It is interesting to watch how carefully orchestrated Hillary Clinton’s book rollout is, with the effort as much about bolstering her image as it is about selling books. She has released the chapter dedicated to the attacks in Benghazi, and Politico has a write-up. It’s pretty much what you would expect. Part defensiveness, part sheer exasperation. Her biggest beef is with how the tragedy has been politicized, and she’s to the point about some of the conspiracy theories.
Clinton addresses lingering questions about how military assets were deployed to try to rescue personnel at the besieged compound, writing that Obama “gave the order to do whatever was necessary to support our people in Libya. It was imperative that all possible resources be mobilized immediately. … When Americans are under fire, that is not an order the Commander in Chief has to give twice. Our military does everything humanly possible to save American lives — and would do more if they could. That anyone has ever suggested otherwise is something I will never understand.”
Of course, I am sure that she fully understands why people have suggested something else. It’s because they want to gain some political advantage from the death of our ambassador.
“Those who exploit this tragedy over and over as a political tool minimize the sacrifice of those who served our country,” Clinton writes in the gripping chapter, “Benghazi: Under Attack.”
Casting doubt on the motivations of congressional Republicans who have continued to investigate the attacks, including with an upcoming House select committee, Clinton continues: “I will not be a part of a political slugfest on the backs of dead Americans. It’s just plain wrong, and it’s unworthy of our great country. Those who insist on politicizing the tragedy will have to do so without me.”
I fully agree with the former First Lady, senator from New York, and Secretary of State. It is “just plain wrong” and “unworthy of our great country.” I am confident that the vast majority of Americans agree, or will agree, with that sentiment. We will all have another debate about this matter, and by the time the campaign begins in earnest, we will all be sick to death of the whole discussion.
In an alternate reality where the election wasn’t stolen from Gore, and the 9/11 attacks happen while he’s in office, how effectively do the Republican use the attack to beat the hell out of the Democrats? Do they actually succeed in removing Gore from office?
Does this assume Prez Gore would have been as incompetent and asleep at the switch as Bushco was in summer 2001?
Hard to imagine, since so much of the early Bushco hubris involved dismantling everything Clinton did in the national security structure vis-a-vis terrorism.
Is there any conceivable doubt whether she plans on running?
I have no doubt, now, that Clinton is running. And I’m really surprised. I really thought she wouldn’t run. And shouldn’t run.
As much as I would like to be able to, I just don’t see any other way to interpret recent actions on the part of the Clintons.
She’s been running since 1999. Bill Clinton almost had to be pried out of the WH in 2001 and had every intention of returning by proxy within four to eight years. 9/11 muffed up the four year plan and then Obama muffed up the eight year plan.
As if this country hasn’t had enough of the Clinton/Bush neo-liberal, neo-con public policies that have kept this country on a permanent war footing and increased income and wealth inequality to late 19th levels. A shame voters are so ignorant and/or stupid not to say “enough” to these people.
If we’re not sick to death already.
So, here you are doubling down on her neocon defense. If she wins you will deserve the wars she gets us into without even asking the congress, like her idol Harry Truman.
Bizarre.
I don’t support Hillary Clnton and I have no control over whether or not she runs for president.
If you aren’t shouting from the rooftops to vote Unicorn/Leprechaun 2016, you’re just another neo-con neo-liberal.
Because he had no wealth or income and chose not to cash in on his status by securing corporate board sinecures, Harry Truman wrote his memoirs. Ike followed Truman’s memoir precedent even though he had an Army and Presidential pension. Then the Presidential memoir precedent morphed to include books (or book like products, mostly ghost-written) by First Ladies (Millie the dog by B Bush and Socks the cat by Hillary), vice-presidents, cabinet members, former members of Congress. (Also collecting pensions, huge speaking fees, and consulting fees and/or perks from various other activities.)
Now we have the tradition of release a book and then run for President. (Did anybody read Romney’s, Santorum’s, Gingrich’s book products?) The book tour as election PR and only secondarily for most a personal income stream. (Hillary’s reported advance for her first memoir was near $8 million and $14 million is the figure being tossed around for her latest. Obama reportedly earned up to $5 million for “Dreams of My Father” but closer to $1 million for “Audacity of Hope,” his Presidential PR book.)
A book product genre with little to no shelf life.
American Culture is now entirely a Cult of Personality.
I’m not a Hilary fan either. Bill was more than enough for me. So, who has a chance to beat her and get the nomination that would be more acceptable?
…..anyone?…..anyone?
Kirkpatrick doesn’t offer any new evidence to what US Congress and multiple investigations already published. His story is suspect of a whtewash for a future Democratic presidential candidate.
Coming to the defense of Kirkpatrick, but doing a lousy job thinking it’s about semantics …
○ Former CIA deputy director rebuts Republican charges on Benghazi
Bill Clinton allowed Saudi Jihadists into Bosnia and sending plane loads of arms through Turkey into Tuzla, undercutting an U.N. arms embargo agreed by the Security Council.
Dutch Government did a very detailed investigation due to the Srebrenica Massacre and found evidence to these facts – “Secret arms supplies and other covert actions.”
○ The US-Al Qaeda Alliance: Bosnia, Kosovo, Libya and Now Syria. Washington’s On-Going Collusion with Terrorists
Ms Clinton made a deal with Qatar, Turkey, Egypt (under Morsi) and the rebels in Libya to send arms and jihadists to Syria to overthrow President Assad. She had the experience how Bill Clinton, Cyrus Vance, Richard Holbrook had operated in Bosnia. During her reign as SoS, Ms Clinton besieged the Muslim Brotherhood for their support, while Saudi King Abdullah had been rejected for his advice on Iraq during the Bush administration. The Saudis played a major role to torpedo the forming of the Syrian National Council (SNC) and unite an opposition to Assad. For the Geneva I talks between Russia and the US, there was never a partner from the SNC. Any diplomatic resolution was doomed to failure, Ms Clinton and UN Ambassador Rice placed the blame on Russia to spare her Arab Gulf friends.