Teapublicans continue to demand accountability for the deaths of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three others in Benghazi. They might begin with some simple addition and subtraction.
For example, under President George W. Bush, the US State Department suffered the following attacks:
- 2002 Karachi, Pakistan Embassy – 10 dead
- 2004 Tashkent, Uzbekistan Embassy – 2 dead
- 2004 Jidda, Saudi Arabia Consulate – 8 dead
- 2006 Damascus, Syria Embassy – 1 dead
- 2007 Athens, Greece
- 2008 Belgrade, Serbia Embassy
- 2008 Sana, Yemen Embassy – 10 dead
That adds up to a total of 31 who died at embassies on Bush’s watch.
During the Obama administration, the US State Department has thus far suffered the following attacks:
- 2012 Benghazi, Libya Embassy – 4 dead
- 2013 Ankra, Turkey Embassy – 1 dead
That adds up to a total of 5 who have died on Obama’s watch.
Now for the subtraction. Since 2010, the Teapublican-controlled House cut the State Department’s budget for embassy security by $296 million. Okay, Rep. Issa, investigate that!
You simply can’t be “outraged” by the events in Benghazi, if you weren’t equally outraged by the many events that preceded it. And you can’t blame the State Department for failed security if you don’t fully fund its requests.