Possible terror threat closes U.S. embassies on Sunday

[Scott]

I have posted a public notice. Please follow it.

A post has been deleted.

[Publicus]

In the present instance of the embassy closings due to the threat of terrorism, the Republican party's partisan pit bull attack dog, Rep Peter King of New York supports Prez Obama and the NSA 100%.

Republican party Senator Saxby Chambliss, the ranking minority member of the Senate Intelligence Committee has been quoted in these threads saying the present information NSA has gathered are the most serious electronic communication intercepts since 9/11.

Thus the key Republicans in each Chamber of the Congress 100% support Prez Obama, based on the signals intelligence they have seen in the present terrorist threat in N Africa and the ME, but also in most or many Muslim countries.

The Congress does stand clearly and firmly in matters of national security and the safety of the public against imminent terrorist attacks. The present terrorist threat is not the bogus IRS baloney, nor is it a matter of personal privacy as raised by NSA programs of domestic surveillance. The present terrorist threat is real and virulent against the lives of Americans abroad in the service of the United States and to others similarly situated..

People who attempt to ascribe cynical and disingenuous purposes to the United States in the present circumstance of a terrorist threat approaching the scale of 9/11 are themselves cynical and not credible. Their awful motives, accusations and purposes remain unclear. They nonetheless discredit themselves, entirely so

[simple1]

The New York Times is reporting how the information came to light. Nice of the NYT to let Al Queda know they need to improve their communications security.

If the report of specific communications between the two individuals is accurate the level of detail that media organisations publish from their sources in situations like this is akin to treasonous. You would think that they would self-censor & shut up. On the other hand one can easily come to the view that there is a distinct possibility that the level of detail broadcast is counter intelligence to achieve uncertainty & doubt either by US authorities or a red flag operation by Al Qaeda.

I'm not a fan of Fox, but the commentary below makes sense.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/05/intercepted-communications-terror/

[SinglePot]

Continuing criticism about US Government mishandling of national security is becoming rather tiresome and boring for me.

A great deal of this appears to be due to Snowden. Critics of Obama may, and probably will say, it is just the tip of an iceberg and there are many examples of US Government inadequacy, failure to maintain the constitutional rights of US citizens, contravention of the 4th amendment, and activity which is either illegal or bordering on illegal.

Frankly, I am tired of the bashing of the US Government and would prefer to see people getting behind Obama as the world emerges into the cyber age, out of the Cold War era and into a new age where the true enemies of US citizens are undemocratic or fascist dictatorships and evil terrorist organisations like Al Qaeda who everybody thought were on the defensive when the perpetrator of vicious and sordid murders, Bin Laden, was eliminated.

Good evening.

[Steely Dan]

Surely it should have dawned on the U.S administration by now that the best policy for the middle east is to have nothing to do with it whatsoever. Al-Qaeda incidentally have identical ideological roots as the Muslim Brotherhood so any outreach towards the latter is delusional.

[lomatopo]

Well now, when the sheople start to question things scare them. No more color-coded threat level 'rainbow' so it can't be jacked up from yellow to orange, only to brown.

Thank God the NSA can "connect the dots" and come up with definitive, actionable intelligence like,

"...an attack is imminent... it could happen anywhere, at anytime...

Al Qaeda appears to be planning something big, although we don't know the exact target, the date, or the exact method... we just don't know"

A Ouija Board could do the same for $19.95.

[Credo]

The sheeple include the British, French and Germans as well as some others who have also closed down operations in places and have had non-essential personnel evacuated.

[Jingthing]

Confucius say:

Better to be live sheeple, than dead lamb chops

(Sorry!)

Edited August 6, 2013 by Jingthing

[Publicus]

The sheeple include the British, French and Germans as well as some others who have also closed down operations in places and have had non-essential personnel evacuated.

As of a few hours ago the U.S. evacuated the entire Yemeni embassy staff by air force transports to Ramstein AFB in Germany and advised all Americans in Yemen to leave the country without delay.

I wouldn't be in Yemen for all the tea in China but I suppose there are some US expats there for various reasons.

There isn't any reason to date to believe the US would do the same in other Muslim countries. Yemen seems to be the present central snakepit of terrorism globally. This new development is complicated by the fact Yemen is a failed state with a weak and practically non-existent central government.

There isn't much the US or any country can do against terrorists there when there isn't an effective central government in place. Perhaps the best that can be done is to isolate the place as best as possible.

[SinglePot]

Well now, when the sheople start to question things scare them. No more color-coded threat level 'rainbow' so it can't be jacked up from yellow to orange, only to brown.

Thank God the NSA can "connect the dots" and come up with definitive, actionable intelligence like,

"...an attack is imminent... it could happen anywhere, at anytime...

Al Qaeda appears to be planning something big, although we don't know the exact target, the date, or the exact method... we just don't know"

A Ouija Board could do the same for $19.95.

yep. but the ouija board ain't gonna do you any good when you've got burning aircraft fuel behind ya and your on the 32nd floor.

[folium]

Surely it should have dawned on the U.S administration by now that the best policy for the middle east is to have nothing to do with it whatsoever. Al-Qaeda incidentally have identical ideological roots as the Muslim Brotherhood so any outreach towards the latter is delusional.

Are you suggesting that the US pulls the plug on Israel, or do you not consider Israel to be in the Middle East?

[Publicus]

Lest we forget, the list of terrorist attacks against the United States in Yemen gets very long, dating back to 1992. It includes the attack on the USS Cole Navy Destroyer anchored in the Yemeni port of Aden which killed 17 sailors.

Consequently, the new U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa was built in accordance with the most up to date, comprehensive security standards the U.S. has ever devised to construct embassy buildings. .

The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa is designed to withstand bomb attacks and armed assaults. Still, even well constructed buildings are vulnerable to mob attacks like the one against the U.S. Embassy in Tunis in September, 2012.

However, only the host country security forces can provide protection against such threats. And the host country, Yemen, is a failed state with barely any effective central government. Hence the evacuation today of all but an unspecified number of emergency personnel from the US Embassy in Sanaa.

After new threat, check out al-Qaida's track record in Yemen

By Agence France Presse

1992

- December 12: Al-Qaeda carries out its first know attack in Yemen, striking a hotel in the southern city of Aden that houses US troops headed for Somalia. A Yemeni and an Austrian are killed.

2000

- October 12: 17 US military personnel killed in suicide attack on the USS destroyer Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden

Read more: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_23797382/after-new-threat-check-out-al-qaidas-track

U.S., Britain pull some staff from Yemen:

Security steps increased due to intercepted message, other threats

http://www.kjct8.com/U-S-Britain-pull-some-staff-from-Yemen/-/163252/21349178/-/2g806q/-/index.html

"In response to a request from the U.S. State Department, early this morning the U.S. Air Force transported personnel out of Sanaa, Yemen," Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement.

CNN's Barbara Starr was told that two military planes carrying as many as 90 Americans from Yemen were enroute to Ramstein U.S. Air Base in Germany.

Shortly afterward a pair of suspected U.S. drone strikes killed four al Qaeda militants.

At the State Department, spokesperson Jen Psaki said Tuesday that ordering out non-emergency personnel was in response to a "specific, immediate" threat that also caused other precautionary steps such as the extended closing of diplomatic facilities announced Sunday.

The British Foreign Office also announced Tuesday that "all staff in the British Embassy" in Yemen had been "temporarily withdrawn and the embassy will remain closed until staff are able to return." It cited "increased security concerns" for the move.

Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood Leader Calls For Attack On U.S. Embassy

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-22/egypt-s-constitutional-panel-meets-amid-sinai-violence.html

A Muslim Brotherhood leader has called on Egyptians to lay siege to the U.S Embassy in Cairo to protest what he said was American support for the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.

The embassy and all roads leading to it are totally secure and the government won’t let it be attacked, said Adel-Fattah Osman, assistant to the interior minister. Egyptian police had set up barriers around the compound before El-Erian spoke.

Mustapha Al-Sayyid, a professor of politics at Cairo University, predicted the Brotherhood probably will try to avoid violence. “It’s seeking the support of foreign governments, and violence will lead them to support the current interim government.”

US orders some of its diplomats to leave Egypt

http://www.codewit.com/africa/9081-distress-of-nations-us-orders-some-of-its-diplomats-to-leave-Egypt

Edited August 6, 2013 by Publicus

[wooloomooloo]

I've never been to the Middle East and don't intend to. I fly direct to Thailand and won't be stopping in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar or any other local stopover anytime soon.

I'm know the Middle East wouldn't enjoy my western habits and I'm certain I won't enjoy the restrictions of their culture. Far better to steer well clear and live and let live.

[folium]

Al-Qaeda incidentally have identical ideological roots as the Muslim Brotherhood ....

That statement is about as accurate as saying that your beloved Paul Weston is a neo-Nazi as his short-lived BFP was a splinter from the BNP who in turn were a splinter from the truly neo-nazi National Front. All a bit Life of Brian (or just terminally dull) to most normal people...Popular Front of Judea etc

As you well know, or not, as the case may be, Sayyid Qutb and his Milestones/Signposts etc inspired some but repelled many others. Those that fell into the first camp such as Ayman al-Zawahiri and OBL were influenced by Sayyid's brother, but there was a fundamental split between Sayyid's doctrine and the mainstream Muslim Brotherhood in the 1970's, hence al Zawahiri's leadership of EIJ and his ultimate reverse takeover of al Qaida.

[folium]

Lest we forget, the list of terrorist attacks against the United States in Yemen gets very long, dating back to 1992. It includes the attack on the USS Cole Navy Destroyer anchored in the Yemeni port of Aden which killed 17 sailors.

Consequently, the new U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa was built in accordance with the most up to date, comprehensive security standards the U.S. has ever devised to construct embassy buildings. .

The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa is designed to withstand bomb attacks and armed assaults. Still, even well constructed buildings are vulnerable to mob attacks like the one against the U.S. Embassy in Tunis in September, 2012.

However, only the host country security forces can provide protection against such threats. And the host country, Yemen, is a failed state with barely any effective central government. Hence the evacuation today of all but an unspecified number of emergency personnel from the US Embassy in Sanaa.

After new threat, check out al-Qaida's track record in Yemen

By Agence France Presse

1992

- December 12: Al-Qaeda carries out its first know attack in Yemen, striking a hotel in the southern city of Aden that houses US troops headed for Somalia. A Yemeni and an Austrian are killed.

2000

- October 12: 17 US military personnel killed in suicide attack on the USS destroyer Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden

Read more: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_23797382/after-new-threat-check-out-al-qaidas-track

U.S., Britain pull some staff from Yemen:

Security steps increased due to intercepted message, other threats

http://www.kjct8.com/U-S-Britain-pull-some-staff-from-Yemen/-/163252/21349178/-/2g806q/-/index.html

Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood Leader Calls For Attack On U.S. Embassy

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-22/egypt-s-constitutional-panel-meets-amid-sinai-violence.html

US orders some of its diplomats to leave Egypt

http://www.codewit.com/africa/9081-distress-of-nations-us-orders-some-of-its-diplomats-to-leave-Egypt

Lets not get too parochial about the nasty folk from Yemen and what they are capable of, as the death toll of foreigners extends way beyond "just" US victims.

2007: 8 Spanish tourists and 2 Yemenis murdered

2008: 2 Belgian, 4 S.Korean tourists and 3 Yemenis murdered

1998: 16 western tourists kidnapped, in their ensuing rescue 2 Brits, 1 Canadian and 1 Aussie were murdered

1967-76: S. Yemeni suport to the Dhofar rebellion, 24 British soldiers killed.

1963-67: Aden Emergency 68 British soldiers killed

[simple1]

The sheeple include the British, French and Germans as well as some others who have also closed down operations in places and have had non-essential personnel evacuated.

As of a few hours ago the U.S. evacuated the entire Yemeni embassy staff by air force transports to Ramstein AFB in Germany and advised all Americans in Yemen to leave the country without delay.

I wouldn't be in Yemen for all the tea in China but I suppose there are some US expats there for various reasons.

There isn't any reason to date to believe the US would do the same in other Muslim countries. Yemen seems to be the present central snakepit of terrorism globally. This new development is complicated by the fact Yemen is a failed state with a weak and practically non-existent central government.

There isn't much the US or any country can do against terrorists there when there isn't an effective central government in place. Perhaps the best that can be done is to isolate the place as best as possible.

The US is doing anything but isolating Yemen by having US forces on the ground providing military assistance and training to Yemeni government forces. It is not at all surprising Al Qaeda in Yemen is targeting US facilities & would be expected.

I repeat, it is very strange that US security agencies are leaking the detail of Al Qaeda communications surveillance to the media. Unless there is a counter terrorism tactic in play, you would think the outcome would be to drive them deeper underground, thereby more difficult to assess operational intentions.

[lomatopo]

Everything will be fine again by Saturday, at which time the terror threat will presumably recede as the terrorists have to get back to work.

it is very strange that US security agencies are leaking the detail of Al Qaeda communications surveillance to the media.

Exactly, why leak this detailed intelligence. Doesn't that aid the enemy?

Why wouldn't terrorists chatter on about a false date, especially "The Night of Destiny/Power", then strike at a later date? Are there some sort of Marquess of Queensberry Rules for terrorists now?

[Credo]

Leaking the information could be for a specific purpose. There is no way of knowing what is being leaked is 100% accurate and it also could likely have a number of high ranking members of AQ on the run. If they got the information, perhaps they know something about their location etc. .

Those AQ guys aren't just paranoid......they are out to get them.

[chuckd]

Dare I make a post on this thread, but the additional closings in many Muslim dominated and controlled nations is much ado about nothing. They were planning to close down anyway!

The Eid-Al-Fitr holidays in Riyadh begin on 8 August and will run through 14 August. Holidays in Sana'a, Yemen will be from 10 August through 12 August.

The US Embassy will be closed during some of the terror period under normal practice.. Many Embassies foillow this procedure as well.

http://riyadh.usembassy.gov/holidays.html

http://yemen.usembassy.gov/yemen/holidays.html

The British Embassy in Kuwait and Sana'a, Yemen, has the Eid Al Fitr holidays scheduled for 8 August through 11 August.

https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/british-embassy-closed-for-eid-alfitr

https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/british-embassy-closed-for-eid-alfitr

The only thing this entire episode has proven is that a little chatter on the airwaves will cause most Western governments to go out of business for a period of time.

Edited August 7, 2013 by chuckd

[lomatopo]

Leaking the information could be for a specific purpose.

Assume that informing and protecting the public is probably not one of your envisioned "specific purposes"?

How soon they forget:

Obama Defiantly Declares 'Al Qaeda Is on Its Heels,' Even After Successful Terrorist Attacks

8:30 AM, OCT 9, 2012 •

BY DANIEL HALPER

Last night, President Obama defiantly declared that "al Qaeda is on its heels." The president made this claim at a fundraiser at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.

"Now, four years ago, I made a few commitments to you. I told you I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did. I said I’d end the war in Afghanistan, and we are," said Obama. "I said we’d refocus on the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 -- and today, al Qaeda is on its heels and Osama bin Laden is no more."

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-defiantly-declares-al-qaeda-its-heels-even-after-successful-terrorist-attacks_654000.html

Edited August 7, 2013 by lomatopo

[SinglePot]

It would appear that 'this little episode' has also proven an opportunity to criticise the secretive and invasive NSA, and the people who run it, as being grossly incompetent.

I am pretty confident that the guys dealing with this matter know exactly what they are doing when it comes to releasing information into the public domain.

What they can't be confident about though unfortunately is that there might be a 'mole' in the pack.

Aka Snowden.

Mole is generous btw.

[lomatopo]

It would appear that 'this little episode' has also proven an opportunity to criticise the secretive and invasive NSA, and the people who run it, as being grossly incompetent.

Appearances can be deceiving. If anything, this episode, which is far from over, is meant to quash any questioning of the U.S.A.'s security services domestic surveillance programs. Sure they somehow (conveniently) 'missed' the plethora of dots re: Tamerlan Tsarnaev, including allowing him to get away with a triple homicide back in September, 2011, only for him to reinforce the 'scariness' of the world with the Marathon Bombing.

If anything, this "episoide" It is meant to reinforce the public's perception that the Government needs to watch over everyone. Or maybe to justify Ms. Rice's current position; she's so gun-shy now as to be of little use. But the POTUS does seem 'fond' of her.

[Publicus]

Leaking the information could be for a specific purpose.

Assume that informing and protecting the public is probably not one of your envisioned "specific purposes"?

How soon they forget:

Obama Defiantly Declares 'Al Qaeda Is on Its Heels,' Even After Successful Terrorist Attacks

8:30 AM, OCT 9, 2012 •

BY DANIEL HALPER

Last night, President Obama defiantly declared that "al Qaeda is on its heels." The president made this claim at a fundraiser at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.

"Now, four years ago, I made a few commitments to you. I told you I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did. I said I’d end the war in Afghanistan, and we are," said Obama. "I said we’d refocus on the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 -- and today, al Qaeda is on its heels and Osama bin Laden is no more."

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-defiantly-declares-al-qaeda-its-heels-even-after-successful-terrorist-attacks_654000.html

You quote the right of the US political center magazine the Weekly Standard, a sub-standard publication which never has a good word about Prez Obama or anyone to the left of Atilla the Hun.

Surgically implanted bombs that are undetectable appear to be the new technique terrorists have developed and are expected to use before too long - probably very soon.

Recent Prison Breaks Are Fueling Al Qaeda's Global Comeback

Read more: http://www.businessi...7#ixzz2b11qlhMd

REUTERS/Hamid Khatib

A fighter from Islamist Syrian rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra runs with his weapon as their base is shelled in Raqqa province, eastern Syria, March 14, 2013.

The recent series of prison breaks is no coincidence.

In less than a week 500 senior Al Qaeda leaders escaped during two assaults on prisons in Iraq, more than 1,000 in a prison assault in Libya, and another 250 in a particularly nasty Taliban assault on a Pakistani prison.

Former intelligence analyst Joshua Foust argues that these prison assaults are concerted, often well-coordinated, efforts on behalf of militant groups to capitalize on destabilized regions:

Al Qaeda warned us this would happen.

President Barack Obama argued that Al Qaeda had been decimated, but with the rise of these prison breaks, we're now seeing headlines like "Al Qaeda Is Back."

Read more: http://www.businessi...7#ixzz2b12dqGpw

Edited August 7, 2013 by Scott
Edited for fair use

[chuckd]

Leaking the information could be for a specific purpose.

Assume that informing and protecting the public is probably not one of your envisioned "specific purposes"?

How soon they forget:

Obama Defiantly Declares 'Al Qaeda Is on Its Heels,' Even After Successful Terrorist Attacks

8:30 AM, OCT 9, 2012 •

BY DANIEL HALPER

Last night, President Obama defiantly declared that "al Qaeda is on its heels." The president made this claim at a fundraiser at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.

"Now, four years ago, I made a few commitments to you. I told you I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did. I said I’d end the war in Afghanistan, and we are," said Obama. "I said we’d refocus on the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 -- and today, al Qaeda is on its heels and Osama bin Laden is no more."

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-defiantly-declares-al-qaeda-its-heels-even-after-successful-terrorist-attacks_654000.html

You quote the right of the US political center magazine the Weekly Standard, a sub-standard publication which never has a good word about Prez Obama or anyone to the left of Atilla the Hun.

Surgically implanted bombs that are undetectable appear to be the new technique terrorists have developed and are expected to use before too long - probably very soon.

Recent Prison Breaks Are Fueling Al Qaeda's Global Comeback

Read more: http://www.businessi...7#ixzz2b11qlhMd

REUTERS/Hamid Khatib

A fighter from Islamist Syrian rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra runs with his weapon as their base is shelled in Raqqa province, eastern Syria, March 14, 2013.

The recent series of prison breaks is no coincidence.

In less than a week 500 senior Al Qaeda leaders escaped during two assaults on prisons in Iraq, more than 1,000 in a prison assault in Libya, and another 250 in a particularly nasty Taliban assault on a Pakistani prison.

Former intelligence analyst Joshua Foust argues that these prison assaults are concerted, often well-coordinated, efforts on behalf of militant groups to capitalize on destabilized regions:

Al Qaeda warned us this would happen.

President Barack Obama argued that Al Qaeda had been decimated, but with the rise of these prison breaks, we're now seeing headlines like "Al Qaeda Is Back."

Read more: http://www.businessi...7#ixzz2b12dqGpw

Would it help you if you heard it from Obama's own lips that "Al Qaeda is on the path to defeat and Osama Bin Laden is dead"? These statements were made as being factual and were not "arguments that Al Qaeda had been decimated..."

He made that claim nearly ten months ago, at least twice.

You might want to address the message rather than the messenger.

[Publicus]

Leaking the information could be for a specific purpose.

Assume that informing and protecting the public is probably not one of your envisioned "specific purposes"?

How soon they forget:

Obama Defiantly Declares 'Al Qaeda Is on Its Heels,' Even After Successful Terrorist Attacks

8:30 AM, OCT 9, 2012 •

BY DANIEL HALPER

Last night, President Obama defiantly declared that "al Qaeda is on its heels." The president made this claim at a fundraiser at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.

"Now, four years ago, I made a few commitments to you. I told you I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did. I said I’d end the war in Afghanistan, and we are," said Obama. "I said we’d refocus on the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 -- and today, al Qaeda is on its heels and Osama bin Laden is no more."

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-defiantly-declares-al-qaeda-its-heels-even-after-successful-terrorist-attacks_654000.html

You quote the right of the US political center magazine the Weekly Standard, a sub-standard publication which never has a good word about Prez Obama or anyone to the left of Atilla the Hun.

Surgically implanted bombs that are undetectable appear to be the new technique terrorists have developed and are expected to use before too long - probably very soon.

Recent Prison Breaks Are Fueling Al Qaeda's Global Comeback

Read more: http://www.businessi...7#ixzz2b11qlhMd

REUTERS/Hamid Khatib

A fighter from Islamist Syrian rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra runs with his weapon as their base is shelled in Raqqa province, eastern Syria, March 14, 2013.

The recent series of prison breaks is no coincidence.

In less than a week 500 senior Al Qaeda leaders escaped during two assaults on prisons in Iraq, more than 1,000 in a prison assault in Libya, and another 250 in a particularly nasty Taliban assault on a Pakistani prison.

Former intelligence analyst Joshua Foust argues that these prison assaults are concerted, often well-coordinated, efforts on behalf of militant groups to capitalize on destabilized regions:

Al Qaeda warned us this would happen.

President Barack Obama argued that Al Qaeda had been decimated, but with the rise of these prison breaks, we're now seeing headlines like "Al Qaeda Is Back."

Read more: http://www.businessi...7#ixzz2b12dqGpw

Would it help you if you heard it from Obama's own lips that "Al Qaeda is on the path to defeat and Osama Bin Laden is dead"? These statements were made as being factual and were not "arguments that Al Qaeda had been decimated..."

He made that claim nearly ten months ago, at least twice.

You might want to address the message rather than the messenger.

The message you're presently presenting is off center, i.e., it fails to take into account present new realities on the ground, and the messengers are well to the right of the center with their own partisan political agendas. The two occur in tandem and need to be considered in tandem.

You and the right together choose to ignore the new campaign of prison breaks in badly governed countries in backward regions of the world and which can't maintain secure prison facilities. Several hundred of the al Qaida leaders were locked up in several countries, now they have been freed.

You thus have placed yourself out of the present time and dismissive of the present objective realities on the ground in countries with incompetent and corrupt governments. You and the U.S. right pursue your own partisan political agendas regardless of present objective realities and developments.

The United States does not guard those prisons in those pathetic countries, nor can it, nor should it. Prez Obama's statements at the time were accurate. Prez Obama hasn't any control over these new present developments in strange foreign lands.

The present reality is clear. You and the partisan right choose to ignore it to instead play to the cheap seats..

Edited August 7, 2013 by Publicus

[SinglePot]

Yep.

And let's not forget the relevance of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson etc to the present day conflicts that the current US government face.

World's changing. Fast. New ball park.

[SinglePot]

It would appear that 'this little episode' has also proven an opportunity to criticise the secretive and invasive NSA, and the people who run it, as being grossly incompetent.

Appearances can be deceiving. If anything, this episode, which is far from over, is meant to quash any questioning of the U.S.A.'s security services domestic surveillance programs. Sure they somehow (conveniently) 'missed' the plethora of dots re: Tamerlan Tsarnaev, including allowing him to get away with a triple homicide back in September, 2011, only for him to reinforce the 'scariness' of the world with the Marathon Bombing.

If anything, this "episoide" It is meant to reinforce the public's perception that the Government needs to watch over everyone. Or maybe to justify Ms. Rice's current position; she's so gun-shy now as to be of little use. But the POTUS does seem 'fond' of her.

PR exercise?

Seems like you've cast your judgement and the verdict is guilty.

[Scott]

Post deleted. The partisan bickering can stop. This thread is about the terrorist threat and closure of Embassies.

Stay on topic please.

[Publicus]

It becomes ever more clear which side is living in a fantasy world of accusations and a relentless cynicism.

And I must say the Yemeni government I've been degrading deserves more credit than I'd been giving it. However, I'm also sure it's had lots of input from the United States' intelligence services and those of other allied governments.

Yemen's government says it foiled al-Qaida plots

http://news.yahoo.com/yemens-government-says-foiled-al-qaida-plots-153746717.html

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Authorities foiled plots by al-Qaida to take over key cities in southern Yemen and attack strategic ports and gas facilities, a government spokesman said Wednesday amid a heightened alert that has seen Western embassies evacuated and a new suspected U.S. drone strike that killed seven alleged militants from the terrorist group.

Al-Qaida planned to target the cities of Mukalla and Bawzeer, then send militants disguised as Yemeni troops to attack two strategic oil ports in the impoverished country on the Arabian Peninsula, government spokesman Rageh Badi said.

Other al-Qaida militants would also try to sabotage pipelines to "create panic among Yemeni army and Yemeni security services," Badi told The Associated Press, adding that authorities managed to foil the plots in the past 48 hours.

A policeman stands guard at the entrance of Sanaa International Airport, Yemen, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2 …

Security officials and residents said early Wednesday that a suspected U.S. drone strike killed seven suspected al-Qaida militants in southern Yemen, the fifth such attack in the country in less than two weeks.

Yemen has emerged as the focus of a feared attack that has led the U.S. to shut down temporarily 19 diplomatic posts in the Middle East and Africa. American and British workers from embassies in Yemen's capital of Sanaa also have been evacuated.

Washington has been backing a campaign by Yemen's military to uproot al-Qaida militants and their radical allies who had taken over a string of southern cities and towns. The militants have largely been driven into the mountains and countryside, and Yemeni intelligence officials say the current threat may be retaliation for that offensive.

[I Like Thai]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/07/plane-isolated-after-making-emergency-landing-at-philadelphia-international/

Plane diverted to Philadelphia after bomb hoax

A US Airways plane flight from Ireland to Pittsburgh made an emergency landing Wednesday in Philadelphia after a phoned-in bomb threat that later proved to be a hoax.

All 171 passengers and eight crew members were safely evacuated from Boeing 757, which had been moved to an isolated part of Philadelphia International Airport.

There were no immediate details on who received the bomb threat but a U.S. government official told Fox News it was a hoax.

US Airways Flight 777 was enroute from Shannon, Ireland to Pittsburgh. It landed in Philadelphia shortly before 2 pm ET and passengers exited via staircases before being taken to waiting buses.

US Airways said in a statement that the aircraft was moved to an isolated part of the airport out of an abundance of caution.

FBI spokeswoman Carrie Adamowski said agents were assisting Transportation Security Administration officials in investigating the incident.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/07/plane-isolated-after-making-emergency-landing-at-philadelphia-international/#ixzz2bK8kxLdl