State Department Chain of Command: The Buck Stops

A consulate is different (0.00 / 0)

from an embassy, which is considered to be actually American soil in diplomacy-speak, is it not? It is in a sense an American business outpost, providing assistance to American business abroad, and back-up services to Americans travelling abroad often, the American consul in a small foreign port turns out to be a foreign national, hired for the job).

The American ambassador, who himself insisted on personally meeting with and helping the Libyan rebels, put himself at risk knowingly by even being in Benghazi at this risky time, because he wanted to see for himself what was going on.

Then, too, the cheese-paring ways of the Republicans in the House, always anxious to privatize goverment functions so their campaign contributors in Big Business can reap more profits, have always sought to de-fund those wimy, limp-wristed functionaries of the Department of State (which, after all, is headed by a female), in contrast to their solicitous over-funding of the macho Defense Department. Now, they are digging up supposed "whistle blowers" who claim they asked for more security support at the consulate. You can find such disgruntled or scared individuals just about anywhere there is instability. Have they tried Kyrgistan or Timbuctu? We suffered, as I recall, actual bombings of embassies under Bush, and Reagan lost an entire Marine barracks in Lebanon.    

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by: Teddy Goodson @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 16:31:47 PM UTC

You are right, Teddy. (0.00 / 0)

And, admittedly, that is a distinction I failed to make.  

There's nothing in the middle of the road except yellow stripes and dead armadillos (Jim Hightower). PS I'm on Twitter here.

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by: KathyinBlacksburg @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 16:42:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

State Dept Had $2 Billion Set Aside For Embassy Security (0.00 / 0)

KatyinBlacksburg wrote:

" But, as I'll discuss in a moment, the Secretary cannot provide what she doesn't have money for.

[...]

Paul Ryan led the charge to cut the Dept of State Security for embassies. Paul Ryan did this."

Then, can you explain why the State dept has $2 billion in an account of unused funds for security?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/...

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by: LeeHinAlexandria @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 19:43:50 PM UTC

Actually.... (0.00 / 0)

"Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) says the State Department is sitting on $2.2 billion..."

Issa's credibility level on this or any other subject? ZERO.

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by: lowkell @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 20:09:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

If It's True (0.00 / 0)

And if it's true Lowell?

Why then would one vote to cut funding?? Maybe the State Department didn't need as much money. As last week's testimony showed, 'Paul Ryan's' budget cuts had ZERO to do with the murder of Americans in Libya

http://youtu.be/1LRKGOrRkT4

Just sayin...

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by: LeeHinAlexandria @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 20:23:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This whole thing is being irresponsibly/absurdly politicized (0.00 / 0)

Also, it's utterly absurd to think that any president gets down into the weeds on how much security each specific embassy and consulate gets. Note that Amb. Stevens' father has told the Romney campaign to cut it out, and has said that his son never once complained about a lack of security. Botto line: this was a tragedy that needs to be thoroughly investigated before people start throwing around accusations. Actually, come to think of it, even then people shouldn't be throwing around accusations...

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by: lowkell @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 20:38:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Flashback: Hillary Clinton 'The Buck Stops in The White House' (2.00 / 1)

Considering that Hillary is taking the blame on this one, it contrasts with what then Senator Clinton said in 2008:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?f...

Leaves one to wonder, considering how much the Obama's and the Clinton's dislike each other, what was Hillary Clinton promised to do this?

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by: LeeHinAlexandria @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 20:19:55 PM UTC

Taking Responsibility (2.00 / 1)

For a cabinet-level official, taking responsibility for a failure as serious as this one means offering up your resignation.  Even Don Rumsfeld was decent enough to make  that offer after Abu Ghraib.

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by: brianrw00 @ Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 20:24:20 PM UTC

Interesting you just show up here today for the first time. (0.00 / 0)

What are you a paid hack?

There's nothing in the middle of the road except yellow stripes and dead armadillos (Jim Hightower). PS I'm on Twitter here.

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by: KathyinBlacksburg @ Wed Oct 17, 2012 at 03:03:00 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Touchy much? (0.00 / 0)

I followed a link from Waldo.  Your answer was not exactly on point.

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by: brianrw00 @ Thu Oct 18, 2012 at 21:54:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]