Richard A. Clarke: Romney on Libya: Just shameful

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/romney-libya-shameful-article-1.1185889


Romney on Libya: Just shameful
Playing politics on national security
By Richard A. Clarke / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 4:39 PM
Updated: Thursday, October 18, 2012, 4:36 AM


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Why is the attack on Bengahzi being talked about so much? It is not because the Republicans have a long record of caring about embassy security. House Republicans cut $128 million in fiscal year 2011 and an additional $331 million in fiscal year 2012 from what Secretary of State Clinton requested for embassy security.

No, it’s because their polling and focus groups show that voters believe that President Obama has done a very good job fighting terrorists. Therefore, the Rove theory says, you attack Obama on terrorism.

Every President since Ronald Reagan has suffered American casualties to terrorism on his watch. Obama has suffered far fewer than his predecessors, largely because he has kept the terrorist groups off balance by relentlessly attacking them. He has largely eliminated Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan as an effective fighting force. His use of drones and special forces has been aggressive and successful, including in Yemen and Somalia.

Mitt Romney seems fixated on why Washington did not know with better clarity and sooner what went on during a terrorist attack. It is the kind of question that comes from someone who has no experience dealing with terrorism crisis management or, indeed, combat.

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The Accountability Review Board appointed by Clinton is led by Ambassador Tom Pickering, who served Republican and Democratic Presidents in a record eight ambassadorial jobs. He is aided by Adm. Mike Mullen, who was America’s top military commander. Anyone who really cares about what happened will await their report and will not interfere with their work by politicizing the issue.

But expect Romney to raise it again in the next debate, because what he really cares about is trying to put a dent in Obama’s outstanding performance on terrorism. When he does, ask yourself which man would you want calling the shots against Al Qaeda.