Benghazi
Essay Preview: Benghazi
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September 12, 2012 may have been a regular day for most people around the world, but for the people of Benghazi it was the day most of their lives changed forever. A group of armed Islamic militants planned an organized attacked on the American diplomatic compound late at night, killing 4 Americans in total. One of the people who passed away was the United States Ambassador, Christopher Stevens, and 10 others were injured. Although investigations are still going on about what really happened, there has been enough information gathered to tell us what was probably the leading cause of this whole tragedy.
The question that started rising was if the compound was really secure that night. Where were all the security members around this time? Many stated that the compound had not met the security specifications because it was only a provisional base. Usually, the Ambassador would be based at the US embassy in Tripoli; however, he was visiting the US Special Mission for a week in Benghazi. Also, it was found that the US Department of State did not sufficiently support the requests from its own security personnel.They didn’t feel the need to since they had no specific knowledge of the upcoming attack. Furthermore, this just made the unarmed Libyan guards unprepared for what was coming their way. They had no way to stop the attackers’ trucks from entering the compound.
Somewhere around 125 and 150 shooters, wearing the Afghan-style tunics favored by Islamic attackers, were accounted for to have partaken in the ambush. A portion of the attackers had their countenances secured and wore fire coats. Weapons they utilized amid the assault included rocket-pushed explosives, hand projectiles, attack rifles, diesel canisters, mortars, overwhelming automatic rifles, and big guns mounted on firearm trucks.
The strike started at dusk, with the attackers fixing off boulevards prompting the fundamental compound with firearm trucks. The trucks bore the logo of Ansar al-Sharia, a gathering of Islamist activists working with the nearby government to oversee security in Benghazi. One Libyan watchman who was injured in the assault was cited as saying, “There wasnt a single person outside before the attack.” It was said that the assailants assaulted in light of the fact that the United States made a movie about being against Islam. Close to seven Americans were in the compound, including Ambassador Stevens.
Stevens was going to Benghazi at an ideal opportunity to survey arrangements to build up another social focus and modernize a healing facility. He had his last meeting of the day with a Turkish negotiator, and escorted the Turkish ambassador to the primary entryway at around 8:30 at night. The road outside the compound was quiet, and the State Department reported no unordinary movement amid the day outside. Stevens resigned to his room at around 9:00 p.m. Around 9:40 p.m. local time, extensive quantities of outfitted men yelling “Allāhu Akbar” (God is Great) drawn near the compound from numerous headings. They then tossed projectiles over the divider and entered the compound with programmed weapons shoot, RPGs, and heavier weapons. A Diplomatic Security Service specialist saw on the departments security cameras an extensive number armed men, streaming into the compound. He hit the alarm and began yelling, “Attack! Attack!” over the intercoms. Telephone calls were made to the international safe haven in Tripoli, the Diplomatic Security Command Center in Washington, the February seventeenth Martyrs Brigade and a U.S. snappy response power situated at the addition exacerbate somewhat more than a mile away.
The attackers entered the fundamental building and endeavored to enter the place of refuge. They then spread the diesel fuel in the room and set flames. Stevens, Smith, and Strickland moved to the adjacent room, then chose to leave the place of refuge subsequent to being overcome by smoke. Strickland left through the window, yet Stevens and Smith did not tail him. Strickland went back a few times yet couldnt discover them in the smoke; hence, he went up to the rooftop and radioed different operators. Three specialists came back to the principle working in a defensively covered vehicle, they sought the building and discovered Smiths body, however not Stevens.
The GRS group from the CIA add touched base at the office and endeavored to secure the border and find the minister and Sean Smith. Conciliatory security specialist David Ubben found Smith, who was oblivious and later proclaimed dead, however the group was not able discover Stevens in the smoke-filled building. The group then chose to come back to the extension with the survivors and Smiths body. While on the way back to the annex, their defensively covered vehicle was hit by AK-47 rifle shoot and hand explosives. The vehicle made it to its goal with two punctured tires, and the doors to the extension were shut behind them at 11:50 p.m.
Ambassador Stevens body was found by a group of Libyans who had accessed the room through a window; nonetheless, they were unaware of his identity. A photographer who was with them told the Associated Press that Stevens was unconscious and maybe moved his head once. Ahmed Shams, a 22-year-old arts student, told the Associated Press that they were happy the moment they found Stevens alive and tried to rescue him. A freelance videographer later published a video showing Libyans trying to extract