Are we safer?

View 741 Thursday, September 13, 2012

This from someone who has reason to know:

Though I have far more questions than answers, it is clear from the accounts so far that the attack in Libya was utterly planned. They knew the location of the safe house, and had mortars and machine guns placed to cover it, reports suggest an ambush of the convoy of marines and Libyan security on the way there, and there are reports that the Libyan police protecting the consulate were taking cell phone pictures of the place.

I can’t prove that the attacks in Egypt, Yemen and Tunisia were part of a planned scheme or just coincident based on the anniversary, but I don’t believe for a second that it was connected with the movie. An excuse always exists or can be created if required.

I find no good excuse for the insanely low levels of security shown on the anniversary of 9/11, in countries which have recently had violent unrest. Surely somebody could have foreseen the chance of violence.

Oh yes, the State Dept. did, according to reports which apparently didn’t get acted on. Then again, I told them myself that the Arab Spring would put bad guys into power, worse than what we had.

I can’t disagree with any of that.

The President last night told Telemundo that Egypt was neither an ally or an enemy. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-speaks-with-libyan-egyptian-presidents-urges-security-cooperation/2012/09/13/eff454f2-fd6b-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html The United States borrows billions a year to give to Egypt. If Egypt is not an ally, why do we do that?

The Saudis are upset because of the way we treated Mubarak. They favored giving him a chance at exile.

And the President does not consider Egypt an ally.

Do you feel safer today, September 13, 2012 than you did on September 13, 2008?

With luck this is a work day. Niven and I have been up the hill and now it is time for lunch.

2330: we got several hundred words done, and some of my dry spell broke. It’s late and bed time. A good day.

The problem is not that President Obama doesn’t know whether Egypt is an ally or an enemy. We all have our views on that as the situation in Egypt deteriorates, and while I believe that the United States is better off if the Mamerlukes control Egypt, I can understand that President Obama might have a different view – and, after all, he is President. As Clinton once said of himself, he’s the only President we’ve got.

The problem is that unless the President has a much deeper scheme going than I think him capable of, he has no business discussing such matters in a casual interview with Telemundo whole on a break from a fund raiser. These are high matters of state. Or, if they are not, there are better ways of letting the Egyptians know we no longer take them seriously. Romney can express emotional views as a candidate; he does not speak for the people of the United States. Foreign government can scan his words as an indication of intent, but not of the policy of the United States. The President is – well, the only President we’ve got. When he says that he no longer considers Egypt an ally, that counts for something. If he said it casually without thinking it through – or if he did think it through – either way, it ought not be revealed in a casual interview. Or so I would think.

It’s late and time for bed. Good night.