September 11, 2012 marked the beginning of one of the most-publicized controversies of the Obama administration: the attack on an American consulate in Benghazi, Libya and the death of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.
Initially many believed that the attack was in response to the inflammatory video “Innocence of Muslims”, but investigation soon ruled out that theory based on the lack of protests. It was soon discovered that the attack was premeditated and carried out by extremist Islamist militants.
The media and Obama criticizers have since had a heyday critiquing the Obama administration on the poor response time the attack received. Whether such harsh criticism was deserved is debatable; however, the one-year anniversary of the attack will soon be upon us, and those guilty of the offence have not been brought to justice—and that is controversial.
On July 10, 2013, a joint subcommittee hearing between the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa—both part of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs—discussed the terrorist threat in North Africa and its relation to the Benghazi attack. At the hearing Chairman Lloyd “Ted” Poe (R-TX) stated, “The idea that four Americans can die on sovereign U.S. soil and almost a year later no one is held accountable is contrary to what we stand for in this nation.” He continued, “All terrorists should know that they can’t kill Americans and get away with it.”
The Benghazi attack was discouraging for the diplomats who work in the region. For over ten years America has been heavily involved in the “War on Terror”, and although the Middle East has seen improvements in many different ways, it is obvious that there is still a long way to go. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) explained at the hearing, “The Benghazi attack demonstrates that our policies in the Middle East have not been entirely successful.”
It is doubtful, to put it politely, that the world will ever be completely free of terrorism. In recent years North Africa has seen an increase of terrorist attacks, and it does not appear to be stopping any time soon. Chairman Poe stated, “From Libya to Mali to Algeria, it’s obvious that terrorism is running loose in North Africa.”
The question remains—what is to be done about it? Poe further stated, “Understanding why the attack happened does matter.” We need to know what drives terrorist and gain insight on how to prevent further attacks. We may not be able to completely rid the world of terrorism, but we can take steps to reduce it. Rep. Lleana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) explained her take on the future of North Africa and the fight on terror: “We cannot concentrate only on the security front. We must also commit resources and attention to help build civil societies and strengthen institutions in North Africa.”
As we help those around us, provide education, and learn to understand each other, the feelings of hate and fear start to dissipate. The fight against terrorism will never stop, but hopefully it will convert from being purely militia, to mostly educational.
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Reflecting on Benghazi Attack and Growing Terror in North Africa
July 18, 2013
September 11, 2012 marked the beginning of one of the most-publicized controversies of the Obama administration: the attack on an American consulate in Benghazi, Libya and the death of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.
Initially many believed that the attack was in response to the inflammatory video “Innocence of Muslims”, but investigation soon ruled out that theory based on the lack of protests. It was soon discovered that the attack was premeditated and carried out by extremist Islamist militants.
The media and Obama criticizers have since had a heyday critiquing the Obama administration on the poor response time the attack received. Whether such harsh criticism was deserved is debatable; however, the one-year anniversary of the attack will soon be upon us, and those guilty of the offence have not been brought to justice—and that is controversial.
On July 10, 2013, a joint subcommittee hearing between the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa—both part of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs—discussed the terrorist threat in North Africa and its relation to the Benghazi attack. At the hearing Chairman Lloyd “Ted” Poe (R-TX) stated, “The idea that four Americans can die on sovereign U.S. soil and almost a year later no one is held accountable is contrary to what we stand for in this nation.” He continued, “All terrorists should know that they can’t kill Americans and get away with it.”
The Benghazi attack was discouraging for the diplomats who work in the region. For over ten years America has been heavily involved in the “War on Terror”, and although the Middle East has seen improvements in many different ways, it is obvious that there is still a long way to go. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) explained at the hearing, “The Benghazi attack demonstrates that our policies in the Middle East have not been entirely successful.”
It is doubtful, to put it politely, that the world will ever be completely free of terrorism. In recent years North Africa has seen an increase of terrorist attacks, and it does not appear to be stopping any time soon. Chairman Poe stated, “From Libya to Mali to Algeria, it’s obvious that terrorism is running loose in North Africa.”
The question remains—what is to be done about it? Poe further stated, “Understanding why the attack happened does matter.” We need to know what drives terrorist and gain insight on how to prevent further attacks. We may not be able to completely rid the world of terrorism, but we can take steps to reduce it. Rep. Lleana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) explained her take on the future of North Africa and the fight on terror: “We cannot concentrate only on the security front. We must also commit resources and attention to help build civil societies and strengthen institutions in North Africa.”
As we help those around us, provide education, and learn to understand each other, the feelings of hate and fear start to dissipate. The fight against terrorism will never stop, but hopefully it will convert from being purely militia, to mostly educational.
