Failed Leadership

On September 11, 2012, the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya was attacked.  Four Americans were killed including our Ambassador, Chris Stevens.  It was the first time in 30 years that an Ambassador has been killed abroad.

It was a tragic and horrific event carried out by extremists who hate everything about us.  Their hatred is deep.  Their rage is insatiable.  And their utter disgust for America allows them to justify abhorrent atrocities against our people.

The White House has been deeply criticized for what appears to be a distinct attempt to mislead Americans about the nature of this attack.  For 14 days, we heard about "spontaneous protests which grew out of control," we heard about an obscure YouTube video which inspired "angry riots" and we also heard, although abstractly, it referred to as an "act of terror."

Six weeks later, the picture becomes clear.

1. Months before the attack, our ambassador feared for his life and had requested for additional security measures.  It was denied.  
2. Benghazi was a dangerous place.  On the day of the attack, the British and even the Red Cross had evacuated the city.  Despite the danger and the anniversary of 9/11, our ambassador and his team remained with inadequate protection.  
3. There was no protest of any kind.  Multiple eye witnesses said, "The streets were quiet." So where did this fabricated story originate and why did the president believe it?  
4. It was undoubtedly terrorism and a jihadist group has claimed responsibility.

Most discouraging?  Emails and paper trail show that the White House knew it all.

Today there is a fascinating and heart breaking Fox News Exclusive report which shows that during the horrific raids, CIA operatives were on the phone with US Intelligence agencies.  In real time, they requested additional military back-up.  Three times they requested reinforcements, yet all three times they were told to "Stand Down."

For seven hours, these men hid behind the walls of a safe house.  For seven hours, they must have heard the angry hate-filled voices of the terrorists getting closer.  For seven hours, these men must have clung to each other and probably clung to the hope that someone would come to save them.

No one answered their call.   All four of them were killed.

Yet, from this article, we learned that 480 miles away at the Sigonella US Air Force Base, military jets were aware of the attacks and were waiting for the go ahead to send Tier One Special operations forces and Delta Force Operators to help.

They would have made it in time.  The command never came.

Where was our president in all of this and even just a few hours later?  Our president stood at a campaign rally / fundraiser in Las Vegas while he boasted of his accomplishments and how America needs to fear someone like Mitt Romney.

Enough.

Our president failed to fix our economy.  Our president failed to balance a budget and restore fiscal discipline in Washington, instead he added $5 trillion to our debt---$4 billion dollars a day.  Our president has failed to end bitter partisanship.  Our president failed to guide our leaders to find compromise for our country's biggest problems.  Our president has failed us.

And in the Benghazi attack---an act of war---our president failed to lead.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."                                                  - Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 11 days, we need to hold him accountable for it all.

We can.  We should.  We will.

Go Mitt.