Obama: US 'Will Not Retreat' from World

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton walk back to their seats after speaking during the Transfer of Remains Ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, September 14, 2012.

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Dan Robinson

September 14, 2012

WHITE HOUSE — President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday received the bodies of four Americans killed in the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya this past week. Tough questions continue to be asked about security in Libya and U.S. diplomatic facilities elsewhere as unrest linked to an anti-Islam video continues.

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made the short trip to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to formally receive the remains of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, and three other Americans killed in Libya.

Obama and Clinton stood with heads bowed as Marines removed the four flag-draped coffins from a military transport plane to an aircraft hangar where family members and civilian and military officials were gathered.

Secretary Clinton spoke first, addressing family members and others seated in the hangar, including Libya's ambassador to the United States, paying tribute to each of those killed including Ambassador Stevens.

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"Chris won friends for the United States in far-flung places, he made those people's hopes his own. During the revolution in Libya he risked his life to help protect the Libyan people from a tyrant, and he gave his life helping them build a better country," Clinton said.

Saying there will be difficult days ahead, Clinton said the United States will continue "the long, hard work of diplomacy," adding "the people of Libya, Yemen and Tunisia did not trade the tyranny of a dictator for the tyranny of a mob."

She said "it is up to reasonable people and responsible leaders in these countries to do everything they can to restore security and hold accountable those behind these violent acts." ((END OPT))

President Obama spoke next, describing each of the slain Americans as patriots who laid down their lives protecting other Americans and working for people in countries they served in.

"Four Americans, four patriots, they loved this country and they chose to serve it and served it well. They had a mission and they believed in it. They knew the danger, and they accepted it. They didn't simply embrace the American ideal, they lived it. They embodied it," Obama said.

Obama said the loss of life and images from recent days may have caused some to question the diplomatic work carried out around the world. But he said there should be no question about U.S. commitment.

"Even as voices of suspicion and mistrust seek to divide countries and culture from one another, the United States of America will never retreat from the world, we will never stop working for the dignity and freedom that every person deserves, whatever their creed, whatever their faith," he said.

Protests continued across the Muslim world on Friday, including Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan and in some Asian capitals.

President Obama ordered a security review for diplomatic facilities. He also formally notified the U.S. Congress of the deployment of "combat-equipped" security forces to Libya and Yemen until the security situation stabilizes.

Questions continue to be asked about security in Libya, and media reports that intelligence was in hand warning of the Benghazi consulate attack or higher risks arising from the amateur video.

Press secretary Jay Carney insisted that the United States had no intelligence that warned of the assault. He called one report to this effect "false" but added investigations continue.

Carney responded this way when one journalist noted that demonstrations were continuing and seemed to be driven by anti-American sentiment as much as anger over the anti-Islam video.

"This is not a case of protests directed at the United States writ large, or at U.S. policy, this is in response to a video that is offensive to Muslims, this is not in any way justifying violence and we have spoken very clearly out against that and condemned it," Carney said.

National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said late Friday that the White House had "reached out" to YouTube, which is owned by Google to ask for a review as to whether the anti-Islam video violates its "terms of use."

Jay Carney said the United States would "absolutely not" apologize for the video, adding this would be squelching freedom of expression, which he called "a foundational principle" of the United States.

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Comment Sorting

Comment on this forum (12)

Comments page of 2

by: LeRoy Padmore from: Jersey City,NJ

September 14, 2012 10:09 PM

I dont care how America try to be the good guy,in the eyes of the Muslim world,we are not good.they call the U.S and Israel the great satanist. so what ever Mr.Obama wants to prove it won't work.They don't like America and Israel.and we don't care,we are not here for them to like us.no,we are living in a time that people want to Disrespect other people,and we will have to demand that respect Mr.Obama.I don't care if you don't want to fight,you will have to fight anyway.you cannot hide from this war option.Mr. Obama can with a slogan YES WE CAN,NOW YOU WILL HAVE TO DO IT MR.OBAMA.I TOLD PEOPLE THIS IS POLITICAL RHETORIC.all that hatefulness they have for the U.S,check their bank account,what are you going to find in there is the U.S Dollars.not China money or Russia money.their money are toillet paper.they want to be like us,we are proud to be an American.Long live America,and let the eagle fly high.God bless America

by: nathan from: 99301

September 14, 2012 9:15 PM

Mr,president and fellows have perfect speeches and united states is freedom democracy country and has perfect constitution .

by: Larry Leighton from: USA

September 14, 2012 9:04 PM

I have worked with Muslims all my life. I don't know them to be any different than myself except they sometimes dress differently than I.

What I don't understand is why I don't see or read of any Muslim leaders seeking or addressing the problems with extreme Muslims.

Is it the media? I asking because I don't understand the mentality.

by: Veteran from: Florida

September 14, 2012 9:00 PM

Perhaps, and this is just me, but perhaps fewer people would have died had you allowed the solders to use LIVE AMMUNITION when they were attacked.

by: Old RN Cowboy from: Out West

September 14, 2012 8:56 PM

The Obama administration may talk loud and long about bringing these murderers to justice, but we all know this will end by sending an increase in aid to appease these terrorists. I for one resent my tax money being spent in and on countries and people in an effort to buy friends. With no control of funds once delivered calling it humanitarian aid is quite a stretch. Looking at the big picture we are simply financing our own demise.

With waning influence around the world under this administration, Mr. Obama has destroyed our credibility. Not realizing his microphone was still on and sending a message to Putin via the outgoing Russian president. Mr. Obama clearly stated he would need to wait until after his re-election before he would be able to pull US defenses out of Europe. Even our longstanding European allies now know the US, and Mr. Obama is not to be trusted in word or deed.

by: Paul Hale from: Kennewick, WA

September 14, 2012 8:56 PM

BO will apologize for the US standing firm. I wish he loved this country as much as the four patriots did.

by: bob from: usa

September 14, 2012 8:55 PM

Think about it for a moment,

If Al-Qaeda and Taliban wanted to make Muslims hate America even more than the already do….Make a anti-Muslim video, then have members thought the world stir up Muslims’ to do the things we have seen.

Sounds like a good al-Qaeda and Taliban plan!

by: pepe

September 14, 2012 8:52 PM

Romney seals the nomination now by saying maybe we should retreat a bit and reconsider our national priorities. But of course he says something akin to the opposite of this.

by: Anwar uz Zaman from: Bangladesh

September 14, 2012 8:51 PM

Perhaps what we see, it is wiser for US to retreat from this world and work to mend it's own economy with trillions in debt. US only have managed to venture into this world to make war every where. Can someone show me place where they have made real friends and are loved for it ?

by: Charles Traylor from: Pahoa, Hawaii

September 14, 2012 8:46 PM

Kay Granger, a Republican from Fort Worth, Texas, and Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommitee on State-Foreign Operations, has noted in an email today to her constituents that she is carefully monitoring whether the White House will, in light of the events of the last few days, conducting violence in several countries against US Embassies and its personnel, will continue to distribute US foreign aid to them. Ms. Granger is standing ready to block those payments.