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
jconservative
September 14th, 2012
2:39 pm
Speaking of the election -
This from Joe Scarborough on Politico pages:
“Barack Obama has sunk America $5 trillion deeper into debt, has enacted the largest stimulus plan ever, pushed through the biggest health care boondoggle in U.S. history and posted trillion-dollar deficits every year of his presidency.
And yet unemployment is still over 8 percent.
Two-thirds of Americans still think their country is headed in the wrong direction.
And Mitt Romney is still losing.
Really???”
InAtl
September 14th, 2012
2:39 pm
“One thing that needs doing immediately is for Republican politicians to denounce the trash video that instigated the region-wide flare-up of anti-US demonstrations. Surely that video does not represent American values, not even Republican values.”
This kind of statement by L’il Aynie is a clear example of the mindset of a liberal. Note that the most important issue for this person is blaming the film as the problem – not Obama’s foreign policy, not radical Islam, not the poor security decisions made by Obama’s administration. Okay, I’ll bite. Say we take Aynie’s advice and keep “denouncing” this film. Any rational person would recognize that there are hundreds of other offensive films/writings/cartoons that would be next in line for these fanatics in the Middle East to get enraged about. Give me a break. This is such a straw man. We need to get to the bottom of this entire situation and find out why our facilities were so poorly guarded on the anniversary of 9-11, we need to find out why (and IF) our intel had no idea that this was coming, we need to find out why we didn’t have more backup from the government forces in the areas of the attacks, and we need to find out why Obama didn’t bother to go to any intelligence meetings in the week leading up to 9-11, which for the past decade has been a known red flag for possible terrorist activity. Why aren’t these the questions on the minds of the reporters instead of whether Romney’s comments were appropriate or ill-timed?
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:39 pm
A claim yet to be refuted by facts, Cheesy.
A claim yet to be proven by facts .
Fixed it for you.
saywhat?
September 14th, 2012
2:39 pm
“How should Obama respond to embassy attacks?”
_________________________________________________
Think like a Republican. Invade Iran.
Road Scholar
September 14th, 2012
2:39 pm
Getalife: He is still an imbecile!
Del
September 14th, 2012
2:39 pm
“He tried several times. Sudan etc”
You were either not around or have a poor memory. The Sudan offered OBL up and Clinton declined.
iggy
September 14th, 2012
2:40 pm
Airdrop Nancy Grace on them. After hearing her yap for 15 minutes those isLambs would certainly surrender.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:40 pm
And Mitt Romney is still losing.
Really???”
Yes he is. He is that weak of a candidate.
Its only gonna get worse after the debates.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
2:41 pm
“He was given a memo warning him.
Ignored it.”
And just how many PDB’s did you attend during the Bush administration, Cheesy?
Never mind.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:42 pm
You were either not around or have a poor memory. The Sudan offered OBL up and Clinton declined.
Not a factual statement.
http://www.factcheck.org/2008/01/clinton-passed-on-killing-bin-laden/
Road Scholar
September 14th, 2012
2:42 pm
Kyle: With liberty and freedom comes responsibility to not place others in jeopardy, esp life or death. Are you saying we are not to be responsible for our words and actions?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
2:42 pm
“A claim yet to be proven by facts . ”
Nice of you to finally post something true, Cheesy.
So that means you’ll be walking back your “lie” comment, since the claim has yet to be proven nor disproven?
Never mind.
iggy
September 14th, 2012
2:43 pm
Obama should send his comrade Rosie O’Donnell. She could eat them all.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:43 pm
In fact, the Justice Department did not secure an indictment against bin Laden until 1998 – at which point Clinton did order a cruise missile attack on an al Qaeda camp in an attempt to kill bin Laden.
This is a factual statement.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
2:45 pm
“Kyle: With liberty and freedom comes responsibility to not place others in jeopardy, esp life or death. Are you saying we are not to be responsible for our words and actions?”
I’ll answer that one, Road.
PEOPLE are responsible for their actions and words – not governments – unless said government makes the film in question. There is no equivalency to killing an innocent because some yahoo in America is a moron.
InAtl
September 14th, 2012
2:45 pm
Cheesy, reading your fact check article clearly states that Sudan still maintains they offered him to Clinton. Clinton sort of admitted it then denied it. And you find that convincing?
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:46 pm
So that means you’ll be walking back your “lie” comment, since the claim has yet to be proven nor disproven?
No. Only place Ive seen that is drudge.
Highly unreliable.
Nobody else is reporting Obama ” knew ”
Not even Fox News.
Until then its pretty safe to say that its bullsh*t.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:47 pm
Q: Did Bill Clinton pass up a chance to kill Osama bin Laden?
A: Probably not, and it would not have mattered anyway as there was no evidence at the time that bin Laden had committed any crimes against American citizens.
Thats the article I read.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
2:47 pm
“Only place Ive seen that is drudge.”
Then you need to broaden your information sources, Cheesy.
Not that I’m surprised they are so limited.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:50 pm
Then you need to broaden your information sources, Cheesy.
Not that I’m surprised they are so limited.
Give me a link then.
I dont see it anywhere on any legitimate media’s website
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:51 pm
http://www.foxnews.com
Show me where they are reporting Obama knew in advance of the attacks.
And you know they would given the opportunity.
You sir are a liar.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
2:51 pm
“Probably not, and it would not have mattered anyway as there was no evidence at the time that bin Laden had committed any crimes against American citizens.”
But it was OK for him to lob a cruise missile at him? You’re trying to have t both ways, Cheesy.
And let’s look at this word “offered”. Implies they either have the subject in custody ready to turn over, or they know where he is. Is the most effective response to an “offer” to lob a cruise missile? No, it is to send someone to get him or send in people to kill him.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:52 pm
And I dont waste time with liars.
Sucks to be you.
Thulsa Doom
September 14th, 2012
2:53 pm
“Oh and the US government should put up a billboard and provide the address of the idiot(s) who is(are) responsible for the film!”
Road scholar,
Come on now. Did you have the same righteous indignation when Maplethorpe or whoever did a painting of Jesus with the cross in a jar of urine? Or when Christ or God are routinely made fun of in American television including cartoons. This is about using a film as an excuse to just raise hell and attack America. The film is just a flimsy excuse.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
September 14th, 2012
2:53 pm
But it was OK for him to lob a cruise missile at him? You’re trying to have t both ways, Cheesy.
2 years later dummy.
I know reading comprehension is hard but god are Georgia schools really this bad ?
Im out this is going nowhere.
Gen. MacArthur
September 14th, 2012
2:53 pm
By now over 20 U.S. and British embassies combined have been besieged. Are you going to drop bombs in all of those locations? Air stikes in 20 different locations all over the world? Let those people over there wear themselves out with destroying their own communities. We can wait things out far longer than they can.
Road Scholar
September 14th, 2012
2:55 pm
“PEOPLE are responsible for their actions and words – not governments – unless said government makes the film in question.”
Agreed.
“There is no equivalency to killing an innocent because some yahoo in America is a moron.”
Agreed. It is not tit-for tat. But shouldn’t the yahoo/moron take responsibility for his/her/their actions? Should there be penalties when your actions led to the murder of innocents? While he/she/they exercised free speech, what would you do to a person who knowingly, and with malice intent, did something that led to innocents’ deaths? Have a parade! Say hello to them as you pass them on the street? This/These person(s) should be laid out.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
2:56 pm
“Show me where they are reporting Obama knew in advance of the attacks.”
Well, technically not Obama, but his State Dept.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/revealed-inside-story-of-us-envoys-assassination-8135797.html
InAtl
September 14th, 2012
2:57 pm
Cheesy: “Sucks to be you.” “Im out this is going nowhere.”
Sounds like someone who’s been backed into a corner with the facts. And such maturity, too.
Aquagirl
September 14th, 2012
2:57 pm
PEOPLE are responsible for their actions and words – not governments – unless said government makes the film in question.
That’s well known and accepted in this country. Someone who has grown up under a repressive regime….say Gadaffi’s Libya….may not understand that concept. It’s literally inconceivable to them. If someone makes a movie, it must reflect the government’s views. Otherwise it’ll never be seen, the government will squelch it.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
2:59 pm
“But shouldn’t the yahoo/moron take responsibility for his/her/their actions?”
Well, Road, if the is a God, I’m certain that he will. However, since we are not living in Nazi Germany (yet) we (the government) cannot take action against him.
On the other hand, I’d love to be a lawyer looking over a wrongful death suit by the families of the 4 slain Americans against that yahoo.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
3:01 pm
Doesn’t excuse their subsequent actions, Aquagirl.
Not if they wish to be considered civilized.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 14th, 2012
3:04 pm
True, he may not know it. He may be gliding through the final four months of his presidency absolutely convinced he’s king of the world, but he’s a failure. The country doesn’t re-elect failure, no matter how urgently fellow failed and aging “journalists” or their young acolytes –”What’s our question Jan?”– desperately want him to be thought a success.
mullah obozo and his raving pack of msm lunatics, howl and bay.
But We The People are not blind.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 14th, 2012
3:05 pm
“What we’re seeing now is al-Qaedaistan developing in Libya, meltdown of our relations with Egypt, you have riots in Yemen, attacks on our embassy in Tunisia. This entire premise that we want to be loved and respected, we’ll apologize, has now yielded all of these results and these are the fruits of apology and retreat and lack of confidence in our own principles,” Krauthammer concluded.
Spinelessness never works libbies.
Kyle Wingfield
September 14th, 2012
3:06 pm
Aquagirl: Are we to believe, then, that they showed up at these “protests” on their own volition?
yuzeyurbrane
September 14th, 2012
3:07 pm
The poll results are remarkably reserved and realistic. Congratulations posters.
Just Saying..
September 14th, 2012
3:08 pm
“Martin would be just like his son (not knowing what Martin was really all about yet)”
md:
“be just like”
or
“look like”?
You’re right. It really doesn’t matter to you…
Just Saying..
September 14th, 2012
3:09 pm
“And Mitt Romney is still losing.
Really???””
Mitt adds to his accomplishments…
Del
September 14th, 2012
3:13 pm
By By Cheesy…I’m sure you want to get ready for FNM.
Aquagirl
September 14th, 2012
3:15 pm
Doesn’t excuse their subsequent actions, Aquagirl. Not if they wish to be considered civilized.
Who said anything about their subsequent actions? Y’all were wringing your hands over our “apologies.” We didn’t apologize for squat. We said a youtube video didn’t reflect our government’s policy. Mitt Romney said he didn’t agree with the clip either, I don’t think he’s trampling anyone’s 1st Amendment rights. Maybe you should drop him a line about his wimpy apologetic ways or fascism, I’m not sure which sin you think he’s committing.
Nice try on moving the goalposts, hope you didn’t hurt yourself.
md
September 14th, 2012
3:16 pm
“But shouldn’t the yahoo/moron take responsibility for his/her/their actions? Should there be penalties when your actions led to the murder of innocents? While he/she/they exercised free speech, what would you do to a person who knowingly, and with malice intent, did something that led to innocents’ deaths?”
I’ll pose another question for those that don’t seem to get it:
If a radical christian had gone on a killing spree after watching the movie “religilous”, should Bill Maher be prosecuted and held accountable for the deaths?
We are talking the exact same thing…….even though some will use culture as an excuse for the barbarianism.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
3:22 pm
“We didn’t apologize for squat.”
Yeah, we did. You may not like it, but we did.
“We said a youtube video didn’t reflect our government’s policy.”
No, we didn’t. We said we condemned the film. Vey, very different terms. That English 101 is getting more critical for you every day.
“Mitt Romney said he didn’t agree with the clip either,”
He’s not speaking for our government – yet.
Thulsa Doom
September 14th, 2012
3:22 pm
md @ 3:16,
Got my popcorn ready. Should be interesting to watch the responses to that question from some on the left who blame not the violent mobs but the filmmaker.
md
September 14th, 2012
3:26 pm
““be just like”
or
“look like”?
You’re right. It really doesn’t matter to you…”
I can’t help you if you can’t understand why he even said what he said……and if he had a son, odds are it wouldn’t look like Martin, it would look like others in his own family……unless just being black was the intent.
Just Saying..
September 14th, 2012
3:47 pm
md:
Here’s what the President said-
“”If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Obama said”
And here’s what you wrote-
“Martin would be just like his son (not knowing what Martin was really all about yet”
So what you wrote was your paraphrase, in exchange for what the President actually said.
And if your contention that what you write is not representative of what you’re thinking….
well, I can’t help you.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
September 14th, 2012
3:51 pm
If we’re going to be held to childish displays of wordsmithing, we might just as well address “Just Saying” as “MarkV”.
It would certainly save a lot of time and wasted effort.
kayaker 71
September 14th, 2012
3:54 pm
#1 Expel their diplomats
#2 Pull all Americans out of Egypt, Libya and the Sudan
#3 Cease aid to Egypt and Libya
#4 Cease visas to those who would want to travel to any of these countries
#5 Announce to the acting president of Libya that in 6 days, we will send an airstrike to take out many of their most cherished buildings including their largest mosque and government buildings. Notice is given to allow them to evacuate prior to the strike.
#6 Impress upon them that this an act of war that we will not tolerate and if it continues, they can expect more of the same.
Then let’s see how many more ambassadors they elect to kill.
Michael H. Smith
September 14th, 2012
3:55 pm
What should Obama’s response entail?
If we had the same information in hand as obama our responses would be better, Kyle. Senator Chambliss let us in on the fact that the Libyan attacks were not random happenstance. However, given obama’s lack of experience in foreign affairs his decisions fortunately will be based on the better foreign policy judgements and skills of those like Hilary Clinton who has to rely on before making a commitment to any particular actions.
Even with that kindness extended to obama, after reading a few excerpts from “Price of Politics” ~ by Bob Woodward and his interview with several people like Diana Sawyer, obama’s leadership abilities should seriously be called into question. As Woodward said aptly… Reagan and Clinton work able their will with the opposing party in power. obama has shown he cannot.
If you cannot work with your own countrymen in the face adversity how shall you work with people who are your known enemies in the face of terror?
Just Saying..
September 14th, 2012
3:55 pm
Tib-
Actually, all your time here is wasted effort.
And the irony that today’s column is all about so-called “wordsmithing is obviously lost on you…
md
September 14th, 2012
3:55 pm
“So what you wrote was your paraphrase, in exchange for what the President actually said.”
Yes, paraphrase off the top of my head knowing it really didn’t matter HOW he jumped the gun on that particular subject, just the fact that he DID jump the gun in the same manner in which he jumped the gun in the other two examples……..the post was about the intent, NOT word for word quotes.