America is at a crucial point in its future in terms of the 2012 presidential election, and in terms of global projection of military power and confidence.  Although the Presidential race between Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama has been based upon the economy and jobs, the issue has shifted to foreign policy with approximately seven weeks before votes will be cast on Nov. 6.

The issues regarding foreign policy brings into question whether America is leading the world, or whether America is in a reaction position where the conduct of other individuals, sects, religions and countries seem to be setting the tone and the issues.   On Sept. 11, 2012, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three of his staff were gunned down while attempting to leave the Embassy.  The Obama administration has been accused of a failed threat assessment, and a failure to protect our Ambassadors in what may be termed as a war zone.   Within these accusations, it must be asked whether Obama was asleep at the wheel, and his policy of “leading from behind” appears to be a failure.  

Just months ago, the Arab Awakening or Arab Spring resulted in the downfall of the President of Tunisia, the ouster of Egypt’s President Mubarak, and a growing anti-American sentiment, which goes far beyond the Middle East.  It is said by some that most of the world hates America.

When you mix this hatred with signs of American weakness, the future of America is questionable.  Not only does America have economic problems which could, if not solved soon, result in an economic collapse, it is now faced with a global perspective that America is weak.  Too many apologies and too many kowtows seal the deal. Each is seen as weakness to the number of apologies pretty much seals the deal.

There is a feeling by many around the world that there is blood in the water, and the sharks are circling for the kill.

The killing of the four Americans in Libya during violent demonstrations posits a number of questions.  Few would doubt that America failed to protect Ambassador Chris Stevens and his staff, but it is indicative of a much broader failure of strength and America and its leadership.

The Obama administration contends that there were no warnings that would have lead Obama to believe that the safety of Ambassador Stevens and his staff were on the line.  In fact, the Obama administration goes so far as to contend that there wasn’t any reason to believe that the lives of Ambassador Stevens and his staff were at stake.  Florida represent Alan West (R) appeared on Fox & Friends this week where he weighed in on the protest overseas, as well as the tone of the U. S.’s response following the attacks in  Egypt and Libya.   “First of all”, he told the show’s host, “the only thing we can believe is what was presented and we should not have made some kind of a conciliatory, apologetic stance in the face of our embassy being attacked.”  Media reports contend that Obama had 48-hours notice before the attack on the Libyan Embassy, but didn’t warn Ambassador Stevens.   Obama is accused of allowing our Ambassador to be left unprotected without any help.  While Stevens was being sodomized and dying. our President decided he needed to go to sleep.  It is astonishing to some, in the height of what amounts to be an attack on America and its representative that sleep would be the priority of our President.  The White House says the attack was spontaneous and there was no evidence it was planned.  However, the way events unfolded, it is clear that there was some planning, if not intricate planning behind the assassinations.  The Libyan rebels knew the security soft spots and attacked between the actual embassy and another embassy retreat.  The attack upon sovereign territory of the U.S. left Obama like a “deer in the headlights.”

The defense of the White House was that the violent protests just suddenly occurred without warning although thoughts of protests and violence were prominent for months in the Middle East region.Immediately after the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Tuesday night, U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, were quoted widely in the media saying they believed the attack was well-planned and organized.

On Friday, however, President Barack Obama’s press secretary, Jay Carney, offered a different version of events. “We do not at this moment have information to suggest or to tell you that would indicate that any of this unrest was preplanned,” Carney told a press briefing.

The confusion over what the U.S. government knows about the attack was compounded by statements on Friday by a leading U.S. Senator. Following a briefing by U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Carl Levin, the Democrat who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, told journalists he understood the attack was planned and premeditated.

Another U.S. official said, “Everything I have seen says this was a highly armed, organized attack. Not a mob reacting to the movie. Whether it was planned or not is another question.”

Muslims have been emboldened enough to strike with tenacity at our compounds without fear of reprisal.  In other words, the world is not confident that America under Barrack Obama would do anything in response to having Ambassador Chris Stevens raped, murdered, and dragged through the streets -  just like they did Moammar  Kadafi.  But, the good news is that we are less than two months away from the November 6^, Presidential elections, and America can change the course we are going by changing Presidents.  We must look beyond the party tags of Republicans and Democrats, and the elephants and donkeys.   We have a right to be outraged.  Obama has not been able to solve our economic problems, and there are no signs he will be able to in the future. Obama has worsened our standing in the world with his passive approach and over weakness.

President Obama has made a global crisis worse, and has put the waste of that crisis on the backs of the American people.

By D. Lindley Young