[An Nahar] U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton... sometimes described as
The Heroine of Tuzlaand at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as
Another John Jay...
on Thursday condemned an amateur anti-Islam film which has sparked violent Middle East protests, stressing the U.S. government had nothing to do with it.
"To us, to me personally, this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose, to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage," Clinton said.
"The United States government had absolutely nothing to do with this video. We absolutely reject its content and message."
The top U.S. diplomat also reiterated: "There is no justification, none at all, for responding to this video with violence."
The "wudn't me" argument. But it was us, because we have free speech, whether Hillary finds the output "disgusting" or not. I'll go with my pal, Putin, and stress that diplomatic missions have to be immune from violence. For one thing, the people whose people are storming embassies and consulates have embassies and consulates of their own. The only reason ours are stormed is because the people doing it don't expect any repercussions.
Protests have erupted for three days running outside U.S. diplomatic missions in Egypt, Libya, Yemen and elsewhere by demonstrators who deem the low-budget movie "Innocence of Mohammedans" made in the United States as offensive to Islam.
U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed when heavily-armed snuffies launched a sustained four-hour attack on the U.S. mission in the Libyan city of Benghazi late Tuesday.
Condemning the violence, Clinton said at the launch of a strategic dialogue between the United States and Morocco that all "leaders in government, leaders in civil society or religious leaders must draw the line at violence."
"Any responsible leader should be standing up now and drawing that line," she added.
"It is especially wrong for violence to be directed against diplomatic missions. These are places whose very purpose is peaceful to promote better understanding across countries and cultures.
"All governments have a responsibility to protect those spaces and people. Because to attack an embassy is to attack the idea that we can work together to build understanding and a better future."