President Obama hailed four diplomats killed in Benghazi, Libya, as embodying ?the essence of American leadership? at a ceremony Friday honoring the return of their remains to American soil. He also reiterated that America would neither be swayed from its missions abroad by recent violence, nor would it rest until their murderers had been dealt with.
?Four Americans, four patriots, they loved this country and they chose to serve it and served it well,? Obama said during the ceremony at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. ?They had a mission and they believed in it, they knew the danger and they accepted it. They didn?t simply embrace the American ideal, they lived it.?
Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton each mourned the four dead individually ? Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, Glen Doherty, and Ambassador Christopher Stevens ? recalling their strong devotion to their work and unshakeable sense of duty.
In addition to honoring the slain Americans, Obama went on to defend the nation?s active engagement in the world despite frustrating and ongoing riots against diplomatic compounds across the Middle East. The president cited a global mission to improve the world as an exceptional trait that defined the American people.
?The United States of America will never retreat from the world, we will never stop working for the dignity and freedom that every person in the world deserves whatever their creed, whatever their faith,? he said. ?That?s the essence of American leadership. Thats the spirit that sets us apart from other nations.?
Regarding the current crisis at embassies and consulates around the Middle East, Obama said that the US would ?do everything in our power to protect Americans overseas,? including increasing their own security and working with countries to coordinate theirs.
?Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,? Obama said. ?We will bring to justice those who took them from us.?
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with an edge to her voice, challenged the new leaders in Muslim countries that recently overthrew dictators to meet their responsibilities to the U.S. and the world ? or face chaos and isolation.
?We?ve seen rage and violence directed at American embassies over an awful internet video that we had nothing to do with,? she said. ?It is hard for the American people to make sense of that because it is senseless and it is totally unacceptable. The people of Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Tunisia did not trade the tyranny of a dictator for the tyranny of a mob. Reasonable leaders and responsible people in these countries need to do everything they can to restore security and hold accountable those behind these violent acts.?
Egypt?s new Islamist government in particular has been slow to condemn the embassy attacks, escalating tensions with the American government and even prompting Obama to question whether they were still an ?ally? (although Egypt is still legally designated as such.) There are more recent signs that Egypt?s leaders are looking to patch things up, fearing serious damage to their relationship with a nation that provides billions of dollars in aid.
Watch the video below:
Benjy Sarlin Benjy Sarlin is a reporter for Talking Points Memo and co-writes the campaign blog, TPM2012. He previously reported for The Daily Beast/Newsweek as their Washington Correspondent and covered local politics for the New York Sun.
brian wilson storm chasers david blaine derek jeter gotye divine mercy cabin in the woods
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.