Closing US Embassies: Cowardice Or Helplessness?

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Closing US Embassies: Cowardice Or Helplessness?

Is our nation's leadership simply cowardly, or just helplessly ill-equipped? Either one makes for great rejoicing among the terrorists who have changed the US way of life since 9/11. They are winning. They have us on the defensive, up against the ropes. Our thinking, our tactics, our strategy and our will, our commitment to remain free (as free as we can be ) have to change. Immediately.

After the Benghazi affair, which needlessly and callously cost several decent Americans their lives, and which was a clear demonstration of poor utilization of well-gathered field intelligence, a lack of any responsiveness, and a show of just how unimportant lives are when politicians are busily advancing their own agendas. It was a study in poor judgment and poorer values.

In the wake of that tragedy, with intelligence informing us of very credible, imminent threats to the safety of our embassies in many parts of the Islamic and non-Islamic world, and with terrorists emboldened by our failure at Benghazi, and by our obvious domestic and overseas security checkpoint security protocol foul-ups (Homeland Security, The Airports, The Boston Bombers, the Fort Hood slaughter), the U.S. embassy closures and travel warning has spurred an influx of media coverage, adding to the hype and counterintuitively, creating even more terror for the masses.

If we had the courage of command, we would shore up security using the military at each of those embassies, tighten perimeters, conduct intensive security checks, and leave them each proudly open, but obviously secured. We are looking increasing increasingly cautious and defensive instead of outraged and offensive -- and this is just what the enemy wants. Terrorists thrive on cowardice and fear. And sadly, since we apparently will not mobilize the resources to shore up those ambassadorial posts, we are, as the enemy sees it, running away -- afraid to fight.

War is just as psychological as it is physical.

The embassy closures are shameful and set a terrible precedent. But it is hard to disagree with the State Department's edict when we know that our own political leadership is not dedicated to the task of showing strength - no, we are the loudest country with our empty threats about sanctions and so forth, but the first to run away from a burning building and leave our comrades behind.

It gets increasingly difficult to be proud of being a US citizen. That much is for certain. I believe as do my closest colleagues and confidantes that the best way to fight the war against terror is by combining our intelligence units with those of our few genuine allies (Mossad would be a fabulous addition), locating all of the terrorist training camps, and testing out drone strikes. Let them be terrified to train in the open. Let them close up shop and hide in spider holes underground. Bullies only victimize those they believe won't fight back. And the U.S. is encouraging terrorists to bully us. It's disgraceful.

Douglas E. Castle for The Get Global Edge Blog.

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Homeland Security, Executive Protection, Muslim world, Al-Qaeda, Benghazi, terror, embassy closures, military intelligence, show of fear, defensive strategy, retreat instead of confront, GetGlobalEdge.com, political agendas, psychological warfare, failures of command and control, failure to act, courage and leadership, lack of unity in our protective purpose, DouglasECastleBlog.com, drone strikes, urban warfare, protecting Human assets and strategic positions, bullying, counterstrikes, rapid lethal response, when diplomacy won't work, espionage, the elements of surprise and overwhelming force, NSA, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, protection.

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