U.S. Ambassador, 3 Others Killed In Libya Rocket Attack On 9/11 Anniversary: Coincidence?

The U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, was killed on Tuesday in a mob attack by Libyan religious extremists in front of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. Three other U.S. diplomats died as well when protesters fired rockets at the consulate. Apparently the Libyan extremists were protesting an "anti-Islamic video created and produced by an American-Israeli real estate developer." Stevens had said how much he loved Libya, making his death that much more tragic.

Photo courtesy of wtlx.com.

President Obama, Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton all condemned the attacks. U.S. officials put on their brave faces, but it's clear that everyone was pretty shaken. The "criminals" stormed the consulate and managed to get inside, burning, looting, and ransacking the place. On Tuesday, the U.S. mission in Egypt was also attacked. These both occurred on the 11-year anniversary of 9/11--coincidence, or planned?

Obama called Stevens "a courageous and exemplary representative of the United States," and called the attack "outrageous." Clinton expressed her "profound sadness," and Libya's Prime Minister apologized to the U.S. and the world for the "cowardly criminal act." It is definitely jarring and very scary, especially as Stevens was the first American ambassador since 1979 that has been killed by terrorists.

Sources only said that the U.S. was taking "added security measures to protect its citizens worldwide after Tuesday's attacks," but failed to specify exactly what measures are being taken. It is also unclear whether the date was a mere coincidence--or something planned. Do you think that on the anniversary of 9/11, officials could have done more to prevent this from happening?

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