New Benghazi hearings miss what Chris Stevens did right in his service to America and a better world
Many Americans died as a result of US foreign policy 405,000 in World War II down to so far 6,700 in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. When World War II ended the US could say Mission Accomplished. Since then the only time, if you subtract the blow-back, that the US came close mission accomplished was in Libya where amazingly only four Americans died.
Ambassador Chris Stevens insisted on light security after Gaddafi was overthrown, and systematically refused to take less risk then those who served under him. He, at times, went through the streets in downtown Tripoli without any security escort at all,
http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/26/opinion/stevens-good-work/
https://medium.com/i-m-h-o/e2c67ad0940b
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/ambassador-chris-stevens-the-hero-we-never-knew/politics/2012/09/17/49123
On September 11, 2012 there is nothing the US could have done differently that would have mean that in the end less then four Americans would have died as the result of US policy there. No matter what was done differently, there was no hands on policies that could have put Americans in less danger sooner or later. Chris knew and it seems that both Glen Doherty and Tyrone Wood knew and somehow all three of them have friends and relatives who know that a heavy-handed US policy or response just makes enemies.
Let's turn the new Benghazi hearings into a celebration of the good news that things didn't end up far worse, the way they almost did, and often does.
Fortunately, incredibly all but one of the relatives of the Americans who died in Benghazi want the world to celebrate their lives and their accomplishments, not morn or seek revenge. Sein Smith's mother Pat Smith isn't part of the celebration and feels the government let her son down. Her views are never filtered in with articles about other relatives, for a more complete picture,
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/19/sister-of-slain-former-seal-glen-doherty-he-loved-adventure.html
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/09/14/tyrone-woods-seal-libya-consulate/70000386/1#.UH4iPZE8CCl
http://www.newser.com/story/154920/chris-stevens-family-starts-middle-east-peace-fund.html
http://jcsfund.org/programs-supported/
http://www.rememberingchrisstevens.com/
Libyans rose up in anger after Chris was assassinated and chased the Islamic militants out of Benghazi. This wouldn't have happened if the US reacted to Chris's death with shock and awe Republican style. The militias slowly began coming back to Benghazi threw brutal assassinations and threats, but on May 10, 2014 ordinary people in Benghazi were again making a concerted effort to break into the militias’s bases and again chase them out of Benghazi,
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/05/10/3-killed-in-libya-as-protesters-and-army-militia-fight-ultimatum-for-militia-to/
After that things got confusing as Gen. Khalifa Hifter with the backing of many in Libya declared war on the militant Muslim militias and threatened to disarm or defeat them, there is talk of much strife and possible civil war. So far no matter what happens in Libya few are mad at the US and nothing is about to happen that might lead to a conclusion that Ambassador Steven's policy was a mistake.
Few in America ever resented French help during the Revolutionary War or in the years immediately following it. Many in Cambodia are still grateful to Vietnam for overthrowing the Pol Pot Khmer Rouge brutal dictatorship. I am reluctant to suggest that the US should offer any help to Gen. Khalifa Hifter or should help the faction that claims to represent the central government restrain him. The possibility of the US again getting bogged down in quicksand is quite high.
One argument in Congress is why was the Benghazi attack linked to the anger over the anti-Islamic hate-porn film that had led to riots in many Muslim countries. Whatever the reason, a result was anger among moderate Muslims to the belief that the wrong American was being punished for that hateful movie, it was also believed that the reason that an Afghan school girl Malala Yousafzai was gunned down on a school bus and almost killed instead of just whipped was also a reaction to that hateful movie. This cooled down a lot of anger and the riots as well. Something well worth celebrating, rather then condemning, as a misunderstanding of why he was killed.
That hate-porn “The Innocence of Muslims” was a carefully crafted attempt to create mayhem - a dream to bait a war between civilizations. Mark Basseley Youssef, who claimed to be the director of the film besides a bank fraud arrest, was arrested for transporting large qualities of meth making ingredient ready to cook. So, if caught, it would be considered a minor crime rather then a major one had the delivered meth already been cooked or crystallized. The premiere showing of the hate anti-Muslim porn-flick in Los Angeles was advertised in the US Muslim press as a movie of praise, hoping to create a scene at the theater, then an attack on Jewish philanthropists who were falsely claimed as to be donors. Fortunately the Coptic Christian community in California had time to denounce the film before Coptic Christians back in Egypt were attacked because of it.
Had any Americans been killed who unlike the four who died in Benghazi had relatives who were willing to lash out at the entire Muslim world and join the Romney began hysteria against the Muslim World the war between civilizations that bin Laden craved and the hate film wanted could linger for years like the tension between Muslims and Buddhists in Burma exasperated by the film is still continuing today.
There are questionable tidbits so-far left out of this praise of Chris Steven's Libyan policy such as whether it was legal for him to hand out money to transport the high-powered US weapons that the US gave them, under his watchful eye to the non-militant faction of the rebels in Syria. There was a lot of money easy to steal, and the belief it was planned as robbery rather than a planned assassination was believed by likely participants in contact with the US. The new Benghazi hearing insist on not being classified secret. Since the Islamic militants are assassinating individuals who oppose them. Broadcasting the name of any person who gave Chris tidbits would put their lives in danger. As I said before it honors Chris Stevens to continue his low key US policy in Libya. More went right then went wrong in Benghazi. He dedicated himself to making a better world and died in the process of doing this. Join the dead Americans relatives in celebrating their lives. And their loved ones wish to live their lives in such a way as never to have to spend their last moments lingering helplessly in a nursing home.
A person similar to Ambassador Stevens was beheaded Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl who also had an inflated view that his ability to get along with people was more of a protection then security arrangements, ever since his death the Daniel Pearl Foundation has sponsored annual peace concerts and seminars. Ambassador Stevens relatives have sponsored a middle east peace fund,
http://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/honoring-my-brother-and-former-u-s-ambassador-chris-stevens/
Chris Stevens' father wants to broaden things, and I quote, “Imagine Veteran's Day as National Service Day and Memorial Day including all who have fallen on behalf of their fellow citizens.”,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-holshek/the-whole-of-national-sac_b_3329362.html
As the Memorial Day remembrances continue it is time for the rest of us to broaden our focus as well. Chris Stevens clearly knew it was dangerous to go to Benghazi on 9/1l/2012, but didn't hesitate to go there. Martin Luther King seemed to know in his I been to the mountain top speech that he was in danger, but never considered lying low for a while and not participating in the sanitation workers protests. Aaron Swartz who published free government documents, one were supposed to pay for, wanted an open internet and faced many years in prison if he refused to plea bargain, he committed suicide hoping it would inspire people to fight harder for an open internet,
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/02/aaron_swartz_he_wanted_to_save_the_world_why_couldn_t_he_save_himself.single.html
Kathy Change used to dance for peace on the University of Penn campus and near the art museum. One day she bound all her writings in book form and delivered them to all the newspapers in and near Philadelphia then poured gasoline on herself in front of the peace statue near the campus library,
http://www.thedp.com/article/2014/04/kathy-change-legacy-burns-on
http://www.thedp.com/article/1996/10/letters_to_the_editor_kathy_change_in_life_and_death
The new now more partisan then ever Benghazi hearings miss what Chris Stevens did right in his service to America and a better world.
