Poll Position: How should Obama respond to embassy attacks?
The big story this week was the series of attacks on U.S. embassies across the Middle East and North Africa: from Libya, where our ambassador was killed, to Egypt, Yemen and, today, Tunisia and Sudan. In Libya, the government is cooperating with the investigation into the murders of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. The responses from the other countries have been mixed, but they have been rather tepid on the whole.
How should Obama respond to the attacks on our embassies?
- Cut foreign aid (255 Votes)
- Pursue the killers in Libya; otherwise, lie low (173 Votes)
- Stop issuing travel visas for people from those countries (130 Votes)
- Bomb 'em (108 Votes)
- Economic sanctions (106 Votes)
- Too soon to say (102 Votes)
- Cut diplomatic ties (91 Votes)
- Increase foreign aid (5 Votes)
Total Voters: 517
Loading ...President Obama made a mistake Wednesday evening when he said of the Egyptian government, which has been in place less than three months, “I don’t think that we would consider them an ally, but we don’t consider them an enemy.” It was a mistake because the White House on Thursday had to walk back the statement; later Thursday, the State Department had to walk back the walk back, clarifying that Egypt retains the official designation of Major Non-NATO Ally it has held since 1989.
But this post isn’t about criticizing Obama for shooting first and aiming later. (OK, maybe it’s a little bit about that.) It’s really about the question most of us have been pondering since the attacks in Libya and Egypt on Tuesday, the 11th anniversary of 9/11: What is the proper response?
Some of you took my first post on the subject to imply a military action is needed. As I tried to make clear in the comments, that’s not the case. Things would have to spiral much further out of control before we were talking about military action.
Unless, of course, you include drone flights and a possible targeted strike on the terrorists responsible for the ambassador’s death, which the Obama administration appears to be considering at the very least.
Otherwise, there are a range of options here. We could pull our diplomats from their capitals. We could expel their diplomats from Washington. We cut cut or eliminate foreign aid to these countries. We could, I suppose, increase our foreign aid to them and use it to promote and educate them about our laws and values (such as freedom of expression). We could officially remove them from our list of allies. We could stop issuing travel visas from their country to ours. We could impose some form of economic sanctions. Or we could essentially do nothing more than pursue the people who killed Stevens and the other Americans.
What should Obama’s response entail? That’s this week’s Poll Position question. Answer in the nearby poll — NOTE: unlike most of my polls, you can select more than one answer in this one — and the comments thread below.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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949 comments Add your comment
David R. Boag, DDS
September 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
Piedmont @ 9:30 am
I don’t think we are too far apart. I ALSO agree that those things you mentioned need to happen, but there is an order they need to happen in, and there is one major thing missing. The way that I determine what should be done first is by asking what is the farthest away from where it should be in order to make the math work? I think you hit it correctly: spending is more out-of-whack than anything else. Before ANYTHING ELSE happens, there has to be some SERIOUS spending cuts. If you don’t start there, you are not really serious about righting the fiscal ship.
The second thing that is totally out-of-whack is that the entire lower 49% pays ZERO income tax. That’s way out-of-whack too. That just can’t be and have the math work. Even if you took 100% of the income from the “millionaires and billionaires,” which most reasonable people would say is completely absurd, can’t make the math right without everyone else paying their part. It IS mathematically possible to increase taxes on those who pay nothing to pay some and balance the budget. Note that I am not saying that that is ALL that should be done, but raising the rates on the higher-income bracket without doing so to the lower half shows that you aren’t seriously trying to right the ship.
Then, I would agree, it it probably necessary to raise tax rates on the more affluent.
Now, the trouble will come with steps one and two. There will be cries that these first two steps will hurt too much. Well, news flash: it doesn’t matter what way we go at this point. If we are to right the financial ship in reality, it’s gonna hurt, and it’s gonna hurt all of us SOME. The longer we wait to get
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
September 16th, 2012
2:34 pm
Lying traitor.
Getting through to you, getalife, I see. You have nothing else to say, except hurl epithets.
OUCH
September 16th, 2012
2:35 pm
Rafe
Yes everyone has a right to their opinion. Others also have a right to scrutinize said opinion.
While having that right to say it, claiming someone is not American because they do not have the same political views is just being stupid. And yes, people have that right as well.
JamVet
September 16th, 2012
2:36 pm
The EPA cleaned up the mess, much of that done since has been busy work and scams.
Much more of it has been to continue “cleaning up the messes”.
And to keep the polluters from unleashing more and more and more poisons into our ecosystems.
BTW, Barry is also complicit. “Clean coal”, that he supports, is a complete joke. There is no such thing.
You may hate the facts, but that does not make them any less true…
David R. Boag, DDS
September 16th, 2012
2:36 pm
Piedmont @ 9:30 am
I don’t think we are too far apart. I ALSO agree that those things you mentioned need to happen, but there is an order they need to happen in, and there is one major thing missing. The way that I determine what should be done first is by asking what is the farthest away from where it should be in order to make the math work? I think you hit it correctly: spending is more out-of-whack than anything else. Before ANYTHING ELSE happens, there has to be some SERIOUS spending cuts. If you don’t start there, you are not really serious about righting the fiscal ship.
The second thing that is totally out-of-whack is that the entire lower 49% pays ZERO income tax. That’s way out-of-whack too. That just can’t be and have the math work. Even if you took 100% of the income from the “millionaires and billionaires,” which most reasonable people would say is completely absurd, can’t make the math right without everyone else paying their part. It IS mathematically possible to increase taxes on those who pay nothing to pay some and balance the budget. Note that I am not saying that that is ALL that should be done, but raising the rates on the higher-income bracket without doing so to the lower half shows that you aren’t seriously trying to right the ship.
Then, I would agree, it it probably necessary to raise tax rates on the more affluent.
Now, the trouble will come with steps one and two. There will be cries that these first two steps will hurt too much. Well, news flash: it doesn’t matter what way we go at this point. If we are to right the financial ship in reality, it’s gonna hurt, and it’s gonna hurt all of us SOME. The longer we wait to get it done, the MORE it will hurt. And here’s the harsh reality: it’s going to hurt the lower-income bracket harder than the upper one. To say there’s a way around that isn’t being mathematically or intellectually honest. The question is can we have leadership that is ready to lead us through the hard decisions to get us to the outcome whereby in the end the most number of people have the highest possible standard of living. This is where, IMHO, socialism and plans that look similar to it, doesn’t work as well.
David R. Boag, DDS
September 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
Sorry for the double-post everyone. I didn’t realize the first one even posted. I promise I’m not trying to own the blog! My apologies.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
September 16th, 2012
2:52 pm
OUCH
because they do not have the same political views is just being stupid. And yes, people have that right as well.
I agree that having different political views is quintessential American. However, there are some political views that are the antithesis of being an American. If you do not support the Constitution, think we should always go with the will of the people, believe that one branch has more sway than the other two, advocate things you know to be unconstitutional, and if elected to position of authority but refuse to enforce Congressionally mandated statutes. Just some random things that I think would make you not an American at heart, but you could still be an American by birth.
Kinda like a Boy Scout leader, who thinks they should admit girls and who thinks they should remove God from their organization. Maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t share enough of the same beliefs as the organization has espoused for a hundred years, and he should just start his own organization, and quit claiming to be a Boy Scout leader, even though he was raised a Scout.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
September 16th, 2012
2:54 pm
What makes someone an AMERICAN?
Maybe the poster who posted the comment can answer the question.
———————
I already did. Your reading comprehension sucks.
getalife
September 16th, 2012
2:55 pm
“Rahm Gives Major Ground In New Deal To End Chicago Teachers Strike” Aol.
Congrats teachers.
Stephenson Billings
September 16th, 2012
2:57 pm
Libyan president: ‘No doubt’ attack ‘preplanned’
“Libya President Mohamed Yousef El-Magariaf said Sunday that 50 arrests have been made in connection with last week’s “preplanned” attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that left U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead.
“The way these perpetrators acted and moved — I think we, and they’re choosing the specific date for this so-called demonstration, I think we have no, this leaves us with no doubt that this was pre-planned, determined,” Magariaf said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” ”
http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2012/09/libyan-president-no-doubt-consulate-attack-preplanned-135664.html
Stephenson Billings
September 16th, 2012
2:58 pm
Al-Qaeda says attack on U.S. consulate in Libya ‘revenge’ for death of its 2nd man
“Al-Qaeda said the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya was in revenge for the killing of the network’s number two Sheikh Abu Yahya al-Libi, SITE Intelligence Group reported Saturday, as Libyan authorities have identified 50 people who were involved in the attack.
“The killing of Sheikh Abu Yahya only increased the enthusiasm and determination of the sons of (Libyan independence hero) Omar al-Mokhtar to take revenge upon those who attack our Prophet,” al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said in a statement, quoted by the U.S.-based monitoring group, according to AFP.”
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/09/15/238197.html
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
September 16th, 2012
3:08 pm
The dots were there. They were easily connected by anyone paying attention. Obozo took his eye off the ball. Americans died.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 16th, 2012
3:21 pm
Defense against foreign enemies is the primary job of the president of the United States. The rationale for the office’s creation is national defense — not green venture capitalism, not rationing medical care, not improving the self-image of the “Muslim world,” not leaving no child behind, not blowing out the Treasury’s credit line. Yet, though we are entering the late innings, foreign policy and national defense have not been factors in the 2012 campaign.
Up until now, anyway.
Anybody else notice how the libs could hardly care less about what happened to Christopher Stevens? All they worry over is blaming Romney, whatever in the hell he had to do with this total failure.
cc
September 16th, 2012
3:31 pm
I Report@3:21 pm:
The libs don’t care about what happened to Brian Terry, either.
Army Vet
September 16th, 2012
3:47 pm
Then,again, Rafe, you have just defined President Obama. Thank you.
gm
September 16th, 2012
3:47 pm
Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
Under Bush, American Embassy was attacked 13 times, did he take his eye off the ball? 3500 Americans dead 911 under GW Bush, right wing nut jobs can not even compare the two administration.
Amazing fox right wing bigots cry babbies alway saying the media is bias, have this media Anti American news network ever thought just because there viewers are narrow minded, dont research and you can feed them misinformation the rest of the viewers in the world are sane?
Piedmont South from North Georgia
September 16th, 2012
3:51 pm
r Bush, American Embassy was attacked 13 times, did he take his eye off the ball? 3500 Americans dead 911 under GW Bush, right wing nut jobs can not even compare the two administration.
____
That was obviously because W. Bush was weak on defense.
gm
September 16th, 2012
3:53 pm
Please Liz Cheney before you continue your idiot commets about President Obama please ask this quesion to your self, how many Americans died on American soil under my Daddy administration?
These people have serious mental problems, real Americans suppose to forget the last 8 years of hell under rep administration, sorry nut jobs it do not work like that”””’
JDW
September 16th, 2012
3:54 pm
@Kyle…”JDW @ 12:31 confirms there is no limb too long, too thin, he will not walk out on to defend Obama.
Seriously? Having the State Department walk back a statement by the President, while explaining he didn’t have the question in advance and thus didn’t know how to answer, is a brilliant idea?”
Parse, whine and pontificate all you want. Fact is that after the comment Egypt did an about face and toed the line. At the same time the White House has not only not “apologized” for the comment but instead reinforced its truthfulness…
“The president, in diplomatic and legal terms, was speaking correctly, that we do not have an alliance treaty with Egypt,” White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.”‘Ally’ is a legal term of art,” Carney said.”
You on the other hand want to have it both ways…first you whine that the President wasn’t forceful enough, then when he sends a pointed message you want to whine that he is making a mistake.
At the same time you probably 100% support this nonsense…
“In an interview with the Washington Post’s Philip Rucker, Richard Williamson, a top foreign policy adviser to the Republican presidential nominee, suggested the deadly protests that claimed the life of Chris Stevens, the American ambassador to Libya, and three other U.S. diplomatic aides would not have happened if Romney were president.
“There’s a pretty compelling story that if you had a President Romney, you’d be in a different situation,” Williamson, who served as former President George W. Bush’s ambassador to the United Nations, told the Post. ”
Give us your take on that one Kyle…Romney got a magic wand down his drawers?
cc
September 16th, 2012
4:04 pm
Someone needs to flush again; gm is still here!
bluecoat
September 16th, 2012
4:23 pm
no where near as many died,as died in NY 9/11 when Bush took his eye of numerous balls.
David R. Boag, DDS
September 16th, 2012
4:32 pm
JDW @ 3:54 pm
At the same time you probably 100% support this nonsense…
Not me. I don’t think Mitt’s been strong enough to make that statement either. But having said that, it does remind me about a November night in 1980 after MONTHS of a hostage crisis President Jimmy Carter was “leading” us against, then-President-elect Reagan hadn’t even been inaugurated yet, and suddenly the American hostages in Iran were released. Reagan had taken such a bold stance during the campaign that just the THREAT OF UPCOMING chanige in leadership led to hostage release. He was leading even before he was given the position.
Two points: 1. Leadership makes a difference. Mr. Obama’s looks more like Carter’s than Reagan’s, and the results are starting to look similar. 2. Mitt Romney is not (yet at least) Ronald Reagan, but he’s way closer than Mr. Obama will ever be.
bluecoat
September 16th, 2012
4:54 pm
Think Ryan more like Obama.Mitt more like Ollie North.Reagan more like LBJ,Ford.
Piedmont South from North Georgia
September 16th, 2012
4:58 pm
David R. Boag, DDS
September 16th, 2012
2:36 pm
________
You make a logical argument. And if I was in Congress I would be inclined to go along with the cuts without the tax increases.
But I would have one question that might stop me. If I went along with the cuts, how would I know that the necessary tax increases would ever be passed?
I guess what we have here is a lack of trust.
Stef
September 16th, 2012
5:00 pm
You know Romney talks all of that bad and bold talk but he nor any of his children served in the Military in any manner. Obama should think before he reacts because he knows not serving himself he needs to think about past warmongers who has gotten so manny of our children killed. Those people who killed our diplomates are insane, we don’t have to be insane along with them.
TruthBe
September 16th, 2012
5:07 pm
If you serve your Country in uniform respectfully than YES. In country or out doesn’t matter period. To all that served THANK YOU. And GOD Bless you and your Family.
getalife
September 16th, 2012
5:18 pm
We can’t allow the neocons to slither back in power.
Mike still cracks me up :
http://blogs.ajc.com/mike-luckovich/2012/09/06/97-mike-luckovich-cartoon-ex-president-speaks/
JamVet
September 16th, 2012
5:29 pm
All Romney did was worrying about blaming Stevens and the other embassy personnel.
Probably part of the reason why he is fading fast.
Intrade now puts the odds of victory at 61% for Obama to 38% for Romney.
And Mitt could have won this election really easily.
Had he been who was when he won Massachusetts – a reasonable moderate who governed from the center and who understood the huge importance of give and take.
But THIS “severely conservative” (LOL!), uncompromising, equivocating neocon, Frankenstein Mitt is a pretzel-spined imitation of that man…
button piercers in
September 16th, 2012
5:32 pm
I consider, that you are not right. I am assured. I can prove it. Write to me in PM, we will communicate.
P.S. Please review our icons for Windows and windows13icons.
Del
September 16th, 2012
5:32 pm
I see Kyle’s numbers are growing while Bookman’s appear to be shrinking.
Laughing at You
September 16th, 2012
5:42 pm
Friday the 14th thru today: Comments
Bookman 1605
Wingfield 880
That doesn’t count who read or at least clicked on the articles (which is the most important to AJC) and didn’t comment.
Both have their place in the political discourse and dialogue of this newspaper / website.
And your point was exactly what?
Laughing at You
September 16th, 2012
5:52 pm
To be fair, the comment numbers might be a little off because people seem to comment on articles from the day before if a new article has not been posted.
I will let you get into those details.
Have fun jealous one.
They are both alright.
DebbieDoRight - Prez. O = 2.5M Jobs; Repug Congress = 0. You do the Math
September 16th, 2012
5:53 pm
Give us your take on that one Kyle…Romney got a magic wand down his drawers?
Well, only his wife knows for sure….
Del
September 16th, 2012
5:54 pm
“And your point was exactly what?”
Clearly you have reading comprehension issues.
Laughing at You
September 16th, 2012
5:56 pm
Simpletons always get testy
Hilarious
Del
September 16th, 2012
5:58 pm
“Have fun jealous one.”
Yep, a simpleton.
Laughing at You
September 16th, 2012
5:59 pm
At least you admit it. That is the first step. Now all you need to do is seek help.
Best of luck my friend. You will need it.
Del
September 16th, 2012
6:03 pm
I’ll bet we have keep up the good fight trying to play over here under his/her new handle.
cc
September 16th, 2012
6:13 pm
Del@6:03 pm:
I do believe you’re right!
Del
September 16th, 2012
6:15 pm
Lets see we have JamVet, They Both Suck, now DebbieDoRight,getalife along with fred, of course nobody from either side thinks fred plays with a full deck, all blogging on here.Welcome y’all at least from me. Those who lack the intestinal fortitude to identify yourselves crawl back home. Kyle’s numbers are rising and that’s a good thing.
Del
September 16th, 2012
6:18 pm
cc, if you’ve spent any time busting libs on Bookmans blog they’re easy to spot when they come slinking over here.
RW-(the original)
September 16th, 2012
6:27 pm
From a messenger even getalife could love…
Jenna Jameson shows stark contrast between first tweets from Romney and Obama on 9/11
http://twitchy.com/2012/09/16/jenna-jameson-shows-stark-contrast-between-first-tweets-from-romney-and-obama-on-911/
cc
September 16th, 2012
6:30 pm
Del@6:18 pm:
I’ve done a lot of reading there and finally decided that it wasn’t for me. There are some truly sick people in this world, and many of them have found Bookman’s blog! I know they occasionally show up here and, to a lesser degree on Galloway’s blog, but this is where I belong!
Del
September 16th, 2012
6:32 pm
cc, me too.
DebbieDoRight - Prez. O = 2.5M Jobs; Repug Congress = 0. You do the Math
September 16th, 2012
6:56 pm
Enter your comments here
@@
September 16th, 2012
7:32 pm
Kinda weird that AmVet has looked death in the eye but is afraid of our water and air.
@@
September 16th, 2012
7:33 pm
Oops!
Is proud to have looked death in the eye but is afraid of our water and air.
cc
September 16th, 2012
7:44 pm
@@@7:33 pm:
That’s the best laugh I’ve had all day! Thanks!
JamVet
September 16th, 2012
7:56 pm
Kinda weird that AmVet has looked death in the eye but is afraid of our water and air.
Not afraid, ye who speaks for others.
Just not willing to ignore the poison it.
And cc, you have no idea what she is talking about, so the laugh is on you…
RW-(the original)
September 16th, 2012
7:56 pm
Is proud to have looked death in the eye….
I know that to some it may look real, but they kill Kenny just about every week.