The shit hits the fan in Libya: US ambassador dead, Romney attacks Obama for siding with attackers

[WilliamPitt]

US ambassador, three staffers killed in Libya: http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/2012/09/12/american-killed-libya-protest-over-film/2EQzJyTOC9gbv3PtnixjsK/story.html

...apparently by protesters who are protesting Terry Jones' new anti-Islam movie: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/state-dept-confirms-death-in-libya-romney-attacks-disgraceful-white-house.php?ref=fpb

From that second link:

In a previous incident tied to Jones, a riot at a U.N. mission in Afghanistan killed 12 people in 2011, including three United Nations workers and four security guards, after mullahs urged followers to protest the Florida pastor’s burning of a Koran. More were killed in additional protests elsewhere in the country.

Earlier today, officials at the U.S. Embassy in Egypt issued a statement that “condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.” The embassy said the statement was drafted and released before the protests. But the succession of events drew widespread criticism in the United States after violence broke out for appearing weak in the face of threats.

That statement was not vetted by the State Department when it was released, so SecState Clinton sought to roll it back: “Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet. The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind.”

Romney's response: “I’m outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. It’s disgraceful that the Obama administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.”

Reince Priebus tweet: "Obama sympathizes with attackers in Egypt. Sad and pathetic."

Obama campaign response: "We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack."

[barbtries]

1. i assume romney and his neocon buddies

will soon be pounding the drums for more war. wtf. the obama campaign was very restrained in their response, and the romney campaign is as slimey as they come.

[Firebrand Gary]

5. You nailed it! See post #2

[SoapBox]

87. Nailed...

Ditto.

And don't forget about ALL of Mittens foreign experience...HIDING out in Paris, in a palace, during the Vietnam War.

...some kind of "brass" Mittens.

[flpoljunkie]

2. Yet Deputy Speaker of the Knesset is on Morning Joe criticizing Obama for not bombing Iran!

His obvious objective is to dictate foreign policy and meddle in our upcoming election--insisting Obama ought to meet with Netanyahu by the end of the month. He also claimed the United States is not supporting Israel like it did eight or nine years ago.

Their president Shimon Peres disagrees and says Israel has not had a 'better friend than President Obama.'

[CTyankee]

31. What an angry, snarling man he is! The MJ panel was pretty hostile to him.

They called him out on meddling with the U.S. presidential election.

It was pretty shocking, seeing this guy be so OBVIOUSLY partisan...

[aquart]

82. Someone on MJ was "OBVIOUSLY partisan"?

How unusual.

[CTyankee]

88. I meant the Israeli guy, obviously wading into our domestic politics.

Don't you find that unusual, if not a bit shocking? He's a leader in the Knesset. It would be like a U.S. Congressman going over to a foreign country during their election and taking a side on who should win. Policy discussions are one thing, campaigning for a candidate in a foreign nation is another...

[aquart]

89. Uh...shocking?

Have you noticed any Brits around? What about the Chinese money funding the attack ads? French, Russians, Saudis and Canadians never ever stick their oars in...oh wait. YOUR objection is that this was done in public instead of a back room.

Yeah, that's really shocking.

[CTyankee]

92. Of course I was. That's the point. It's always done backhanded, not as blatantly

as done in this instance on a political talk show.

[leveymg]

3. This is what happens when you start a process you don't understand and can't stop.

Maybe, humanitarian intervention and regime change in Libya -- and the region -- wasn't such a great idea?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

21. You're fucking kidding me, right?

You're saying that we'd be better off with Quadaffi in charge? They guy who blew up Flight 103?

We'd be better off with muderous thugs in charge? That's the sort of thinking that sends rockets into our embassies in the first place.

[leveymg]

37. Newsflash to Jeff: We installed and kept the Col. in charge of Libya for four decades.

The CIA kept Major Gaddafi in power when the Brits tried to organize a coup to back the deposed King Idris in 1969, and the Agency and western oil companies let him remain in power because: 1) he allowed 30% of all production to go to a consortium of multinationals and state oil companies (the Saudis nationalized all their upstream production); 2) he obligingly kicked back billions of dollars to western contractors; 3) he was a hell of an effective dictator - very few problems with the indigenous population; and 4) he was a convenient and cooperative stooge in any number of western intelligence operations. There's no consensus as to who blew up Flt. 103.

Gaddafi was the low-hanging fruit. When the Arab Spring threatened to sweep away the local autocrats, it seemed a convenient time to finally be rid of him, as he was counted increasingly vulnerable and a liability, as was Mubarak.

But, he was "our man in Tripoli" for many years, and there were reasons for keeping him. I don't agree with that policy, I'm just saying we may have set loose forces we barely grasp, and under the circumstances, some blow-back can be expected. Fuck Gaddafi.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

54. You're pretty much making my point

You want to know why the average person in the middle east doesn't like us? Because we gave them Gaddafi, and the Shah, and Saddam, and the Saudi Royal Family. Our policy in the middle east through the second half of the twentieth century was morally reprehensible, and you're damned right there's going to be some blow-back when people get enough freedom to respond to years of oppression.

We're reaping what we've sowed. And the idea that we'd be better off with dictators back in charge is as regressive a foreign policy as I can imagine. Now it may be that we're in agreement on this subject, and I don't mean to diss you. But we need to respond to these countries with a degree of enlightenment. This is not a situation that calls for military action, which is why I'm so thankful that we have Obama in the White House and not some coke-addled cowboy wannabe and his evil Svengali.

[coalition_unwilling]

69. OT, but kudos to you for the phrase 'evil Svengali' - I was thinking

'Rasputin' but went to my trusty Wikipedia and discovered that Svengali is way more a propos

Svengali is a fictional character in George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby. He is a hypnotist who makes the title character into a famous singer.

The word "svengali" has come to refer to a person who, with evil intent, controls another person by persuasion or deceit. The Svengali may feign kindness and use manipulation to get the other person to yield his or her autonomy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svengali

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

70. Hey, I've got a Master's Degree in English and I'm not afraid to use it! (nt)

[leveymg]

71. I think we're pretty much in agreement.

At the time, I supported Obama's decision to use airstrikes to stop the column of armor that was approaching Benghazi. I still think it was the right call. However, Libya is not a model for humanitarian intervention and regime change in the entire region, as some seem to believe.

Syria is an example of how covert efforts at regime change can quickly fuel civil war, invites foreign military intervention, provides a base of operations and weapons for Jihadis, that can spread into a wider regional religious war with long-term consequences for the United States and the world.

Before we start knocking over dictators -- even the ones we installed and propped up -- we need to consider all that entails, including Blowback.

[George II]

83. "WE" didn't keep him in charge for four decades...

....he was persona non-grata for the last 14 years or so, with no diplomatic relations for most of that time. So saying "we" (assuming yiou're talking about the US) kept him in charge for the last four decades is ridiculous.

[leveymg]

93. Relations were formally reestablished in 2003, and Libyan and US intel cooperated in torture.

Even during the period of greatest tension between the US and Libya, during the 1980s, we continued to co-manage and utilize the services of some of the nastiest terrorist organizations that had refuge in Libya. Western oil companies continued to pump and export sweet low-sulphur Libyan crude throughout.

If you don't know that, you really should do some more reading.

[George II]

111. Nine years is NOT decades...let's get back on topic instead of advancing a personal agenda.

[dixiegrrrrl]

38. My memory fails me...pls remind me when Flight 103 was blown up....

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

56. 1988...(nt)

[Blue_Tires]

61. 1988

Ironically, one of the many stated reasons PA103 went down was response to this incident:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655

(but we're not supposed to remember that)

[plethoro]

66. Yes, you are right. I thought that at the time. The anti-americanism is

now at such a peak in the mid-east, I wouldn't suggest any Americans going there. And if we attack Iran, or even participate in a supporting manner, we may well be attacked ourselves. And the real villian: AIPAC. Who now view Obama as a villain, when in reality he is becoming an international hero, despite the Libya intervention. Everything is not black and white. Sometimes gray is the color of choice.

[George II]

80. What "Process" - and who started it and WHO are you referring to??????????????

[leveymg]

95. Regime change. See "A Clean Break" (Perle, Feith, Wurmser, 1997)

Here's the most concise statement of the original goals of regime change: http://www.israeleconomy.org/strat1.htm

Remarkably prescient document. A few delays along the way, but the neocons are right on track toward meeting the stated objectives.

[Ganja Ninja]

4. Romney's response: “I’m outraged by the attacks"

Yeah I'll bet. You and the rest of the GOP slugs aren't outraged, you're licking your chops and gleefully piling on as fast as you can.

[magical thyme]

55. I'm wondering if his funders are behind the movie nt

[nanabugg]

6. If people don't understand who and what is behind this tragedy via that film, then we are clearly

doomed to be at war the rest of our lives.

[jp11]

30. I'm not sure I fully understand your meaning

but I'd agree that we will always be at war with people who think an opinion/POV that they don't agree with even if they find it repugnant gives them a reason to kill other people. Even worse those kinds of people don't seem to even care that the people they kill/hurt had nothing to do with the thing they are outraged/repulsed/offended by. It is good enough for them to wander out and find the most convenient representation of what made them angry.

As bad as our wars are we at least, in Afghanistan, were trying to target the taliban and those who just wanted to kill Americans we weren't just happy and satisfied to just kill the first Arab people we encountered to just jump back on a plane and go home.

[Heather MC]

46. Thank you, it is shameful that

This Terry person made a movie burning the Koran, but you are absolutely right that doesn't give anyone the right to kill the first Westerner they see.

However, if we don't start understanding and respecting these people's very passionate beliefs. obviously this type of thing will continue. Not condoning, just saying it's preventable.

Unlike when a white Guy shoots up a temple of innocent people in America, we don't know what sets him off

[magical thyme]

64. cultural difference: in their world movies are state approved/sponsored

So in their minds, this movie, which equates them with homosexual child molesters and their prophet a donkey, is sponsored by the US government.

We are casual about movies because they are primarily entertainment here, and has been for generations.

The same is not true for them.

[DemReadingDU]

7. Were were the Marine Security Guards?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Security_Guard

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usmc/msgbn.htm

[leveymg]

10. Not much use against a rocket attack if regime change has provided heavy weapons to Jihadists

When the Gadhaffi regime was overthrown, all sorts of weapons were "liberated." There is now no effective force to control their use within Libya and wherever they may be toted throughout the region.

This may be another case of blowback.

On edit: the Boston Globe reported that the weapons used were RPGs and assault rifles, which are ubiquitous. The point that regime change resulted in the looting of military armories and the release of bigger weapons to Jihadists and potential terrorists remains, however.

[DemReadingDU]

13. CNN: 4 killed

The United States ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, was killed in a rocket attack on the U.S. Consulate in the city of Benghazi on Tuesday, President Obama said Wednesday.

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens," Obama said in a statement. "Chris was a courageous and exemplary representative of the United States," Obama said.

The other three victims were American security staff, said a contractor working at the mission, who asked not to be named for security reasons. He said he saw all four bodies on the street Wednesday morning.

An "angry crowd" marched on the consulate on Tuesday, angry about an online film considered offensive to Islam, Libya's Deputy Interior Minister Wanis al-Sharif said Wednesday. The U.S. mission in Egypt was also attacked Tuesday in response to the film.

Al-Sharif said that consulate security staff opened fire when they heard gunfire outside the mission.

"This led to more anger and this is when the consulate was stormed," he said, suggesting that there were elements loyal to the regime of deposed dictator Moammar Gadhafi aiming to create chaos among the protesters. "Criminals managed to get in and they burned and ransacked the consulate," he said.

The U.S. mission is very badly damaged, the contractor said.

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/12/world/africa/libya-us-ambassador-killed/index.html


the other 3 staff who were killed, perhaps were the marine security guards?

[dixiegrrrrl]

40. I am curious which contractor provided "the security staff"

I think if the security were legit military, it would have been noted?

[Codeine]

12. They were supposed to catch the rocket and throw it back?

[CTyankee]

36. I thought the same thing. I was under the impression that the Marines stood guard

at all times in the Embassies and Consulates of the U.S. altho I don'r recall seeing a uniformed Marine at the U.S. Consulate in Milan when I had to go after my passport was stolen a few years ago. All I remember was being pleasantly asked by an Italian agent there if I was tired ("Sei stanco?&quot because I was yawning...not too exciting...

[Rustycup]

8. Romney is baiting the President

to go to War.....the Middle East is a mess and us going in there to solve their problems is not going to work. Been there done it......Romney seems to get the press first making it look like the Administration is responding to him.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Shocked at Romney & Probeus, surprised -- not so much.

[malokvale77]

11. Romney's statement shows why he should never sit in the Oval Office.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

20. Never....

Let's face it. If Romney were in the White House, we be at (another) war in 3.....2.....1

I'm glad we have someone with a little common sense as the CiC.

[clydefrand]

24. Every day and every thing

he says shows that HE should never sit in the Oval Office. That man might know his Bain business, but he doesn't know how to run our government. Government is NOT a business.

[JoePhilly]

26. +1000

[INdemo]

44. When the smoke clears there will be

the right wing fanatics and sympathizing commentators that will prop up Romney and he will slip thru this hoop and might even give him a boost with the Teabaggers..Shameful but that is the way it is...the far right could regroup after this,using this as their basis.

I think this guy Reince Priebus along with Romney just proved to us that they will do or say whatever they think it takes to win

Note: Chuckie Todd along with this CNBC right wing excuse maker (former Bush adviser Sara Taylor) are making excuses for Romney already.

[safeinOhio]

14. I don't feel we will be ready for more war in the ME

until the 5 romney boys enlist to led us into battle.

[Ian62]

15. The film that caused the attacks

If you encourage and breed hatred like the RWNJ's and neocons, you can expect casualties

The Movie So Offensive That Egyptians Just Stormed the U.S. Embassy Over It
(and killed 3 US consulate staff in Libya)

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/09/heres-the-movie-that-egyptians-just-stormed-the-us-embassy-over/262225/

[siligut]

16. Obama sympathized with the Muslims?

OMG he must be one. And Terry Jones really needs his own show on Fox, because you can never have enough radical, attention-whores spouting hate. On second thought, now that I see him, maybe Clear Channel has a space for him.

[IMG][/IMG]

Because how the hell are we going to justify more war without more hate?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

18. This dude's racking up an impressive body count in the name of Jesus...(nt)

[Axiomat]

67. Cool Propaganda Pic, though

What with the American flag and the Crucifix behind him and off to the side. If Romney gets elected, this "Hatriot" is ready to go mainstream.

[siligut]

77. When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross?

Oh, the irony of Sinclair Lewis directing those seeking to fulfill a prophecy. I chose the photo for the effect, glad you noticed.

[Junkdrawer]

17. Clearly we brought this on ourselves by not doing whatever Netanyahu says....

It's our Moral Responsibility to the Jewish State. (tm)



Netanyahu and his neocon buddies will force our hand one way or another.

[reformist2]

19. Luckily, Obama hasn't said anything yet - his condemnation needs to be loud and clear.

NO mention of the propaganda film - now is not a time for criticizing "filmmakers" that incite violence - maybe a few months from now, but not now.

[exboyfil]

68. His statement should include

that we expect the assistance of the Libyan government in bringing the murderers to justice, and if we do not receive that assistance, we will pursue other options including embargoes, removal of embassy, etc.

[Biafran]

22. Well, Fuck off Romney!

[JDPriestly]

23. Is Romney this desperate to improve his numbers?

Is this rioting, etc. a Republican/Netanyahu attempt to incite American voters against Obama?

It reminds me of the way the Reagan campaign acted about the Iranian hostages -- exploiting the ignorance of Americans about foreign policy and our choices in our relationships with other countries in order to win points in an election.

And may I remind everyone that whatever Reagan did or did not do to obtain the release of the hostages from Iran on his inauguration day, we are still dealing with the probable results of that meddling.

Romney should support the president on this issue.

The announcement from the Egyptian embassy will, I hope, save the lives of the personnel there. How irresponsible of Romney to criticize the embassy that is attempting to deal with the Egyptian fanatics with respect.

As for Egypt and Libya, they are still going through the aftermath of revolution and the struggle for power that has followed their revolutions. They are powder kegs. I think Romney is demonstrating his ignorance about foreign policy. You don't add gasoline to a powder keg no matter how right you feel you are. That is not diplomacy. That is self-righteousness.

[KharmaTrain]

25. Remember Georgia in '08

...and not the state...

Almost the same time in the campaign, Russia and its proxies attacked the little state of Georgia that was run by a right wing toadie. No sooner did the shooting start that Gramps McCain was out with statements and sent his "advisor" Randy Schunneman to "intervene". I'm probably scrambling the details a bit but in the end it was Gramps being over anxious to show his war bona fides that would embarass him in the situation. Bishop Willard is no Gramps.

Of course the right wingers are jumping on this incident...it has all sorts of angles to attack the President (he's a secret muslim being one very big dogwhistle hate radio will blow all day) and try to amp up the sympathies of the great unhinged behind the Bishop. I see Adleson's money and fingerprints all over this...quid pro quo time already...

The trouble for Rmoney is that this is a war weary country and support for an attack on Iran are low. Knowing how he's botched other moments to show real leadership, I expect Bishop Willard to over-react and hopefully that will scare more people than it will turn on. Yep...the neo-cons are chomping at a piece of Iran and figure they can play politics to force President Obama to kow tow to both Bibi and Adelson. Shameful...but predictable...

[Pamelajaynn]

27. Mittens

Once again the mittens team is desperate!' so obvious, that's all their campaign can do is pounce on anything. Shame on u mittens!'

[Ian David]

28. Romney should go to Egypt and personally express a response to the protesters. n/t

[abelenkpe]

32. He can take Terry Jones with him. Nt

[Ian David]

49. Terry Jones didn't make the video. He just promoted it on his website.

Some dude I never heard of made it.

[siligut]

34. Why yes, this would be perfect

Romney is such a diplomat, he could smooth things over in a matter of minutes.

[mountain grammy]

47. Best idea I've read.

Go to Egypt, Rmoney! Stand with your good friend, Netanyahoo. Sorry about the spelling, not enough respect to look it up..
Make no mistake, a vote for Rmoney is a vote for war! My sons are probably too old to serve, but my daughter is in her twenties and there are my two young granddaughters who will be ready in 6 years. Perpetual war with our buddy Israel. Bomb, bomb, bomb.. bomb Iran... Will the Rmoney boys go and break the family tradition of non service?

[jimlup]

29. Romney stepped in shit with that statement

It will come back on him.

[cstanleytech]

35. But since he is shit wouldnt it all just blend together into one big piece of shit?

[ellisonz]

33. Mitt Romney seems to have spent the better part of the last two days...

...dishonoring the memory of American citizens and showing how not to conduct a foreign policy. Coward.

[George II]

39. Do Romney, Priebus (aka Penis)....

Have any BRAINS??? Can they read and comprehend? They interpret what the State Department said as "sympathizing with attackers"????

Did they ever consider the timeline between the FIRST statement and the violent attacks?????

It's disgraceful that these idiots are capitalizing on tragedies in the Middle East for their own personal gain. But then again they're republicans, I guess it goes with the territory.

[dixiegrrrrl]

42. I always thought Priebus was a talking car.....

[truebrit71]

41. Double fuck Rmoney and Rinsed Penis....

[Spitfire of ATJ]

43. Could we throw this pastor in a steel cage match with Fred Phelps?

[Blue Belle]

84. If only wishing made it so...

[bluecoat_fan]

45. Polls show Rmoney lost the independent voters, so needs all teabaggers in November.

Watch the polls, they will reveal just how many racists and 1% are in this country.

[Thor_MN]

48. Makes one wonder who is bankrolling Mr. Jones...

High School graduate with two years of college, but no degree... Is against Corporate Taxes...

[magical thyme]

74. an Israeli-American Real Estate developer produced it. I wonder which campaign he's donated to.

Per Salon, the movie was produced by an "Israeli-American Real Estate Developer." Jones is merely promoting it.


I want to know who's bankrolling Romney. Specifically, I want to know if said "movie producer" is donating to the Romney campaign.

[NotThisTime]

50. Romney hopes this is his game change

[magical thyme]

51. Terry Jones is promoting the movie, but look who produced it

"the film was in fact directed and produced by "an Israeli-American California real-estate developer who called it a political effort to call attention to the hypocrisies of Islam.""

I guess those fucktards couldn't wait until October for their surprise.

And here are the contents:

"... it appears to compare Mohammed to a donkey and Muslims, according to one translation, to "child-lovers." The New York Times' Liam Stack, offering some offhand translations of the scene shown above, called it a "doozy." The man in the scene says of his donkey, "This is the first Muslim animal." He asks the donkey if it likes girls; when it doesn't answer, he bursts into laughter and says, "He doesn't like girls," according to Stack. Other scenes in the above clip seem to portray Muslim Egyptian characters, who for some reason all have strong New York accents, as immoral and violent, particularly toward the Christians whom they pursue with near-genocidal fervor. A number of Islam's founding figures, including the prophet, are accused of homosexuality and child molestation. "

[mopinko]

58. who is at the bottom of this, really?

these sorts of bullshit always smell like cia to me.

[ann---]

62. Of course, that's the reason

why the film is hated even more. An Israeli-American and a christian radical are pushing hate on the world - of COURSE the president should condemn that. And, so should Romney. Free speech is one thing - but hate speech is never free. Look at the consequences we are paying now because of the hatred of Islam by these people.

[Jessy169]

72. What a coincidence

that this video hit YouTube at the same time Netanyahu visits America. The producer/maker of the incindiary film got the $5 million backing from 100 "unnamed" Jewish contributors. How likely is it that one of those contributors is Adelson, and that the video and timing of its release is part of a plan to churn up the political waters to benefit Romney? I smell a Republican dirty trick here.

[magical thyme]

78. this needs to be an OP ^^^^^

If you don't start one, I will.

[Frustratedlady]

81. I'd love to know who came up with the idea and who financed this.

A K C keeps running through my mind, as in initials of 3 different factions.

[Scootaloo]

52. Romney just destroyed his chances with that line.

"It’s disgraceful that the Obama administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.”

This is NOT the track you want to take when every poll has you falling further and further behind. It's despicable in that it exploits the deaths of five Americans for political points... and faster than you can fucking blink, no less. And then to basically accuse the increasingly popular man you're running against of siding with the murderers.

No, that shit's high-risk even if you're ahead. That's a level of dirty campaigning that even most Republicans won't swallow well. Romney just scuttled himself.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

53. Romney and Priebus are shameless assholes

What happened to criticism stops at the shoreline?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

57. IOKIYAR, silly....

You know it's unAmerican for a Democrat to criticize a Republian President at times like these, but it's downright patriotic for a Republican to do it.

[ann---]

59. Is Romney that stupid that

he can't see supporting religious beliefs of others is not the same thing as "supporting the violence of the attackers." to answer my own question - yes.

[coalition_unwilling]

60. With all due respect to Secretary of State Clinton, our commitment to

religious tolerance DOES NOT GO "back to the very beginning of our nation." It barely stretches back 100 years.

Puh-leeze.

The KKK was lynching Jews with impunity back in the early part of the 20th Century.

[Bragi]

65. America's commitment to free speech goes back much further /nt

[coalition_unwilling]

75. I suspect you may be speaking ironically. If not, check out what

the U.S. did to Eugene Debs when he exercised his 'free speech' (at roughly the same time the KKK was lynching Jews, come to think of it).

Debs' speeches against the Wilson administration and the war earned the undying enmity of President Woodrow Wilson, who later called Debs a "traitor to his country."[35] On June 16, 1918, Debs made a speech in Canton, Ohio, urging resistance to the military draft of World War I. He was arrested on June 30 and charged with ten counts of sedition. His trial defense called no witnesses, asking instead that Debs be allowed to address the court in his defense. That unusual request was granted, and Debs spoke for two hours. He was found guilty on September 12. At his sentencing hearing on September 14, he again addressed the court, and his speech has become a classic. Heywood Broun, a liberal journalist and not a Debs partisan, said it was "one of the most beautiful and moving passage in the English language. He was for that one afternoon touched with inspiration. If anyone told me that tongues of fire danced upon his shoulders as he spoke, I would believe it."[36]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_V._Debs

[exboyfil]

76. Others

Lincoln and Copperheads
Adams and the Alien and Sedition Act

[randome]

90. Our culture is not perfect. Never has been.

But it is light years ahead of the religious mobs that kill with impunity.

[WI_DEM]

63. This middle east crisis reminds me more of the Suez Crisis of '56

than the 1980 Hostage Crisis that plagued Carter. I think, like Ike, Obama will have a cool head.

[Blue Belle]

85. It is sad...

You know what else is sad? It's when people lump "the Muslims" into one category and not be intellectually curious enough to do their homework about the faith or that region of the world. On the surface, these actions in Libya and Egypt don't make sense, but then again, you and I grew up in a culture that wasn't a dictatorial regime and where the movies we see aren't state sponsored. As ignorant as it is for these rioters to target US Embassies and kill innocent people over a movie produced by some xenophobic bible thumper, it is equally ignorant to paint all Muslims with a broad brush. That's like saying all of Christianity is exactly like the KKK. But somehow, Barry, I think you side with the Republicans more than you're letting on. Say hi to the freepers for me.

[xocet]

96. Talk about extrapolation...!

So, you think that about 1.6 billion people are responsible for the actions of a few hundred or some number on that order?

http://www.pewforum.org/Muslim/Mapping-the-Global-Muslim-Population.aspx

Your assessment of the situation is an emotional reaction to events if it is seen in the absolute best light it can be. You should reconsider it and carefully so.

[Zambero]

79. The race to the bottom

Romney has long since "won" this sorry endeavor. Just when it seems he couldn't possibly go any lower, he manages to establish demagoguery as an "art form". Deperate circumstances can promote desperate acts, and given the spectre of losing the election, Romney and they GOP machine have revealed themselves for what they are.

[BOG PERSON]

86. why do these ultra-conservative islamists we keep bringing to power

have to be so darn backward ?? cheese and crackers !!!

[mwooldri]

91. Reince Preibus : Un-American. Treasonous at worst, plain lying at best.

As for Mr. Romney - it's just "pants on fire" lying to the nth degree.

If Mr. Romney is comparing the staffers at the Egyptian Embassy with Obama's administration then if he gets into elected office again then maybe we could compare the animal control staff of a local authority as an extension of his administration. I say this because at this stage I could only see him elected mayor of some smaller sized city.

[LongTomH]

94. After this election cycle is (mercifully) over, I hope both Romney and Priebus sink into....

....the obscurity they have both earned.

[flyguyjake]

97. I hope RMoney's fellow

Repukes fry him for his comments!

[oldsarge54]

98. Wow, that is some Presidential nominee power

He can re arrange time. The "apology" was issued before the attack. Wow, Obama was apologizing before the attack even started. Just how stupid are Romney's advisor's, and will they be the same people should (God forbid) Romney get in the White House?

[progressivebydesign]

99. thanks 4 bringing up Priebus aka the RNC's response. It was lost today in the MSM and was PUTRID nt

[donheld]

100. I'm starting to wonder if

the Koch Bastards are happy knowing they are spending $400 million on the dumbest man on the planet.

[Jim Beard]

101. Fingerprints

This has Sheldon Adelson's fingerprints all over it.

Please remember that two previous Republican candidates, Nixon and Reagan have purposefully interified with foreign polocy to get elected and it worked.

The attackers and the "shouting fire in a crowded theater" movie producer are on Sheldon Adelsons payroll. How many thugs can you buy with $10,000,000?

It doesn't take much to get things started.

BTW, we all know about Israels conservative leader Benjamin Netanyahu's heavy handed actions day before yesterday about Iran.

Anyone else notice how fast Newt Gingrich got on CNN bright and early the next morning.

Lets don't be afraid to say it. Big right wing money financed this outrageous attack on peace loving people on both sides.

[msanthrope]

102. Any proof of the Adelson claim?

I want it to be true. But we do need facts.

[Jim Beard]

103. We Don't

Have time for facts.

Look at the movie maker, another federal lawbreaker.

[Jim Beard]

104. Did Adelson engineer Obama-Netanyahu crisis?

http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000784906&fid=4111
[link:http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000784906&fid=4111|

"""Adelson established a newspaper for Netanyahu (and his family). Adelson bought journalists to write only praise for the prime minister (and his family); journalists, who after all of Netanyahu's talk, "explain" how right he is. Journalists who cannot, in other words do not dare, find any flaw in Netanyahu's deeds and decisions. Nothing. """"

[msanthrope]

106. Perhaps YOU don't. We do. nt

[Jim Beard]

108. It has happened before

You will not get the chance to prove the claims if Romney wins and Adleson will suffer no legal problems. Get it? It will be over and we can just say it was those blankety blank stupid Arabs. Kinda like the white race proves its ignorance by blindly following FOX News.

[msanthrope]

109. Welcome to DU!!! What interesting viewpoints you have on the "white race!" nt

[napkinz]

105. not ready for prime time

[Coyotl]

107. Regarding Mitt Rmoney, desperate animals are upredictable and do not behave rationally

It must be pissing off Rmoney's privileged ass to no end to know he is going to lose BIG

and there is nothing he can do about it but dig a bigger hole by opening his own pie hole

[David Zephyr]

110. K&R.

The most crass and transparently opportunistic political move in a long time. Pathetic.