OPEN THREAD: If you were President, what actions would you take in response to Libya & Egypt news?

Sarah,

Yes!  to both of your proposals, and that right quickly…like as of Tuesday last.

Push an assertive domestic energy development policy, specifically citing the need to stop putting money in the hands of countries that don’t observe the Western consensus on respect for embassies, treatment of civilians and prisoners, and other such signs of civilization.

Crude message: take away Islam’s one cash cow and let its adherents wallow in their own emptiness and brutality.

I’m not for indiscriminate bombing but for every atrocity or other act of terror, flatten an industrial or utility site.  To the extent that we extricate ourselves from need for their fuel, strike their oil wells, pipelines and refineries so they can’t get their product to the Chinese and Russians or whoever.

Follow up posters:  the government is NOT the church, nor does God intend it to do the church’s work.  “Jesus said forgive so ‘we’ should do nothing and just try to be friends with the Muslims” is not a response to this thread.

Strategically, #2 is right on the mark.  We are in bed with these countries because our pathetic energy policies of the last 50 years have put us there.  And the consequence is we have been bankrolling our enemies: except for Egypt where we just sent them $1.5B in cash.

Tactically, Sarah makes a good point on foreign aid.  I would extend that all around the world.  If you ain’t our friend, the money tap dries up.  Period.

And if you threaten our embassy, we are closing it down.  I would not endanger any more Marines.  These countries need these embassies.  Let them earn the right to have them.

Whoops, one more point; as another tactical move, I would make it abundantly clear that an attack on Israel is like an attack on America.  Reprisal will be very swift and very brutal.

I think part of the problem is that we are militarily overextended…I am pro-American Empire so I don’t think having our hands in all these places is a bad thing. I do think it is unsustainable economically if we are going to ramp up our entitlement spending as we have been doing since Bush 2

So we have to make a strategic choice: are we going to be an empire with a limited domestic government? Or are we going to be a socialist state with a puny military? Or neither? But we can’t do both.

The reason we farm out security to foreign mercs is becasue we cant afford to pay Marines to do what has traditionally been their task. That an Ambassador was in Bengazi with 4 US personnel and only 1 of them a “security” officer belies the point above.

So, strategically, I think we’d need to make a choice. If I were president, I would choose empire with limited domestic govt.

Tactically, I think it is a good idea to beef up security - spend the money, station Marines in embassies and consulates.

Publicly and visibly hunt down and kill all those responsible in any way for this attack.

De-fund Egypt and all other politically hostile Middle eastern states.

Send a sizable contingent of spec forces troops to Libya for vengeance operations agains any terrorist camps or centers.

Continue to wage unrelenting war against al qaeda

Prepare for a war against Iran to disarm them and remove their Islamist government.

That’s my platform, write me in this year if you’re interested in real hope and change.

Apparently there was not additional security for 9/11. We would not want to be provocative by doing so.

Definitely defund everyone starting NOW.  The defense of our embassies is no less critical than the defense of our land.  That IS US territory wherever it is!

Second thought:  Does our Congress have no authority to take action if that person in the White House won’t????????  Is the whole US going to roll over and play dead?

All of the previous ideas (suspend aid, beef up security, improve domestic energy) are good.  The point I would make is that the US has not understood the theological struggle against extreme Islam, monitored it, planned for it, and waged effective countermeasures.  When we condone or coddle ALL of Islam we encourage the extremists. If we can’t mobilize rational imams and Christian theologians to make clear the struggle, then we are in big trouble. If we can’t distinguish between freedom of religion and freedom to destroy ourselves, then we have a big problem. Immigration needs to be able to be able to identify and screen out those who are opposed to our national values and culture.  Of course if we have no national values or culture we are already doomed.

If I were President of the U.S.A.:

Firstly, I would repent(turn away from the policies and actions that are clearly contrary to the Word of God) in sackcloth and ashes.  Then I would contact every Christian pastor and strongly suggest that the pastor and the entire church under his/her care also repent(see above) in sackcloth and ashes.  “Repent of what?”, you say?  Just name your sin and dive in; there are plenty to go around, depending upon the opportunity that your particular occupation(or lack there of) enables you to commit.  The president’s list should be pretty long, other politicians somewhat shorter, and the voters (that’s all of us) not so much shorter than the other two.  As I read the O.T. history, this has worked marvelously in the past; God does listen to the truly repentant and does meet them in their need.

Secondly, I would review O.T. history and listen closely for what God might be saying to me at this time.  I would pay close attention to what Jesus taught and to what Paul wrote to the Romans concerning government. I would pray for the grace to follow His lead, to do those things that He would clearly indicate needed to be done and not worry so much about being re-elected.

Well, maybe not…if I were President…the temptations might be too much for me.

Well, Fr. Matt,  I happy to say I’m 100% in agreement with all you say.

What happened to having Marines guarding the embassies as they used to have back in the day. Oh, that’s right we’ve down sized the armed forces and they now are needed to fight in Afganistan. I’m not saying I’m against the “War on Terror” but they’ve spread our boys pretty thinly. Part of the problem we have is how these situations are handled to begin with in the first place. The rules of engagement I’m sure are really, really tight and problably leave the local commander on the ground no room to respond to developing threats without first getting the go order from Washington. So why are we sending spec ops Marines to Lybia with a couple of Navy ships off shore for backup if they don’t let the local task group commander make the call on opening fire on the perpetrators attacking our people? It’s just for show. The president has been criticised for showing weakness around the world and this move is to help him look good to the folks back home. He’d only look good to me if he were to tell the troops, “Guns Free!”

He’d only look good to me if he were to tell the troops, “Guns Free!”

They would have to use them as clubs; one report out today claims that the marines in the Libyan embassy were not allowed to have live ammunition in their guns on a routine basis.

Correction: it was at the Egyptian embassy that live ammo was reportedly not allowed,

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

I would fire the American ambassador in Egypt and require that the Marine guards carry live ammunition.  I would also make it clear that an attack on American diplomatic personnel and Embassies will be considered an act of War on the United States.

I don’t expect that Obama will do anything, except issue an apology.

1. Pray
2. Remind host governments that an attack by international code will be considered an act of aggression and a declaration of war.
3. Direct the armed forces to put an appropriate contingent offshore to protect the embassies.
4. Call the governments and make it clear they had 12 hours to secure the embassies and create a buffer of 1/2 mile between protestors and embassies. If they could not or would not do it, we would by all means necessary.
5. Call a press conference and set a day of prayer; ask our citizens to pray.
6. Keep all communication open.
7. Back up what we say (rather than apologize).

#15 - the apology has been issued - 3 x (twitter, Sec of State, Obama).

First, a shout-out to my old friend and fellow Luther-palian, Donna!!!

Second, what I’d do as prez ....
.... well, those embassies would be outfitted with some of the new micro-drones the Army has, for some real self-defense/instant intel for those Marines and the civilians they defend
.... we’d have had a robust alternative energy/energy self-sufficiency/ANWAR-drilling policy in place already, so we’d already be cutting into these folks funds.  energy independece promotes national security!
.... have Israel’s back
.... would not be acting like a dhimmi

Leave the front gate unlocked, and greet tresspassers with flame-throwers.

All very excellent ideas here.  In a very generic sense, one of the first things I would do upon taking up occupancy at 1600 would be to find a way to set up a chapel (“meditation room” if it must be politically correct) preferably in the West Wing (unlikely) or in the private quarters (more paletable).  I would then establish a rota for the reading of the Daily Office.  But I then, I would need to be elected to the presidency…ain’t happenin’

But more to the point, I would deliver a lecture in defense of free speech and other American freedoms.  I would point out the difference between violent and non-violent dissent.  I would like to go so far as to point out that only weak ideologies cannot tolerate dissent (hear that Democrats).

I also like the concept of defunding our enemys.

Finally, I would have been heckling Pakistan like crazy for imprisoning Dr. Afriki and demanding his release with an offer of asylum in the US.

Matt at #5, a well thought-out response. 

Much as it pains some people in our society to hear it, the bit about remorseslessly hunting down perpetrators is important - there must be a general understanding that those who target your countrymen will pay for it, even if it takes years or decades to find them. 

A fortnight ago, Australia lost five soldiers in one day in Afghanistan, three of them killed by a rogue member of the Afghan defence force.  We don’t usually get caught like that.  But be that as it may, people like that have always been hunted down by us, and they always will.  Its not revenge, its just business, but its very important that you do it.

Re your deceased ambassador Chris Stevens - he was a strong advocate for US support to the rebels in Libya, and that may have been why he was targeted.  He was highly respected in other western countries and will be mourned.

I don’t know.  Not my field of expertise. 

I have a feeling though that it would be less likely to happen with me or anyone else at the helm.  I have a stronger feeling that none of us would have started gearing up for another apology tour.

There’s so much to do.  Among many other things, I would:

1)  The big picture goal as always would be to use proxies to prevent the emergence of a Eurasian superstate that could threaten American naval dominance.  Priority one would be containing China.  But continue strengthening ties to Turkey, India, Israel with limits, and yes Egypt as a counterweight to Iran.

2) Win hearts and minds with the moral high ground.  Without absolving or excusing terrorism, educate the American public on American contributions to the region’s ills.  Understand Muslim perceptions of American relationships to strong men like Mubarak, Operation Cast Lead, and the occupation of Iraq.  Take responsibility for America’s hand in overthrowing Iran’s democratic government in 1953 and maybe even in supporting the Algerian military coup of 1991.  Operate under the principle that moral responsibility depends on the ability to do otherwise, i.e. terrorists are always guilty but we could have done better in certain cases too.  Repeat endlessly that we recognize Muslims’ human rights and will no longer use them as chips in the Cold War.  Re-establish traditional American standards of due process and justice by treating terrorists under harsh but clear laws against piracy.  No torture.  Under no circumstance buy into a “holy war” dynamic that benefits no one but extremist religious leaders on both sides.  This point isn’t going to magically end terrorism, but it can drain the swamp of its support over time and strengthen alliances in Europe and Asia.  For those who doubt the power of the moral high ground in war, see “Why the Allies Won” by Richard Overy.  We have a little more work to do than we would like here, but we’re also very close to big, easy gains too.

3)  Clean energy Manhattan project.