AS WORLD BURNS, OBAMA PARTIES WITH BEYONCÉ

While the world is engulfed in Islamist ragefests, including the storming of Western embassies across the Middle East and the evacuation of the University of Texas at Austin due to bomb threats, President Obama is doing what he does best.

He’s hobnobbing with celebrities.

Last night, as the German embassy in Sudan smoldered, Tunisian police fired tear gas at US embassy rioters, the American military upgraded its presence in Yemen, investigations continued in Libya, Islamists burned American flags in London, Islamists invaded the US embassy in Tunisia, rioters went insane in Lebanon, protesters in Jordan went crazy, protests continued in Egypt, and crowds began to form in Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Iraq, the Obama campaign tweeted, “Beyoncé and Jay-Z are hosting the President in New York—your chance for two spots on the guest list ends at midnight.” Priorities, people!

This morning, President Obama also took action at the White House: he welcomed the 2012 US Olympic and Paralympic teams to the White House. Because, as Michelle Obamasaid, obesity is the greatest threat to national security.

President Obama will get back to business tonight: he’s doing a private fundraiser at 7 PM EDT. 

This isn’t leading from behind. This is a leadership vacuum.

Via: Breitbart

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State Department sets up 24-hour monitoring team for embassy crisis

The State Department has gone into full-blown crisis mode, organizing a round-the-clock effort to coordinate the U.S. government's response to the expanding attacks on U.S. embassies in the Middle East and North Africa.

"The State Department has stood up a 24-hr monitoring team to insure appropriate coordination of information and our response. In addition, our consular team is working with missions around the world to protect American citizens and issue appropriate public warden information," a senior State Department official told reporters Friday afternoon.

"We have been monitoring events in the Middle East and North Africa intensively today, and working with our personnel and missions overseas and host governments to strengthen security in all locations and to respond effectively where protests have turned violent," the official said.

The official noted that U.S. embassies in Libya and Yemen have been reinforced with Marine FAST teams and noted that other unspecified measures are being taken to strengthen embassy security around the region. The State Department is working with the governments in Tunisia and Sudan to increase security at the U.S. embassies there as well, the official said.

The U.S. Embassy in Tunis was breached by rioters who replaced the American flag with the black banner of al Qaeda. According to Tunisian state television, at least three Tunisians died when security forces open fire in an effort to disperse the crowd; another rioter was killed in Sudan, Reuters reported.

"The secretary, other department principals, and our ambassadors and charges in the field have been in constant contact with regional leaders, and we appreciate the many public statements that leaders have made in recent days condemning the attack in Benghazi, denouncing violence and calling for calm," the official said

Via: Foreign Policy

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