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Subscribe to RSSU.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice recaps the causes and effects of recent violence against Americans in the Middle East.
The attack that killed four Americans at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, apparently began as a spontaneous protest against an anti-Islam film before turning violent, Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Sunday.
Rice, appearing in NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said she was citing preliminary information and that the FBI was investigating the Tuesday night attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three others.
Libyan officials are holding 30 to 40 suspecting in the deadly attack of a the US embassy in Libya. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
A wave of protests and violence has swept across the Middle East and elsewhere in the Muslim world over an obscure, amateurish movie called "Innocence of Muslims" that depicts Muhammad as a fraud, a womanizer and a pedophile. Anti-U.S. protests in 20 countries led the Pentagon to dispatch elite Marine antiterrorism teams to Libya and Yemen and to position two Navy warships off Libya's coast.
Meanwhile, the State Department ordered all nonessential U.S. government workers and their families out of Sudan and Tunisia. In Lebanon, protesters torched an American fast-food restaurant. Even as tensions appeared to ease over the weekend, al-Qaida's most active Mideast branch was calling for further attacks on U.S. embassies.
"There's no question, as we've seen in the past with things like 'The Satanic Verses,' with the cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad, there have been such things that have sparked outrage and anger and this has been the proximate cause of what we've seen," Rice said.
“What happened in Benghazi was in fact initially a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired hours before in Cairo, almost a copycat of the demonstrations against our facility in Cairo, prompted by the video,” Rice said.
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Protesters in Cairo had breached the walls of the U.S. Embassy and tore down the American flag.
In Benghazi, Rice told “Meet the Press” host David Gregory, “Opportunistic extremist elements came to the consulate as this was unfolding, they came with heavy weapons, which unfortunately are readily available in post-revolutionary Libya, and it escalated into a much more violent episode.”
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There was “no actionable intelligence” that the attack in Benghazi was imminent, Rice said. The attack overwhelmed security in place at the consulate, she said.
Rice’s comments came a day after Libyan President Mohammed Magarief told NBC News that “foreigners” were involved in the planning and execution of the attack.
He expanded on the assertion Sunday, saying on CBS’ "Face the Nation" that about 50 people, not all Libyans, have been arrested in connection with the Benghazi attack, which he said was planned by al-Qaida-linked foreigners, some from Mali and Algeria.
Magarief said there was little doubt the assault was planned rather than a spontaneous reaction to the video, as came on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
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He said the security situation in Libya remained "difficult" for Americans, as well as for Libyans. The United States wants the FBI to investigate the consulate attack, but Magarief said it may be too soon to send in investigators.
"It may be better for them to stay away for a little while until we do what we have to do ourselves," he said.
Rice told "Meet the Press" that the U.S. is working with authorities in Libya, which has received $200 million in U.S. aid since 2011, to bring to justice those responsible for the attack.
This article includes reporting by Reuters.
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For those of you blind to the fools that make up the Obama appointees it is was SUSAN Rice that spouts the protect Obama theme. Two of the North African nations involved said it was pre-planned and that we knew about it! Obama and Hillary a complicit in the deaths of those Americans!
It would seem to me the ambassador would have a lot better intelligence then the ignorant GOP brains supplied here.
Bullsh*t, spontaneous my azz. This was a planned attack. How did these people in the WH get their jobs?
The Middle East is the Land of da Devil. The U S should just stay out of there. They will never have Peace.
Why do all the Middle Eastern women have to dress up like “Cousin It”?
Hopefully there will come a day when we can tell them to “Drink their Oil and Eat their Sand”.
Remember Republicans, when these Foreign Countries ask for Aid and Funding….just say No.
Cut off all Funding to Foreign Countries, especially Pakistan. Why are we giving them Billions of $$$$$$ just to be our “Little Friend”? Did they Apologize for Hiding Out Bin Laden?
You Bet Cha….Fer Sure
Why do the terrorists get to carry guns, but Americans are condemed, and it's their right? Why is obama and hillary allowing the UN to give "terrorists" supporting UN nations access to American Gun owners personal information? Why is obama telling Putin to wait until he's re-elected? Why has obama allowed Russian tanks and troops into the USA? Obama works for the UN and is out to destroy the USA constitution and trying to implement EU style politics which deny God Almighty. America is under attack from within "Red Dawn" is here people. And the government has made laws, against the constitution, to protect itself. They're traitors.
Guys like you do more to get Obama reelected than any amount of political advertising ever will.
You are totally decieved. And stop trying to flip-script.
"Woe unto those who call evil good, and good evil.", They will reap what they sow, in the case of the obamanation; they sow deception and thus are decieved period.
We need to Pass a New Law: Lets call it “Da Dick Cheney” Law.
For Any Future Wars or Invasions: All Politicians have to send a Son or Daughter to the Front Line. If it is Truly something that we have to do, they should have no problem with that.
If Romney / Ryan are Elected……….Mitt needs to send all 5 Sons.
Do ya know what is Really Irresponsible? Invading Countries, Policing da World at the U.S. Taxpayer Expense, and giving away Billions of $$$$$$$$ to Foreign Countries like Pakistan …just to be “Our Little Friend”.
You Bet Cha…….Fer Sure.
And if they have no sons or daughters they need to go themselves if they vote for war they need to support their vote.
It's already come out that the attack had been planned since August specifically to coincide with anniversary of 9/11!! Keep drinking the kool-aid you idiots! This country is in shambles, and you just keep believing all the lies
“F” da Middle East……..do not give them one Dime of our $$$$$$$$$. They can Hate us for Free.
You BetCha…..Fer Sure.
John from BC, you could be my brother, I thought you ignorant as a kid and you haven't changed over the years.
John from BC appears to be drunk on kool aid. Every US post in a foreign location has been notified of all 'hot dates', dates when threats are a high potential. This has been for decades. Hillary and the Bobblehead should personally visit each and every one of the locations where 'problems' occurred to determine the safety for return of US personnel. Their agenda should be published for the entire world to know their dedication to duty. This needs to happen asap. Definitely prior to the election.
Aww, hate the truth, you must be a republican.
you betcha.......fer sure.
Why don’t we just “Bomb” da Middle East with Sarah Palin Books and Empty Chairs…lol.
You BetCha……Fer Sure.
Ambassadors know they put their life and reputation in jeopardy if they are found out to be straight faced liars as Susan set here saying that we(American Government) condemn all violence.Drone strikes happen not to be a run under the water sprinklers,shock and aw was no a game of Red light,the toppling of Ghaddafi was not a game of May I.Vietnam was not a game of jump rope.America was not given to the European as a gift from the American Indians.
Ms Rice doesn't know squat about Islam...These demonstrations have been orchestrated to compel the West to abandon the freedom of speech.
She knows, but she was instructed to promote the lie....You cant believe that Obama would put out the truth, could you? After all, he has a campaign going on. He has always relied on hiding the truth....
With freedom of speech comes responsibility, and also consequences, the founding fathers sure didn't mean that you can yell fire in a crowded theater nor did they mean it is ok to insult others religion.
If Nakoula Basseley Nakoula gets sent back to jail, no matter what priors he has, no matter how checkered his past, make no mistake: he will be a political prisoner. He will be in prison not for the meth or the fraud or for the technicality of the probation violation, but for insulting Muhammad. His imprisonment will be a symbol of America's capitulation to the Sharia.
The protests are not about the film. The protests are to intimidate the U.S. into criminalizing criticism of Islam. If Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is imprisoned, he will be nothing more than the fall guy who became the first offender against the new federal crime of blasphemy against Islam.
I would like to mention in her interview on the other TV stations she mouthed exactlythe same answers she did on MSN as if she had no opinions of her. Just another puppet in the enemy's regime.
Whens the last time Ambassador Rice washed her hair?
LIAR, this administration is arrogant and chickensh*t.
Keep attacking with the Drones. Let Allah sort it out later. You Bet Cha…..Fer Sure.
Obama will declare war and enact part of the War Powers Act to stay in office!
I would like that, anyone but Robmehood who won't even show his tax returns.
Lite them up like “T i k i……T o r c h e s”.
You Bet Cha…Fer Sure.
Maybe President Unemployment should of attended a National Security Briefing in the last 6 months ? Susan, not to be confused with Condeleeza ! I'am surprised they could not find an Ambassador Bush ? LMFAO
"Should of" should be "Should have". Go back to English class.
Ahhhh another foaming at the mouth, panting, regressive liberal, grammatical, spelling nazi.
If you look up the word “Explosion” in an Arabic dictionary, it means “A call to Prayer”. This is a way of Llife and Mentality for the Muslims and people from the Middle East. It's all they know. These Whack Job Extremist use "Religion" as a front and an excuse to carry out their "Evil Agendas”.
"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." Let's go kick some terrorists asses then.
"Two wrongs don't make a right." Vote obama out (1st wrong voting him in, 2nd wrong sympathizing with terrorists), now let's take out the enemies of America and vote this guy out.
"nonessential U.S. government workers" - There's a great term. Apparently we have far to many of them. Why do we taxpayers, pay for non-essential government employees? Just wondering...
Let's see they call americans "non-essential" and they call murderers and terrorists friends? What is wrong with this picture? "RED DAWN" is here and the current american government is sleeping with the enemy.
More lies from the Obama administration trying to manipulate the American public to cover up their F-ups! Leave it to NBC Obama's promotion news/spin network to push the lies for him.
All this BS when it very obvious it was planned. Even the President of Libya said it was a coordinated attack, but Obama knows they need to deny it because they have been weak on the Mid East. This confirms it! Yet they lie to the American public. Kind of like the terrorist attack at Fort Hood, was a "disgruntaled worker" even when Hassan was a follower of Alwaki, who we targeted in Yemen.
Give us a break. Admit you Fd up! Oh no, Obama is perfect. This administration and NBC are working together to mislead the American public instead of publishing the facts. Can't wait to see how biased you are in the debates. Publish facts instead of opinions. That's what the news is!
Shows ya how deep the hatred is when someone prefers to believe the President of Libya(who I'm sure you would condemn otherwise as a radical Muslim Brotherhood member that hates freedom) over our Secretary to the UN.
If a 'liberal' did that you'd be incensed and calling for them to be jailed.
Yeah? And there's WMDs in Iraq.
Does this administration think we are all idiots.???? She says that the libya and Cario incidents ar the same... How about the weapons??? How about the deaths??? These people are so stupid and naive they are just trying to CYA . Why is the ambassador to the UN, which is the biggest political joke, being used as ther spokes person for the Administration.??? Nov 11 cant come soon enough!!
Rice is not part of the Obama administration.
Pam....Do you really believe that??? Why else do you suppose that she would promote this lie??
How did she become the countries U.N. Embassador? The job is secured by a presidential apointment.
Wow, you really are a foaming at the mouth, panting, regressive liberal.
ambassadors are political appointees by the administration, not elected officials
The Ambassador to the United Nations is not a member of the United States Cabinet, but the position is frequently accorded cabinet-level rank. It held this status through the Ford, Carter, and Reagan administrations but was removed from cabinet rank by George H.W. Bush, who had previously held the position himself. It was restored under the Clinton administration. It was not a cabinet-level position under the George W. Bush administration (from 2001 to 2009).[1][2] but was once again elevated under the Obama administration. Former U.N. Ambassador John R. Bolton has publicly opposed the granting of cabinet-level status to the office, stating "One, it overstates the role and importance the U.N. should have in U.S. foreign policy, second, you shouldn't have two secretaries in the same department."