Who is Qualified to Investigate the Benghazi Murders?

Nancy Pelosi? That’s a bit like asking the Big Bad Wolf to investigate what happened to Little Red Riding Hood.

When I was about to turn 10 years old my mother asked me what I would like as a birthday present. When I told her I wanted a skateboard she replied very dramatically.

“You’ll break your neck on that thing and then I’ll have to throw myself off the roof! (We lived in an eight story building.) Is that what you want, to kill your mother?” she asked.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. says she should be involved in selecting members of a committee that will investigate the Benghazi Embassy attack on Sept. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) 

The anguish of the parents of the high school children trapped in the overturned ferry in South Korea reminded me of those days. Days when parents reacted to a tragedy (or a would-be tragedy) quite in contrast to the lackadaisical reactions prevalent in America today, often by the very people entrusted to investigate wrongdoing.

In April 2013, a young American diplomat, 25-year-old Anne Smedinghoff was killed while delivering textbooks to children in southern Afghanistan. She was killed by terrorists, blown to bits by a Taliban attack on the vehicle in which she was travelling.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry remarked, (Anne) “was wiped out by terrorism…It doesn’t stand for anything except killing people and stopping the future. And so we’re not going to be deterred. We’re going to be inspired….”

We are going to be inspired? How about we hunt down the terrorists who blew up Anne?

In addition to the idiotic comments from John Kerry, were the words spoken by Anne’s parents, co-workers and friends. They claim she died doing what she loved and she knew the risks.

I doubt she loved being blown to bits. The fact that she probably loved a risky job is irrelevant, too. Anne was murdered; where is the rage?

Secretary of State John Kerry and family members expressed little to no outrage over the death of Anne Smedingoff when she was killed in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan last year. (AP Photo) 

This lack of rage has become a familiar response - from parents, co-workers, fellow Americans, and our government who is supposed to protect us. John Kerry wants us to be inspired; I say we catch and punish the terrorists who murder us.

And there’s more…

In March 2013, a 24-year-old woman was killed while working as an intern at a California animal sanctuary. Investigators believe a 550 pound lion lifted the door of a partially opened feeding cage with its paw and attacked the woman, Diana Hanson, as she cleaned another area in the enclosure. According to the coroner, the lion snapped her neck and she died immediately. The lion refused to leave Diana’s body and so, was shot and killed. The owner of the sanctuary, Dale Anderson, wept as he said, “we lost two members of our family,” referring to Diana…and the lion.

Diana’s friends said, “She died loving what she was doing.”

Her father, a lawyer, said, “She was absolutely fearless.”

Where is the rage? Do her friends really believe she enjoyed being attacked by a 550 pound lion and having her neck snapped?

What about her father, the lawyer? Her father’s statement doesn’t make any sense at all.

Doesn’t he question the reason why the door of the feeding cage was left partially open? Why wasn’t this door double checked, triple checked, quadruple checked? Why was Ms. Hanson working alone? Twenty-four year old Diana Hanson is forever dead because of carelessness and nobody cares enough to investigate why?

Why?

What happened to the days when a child asking for a skateboard was told no because he or she would break their neck on it? What happened to the days when parents cared with all their being about the pain and suffering of their children as if they themselves were feeling that same pain? What happened to the days when Americans demanded that those entrusted take responsibility?

Relatives of missing passengers from the sunken ferry scuffle with police as they try to go to the presidential house on April 20, 2014 in Jindo-gun, South Korea. At least forty six people are reported dead, with 256 still missing. The ferry identified as the Sewol was carrying about 470 passengers, including the students and teachers, traveling to Jeju Island. Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images 

Those days are alive and well and on display for the world to see because of a ferry accident in South Korea.

Unlike any of our government officials entrusted with protecting the people who worked in our embassy in Libya, those who were responsible for ensuring safety aboard the doomed ferry ship are being held accountable.

The South Korean Prime Minister, Chung Hong-won stepped down, of his own accord.

"As I saw grieving families suffering with the pain of losing their loved ones and the sadness and resentment of the public, I thought I should take all responsibility as Prime Minister,” he said.

Our own Hillary Clinton also took responsibility in our Benghazi disaster: “What difference does it make?” she asked.

There are 15 surviving crew members who were responsible for navigation; they have all been arrested. The charges are negligence and failing to protect the passengers.

The head of the company that owns the sunken ferry was also arrested as authorities feared he may destroy evidence. He is facing allegations that he had knowledge that the ferry cargo exceeded its limit but didn’t do anything to prevent it from leaving the port.

Reportedly, Ambassador Chris Stevens asked repeatedly for additional security but those in charge didn’t do anything to prevent the inevitable attack.

One parent whose son had been on the ferry screamed, “I want to throw myself into the sea and look for him.”

Another parent cried knowing his son was begging, “Daddy, help me.”

As one parent burst into tears upon hearing the news of her child’s death, another woman shouted that the teachers should be held responsible if anything happened to her son.

Who has our Congress held responsible for the Benghazi murders?

More than 20 months later, they want to form an investigative committee—with Nancy Pelosi choosing the members!

I contend that the only people qualified to investigate Benghazi are the parents of the students aboard the doomed South Korean ferry.

They are guided by a principle not found in our Congress—they care.

Amy Barath strives to present an unbiased, common-sense opinion, unhampered by a particular political idealogy. Let Amy know if you're in her corner...amybarath@yahoo.com

Feature Image: Getty Images

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