Comments

You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name

Your e-mail (optional)

Website (optional)

	My Original Nic Pic-a-Nic Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Foto

Submit your comments on this article

Africa North

Libya protests prompt U.S. to evacuate diplomats

2013-05-13

Growing concerns over protests roiling Libya prompted the State Department to begin evacuating some diplomats from Tripoli, as the Pentagon put troops stationed at nearby European bases on high alert.

So we can learn from a debacle...

The response was driven in part by the controversy over lax security at U.S. diplomatic installations in Libya last year, when four U.S. government employees, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, were killed in a terrorist attack. Fallout from the Sept. 11, 2012, assault in Benghazi continues to be the subject of an intense political fight, with Republicans ~~correctly~~ accusing the Obama administration of being negligent and attempting to cover up embarrassing facts.

The protests that have spread in Libya over the past week stem largely from the passage of a law that bars from public office officials who served in key roles under the deposed Libyan regime of Moammar Gaddafi. There is no indication so far that the demonstrators are targeting Westerners.

But it provides cover and opportunity for AQIM and their related groups...

Still, a senior defense official said a Marine quick-response team and a Special Operations unit have been placed on alert to ensure that they can respond if they are needed to evacuate personnel. The nearest U.S. troops are stationed in Spain and Italy.

Any reason we can't get an LHD or similar ship into the Gulf of Sidra just in case?

The reason were able to have these forces on alert is work the Defense Department has done to have additional response options in the wake of Benghazi, the official said.

The State Department said in a statement that it has ordered the departure of a handful of non-essential personnel from Tripoli as a result of the unsettled situation, which includes mass protests outside government facilities.

We have no indication that the current protests are directed toward Westerners, the statement said. However, sporadic episodes of civil unrest have occurred throughout the country.

The State Department updated its Libya travel warning Thursday, advising against all but essential travel to Tripoli, Benghazi and other areas.

The unrest worsened after the countrys new legislature last weekend overwhelmingly passed the bill barring certain figures from serving in government. It could unseat officials who currently hold important jobs.

A similar effort to ban former officials from working in the Iraqi government after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein was one of the driving factors of the Sunni insurgency there. Diplomats and analysts have expressed concern that Libyas law is too broad potentially marginalizing a large segment of the population, which could resort to violence.

Posted by:Steve White

#4 I will provide commentary on what I see and hear while I am there.

This is nothing new to ole Bill, I was whisked out of Teheran in the back seat of a taxi, under a blanket with two Iranians officers sitting on me to make it look like nothing was there. I was on the last Iran Air flight out just before the roof fell in and those dumbshits at State including Zbrenzi(?) let the Khomeini return

So remember CNN is a discredited organization when they trot out Z to criticize Republican foreign policy.

Posted by: Bill Clinton 2013-05-13 14:40

#3 Returning to Dulles, a burito bowl and ice cold Negra Modelo at Chipotle's.... is a successful deployment. Make it happen Bill. Godspeed !

Posted by: Besoeker 2013-05-13 10:45

#2 Stay safe and report back, Bill.

Posted by: trailing wife 2013-05-13 10:04

#1 Great just freaking great, I've got my tickets and I fly to Tripoli on Tuesday and now the nut jobs start acting up.

Geez, you guys stay in Benghazi or go back to Cairo or something. Let me make some money.

Posted by: Bill Clinton 2013-05-13 00:36

00:00