Attack on U.S. Consulate in Libya (Dispatch)
Video Transcript:
Video Transcript:
The U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed in attacks against the U.S. diplomatic facility in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The attacks were carried out by a mob that was reportedly angry about a video portraying the Prophet Muhammad that was made in the United States. The exact circumstances surrounding the death of the four Americans are still unclear, though it’s likely that the violence will not end with this incident.
Reports about the attack in Benghazi and how the four Americans died are still conflicting. The mob reportedly approached the building and confronted the Libyan security personnel who were protecting the facility. The mob fired rocket-propelled grenades and small arms, and set off small explosive devices. The group later entered the compound and set the building on fire.
Catastrophic security failures occurred in this case, both inside and outside of the U.S. diplomatic building. As we’ve discussed in the past, international treaties and conventions stipulate that host country governments are responsible for the security of diplomats and diplomatic facilities within their territory. This principle is generally upheld, even in countries where political tensions run high.
In this case, the Libyan government failed to provide adequate security to the American facilities. While the Libyan guards reportedly engaged with the protesters, their numbers were too small and they were quickly overwhelmed. It doesn't appear that the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi significantly reinforced its security, despite the destructive demonstrations outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo earlier in the day.
In addition to problems outside the consular building, photos and videos of the attack scene indicate that security measures inside the building were also inadequate. There have been several attacks against Westerners in Benghazi in recent months, including violence targeting British diplomats and Red Cross personnel in the city, making U.S. diplomats a logical target for future attacks. The building appears to be an impromptu diplomatic facility that did not meet the standard security and constructions standards that are typical in planned diplomatic facilities.
This is not the first time that violence has occurred in response to perceived insults against the Prophet Muhammad. Similar to the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that were published in the 2000s that prompted sporadic protests and attacks throughout the Muslim world over many years, the video that prompted the attacks in Cairo and Libya will now become the catalyst for additional protest activity.
The death of Americans in Libya has raised the profile of this video within the Muslim world and put Americans around the world in danger. As we saw in the riots related to the Prophet Muhammad cartoons, private citizens, government employees and businesses could be attacked with little warning. While the U.S. government has announced that it will increase security for its diplomatic facilities, private citizens and businesses should also increase their situational awareness and reduce their exposure to prepare for possible fallout from this incident.
