Eerily Reminiscent

On November 4, 1979 radical Islamists in Iran assaulted the United States Embassy in Tehran and took 67 Americans hostage. Radical Islamists had recently overthrown the formerly US backed Shah of Iran. Among the leaders of the mob that attacked sovereign US territory was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who went on to be the leader if Iran, a post he currently holds. The hostages were held for 444 days and only released upon the Inauguration of Ronald Reagan. The crisis cost President Jimmy Carter re-election and was the opening shot of a war that is still ongoing.

The reason I mention this is that earlier today a group of radical Islmamists temporarily took over the US Embassy in Cairo, Eygpt, tore down the US flag and hoisted one with an Islamic slogan in it’s place. No US Citizens or Embassy employees were taken hostage or harmed, this time. That was because diplomatic staff had been cleared from the Embassy before hand based on intelligence reports of a protest. Security personnel fired warming shots, but did not take any further action to stop the protest.

A similar crowd attacked the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, killing one US diplomat so far.

The putative reason for this “spontaneous” protest was a movie that the protestors did not like. The movie, made by an Egyptian Christian living in the US apparently insulted Allah, Mohammed, and Islam. In response the US Embassy released this statement,

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims â?? as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of other

An abject apology for being Americans and having free speech. This will only embolden others to perpetrate similar attacks. The US has truly turned into the “weak horse” of the Middle East.

A few of thoughts on this.

1) It’s not coincidence that this attack occurred on the anniversary of the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. It was a planned insult to the United States.
2) It’s no coincidence that Iran and Egypt are having high level diplomatic talks.
3) It’s disturbing, to say the least, that the President of the United States of America has not made a statement about an attack by foreign nationals on US sovereign territory.
4) This will not be the last such attack. The weak response of the US to attacks by citizens of an “ally” nation will only bring on more of this.
5) The statement released by the US Embassy is a sop to the Islamists. We are seeing a steady assault on our First Amendment Rights of free speech. As I’ve said before, the purpose of the First Amendment is to protect offensive speech. Inoffensive speech doesn’t need protection.
6) The people now running Egypt are identical in political beliefs to the people who have run Iran since 1979. They are hostile to the US, Israel, and Western Civilization in general.
7) There will be more of these attacks, especially if President Obama wins re-election.
8) Another US President, speaking about the need for an American Navy to protect US interests abroad said this,

Weakness provokes insult & injury, while a condition to punish it often prevents it. This reasoning leads to the necessity of some naval force, that being the only weapon with which we can reach an enemy. I think it to our interest to punish the first insult; because an insult unpunished is the parent of many others.

I think is more true now than it was back in 1785. I just hope that this nation has the resolve to carry through.