US Ambassador To Libya Killed

Via NBC News:

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed after protesters angry over a film that ridiculed Islam's Prophet Muhammad stormed the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi. 

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens," President Barack Obama said Wednesday in a statement. "Right now, the American people have the families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers." 

Stevens was the first U.S. ambassador killed during an assignment since Adolph Dubs was slain in an exchange of gunfire during a kidnapping attempt in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1979. 

Earlier, three Libyan officials told The Associated Press that Stevens was killed Tuesday night when he and a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff. The protesters were firing gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades. 

While some reports (like this one from NBC) are saying these attacks were in response to a film ridiculing Muhammad because the protests outside US embassies Libya and Egypt were to protest the film, I find that as the justification of the attacks to be rather ludicrous. As Reason 24/7 editor Ed Krayewski pointed out on Twitter this morning:

"At the DNC Obama said 'from Burma to Libya to South Sudan, we have advanced the rights and dignity of all human beings.' He said this even though Col. Qaddafi was caught by rebels with U.S. air support, abused, sodomized, then shot in the head. The U.S. laughed at Qaddafi's death, then realized that was not appropriate, and lightly condemned it, but pushed no investigation. Yesterday, the US Ambassador in Libya was killed by militants assaulting the Embassy. What are the chances Libya will bring these killers to justice when it knows the US doesn't really mind extrajudicial killings?"

What Krayewski seems to be implying is that this attack had more to do with retribution for the unlawful killing of former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, which makes a great deal more sense than outrage over a movie.

There is a lesson to be learned here. It's the same lesson that should have been learned from 9/11 as well as countless of other events in history, and it is one the US government will ignore: The foreign policy of global hegemony the US government employs will always create a level of blow back which will be targeted toward Americans.

Whether it is putting troops in Saudi Arabia, toppling the Shah in Iran, or "installing democracy" in Iraq, Egypt, and Libya, these actions have consequences to them. The US government cannot run roughshod over whomever they want whenever they want, no matter how much they want to.

What Happened In Little Rock?

Courtesy of the Associated Press

34-31. That's probably going to be stuck in my head for a while.

I have to commend ULM for their game plan against Arkansas. It was perfect. Quick hitting passes and misdirection runs kept the Arkansas defense off balance all game. It also didn't hurt that tackling Kolton Browning was like catching a greased pig. Arkansas had three sacks. It could have easily been ten.

Browning had a career night. He was 42 of 67 for 412 yards and 3 TDs. Yes, that's 67 attempts. He also led the Warhawks with 69 yards on 16 carries, including the game winning TD in overtime.

But this game can be boiled down to one thing: Tyler Wilson getting hurt. (Note: It seems to be confirmed that Wilson hurt his collarbone and is out for 3-4 weeks. Yay...)**

Before Wilson didn't come out of the locker room for the 2nd half, Arkansas had the game pretty much in hand. Yes, Browning was still doing his thing, but Arkansas was capable of moving the ball down the field effectively, racking up 288 yards and 3 TDs in only 11:07 of game time. Even though the defense was having an extremely difficult time with Browning (ULM had 257 yards at the half), the team could pretty much count on the offense to be able to score if not keep the time of possession.

Once Wilson went down and Brandon Allen stepped in, this game changed dramatically. Arkansas only held the ball for 9:34 of the 2nd half, almost a third of that (2:59) on the sole scoring possession to start the 3rd quarter. Allen ended up going 6 of 20 with a TD and an INT, but that INT came in a stretch to the end the game where he went 0-13.With Arkansas completely abandoned the running game, gaining only 96 yards on 26 carries, all the pressure was put on Allen's shoulders, and he wasn't ready for it. Because Arkansas couldn't move the ball, the defense had to stay out there longer without getting anymore of a lead.

All of that being said, Arkansas fans can't excuse this loss on the account of Wilson getting hurt, even if it would've changed the game. Paul Petrino shouldn't have abandoned the running game, one featuring a three-headed monster in Davis, Johnson, and Wingo. Paul Haynes should have found a way to contain Browning and stop ULM's dinking  and dunking down the field. John L Smith could have shown a little fire on the sidelines.

It was a collective effort in futility on the part of Arkansas players and coaches, along with the perfect game planning on the part of ULM and a career game from Browning, that pushed the Warhawks over the top in Little Rock on Saturday night.

On a side note, thoughts and prayers go out to Tevin Mitchell and his family. I didn't see him move any body parts after the medics carted him off the field. I truly hope he is okay.

Next week is Alabama without Wilson. I might start drinking heavily.

** Update: According to Josh Bertaccini from ESPN 92.1 The Ticket in Fayetteville, UA officials are denying Wilson has broken his collarbone at this time. Will keep updated.