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On a target date like the eleventh anniversary of 9/11, it is quite the jaw-dropping revelation to learn that there were no Marines guarding the U. S. consulate where Chris Stevens, our ambassador to Libya, was brutally murdered yesterday: Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Kendra Motz said that Marines were not posted to the consulate, unlike the embassy in the capital, Tripoli. A defense official told POLITICO on Wednesday that the Pentagon is sending an elite team of about 50 additional Marines, called a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team, to reinforce the embassy. A senior administration official Wednesday called the Benghazi consulate...

So far, the presidential race has focused on the economy, health care and jobs. Events this week are likely to change the course of the presidential election. Foreign policy will increase in importance and focus. As the United States marked the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks this past Tuesday with ceremonies, prayers and memorial services, demonstrators gathered at the U.S. embassy in Cairo and the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. They were protesting an online video filmed in California by Sam Bacile, a self-described Israeli Jew. According to CNN, "In a series of disjointed scenes, filmmakers depict...

Chris Matthews: Let me start tonight with this horrible story of the courageous American ambassador killed in Libya. Chris Stevens sounds like a great guy. Peace Corps volunteer, who in his more recent career acted heroically in saving lives in the overthrow of Gaddafi. The tragedy in Benghazi that cost Ambassador Stevens his life, unfortunately, has been overshadowed by the desperate reach of Mitt Romney to secure a political advantage. Hours before the killing, Romney issued a statement accusing President Obama of having sympathized with those making the attacks on the U.S. consulate. He called it disgraceful.

CBS story: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57511043/assault-on-u.s-consulate-in-benghazi-leaves-4-dead-including-u.s-ambassador-j-christopher-stevens/?tag=stack CBS story quote, about half-way down: “He said Stevens, 52, and other officials were moved to a second building - deemed safer - after the initial wave of protests at the consulate compound. According to al-Sharef, members of the Libyan security team seem to have indicated to the protesters the building to which the American officials had been relocated, and that building then came under attack.”

The consulate where the American ambassador to Libya was killed on Tuesday is an “interim facility” not protected by the contingent of Marines that safeguards embassies, POLITICO has learned. Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed with three other Americans in an attack on the U.S. consulate in the city of Benghazi, where Libyan rebels ousted strongman Moammar Qadhafi last year. Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Kendra Motz said that Marines were not posted to the consulate, unlike the embassy in the capital, Tripoli.

President Barack Obama took no questions at the White House Rose Garden press conference on the attacks in Libya, turning his back and walking away as a reporter asked, “Is this an act of war?” “The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack. We’re working with the government of Libya to secure our diplomats. I’ve also directed my administration to increase our security at diplomatic posts around the world,” Obama said, flanked by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “And make no mistake – we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the...

As horrible news broke this morning about the death of Christopher Stevens, U.S. ambassador to Libya, at least four graphic photos purportedly showing his death during the savage embassy attack began circulating. The man in the photos appears to be the ambassador, but some reports indicate Stevens died in the hospital.

"We consistently stand up for Muslims around the world and talk abt how Islam is a wonderful religion." The U.S. Embassy in Cairo released the following statement hours before protesters stormed the embassy building:(bolding is mine) "The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to...

Mitt Romney has criticized the Obama administration’s craven response to today’s embassy attacks: >>>I’m outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi. It’s disgraceful that the Obama Administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.<<< Meanwhile an Obama administration official told Politico that, >>>the statement by Embassy Cairo was not cleared by Washington and does not reflect the views of the United States government.<<< Which raises the question, How? Are we to...

President Obama said Wednesday he strongly condemns the “outrageous attack” by a mob in Libya that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens. “Right now, the American people have the families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers,” Mr. Obama said in a statement. “They exemplified America’s commitment to freedom, justice, and partnership with nations and people around the globe, and stand in stark contrast to those who callously took their lives.” Mr. Stevens and three other Americans were killed Tuesday in an attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi by protesters angry...

Oh if only Islamic radicals would riot over the HHS contraception mandate and gay marriage. If they did, the Administration would fall all over themselves to apologize. Don’t believe me? Consider yesterday’s events well chronicled by Jeff Emanuel. A group in the United States exercised their first amendment rights, which set off rioting yet again among the religion of peace. Egyptians stormed the American Embassy, torn down the American flag, burned it, and replaced it with a black flag used by Al Qaeda. In Libya, our consulate was attacked and an Embassy employee killed. The Obama Administration’s Egyptian Embassy responded...

Press Statement Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Washington, DC September 12, 2012 It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the death of four American personnel in Benghazi, Libya yesterday. Among them were United States Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and Foreign Service Information Management Officer, Sean Smith. We are still making next of kin notifications for the other two individuals. Our hearts go out to all their families and colleagues. A 21 year veteran of the Foreign Service, Ambassador Stevens died last night from injuries he sustained in the attack on our office in Benghazi....

CAIRO — The United States ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, was killed along with three of his staff in an attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi Tuesday night by an armed mob angry over a short American-made video mocking Islam’s founding prophet, the White House and Libyan officials said on Wednesday. In a statement confirming the four fatalities, President Obama said he strongly condemned the killing — the first death of an American envoy abroad in more than two decades — and had ordered increased security at American diplomatic posts around the world.

BEIRUT, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff were killed in a rocket attack on Tuesday in the Libyan city of Benghazi, a Libyan official said.

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff were killed in a rocket attack on Tuesday night that targeted his car in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, a Libyan official said on Wednesday. "The American ambassador and three staff members were killed when gunmen fired rockets at them," the official in Benghazi told Reuters. Asked about the deaths, a U.S. Embassy employee in Tripoli said: "We have no information regarding this." The employee said the embassy could confirm the death of one person.

The US ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, has died from smoke inhalation in an attack on the US consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, security sources have told Al Jazeera. (excerpt) The ambassador was paying a short visit to Benghazi when the consulate came under attack on Tuesday night, (excerpt) He died of suffocation during the attack, along with two US security personnel who were accompanying him, security sources told Al Jazeera. Another consulate employee, whose nationality could not immediately be confirmed, was also killed. Two other staffers were injured,

Rain, Rain, didn't Go Away but We Dropped Literature Anyway... Despite the rain the campaign managed a total literature drop over the weekend of over 4000 pieces. It’s not what we hoped for but it was a Herculean effort and it made a great difference. Rain blocked some of our efforts and will stymie us all this week. We do hope to get literature out Friday afternoon and Saturday. I hope anyone reading this will join us for a great time! (Call the campaign (281)332-2899 or me (281)948-6103) “Special thanks” goes to my wife, Niki, and our kids, Sarah, Christopher,...

To no one’s surprise, former Galveston County Republican Party Chairman Chris Stevens made good on his pledge to run for county judge. He may face a primary challenger before taking on Jim Yarbrough, a Democrat who is seeking his fourth term as county judge. Stevens, who resigned from his top party post in November, submitted a petition with 650 signatures for his bid for the party’s nomination. Stevens said using a petition to file for office instead of submitting a filing fee was meant to send a message. “There were some doubts out there if I had enough support within...

The third time was the charm for Jerry Shults, who beat Pat Hallisey for League City mayor by almost 500 votes in Saturday’s runoff election. “I am extremely pleased,” said Shults, who lost his last bid for the office to Jeff Harrison in 2002. “We had a lot of people working hard to get out the vote.” The council candidates that Shults campaigned with, Tad Nelson and Mike Barber, also won their individual races. The three campaigned on a message of conservatism, painting their opponents as liberals aligned with developers and “special interest” groups. All of the candidates, though, were...

County Republican Chairwoman Sandra Kelly lost hold of the party’s reins Tuesday in a lopsided defeat to Chris Stevens. Stevens, a Dickinson piping designer, took 63.2 percent of the vote in a light turnout. Democratic voters elected Tony Buzbee to remain chairman of the county party, a post he’s held since being appointed by the precinct chairs last year to replace the retiring Mary Ellen Brennan. Buzbee, a Friendswood attorney, beat challenger Robert Hutchins, a Dickinson insurance salesman, by capturing 59.8 percent of the vote. Republican voters in the North County also sent two constable races to an April 13...