Consider the facts

Dear editor:

Bettye Hoffman, writing in Viewpoints July 24 -- "Remember Benghazi" -- said, "Hillary had the power at her fingertips to save the lives of the ambassador and embassy staff and that she wouldn't do it because she was more concerned with her image than with saving those men. They stood to the end to do the job they had been given to do and she let them burn to death. That's exactly what happened." That is just Mrs. Hoffman's opinion. Now, consider the facts. Nine Republican congressional investigations cleared Hillary Clinton of any wrong doing on how she conducted the response to the attack on the Benghazi Embassy.

Many embassies in war zones were attacked during other administrations: Carter, Reagan, Clinton and Bush. Those secretaries were not blamed for the deaths and security failures. There was all kinds of confusion after those bombings too. At times, the wrong information was released. I am not justifying Benghazi or excusing it, but I don't understand why Hillary is being attacked in ways that other secretaries were not.

Why isn't anyone blaming the GOP Congress? On day one, they obstructed Obama from administrating the government in every way conceivable in their effort to ruin him, even denying funding to improve embassy safety around the world. It is troublesome when all they really want to do is lay blame on someone who did the best they could with the resources at hand. This is a rich country and the State Department requested more funds to ensure safety for personnel, but these same Republicans accusing Hillary would have none of it.

Sean Smith bravely volunteered to go to a war zone. He knew he was putting his life in danger and he did it anyway. He died serving his country. I hope someday his mother will be proud of her son, instead of only angry that he died. I'm not insensitive to her grief. I just hope she finds a way to be full of pride for her son's sacrifice while serving his country. Pat Smith is a brokenhearted mother in need of healing and love. She should not have been used and abused by the GOP and Donald Trump using her as a political pawn.

George Lindholm

Hot Springs