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Obama: Diplomats' Deaths Won't Deter US

President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally in Golden, Colorado, Sept. 13, 2012.

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Dan Robinson

September 13, 2012

WHITE HOUSE — President Barack Obama is monitoring the situation in the Middle East, North Africa and other areas of the world amid anti-U.S. demonstrations sparked by a film mocking Islam. Obama says the killing of U.S. diplomats in Libya will not deter the United States from projecting its core principles.

Obama kept a close watch on developments as he completed a two-day political campaign trip to two western states.

In Colorado, he paid tribute to U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other diplomats killed Tuesday when a mob stormed the U.S. consulate in the city of Benghazi.

Obama repeated his vow to bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of American diplomats in Libya and said the losses will not deter the United States in upholding its principles.

"I want people around the world to hear me, to all those who would do us harm," he said. "No act of terror will go unpunished. It will not dim the light of the values that we proudly present to the rest of the world. No act of violence shakes the resolve of the United States of America."

Anti-U.S. protests in Libya, Yemen and Egypt

Anti-U.S. protests in Libya, Yemen and Egypt

The White House released summaries of Obama's telephone conversations with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, and Libyan National Assembly President Mohammed Magarief, in which he sought security assurances for U.S. diplomatic personnel and facilities.

To President Magarief he stressed the importance of cooperation in the investigation to identify those responsible.

President Morsi, according to the White House account, pledged to maintain security for American personnel. Protests continued Thursday outside the U.S. embassy in Cairo.

Obama also reiterated his rejection of efforts to denigrate Islam, saying there is never any justification for violence against innocents and acts that endanger American personnel and facilities.

^{Photo Gallery of anti-U.S. protests in Yemen, Egypt and Libya}

Yemeni protestors break a door of the U.S. Embassy during a protest about a film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Mohammed, Sana'a, Yemen, September 13, 2012.
Yemenis protest in front of the U.S. Embassy during a protest about a film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Mohammed, Sana'a, September 13, 2012.
Egyptian protesters burn tires as they clash with riot police outside the U.S. embassy in Cairo, Egypt, September 13, 2012.
An Egyptian protester throws back a tear gas canister toward riot police outside the U.S. embassy in Cairo, September 13, 2012.
A policeman stands in front of a police car set on fire by protesters in front of the U.S. embassy in Cairo, Egypt, during clashes between protesters and police, September 13, 2012.
White House staff are pictured after they lowered the U.S. flag to half staff on the roof of the White House in Washington, September 12, 2012, following the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens.
President Barack Obama delivers a statement with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, September 12, 2012
A burnt car is parked at the U.S. consulate, which was attacked and set on fire by gunmen, in Benghazi, Libya, September 12, 2012.
An exterior view of the U.S. consulate, which was attacked and set on fire by gunmen yesterday, in Benghazi September 12, 2012.
An interior view of the damage at the U.S. consulate, which was attacked and set on fire by gunmen yesterday, in Benghazi, Libya, September 12, 2012.
Christopher Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, was killed along with three of his staff on September 11, 2012 during a demonstration at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. This photo was taken at his home in Tripoli, June 28, 2012.
A vehicle sits smoldering in flames after being set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi late on September 11, 2012.
An armed man waves his rifle as buildings and cars are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the U.S. consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya, late on September 11, 2012.
U.S. Consulate in Benghazi in flames during protest, September 11, 2012

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had a strong condemnation of the amateur film that sparked violence across the region, as she addressed a visiting delegation from Morocco.

"This video is disgusting and reprehensible," she said. "It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage. But as I said yesterday, there is no justification, none at all, for responding to this video with violence."

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Vice President Joe Biden paused before a political campaign speech in Wisconsin to pay tribute to the Americans killed in Libya, saying they gave their lives while working for democracy, partnership and tolerance.

"We will not be run off, we will redouble our work that those courageous Americans had been doing to ensure a more tolerant, more secure world in the interests not only of the people in those countries but in the security of the United States of America," he said.

At an event in Washington on Libya, a senior fellow at The Atlantic Council, Karim Mezran, said all signs point to the assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi having been carefully planned.

"There is no doubt now that it was a prepared attack," said Mezran. "Calling it an accident or an incident is preposterous. It went on for hours and nothing like that would have gone on for hours if it was not prepared."

President Obama also continues to be briefed on other situations in which demonstrations against the film mocking Islam broke out, including Yemen where protesters stormed the grounds of the U.S. embassy in Sana'a.

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Comments page of 2

by: American4Ever from: Indiana

September 13, 2012 5:59 PM

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For those that want to step up to the plate and swing away at our president, first off shame on you. Secodnly, the administration is handling this without fanfare, beating their chests, acting like warmongers - for those that want the theatrics, ask yourself who this would benefit???

Let's all ask how we can get out of these countries and if they want to act like this, let's watch from a distance WHILE WE ENJOY ENERGY INDEPENDENCE and PEACE amoung our country.

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by: George Douglas from: Fairplain

September 13, 2012 11:06 PM

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Obama is ignoring the pain felt by most Americans and is in Las Vegas campaigning and partying. He went to sleep knowing the ambassador was missing and did nothing to help him. Obama only cares about Obama. A real American president would be in the command center at the White House.

by: Brandt Hardin from: Nashville

September 13, 2012 5:23 PM

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Well over a decade since 9/11, bigotry and racial intolerance have engulfed our country when Lady Liberty is supposed to hold her arms open and embrace all world cultures. Anti-Islamic and Muslim rhetoric have filled our political halls and been laid as the basis for never-ending wars and distress in the Middle East. We’re taught as a nation to fear these people and wage a class war of hate and discrimination against them. Read more about Living in a Society of Fear and the dangers we bring upon ourselves through this small-minded detestation at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-in-society-of-fear-ten-years.html

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