Stay tuned for the next episode of ‘Benghazi’, the GOP drama

Opinion: May 30, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

Benghazi. Where have I heard that word before?

Oh, yeah, I remember. It was the place in Libya where our U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other persons lost their lives. They were killed by Islamic terrorists on Sept. 11, 2012. Their deaths were tragic — all four of the deaths.

There have been countless hearings and documents released concerning Benghazi. One finding was that Congress had not provided adequate funds for diplomatic security.

Now, I ask the reader to turn the clock back. It is now March 2003. President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney launch Operation Iraqi Freedom and invade Iraq. President Bush and Vice President Cheney assure the American people this invasion is an absolute necessity because the Iraqis, under the leadership of Saddam Hussein, have developed weapons of mass destruction.

We now know there were no weapons of mass destruction. We also know that there were about 186,00 men, women, and children killed in this war. Many persons also lost their limbs, and suffered from severe mental problems. Both Americans and Iraqis were casualties.

Remember, there were four deaths in Benghazi and approximately 186,000 casualties as the result of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Which of these two events would merit countless inquiries by a Republican Congress: Benghazi while President Obama was in office or Operation Iraqi Freedom, while President George W. Bush was in office?

Did the U.S. invade Iraq to control that nation’s oil? Is the Republican Congress going to have hearings on Benghazi so they try to weaken Hillary Clinton even before she becomes a 2016 presidential candidate? Stay tuned.

Robert E. Casey, Boardman