We at Pacifica Institute condemn the attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi in the strongest possible terms. The heinous attack that left four Americans dead including the US Ambassador to Libya The Honorable J Christopher Stevens can only be described as a cowardly act of senseless violence.
Earlier today President Obama said, “It is especially tragic that Chris Stevens died in Benghazi because it is a city that he helped to save.” The President described Ambassador Stevens as “a courageous and exemplary representative of the United States […] Throughout the Libyan revolution, he selflessly served our country and the Libyan people at our mission in Benghazi… His legacy will endure wherever human beings reach for liberty and justice.” The Ambassador’s death is a great loss not only for the United States but also for the people of Libya.
Indeed this attack was by a small and savage group not by the people or the government of Libya. In fact when the attack started yesterday “Libyans stood and fought to defend our post” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today.
While we mourn the deaths of Ambassador Stevens and the three other civil servants and while our hearts go out to the families and friends in mourning who lost loved ones today we would also like to say that the small group of people who perpetrated this attack and who call themselves Muslims are far from the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed and Islam. If the perpetrators really knew the teachings of Islam they would never have committed such an act of violence against innocent civilians. Islam teaches respect for every human being; it teaches that the death of one innocent civilian is the death of all mankind.
Sincerely,
Pacifica Institute
info@pacificainstitute.org
310-208-7290
