The Murder of an Ambassador Cannot Stand

Nearly twenty years ago it was reported that Saddam Hussein had plotted to murder former President George H.W. Bush on a visit to Kuwait.   My comment:  if I had been President (instead of Clinton), I would have been on national TV within 30 minutes, and I would have said something like this:

YOU DON'T THREATEN TO KILL A U.S. PRESIDENT.   PERIOD.   IF YOU DO SO, YOU AND EVERYONE WHO IS ASSOCIATED WITH YOU WILL BE KILLED BY U.S. MILITARY ACTION UPON MY ORDER.   PERIOD.  

This has to be the policy of the United States.  We have to be feared.   As harsh as this may sound, civilization survives because there are lines that you can't cross without the harshest possible punishment.

Today, after mobs in Libya broke into our Embassy -- our Embassy!  which is American soil as a matter of international law! -- and murdered our ambassador -- our Ambassador!   who is the representative of our government! -- the only appropriate response from the U.S. President should have been something like this:

YOU DON'T KILL OUR AMBASSADORS.   PERIOD.   IF YOU DO SO, EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED, EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH ANYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED, EVERYONE WHO CONDONES BY WORD OR DEED THE MURDER, EVERYONE IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTRY WHERE IT HAPPENS WHO DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY ACT TO CONDEMN IN THE HARSHEST POSSIBLE TERMS THE MURDER, AND TO IMMEDIATELY DELIVER THE PERPETRATORS TO AMERICAN JUSTICE -- BY WHICH I MEAN SUMMARY EXECUTION -- WE WILL KILL ALL OF YOU.   PERIOD.  

SO, PRESIDENT OR PRIME MINISTER OR WHATEVER YOU CALL YOURSELF OF LIBYA, HERE'S YOUR OPTION.   YOU WILL GO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION IN LIBYA WITH A HOOKUP TO AL-JAZEERA AND YOU WILL ABJECTLY, GROVELINGLY APOLOGIZE TO AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR THIS CRIME.   YOU WILL COMMIT TO TURNING OVER THE PERPETRATORS TO AMERICAN JUSTICE AND EXECUTION.   OR ELSE BENGHAZI WILL BE IN FLAMES IN THE MORNING.

Too tough for you?    Too bad.