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Amb. John Bolton responds to White House belief that widespread riots are in response to obscure, Anti-Muslim film
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The disturbing images sort anti American rage all week protesters ripping American -- US embassies.
And burning our flags many chanting death to America.
So how can white house Press Secretary Jay Carney say the protests are not directed at the United States.
This is a fairly volatile situation and it is in response not to United States policy.
Not to.
Obviously the administration not the American people it is in response to.
A video.
A film.
Did.
We have judged to be reprehensible and disgusting.
That in no way justifies any violent reaction to it but this is not a case.
Protests directed at the United States.
Formerly ambassador John Bolton joins us live presser case says this is not -- to not stay tune as its policy this is bottom will be.
Well it he's an embarrassment.
That's really one of the silliest things I've heard from the White House podium in a long time.
Of course it's aimed at the United States the administration's entire theory of the region is now seen -- Broken down completely their belief was that the Arab Spring would bring sweetness and light in democracy and provide an alternative to terrorism.
In fact.
The Arab Spring has simply unleashed these radical forms of Islam.
That we see being demonstrated in in the streets all over the region.
And manifested -- in the terrorist assassination of our diplomats in Libya these -- not separate these are closely connected.
An amended it and what we're seeing today ministers say it's out against United States found -- Cleveland leaders a picture a black plague of Islam flying over the American Embassy in Tunisia.
It is this is really.
This is violently -- -- the United States.
-- what's what's happened here is that the post colonial wave of Arab nationalism which was secular socialist and anti American has been replaced by another wave.
Islamic -- fundamentalism.
Which is also anti American and and by ignoring it by pretending it wasn't there we've left our people vulnerable I mean there may have been an intelligence failure.
Not to see what was gonna happen in Egypt and Libya on September the eleventh.
Ford may have been caused by the administration's own mistakes that they were operating in a benign environment and didn't have to take adequate precautions.
That know that they hate -- Sanmina how do we not know that this is president past present look at that speech in Cairo in 2009.
Where he said you know we're gonna start respecting Muslims which implicitly we didn't do for the past 200 years or so because he's now the president.
They look at that and and virtually every other step he has taken in the Middle East since then.
We brought -- work this well that's another weakness so why is that that catalyst -- night in the air stream and went started in Tunisia went.
What was there anything that we could have done this or change the course of history.
Well I think what we saw there was the the risks to Mubarak.
And after vacillating three or four times in the course of the -- we -- -- -- Over the edge and he had said for years if I go of the Muslim Brotherhood taking over -- -- said the Obama administration Ohno said many people in America.
The Google guy is going to emerge in Egypt he's going to be the new leader.
People who tweet will be the new leaders do you see them anywhere today -- they are off the stage.
So now with over twenty countries -- protests against United States and very violent in many -- what what what would you do right now because we are now in a very precarious situation.
What we're -- deep hole and you can't corrected overnight the first thing is the president needs to make clear which he may finally gotten around to doing.
Yesterday was present more -- there can be no more.
Breaches America.
Embassy.
Perimeter security there can be no more attacks on American diplomats and -- better not be any attacks on private American citizens in the region.
-- today was another bad day in the Middle East it may get worse who knows I think this will go up and down.
But if people think that the Americans are -- won't respond and simply sit back and watch this happen.
If they're defensive about their own society which we are still being.
They will continue to push.
I did pretty act tough and a phone call and say you know -- better not have this happen again I mean like why should anyone believe us well I think we have -- -- -- what is it and what is our follow -- they did they do and I learned.
Look if -- government if host government can't meet its basic obligation of protecting American diplomats they can do without our money and that point needs to be made very quietly behind the scenes doesn't have to be done in public but it needs to be made unambiguously and when you.
-- of our people monitoring is a very dangerous places I suspect all these Americans not just tourists but these people who work for our embassy is that there I know we've submarines to protect -- but.
Feel -- -- -- -- -- -- -- to me the Marines are or what will perform incredibly bravery bravely but when your country's seventy million people and you have a couple -- -- Marines you can see what what the -- is I think you've got to look at it case by case that I would have.
Everybody except the essential personnel removed from almost all these countries.
-- -- governor Romney if your president at any how would he get a son's hockey differently because.
Well I think he demonstrated it and he was jumped on by the White House in the media the first thing that you do is defend our system of government you don't apologize for some crank.
Who makes an offensive film.
That's that's just not the way you defend democracy.
By signifying that film as if it were the real cause of this you simply feed the beliefs of those who think were corrupt and declining society.
It's not a function of the American government to comment on every exercise of free speech by American citizens they do that in countries where the army's where Jack boots they don't do it in this country.
Perpetuating.
The myth that it was the film that was the problem.
Rather than the radical ideology of the writers is the first mistake that the administration has made ground -- try to corrected and the media go wild.
And that's a thank you sir thank you.
