"The Benghazi syndrome" (by former Foreign Service officer against Republican "politicking")

[alp227]

About the author: "Mieczyslaw P. Boduszynski was a Foreign Service officer with the State Department from 2004 to 2013. He is now an assistant professor of politics and international relations at Pomona College."

Sen. Lindsey Graham and others on Capitol Hill are demanding further inquiries into the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, apparently convinced that the Obama administration is withholding crucial information. But I often wonder whether Graham (R-S.C.) and others who exploit the Benghazi issue to attack the president realize that their politicking affects the ability of American diplomats to carry out their work.

I served as a U.S. Foreign Service officer in Libya before, during and after the attack, and I saw firsthand how playing politics with Benghazi directly hurts our interests in Libya and beyond.

At the time of the attack, on Sept. 11, 2012, I was the public affairs officer at the Tripoli embassy, responsible for broadening our relations with the new Libya by forging ties between Americans and Libyans. That kind of bond-building had been virtually impossible during the 42 years of Moammar Kadafi's rule, but I was able to reach out to members of the media, academics, writers and other cultural figures, civil society activists and representatives of women's and ethnic minority groups. They were generally eager to engage.

Congress provides crucial oversight over foreign policy. It was appropriate, after the Benghazi attacks, for Congress to examine the attacks and evaluate security shortcomings and failures. This was done, and a report was also issued by the State Department's Accountability Review Board. Since then, there has been no new information, no evidence of conspiracies and no smoking gun. Special hearings called in May revealed nothing new. It's time to move past the tragedy and get back to work.

full: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-boduszynski-benghazi-diplomacy-20131201,0,4117285.story

[nykym]

1. It's time to move past the tragedy and get back to work.

and lay the blame for the security shortcoming directly at Republican feet.
It was they who striped funding for security from the State Department budget.
No money no security pretty simple equation.