Gov. Rick Perry Criticizes Obama After the Libya Embassy Attack and Response to it

Statement by Gov. Perry on the Benghazi Attack:

Gov. Rick Perry released the following statement regarding the Benghazi attack that killed the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other Americans:

"Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans are now dead in the chaos of a destabilized Middle East. President Obama said he "rejects" these brutal acts, and condemns them in "the strongest terms" - yet still acknowledges our attackers' supposed justification. This kind of language broadcasts an impotent foreign policy that fostered this crisis in the first place.

"Muammar Qadaffi was an evil oppressor who murdered innocent Americans. But in the naive belief that America could "lead from behind" in the operation to remove him, this President allowed Libyan rockets and artillery to be scattered to the terrorist winds and had no plan to secure the country. Now we have these brazen attacks on our mission in Benghazi, and the violent death of our ambassador.

"Combined with President Obama's shameful lack of leadership in Egypt that culminated in the burning of our flag in our own embassy in Cairo yesterday, it is no wonder our enemies in the region are emboldened and our allies are afraid.

"All Americans join together in mourning the tragic loss of our Foreign Service personnel in Benghazi yesterday, and extending our deepest sympathies to their families. We must now act decisively to secure our surviving people in the region, prevent further senseless bloodshed and defend American interests abroad."