MSNBC Guest: Protecting Ambassador Stevens Could Have Stopped Him From Doing His Job (video)

NewsBusters ^

[chessplayer]

This could be the lamest defense yet for the lapses that led to the murder of US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens. According to a former diplomat appointed by Bill Clinton, providing tighter security for Ambassador Stevens might have prevented him from carrying out his diplomatic duties.

Daniel Serwer, the Clinton diplomat in question, offered his excuse for the Benghazi debacle on MSNBC's Up With Chris Hayes this morning.

You'll note that Hayes makes reference to a HuffPo article in which some US diplomats claim diplomatic security is too tight. The main source for that article is Barbara Bodine, the woman who as Clinton's ambassador to Yemen notoriously thwarted the FBI's investigation into the bombing of the USS Cole. Some security expert.

Watch the liberal diplomatic community circle the wagons around President Obama and his egregious failure to protect his ambassador to a violent and chaotic land.

NOTE: Particularly notable and outrageous was this passsive-voice formulation from Serwer: "It's not surprising that failure comes in a situation like this." Yes, "failure comes" on little cat feet. No one really responsible for it. Such a "complicated, confusing situation," don't you know?

CHRIS HAYES: Daniel, you wrote about this, and there was a really good piece of reporting from Josh Hersh, at the Huffington Post, talking to some diplomats, who were talking about their fear that in the wake of this, what we're going to see is increased security, increased barricading of American embassies. And that those, the increased security, comes at the cost of doing effective diplomacy. How have you experienced that as a diplomat yourself? How have you experienced that trade-off on the ground?

DANIEL SERWER: Well, especially in Iraq we see very clearly that the American diplomats are incarcerated and warehoused in an embassy. They're not out talking to the population; they're not meeting people as frequently as they should. They're not giving speeches, cutting ribbons, doing all the things that need to be done if you're to develop a rapport not only with the host government but also with the host population, and that's what diplomacy is all about, that comprehensive understanding of a society.

[chessplayer]

Wow.

[mkmensinger]

Well, killing him CERTAINLY stopped him from doing his job, didn’t it?

[Parmy]

I have an idea for a new and potentially vibrant business. Sell tinfoil hats to the U.S. diplomatic community.

[UCANSEE2]

So.... the only way we can get them to quit killing us is to have no security so they can keep killing us ?

[Gaffer]

I keep coming back to ‘reports’ on the web this guy was a homo. Why was he in a country where the religion apparently takes adultery more harshly than say, pederasty (with a young boy)?

[MissMagnolia]

Here’s an idea .... let each ambassador/diplomat/Mr. ‘Sewer’ make their own decision as to whether they want security or not. If they’re comfortable going around Iraq, Benghazi, or any place else without an escort, etc. ... then they can pull on their big boy/girl pants and get on out there to do their thing.

Chris Stevens was worried. He followed the advice of his security officers - Nordstrom testified he never questioned their advice. He sent cables warning of unrest and trouble. He backed the requests for additional security. Mr. ‘Sewer’ can shove it where Benghazi is concerned. Maybe he should be sent to get the consulate back on its feet again - without tight security that would keep him from getting up close and personal with the locals.