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Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, assistant secretary of Defense, on the escalating violence across the Middle East, and why the attacks were not spontaneous.
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Meanwhile the Obama administration remains intent on blaming an anti Muslim movie.
Rather than taking responsibility for what transpired.
President Obama placed the blame elsewhere as he has done with the struggling economy for example since he took office.
Our next guest says blaming those -- on an obscure video.
Is an effort to avoid the message that -- Qaeda.
Is sending across the entire Middle East that the United States may have killed Osama bin -- But al-Qaeda remains still in the fight.
Joining us now as Paul Wolfowitz.
Former president of the World Bank deficit deputy secretary of defense in the bush the bush administration and currently a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
-- good to have you with -- what -- turn first to these claims maybe five times over yesterday across.
This Sunday talk shows.
Of by ambassador rice.
That this was a spontaneous.
Response and -- in been Ghazi.
That was a follow on to the an Egyptian demonstrations.
And riots.
Set off by this movie.
-- I find it astonishing if you do that.
They come in with -- rocket propelled grenades and mortars and this is supposed to -- the spontaneous reaction of some obscure video that appeared I think back in July.
No they did.
You cannot escape the fact that this attack in the attack on -- and embassy in Cairo where by the way they raise the black flag of al-Qaeda.
-- time to from their point of view send a message on September 11.
And I think the administrations in denial because it undercuts the story line that killing bin Laden was this enormous victory -- look it was a good thing to kill bin Laden but it -- it's very misleading to suggest that now we solve the problem this is going to be a very long struggle.
The people were up against.
A lot of patience and we have to have patience and perseverance.
And these protests and demonstrations.
Are continuing across the Muslim world are from Indonesia -- North Africa -- Is it your sense that they're going to continue is what should the Obama administration do in response.
Well by the way the -- situation is actually somewhat different from the others because they had the election in Libya back in July.
And in that election in the Muslim Brotherhood came in a fairly distant second.
And the subtleties who we think are responsible for these attacks got one seat out of eighty I believe they barely showed.
So the Libyan people made their voice very clear but the problem is the militias and Libya with all the guns and weapons.
Were equipped by -- Cutler while the United States -- from behind the did nothing to train and equip them so I think one of the lessons here is when there is this kind of upheaval.
We should be in there helping our friends to in this case establish law and order.
And the reaction in the public reaction in Libya to killing him ambassador Stevens is.
Frankly very sympathetic to the United States.
And I think we should be taking advantage of that but look we don't know -- -- we don't like the results all of the election in Egypt but they also -- an election.
They also have changed direction again a direction that the United States.
Is not particularly enamored with but nonetheless they have changed the character of their government and the direction of their nation.
What should we do there as well.
Well I think we should be allowed clear about what's acceptable and what's not acceptable and it seems to me it was unacceptable for the president of Egypt to come to the United States and plead the case.
Of the blind -- who is sitting in jail here because of his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
And it was certainly unacceptable for president Morrissey of Egypt.
To basically equivocation about whether -- -- he was pro or -- these demonstrations and his security forces sitting on their hands doing nothing.
So I think we really need to be very clear about what we expect from this government whether.
There elected or not.
They are responsible now for their country.
And if they act contrary to fundamental American interest then there should be.
For one -- one assumes that that there were some guarded response to provocation if you will.
And actions against our national interest because were engaged in two wars Iraq.
And now continuing.
In Afghanistan.
Are with a military that is severely.
Severely tested by the challenges that they still face and Afghanistan.
And in other countries not only in the Middle East and North Africa as you know.
Well you know the president bragged about ending the war in Iraq world.
People -- Middle East don't think it ended they just think the United States bailed out and here the United States talking about leaving Afghanistan.
They hear this talk about pivoting to the East Asia like we're gonna give up on the Middle East they see us doing nothing in Syria in the base of savage.
Massacres.
And even in the case of Libya where we did mentally rescue that country but then -- set on our hands and did very little while fighting progress for fifteen months.
And the extremists became stronger and stronger as I'm afraid they're doing -- -- area.
And meanwhile Benjamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama are having a rather public feud at a time when now.
Tensions are rising and the threat.
By Iran seems to be escalating and action.
By the Israeli military seems to be.
If if Benjamin Netanyahu is clearly communicating any message.
Employers to be here appears to be clearly near.
You know I've been try to read the tea leaves on this for months and I don't know where it's headed but I do think.
That the administration bears some responsibility.
For having the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff start lecturing the Israelis and public for snubbing Netanyahu with the United Nations.
For themselves saying there can't be any red lines it was almost an invitation for -- to notice they look if instead of giving us red lights you should give some red light and deadlines to Iran I think this whole discussion should be taking place.
In confidence because it depends critically on secret information.
The prime minister speaking very publicly and loudly.
-- in the minds of many interjected himself into a presidential election in this country your thought.
You know I don't think he's doing I don't know I I don't Clinton to understand is really politics.
I think.
They must certainly want to stay on Obama's good side especially if they think he's going to win tonight I just think they are feeling very desperate.
Rather cornered by the way the Iranian program keeps moving along.
And the sense that nobody else takes it seriously except frankly the people who do take it seriously the ones in the Persian gulf the saudis in particular.
The ones whose existence depend upon next steps.
Paul Wolfowitz we and -- -- being with us we appreciate it good to be would you thank you.
