Some fatalities could have been avoided

Published 7:59 am Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The President is “on the job” addressing the needs of the eastern seaboard of the United States of America during the very difficult weather event known as Hurricane Sandy.

For a change, he seems to have put politicking on the back burner and wants to get down to the gnat’s eyebrow in the Situation Room of the White House. He has decided that reading about it from a Daily Posting will not suffice. He wants to look and sound “presidential” in the last few days before the election next week.

In the Briefing Room, as he faced the pencils and pads of those sincere reporters of the Main Stream Media, his suit fit perfectly and the blue necktie looked neat and perfect. I’ve never heard more articulate diction. I don’t think he missed a word as he assured the nation that his team had been in constant contact with all other state’s governors. No stone will be left unturned as the United States of America prepares for this huge and dangerous storm.

Email newsletter signup

The President was adamant about all Americans heeding the warnings of local officials. If the affected populations were careless of the instructions “fatalities that could have been avoided” might occur. He seemed very sincere.

The President also spoke of America’s resolve in the face of such challenges. He said it better than I could. “The great thing about Americans…when we go through tough times like these we all pull together and look out for our friends.”

I wonder what Charles Woods thought of the President’s words?

Charles Woods is the father of former Navy Seal Tyrone Woods, one of the slain heroes of Benghazi, who remembered what he had promised when he took his oath as a Navy Seal.

“I will never quit. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.”

When the president spoke of fatalities that could have been avoided and, if the father of Tyrone Woods heard those words, I wonder if he thought of his son. When the president was so complimentary of Americans and how they looked out for their friends, I wonder if the thought popped into Mr. Woods’ mind that his son could have used a friend watching his back.

Maybe I’m being unfair to the president. I don’t really know what happened that horrible night in Benghazi almost two months ago. According to him, he did all that could have been expected. Perhaps a president deserves the benefit of the doubt for decisions made during what his administration has called the “fog of war.”

There is a difference, however, in decisions made in the immediacy of fog and the decisions made when clarity is possible. It seems to me that the president and his administration have remained in the fog and want the American public to join them. That is a fatality we can and should avoid.