On Wednesday morning, after President Trump’s strong actions regarding the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, the Iraqi military reportedly announced that all paramilitary groups and their supporters who had been protesting against U.S. air strikes in Iraq had withdrawn from the perimeter of the embassy.
All members of paramilitary groups and their supporters who have been protesting against U.S. air strikes in #Iraq have withdrawn from the perimeter of the #USEmbassy in #Baghdad on Wednesday, the Iraqi military said.https://t.co/2KKMRErDni
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) January 1, 2020
President Trump’s response to a threat against the U.S. embassy stand in stark contrast to the Obama administration’s response to the Benghazi massacre in September 2012, when four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, were murdered by terrorists storming the Benghazi, Libya compound.
Peter Ferrara wrote in Forbes in October 2012 that the Obama Administration had received requests for additional security from the Embassy and Stevens as early as February, and in August 2012, Stevens sent a cable requesting 11 additional body guards. He pointed out, “The Wall Street Journal reported on October 10 that the Administration removed a well-armed, 16 member, security detail from Libya in August, to be replaced by the Libyan security personnel that Ambassador Stevens had just told them could not be relied upon.”
Ferrara stated, “ … documents released by the House Oversight Committee, the day of the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, September 11, the White House situation room starts receiving emails at about 1 p.m. that the mission is under hostile surveillance … at 4 p.m. Washington receives an email from the Benghazi mission that it is under military style attack … Just one hour flight time away were U.S. Air Force bases that could have been rousted in minutes to send fighter planes and attack helicopters that could have routed the attackers in minutes of fighting.”
The Obama Administration later claimed the attack by terrorists at Benghazi was triggered by a video.
The Trump Administration, on the other hand, responded to a threat at the U.S. Embassy by sending in military forces. OIR spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III tweeted a video of AH-64 Apaches heading for Iraq, quoting Department of Defense secretary Mark Esper asserting, ““We have taken appropriate force protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens…and to ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”
VIDEO: AH-64 Apaches protect @USEmbBaghdad. ?“We have taken appropriate force protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens…and to ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”~@EsperDoD ???? pic.twitter.com/amABHBAOcL
— OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) December 31, 2019
As The Daily Wire reported on Wednesday, “President Trump has deployed 750 U.S. soldiers to the Middle East, with some 3,000 additional troops preparing to deploy soon if necessary.”
Esper announced that he had authorized “the immediate deployment of the infantry battalion from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,” according to The Associated Press, which added, “Additional soldiers from the 82nd Airborne’s quick-deployment brigade, known officially as its Immediate Response Force, were prepared to deploy,” and that the full brigade consisted of around 4,000 soldiers.
On Tuesday, President Trump tweeted, “Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!”
The Daily Wire noted, “The terrorist attack on the U.S. Embassy started early on Tuesday morning when thousands of supporters of the Kataeb Hezbollah terrorist organization attacked the facility in response to U.S. forces killing dozens of terrorists from the organization just a few days ago.”
via The Daily Wire
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