I know the last 24 to 48 hours have been rough to say the least. Our embassies in various parts of the Middle East are experiencing protests of varying degrees of severity and intensity. All of them are being exploited by a film whose horror and lack of comprehensible reasoning is astounding. Your rival political opponent attacked you for "creating" this atmosphere because we are being perceived as "weak". I won't go into the hilarity behind such a nonsensical point-of-view. My reason for writing you is to offer some advice. My credentials aren't as expansive as some who work for you or those who commentate on mainstream media and the Twitterspehere. However, I think my advice is unique in that few have offered what I deem to be the only workable solutions.
- Take your time but update the American people as much and as often as possible on your progress and even your frustrations. I understand the climate has created an atmosphere where words like "vengeance" and "justice" (and a few others) are being used to express the sentiment of the moment. However, these words are very dangerous as I'm sure you're aware. Numerous presidents before you learned the lesson behind the consequences of reckless uses of these words. Don't get me wrong - I BELIEVE A MILITARY/TACTICAL SOLUTION IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE. However, I'm afraid if you listen to the some of the commentariat who believe an disproportionate response is somehow a "winnable" solution, you could find yourself in a very precarious position with an ineffective and retroactive response. Take your time and get actionable intelligence that will identify who these perpetrators are, where they live, eat, & poop, whether the attack was planned, who gave up the safehouse, etc. As you find out information, including our shortcomings, update the American people sooner than later. Trust me. Some information you can't provide due to its sensitivity. Release what you can. The last thing you want to do is leave it to a bunch of "talking heads" who look "official" to the American people telling them how you suck. If your plan is to work and be effective, you need the American people to feel and believe your resolve to get justice and protect our overseas assets is sincere and earnest.
- When you update the people, make sure the product is accurate, concise, and organized. One of the major contributors to this huge SNAFU and others has been the chaotic delivery of message traffic from government officials to the mainstream media. I understand and totally get that we're in a 24 hour news cycle and that the Internet and smartphones have made everyone a Bob Woodward in the making. However, try to create an environment where you're the only source for reliable information on the "nuts and bolts" of this dynamic situation. If there is a story from your government, it comes from you and not some "unidentified source". If someone talks and the leak is found, consider termination and criminal charges. This is one OPSEC violation you can't afford. You can't control the release of sensational images or reports meant to create a story for November but you can control what your government does to make those stories seem very insignificant.
- Be honest with the American people. If someone screwed up, fire them ASAP. If you screwed up, let them know. Just don't blame the dead and don't ignore the idiots who did this. I know you won't but people will examine every speech for the coming weeks to see if you stumble. Be resolute in determining where mistakes were made and fix them.
- Decide as soon as possible how overt you will be with this response. Covert operations are ridiculous in this setting. There is no need to be discreet about pooping on these guys. They know it's coming and they know why. Your only decisions are whether you will let JSOC assets do what is that they do or will you send a drone to make someone go away. Mr. President, there are people who think we need to be "ruthless" in our response. I'm sure those on the other end of a Predator strike would call it anything less than pleasant if they could talk. As such, I don't recall the survivors of Team Six's raid on Abbottabad claiming their introduction to JSOC was anything resembling peaceful. There will be deliberation as to what you meant by "We will get justice." Lets not mince words. The American people could care less about whether we "attempt to arrest them" and shoot them in the ensuing firefight or if we shove a cruise missile down their throats. They want blood for what these people did.
- Keep sending the Marines but give them Rules of Engagement that are flexible so they can do what they do. Again, let's not mince words. The Marines are specialists in one arena and one arena only. They break stuff and take lives. Give them ROE's that reflect that. If a protester climbs a fence and makes their way on to the Embassy ground, light them up. Announce these ROE's to the world so that they understand our embassies are vessels for diplomacy and peace but they are guarded by vessels of war. If you get "mealy mouthed" about this and allow for ROE's that aren't pre-announced and make it more difficult for an 18 year old Marine to make a sound judgement call, you could exasperate this crisis beyond yours and anyone else's control.
- Ask the FBI to investigate who Sam Bacile really is and publish that information ASAP. He gave no due consideration to what his film would do to our troops and people overseas. Why afford him the same? The whole world needs to know who this idiot is and what actions will be taken against him and others who wish to create their own foreign policy crises.
Again I know I'm not as versed as others in these matters but very few are behaving in a manner that is rational or effective. Let me be clear: your actions thus far seem to be on-point. My suggestions will only bolster your actions and prevent the disaster that could result if you fall to political pressure to act rashly.
