US ambassador 'killed in Libya'

[opebo]

Does this constitute the international security crisis which will as is normally the case favor the incumbent, or will Obama's 'Muslim-ness' and not-as-hawkish-as-the-GOP turn it to a Romney plus electorally?  My guess is, alas, the latter.

Just a final thought, editing... what are we doing with an 'ambassador' in Libya?  I wasn't aware they had a legitimate or functioning government - the proper ruler, who provided excellent security, was killed by a usurping mob.  To put an ambassador into this mayhem is crazy.

[opebo]

Does it never occur to these mobs that they're only proving the bigots right, at least in the eyes of many?

The question doesn't really make sense - in that they don't think that way.  Their value system is precisely the opposite of that of 'the bigots' as you call them.

[opebo]

However, contrary to my original fears, the so-called 'Arab Spring' was not an Islamist revolution, and nothing that has happened since makes it so, including this.

YES! Positive thinking.  Because I believe we can re-institute new strong-men surprisingly easily in these societies, and co-opt them as before.  Of course I believe this to be the plan all along - to replace those archaic slightly independent minded strong men like Saddam, Quaddafi, and al-Assad with slavishly devoted neo-liberal dictators.

[opebo]

Just a final thought, editing... what are we doing with an 'ambassador' in Libya?  I wasn't aware they had a legitimate or functioning government - the proper ruler, who provided excellent security, was killed by a usurping mob.  To put an ambassador into this mayhem is crazy.

The bearded men are in charge now, opebo.

Well, in Libya, alas yes, but crucially not yet in Egypt.  The Army still has a fighting chance to deal with them as they should be dealt with.

Remember Gaddafi, gentlemen - a man who, whatever his sartorial sins, could protect an American ambassador.

[opebo]

Of all the reasons to criticize Gaddafi, sartorial sins is not one of them.

Lief you make an excellent point - and I'm sure you realize that I don't in fact believe Gaddafi's attire to be deplorable.  I love how he dressed!  The point of the sartorial comment was to make light of his supposed other transgressions.

(interesting that in the above photo, everyone other than Gaddafi was so poorly dressed - only Obama and the Japanese guy were halfway decently attired:  the Europeans all look ridiculous, and especially Medevedv looks just awful)

I've said many times that Gaddafi, Hussein, and their ilk were independent-minded - so of course they would 'act up' a little.  They weren't entirely obsequious slaves of America.  But that certainly doesn't mean they weren't better than what has replaced them - even from an American perspective.

[opebo]

Worth noting that the US didn't even have an ambassador in Libya from 1980-2011.

No, that's not accurate apparently, we had an embassy there from 2006 and an ambassador from early 2007 till the civil war broke out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libya%E2%80%93United_States_relations

[opebo]

Looks like the residents of Benghazi have staged another revolution:
http://world.time.com/2012/09/22/the-revolt-of-benghazis-moderates-will-the-rest-of-libya-follow/

Wow, perhaps the best news I've ever heard, if true.  Now if the same could be done closer to home, with lions...