “tough talk” speeches won’t bring back four murdered Americans due to a known lack of proper embassy security.
This Report is Continued Here: U.S. Embassies & Staff Come Under Attack, PART IV: The Politics
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Additional information about the author:
Author has long followed global events, and developed military strategy games. While attending a major private University, author initiated a senior project and wrote a research report titled: “International Terrorism: Challenge to U.S. Intelligence.” Net Advisor’s™ bio.
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