Obama, Romney camps clash over U.S. response to anti-American violence in Libya, Egypt

Updated 7:45 a.m. ET

(CBS/AP) WASHINGTON — Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney criticized the Obama administration in the wake of attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya on Tuesday, branding as "disgraceful" an early response to the assault in Cairo and saying it sympathized with the attackers.

The remarks were quickly rebuked by President Obama's campaign.

The assaults were linked to a trailer posted online of an anti-Muslim movie. The trailer is being promoted by an extreme anti-Muslim Egyptian Christian in the U.S. The movie was made by a filmmaker who told The Associated Press he's Israeli and Jewish, but has also been described by the AP as an American citizen.

Protesters say the video posted on the Internet attacks Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

Protesters scaled the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo to replace the American flag with an Islamic banner. In the Libyan city of Benghazi, protesters shot at, burned and looted the U.S. consulate. Four Americans, including Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens, were killed in the assault.

Mobs hit U.S. buildings in Libya, Egypt; 4 Americans, including U.S. Ambassador, dead in Libya
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The U.S. Embassy in Cairo initially issued a statement saying, in part, that it condemns "the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions." The statement, an apparent reference to the video, was posted hours before the first of the four American deaths in Libya were reported.

In a statement Tuesday night, when only one death had been confirmed and before it was known that the ambassador was among those killed, Romney said he was outraged by the attacks and the death of the American consulate worker. He added, "It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks."

In response, also before word was out that there had been four deaths, Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said in an email early Wednesday, "We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Gov. Romney would choose to launch a political attack."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a statement released about the same time as Romney's, condemned the attack in Libya "in the strongest terms."

"Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," Clinton said. "The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind."

[Aerostar700]

The President Missed Security Briefings On Days When Warnings Of Possible Attacks Were being received; And No Orders Were Ever Given To Increase Security Measures At Those Targeted Installations? And All You Want To Focus On Is Romney's Criticism Of That Obvious Gross
Incompetence On The part Of The President?

And Now There Is A Concerted Effort On The Part Of The White House To Deflect Attention Away From those Advance Warnings And focus
upon the video, Yet You Are Obsessed with focusing Upon The Candidate's Words? People DIED as a result of the incompetence of this president and you focus on trivial matters?

According to senior diplomatic sources, the US State Department had credible information about potential violent attacks at least
48 hours before the mobs charged the consulate in Benghazi, & the embassy in Cairo. Unfortunately the command structure broke down.

Either that information never made it into a security briefing which is difficult to believe, or perhaps no one in authority ever saw
the information. In either case, no orders were ever issued for any type of increased security measures to be deployed.

And in either case it raises some very serious questions indeed. Are we dealing with a breakdown at the State department, The CIA or
perhaps the President's unwillingness to take live security briefings, preferring in many cases to simply read the written briefing.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2012/09/14/did-u-s-know-about-embassy-attack-threat-in-advance/

http://wizbangblog.com/2012/09/13/bombshell-us-had-credible-warning-48-hours-before-benghazi-attack-but-did-nothing/

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/09/america_was_warned_of_libya_consulate_attack_and_did_nothing_uk_independent.html

http://www.timesofisrael.com/report-us-government-knew-of-possible-attacks-on-diplomatic-missions/

http://www.newser.com/story/154044/brit-paper-says-us-ignored-warnings-of-violence.html

Nothing like having an AMATEUR at the helm who feels that it is OK to skip his security briefings to campaign or play golf.

Had Obama made it a point to take the daily security briefings every day, he probably would have learned of the threat of the impending attack. Obama SAYS he READ the briefing? Can we believe him? And if he did read them, then WHY did he not see the danger and take steps to mitigate that danger with increased marine presence?

And as it turns out, the US Marines in Egypt were not even allowed to carry live ammo!

http://freebeacon.com/reports-marines-not-permitted-live-ammo/

http://nation.time.com/2012/09/13/whats-worse-no-marines-or-possibly-unarmed-marines/

AN EPIC FAIL !!!!!!!

[popaQ]

Well I knew that Romney was a big backer of military contractors but I didn't know he would try to start a war before he becomes (never happen)president

[myopinionpal]

Its a good thing the filmmaker didn't accuse Muhammad of eating pig feet and ham sandwiches we really would be in a mess. Romneys disgraceful response would be to offer them pork ribs to calm them down.

[the_egret]

If you want Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu to decide when Americans go to war, vote for his spineless pal Romney. Think of Romney as George W Bush and Netanyahu as Dick Cheney. No thanks.

[sjc_1]

Palin and others say Romney should get more aggressive, he does but at the wrong time on the wrong issues. This shows what a complete mess he would be in office.

[Karl_Von]

Whoo hoo! 4 more years of all this good stuff! Genius.

[Eugene2012]

Romney is just doing what Sarah Palin said to do: become "severely aggreesive". Mitt can't help it that he came across as "severely stupid"! What would you expect from a four time military draft-dodger?

[novotesobozo]

Why were there no troops sent to the embassys yesterday

[KPeters_from_UK]

Really? You want to start another freakin war?

[the_egret]

Because we don't HAVE troops there, thank God. Clearly you know doodley-squat.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

How soon before our weak leader, apologizes ? AGAIN

Time for real leadership, The time for change is approaching........America cannot risk four more years of this..... with a McSenile Vice President Joe Biden, one heartbeat away from the nuclear button.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

It's "scary" to think that Biden is one heartbeat away from being President...(sound familiar)

[calif7]

Romney is sounding more and more like Sarah Palin. Speak before looking at the facts. Remember that Colin Powell expressed concerns about the foreign affairs staff that Romney was surrounding himself with.

[KPeters_from_UK]

by Mortarman_1SG29 September 12, 2012 10:11 AM EDT
No former...that is not an American position to take. True Americans support freedom of speech, even if it is inflammatory or abhorrent. That is called defending unalienable rights.

Murdering people is taking away unalienable rights.
-------------------------------------

I also believe in the Freedom of Speech but we should all know by now that one does not shout fire in a theatre and one should not inflame the crazy religious zealots in countries that we can not control.

If this happened in Idaho, I too would be in a uproar demanding justice if some hate filled Christian or Muslim killed a director over a film about either Jesus getting married to Mary Magdalene or about Mohammed having sex. I too would be on the front lines screaming that these murders had no right to do evil and at the same time I would defend the director's right to Freedom of Speech. But this is different because we have less control over there. We can't protect our citizens against these crazy religious zealots. That's why I'm angry about the "film maker"'s actions. We could not protect those who were bound to get hurt by the actions of some one exercising his right to Free Speech. The "film maker" knew he was creating a fire storm, he knew innocent people could get killed.

[AOCGUY]

Last time an American AC-130 Gunship "loitered" 14 Americans on board died. Big slow target.

[KPeters_from_UK]

Mort,

I still have a problem defending this "film maker" when American lives were lost because he hates Islam. Again, he knew American lives were at stake. There is nothing to defend. This isn't like Stokie Illinois where the KKK and Nazi marched through a Jewish neighborhood...people's lives were not in jeopardy in Illinois.

"This is a very simple operation. You use aircraft, drones and ships and you target EVERYONE on our territory in Benghazi. Shoot, just loiter an AC-130 and let it fill the place with rounds in just a couple of minutes. Then warn everyone that sets foot on American soil will receive the same "greeting."

And then, the religious terrorists are going to gleefully pick up their weapons to defend their home country and countrymen against the "Imperialist Americans". What you got is another war. Nope, sorry I'm not for another war. Obama was right, he had to diffuse the situation before more lives are lost.

[AOCGUY]

"It's disgraceful that Obama attacks on our diplomatic missions"

I can't believe that Romney would say such a thing but here it is in black and white.