This story brought tears to my eyes. It's the story told by a ScotOnCapeCod' Weblog about the bravery displayed by Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. (Found at Instapundit.) Here's an excerpt:
A short distance from the American compound, two Americans were sleeping. They were in Libya as independent contractors working an assignment totally unrelated to our embassy. They also happened to be former Navy SEALs. When they heard the noise coming from the attack on our embassy, as you would expect from highly trained warriors, they ran to the fight. Apparently, they had no weapons, but seeing the Libyan guards dropping their guns in their haste in fleeing the scene, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty snatched up several of these discarded weapons and prepared to defend the American compound.
Not knowing exactly what was taking place, the two SEALs set up a defensive perimeter. Unfortunately Ambassador Stevens was already gravely injured, and Foreign Service officer, Sean Smith, was dead. However, due to their quick action and suppressive fire, twenty administrative personnel in the embassy were able to escape to safety. Eventually, these two courageous men were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers brought against them, an enemy force numbering between 100 to 200 attackers which came in two waves. But the stunning part of the story is that Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty killed 60 of the attacking force. Once the compound was overrun, the attackers were incensed to discover that just two men had inflicted so much death and destruction.
As it became apparent to these selfless heroes, they were definitely going to lose their lives unless some reinforcements showed up in a hurry. As we know now, that was not to be. I’m fairly certain they knew they were going to die in this gun fight, but not before they took a whole lot of bad guys with them!
That story really touched a nerve with me. But then, I wore a Davy Crockett coon skin cap as a kid until it fell apart. Change the names and this old joke becomes current again:
Santa Anna received a report from the Alamo that only one Texan remained standing. The general sent troops in to mop up, but they were all killed. The General kept sending more troops. And they met the same fate. Each succeeding force was pushed back. "WOW," said Santa Anna. "That is the toughest Texan I've ever seen!" Finally, Santa Anna sent the largest battalion that he could muster, and they were wiped out except one lone survivor who crawled back to say, "Presidente, Presidente, don't send in anymore troops. It's a TRICK. It's a TRICK. There are TWO OF THEM!!
(Hat tip:PH.)
Poor old Barack Obama must be still waiting for the horseback courier to arrive with the request for help. If there's any justice in the world his lesson will arrive on November 6 in the form of a lost election.
You don't have to be a Texan to remember the Alamo.
The guard said he saw no protesters. He heard a few shouts of "God is great," then a barrage of automatic weapons fire and rocket-propelled grenades began, along with barrages from heavy machine guns mounted on trucks.
The attackers set fire to the main consulate building. Stevens and another staffer, caught inside amid the confusion, died of smoke inhalation.
The attack came from the front and the side. A neighbor whose house is on side of the consulate compound said militants with their faces wrapped in scarves attacking.
Because of the checkpoints, "it felt like our neighborhood was occupied, no one could get out or in," he said.
The effectiveness of the roadblocks was later revealed in the State Department's account of the evacuation. It described how the rescue force came under heavy fire and grenade attacks as they tried to leave the consulate area.
and I ask, what is the point of this diplomatic "pawn sacrifice?" I can't figure it out.
Posted by: Wry Mouth | October 28, 2012 at 11:34 PM
Wry Mouth, I think the Obama Administration was so enthralled with the notion that President Obama had ushered in an era of peace in the region that they simply couldn't comprehend what was really going on.
Posted by: Geo | October 29, 2012 at 06:33 AM