Why The Benghazi Video Story Is Important

If you read nothing else that I write to you between now and Election Day, please read this.

The story that a You Tube video is to blame for the death of an American ambassador and three other Americans in Libya, has (unnecessarily) taken on a life of its own. It has devolved into a political Ping Pong match. I fear that people will become so aggravated with it all that they simply tune the story out.

This is dangerous as this issue is deadly serious and at the heart of our national security.

Let’s take a short look back at terrorism under the Obama administration.

Early in his presidency, Obama embarked on his now famous Apology Tour, his speech in Cairo being most criticized, as he apologized for what he sees as previous administrations’ mistreatment of Muslims.

He changed our lexicon on terrorism. The word terrorism was stricken from public use. The War on Terror became an Overseas Contingency Operation. We no longer faced terror attacks from jihadists – these were now called “man caused disasters.”

In 2009 public opinion is all that prevented the administration from bestowing constitutional rights upon Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and trying him in civilian court in New York City.

Also in 2009, Nidal Malik Hasan shot and killed 13 and injured 32 at Fort Hood. He was tied to Anwar al-Awlaki and was heard yelling “Allah akbar!” while firing on his unarmed victims. But AG Eric Holder did not charge him with terrorism and eventually the event was termed “workplace violence.” He just went postal.

I’ve lost track of how many times Benjamin Netanyahu has been insulted and brushed aside.

Obama gave lofty praise and support to the Arab Spring, even as many of us warned of who might fill the power vacuums being created as leaders fell in country after country. He continued his praise, even when Islamists stepped in to take power.

At their convention, democrats celebrated the death of Osama Bin Laden and Obama told us for months that Al Qaeda was “on its heels.”

I’m sure I’ve left much out, but I’m pointing to the big picture, that President Obama seems to think that words alone can change the fact that terrorism exists and that jihadists want to kill us.

His myth was shattered on 9/11/12 when our consulate in Libya was attacked and four Americans were murdered. Days later CNN obtained the ambassador’s diary and we learned of his fears and requests for more security. People directly involved stepped forward to give credence to those fears and requests.

All the while our president and his assistants kept telling us a You Tube video, that up until then almost no one had ever seen, was to blame. During the same time we have learned that the Libyan embassy was attacked twice in the months prior to 9/11, and that Al Qaeda is growing throughout the Muslim world, regaining its power.

I don’t have to rehash it all. You have watched it play out. You’ve seen the lies. You’ve seen the parsing of words as we fall back into, “that depends on what the meaning of is is.”

President Obama’s standard stump speech contains this paragraph:

“Four years ago, I made a few commitments to you. I told you I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did. I said I’d end the war in Afghanistan, and we are. I said we’d refocus on the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 — and today, al Qaeda is on its heels and Osama bin Laden is no more.”

Well he has ended the war in Iraq and he is planning to end the war in Afghanistan. But Al Qaeda is NOT on its heels. It is stronger than ever and growing in a Muslim world where the Muslim Brotherhood is in control. I saw Sen. Lindsay Graham on TV this morning, giving an open message to President Obama (in case no one had told him) that Iraq is deteriorating and the Al Qaeda training camps there are open for business. Just yesterday, Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis attempted to blow up the Federal Reserve in New York City.

Americans are war-weary. We’re tired of watching our young people come home without their limbs or not come home at all. We would all like for it to be over.

But it’s not. We may not want to be at war with them, but they are at war with us. The president can give lofty speeches and tell you that he has vanquished Al Qaeda and you should sleep soundly. But it’s a lie and perhaps the most dangerous one ever told to us.

And what’s most disturbing is that it’s about politics. It’s about getting reelected. Our president and his administration wanted to give the appearance all was fine in Libya. Lots of Marines with guns hanging around our embassy would have over shadowed that appearance, so they weren’t sent.

And four men died – horrible, violent deaths.

It’s inexcusable.

In my opinion it’s criminal.

And if we don’t wake up to the truth, it will continue and it will get worse. Or have you forgotten those who jumped on 9/11/01 because the alternative was worse?

Conservative Commentary by Kathy from Liberty Trail