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Counter-terrorism expert Neil Livingstone and Fox News Middle East expert Dr. Walid Phares discuss the growing strength of Al Qaeda in Libya.
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Going on joining me now is terrorism expert -- Livingston and Fox News Middle East expert -- -- fairest deal let's start with you.
Why was why was this story mixed up here wasn't a cover up or was it simply the fog of war.
Why I think clearly there's a cover up going on and it's still going on.
Yesterday -- -- from the State Department.
Wouldn't even use the word terrorism despite the urging of various members of the congressional panel.
This she was appearing before.
By contrast.
Susan Rice our ambassador to the UN within hours of the incidents blamed us part it was.
Attributing the cause of -- to this.
-- insipid is movie trailer that.
Disparage -- and Islam so.
I think there's a cover up this is this is gone on for thirty years Tom.
We've had that incident after incident that has not been -- right no one has been punished.
And we need to clean house.
Charlie -- needs to go.
Probably ambassador Kennedy who testify yesterday.
And even maybe secretary of state Hillary Clinton if we don't hold people accountable this is gonna happen again and again.
Yeah well that's one of the problems obviously we always have with government is seems is that nobody is held accountable for serious errors and these are serious -- to wall lead.
Mean did to -- point.
I mean they they asked did you mean about the security she was in charge of season we have the appropriate number of assets as they called them.
And and it it was it was interesting to note that the chairman Darrell ice has said well obviously it did because -- people are dead.
Well look at at a much bigger scale when I think demonstration was trying to do for the for -- surprised by the FX were not prepared for it.
But -- it tried to protect their policy that president demonstration have been saying for the last year many months now that I've -- -- going down.
So if they admit that this is an -- -- a successful attack against the the embassy -- the consummate.
That would have political consequences -- more important when those illustrations began in Cairo.
And others was about to start elsewhere probably their assessment was -- it's going to be demonstrations.
Will get a link it to the movie.
But Ben facts on the ground told them and told the world that was not just demonstration was an al-Qaeda linked operation -- -- operation.
Well and it's not just it's not just now that the truth is gonna -- lot of -- -- to cover up is always the worst but Neil.
Even Laura Logan over at CBS gave a speech last weekend in Chicago in which she referred to the fact that and she's.
-- there have been a lot done a lot of reporting for years and years and years in the Middle East and North Africa and she says.
That despite them the fact that the president says al-Qaeda is weakened -- on their heels.
-- they're not they're actually getting stronger and more brazen.
So the question -- is if that is that true.
An end if -- is is -- B is this kind of a set up to say don't worry we're gonna cut defense spending because we don't really have a problem with al-Qaeda anymore.
Well first of all Laura is a terrific reporter and and all up except what she has to say.
We have a group in eastern Libya.
That is linked to al-Qaeda.
And -- -- -- Which we still have -- even a month after this incident we haven't put them on the terrorism list list yet you.
-- eastern Libya has been a hotbed of terrorism and terrorism link to al-Qaeda.
For some time now.
At least three of the al-Qaeda leaders senior members of al-Qaeda -- nicknamed Al Libby meaning the Libyan.
So we we've known that there's been a problem there for a long time.
And we have to address -- you know on the other hand the administration doesn't want in the criticism of its policies with respect to Libya that somehow that.
We've taken taken a part of government there ironically.
Moammar.
Gadhafi is government.
At a time that finally -- neutralize -- government it heads given up its weapons of mass destruction.
And it had.
Essentially.
For given up terrorism as well so the.
The issue -- became one of we finally get a state that is cooperating with us and then we we launch -- bombing.
Campaign against them and we wanted to be nation build in that country in our problem is is the people most likely to take over the government.
May be extremist Muslim extremists from -- from part of the country.
What lead what's your take is is do you believe that al-Qaeda is getting stronger or weaker.
Oh absolutely I mean on your show you and I we've discussed that for the last year we have been warning that while those regimes are -- And why do we should have been siding with -- -- society with the youth in Egypt to Google people the FaceBook woman Coptic minority is.
Instead demonstration apartment with the Muslim Brotherhood.
And Indonesia with the -- -- Islamist body instead of women's movement and second -- and Libya.
We have been warning that those units on the ground in the necessities half of the rebels.
Where are linked with the jihadist weren't involved caught unfortunately administration consider them as -- rebels so this incident -- -- is not just about Libya.
It's about the entire administration's policy of partnering with the Islamist and now be a surprise but part of these -- -- -- caught up.
-- this -- Wally it is is gonna make a difference.
Do people vote.
About foreign policy I mean it's important our security is is more important than almost any thing.
But jobs in the economy seem to be overshadowing this.
Even as jobs and economy would would account for 859%.
Due at 10% of the population is very interested in -- not gonna -- you one thing.
-- Libya programme is now raising a lot of questions and many voters many citizens let me say.
Are very it and dissident and knowing the truth the plain truth about.
That deal is this is this you know.
What that -- should we be worried that that al-Qaeda is going to find a place to regroup is that why we're there -- why I guess I unions start with the basic question.
Why are we in Libya is it to prevent them from building another base camp where they can plot attack against the United States.
Well again I have reservations about the fact that we went in to Libya to begin with because.
Libya had finally not become a problem to the west and so suddenly we go after that state also that demonstrates.
That there's no real value to cooperating with the United States and and giving up terrorism giving of weapons of mass destruction.
Because will turn against you at some point whether you cooperate or not so.
Yes we're going to have a lot more problems in this regard if we don't if one we need to Harden our embassies better.
Secondly in that part of the world and secondly.
We need to have a policy of strength it's the only thing that our that the jihadist respect.
And if we don't retaliate.
And if we don't bring those people to justice who were responsible for this attack.
And do it soon.
We're gonna have other problems I think the last thing -- says that.
Some.
For Barack Obama.
Has made a big deal out of the fact that -- on his watch we -- Solomon laden.
And and that he basically suggested of the time that now this problem al-Qaeda is finished -- going to go away.
Well as many of us settle all along this is not a problem is going to go away even -- we get Osama bin Laden.
This is a movement that is entrenched in at least three dozen countries right now.
And it's going to be a problem for the United States for years to come.
