Medal proposed for Benghazi SEALs

[The Straight Story]

Two former Navy SEALs from San Diego County who died defending the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, last year should receive the highest award Congress can bestow on a civilian, Rep. Duncan Hunter said Thursday.

The Republican from Alpine backed up that assertion by introducing legislation that would grant the Congressional Gold Medal to Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.

“They ran a half-mile to the sound of gunfire,” Hunter said. “Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods are American heroes for what they did.”

...

Jack Pitney, a political-science professor at Claremont McKenna College near Los Angeles, said the legislation probably will have a good chance in the House of Representatives, where Republicans are in charge. Its fate in the Democratic-controlled Senate is another matter, he said.

Hunter said he is pushing for the award because Woods and Doherty are ineligible for a military medal despite their combined 32 years as members of the elite SEALs and multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/mar/14/hunter-medal-benghazi/

I agree they took heroic measures. But they were private contractors at the time. If the repubs had not continued to stir this and use their deaths as a political ploy I would not be suspect of the motives of this current attempt to give them a medal.

Sounds like yet another repub wants to keep using the deaths of Americans overseas for political gain.

[dkf]

1. Wow. Just wow.

Exactly who is being political here you or Hunter?

These guys helped save CIA operatives that are working for you and me. Don't you think it's a bit petty to deny them?

[The Straight Story]

2. Well, let's see now

We have thousands of dead and wounded US military people who could also deserve this award, the award BTW:

It is awarded to persons "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement.

Robert Kennedy, Joe Louis, Elie Wiesel, Rosa Parks and others have gotten the award. There are plenty of awards to hand out. This one was probably chosen because it serves a purpose to the person wanting to give it politically. As they were contractors there are awards like:

Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)

USA - DCMA Distinguished Civilian Service Award

USA - DCMA Exceptional Civilian Service Award

USA - DCMA Meritorious Civilian Service Award

USA - DCMA Civilian Career Service Award

Not to mention many others readily available that do not specify "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement."

Call me jaded, but anything to do with Libya and republicans is intentional and only has one goal.

[daybranch]

3. this is pure politics.

I have received from others who fought alongside me in Vietnam numerous emails purporting to show these men as extraordinary heroes but at the same time criticizing the President for not standing with them. I hate the aggrandizement of every military action to glorify military spending or accuse democrats of failing to support the servicemen and former servicemen. That medal is pretty special and I do not see this unfortunate situation , including the bravery of the former seals, justifying that medal. I saw scores of men do just as much , risk just as much, and give just as much, They were not Seals, just citizen soldier draftees in many cases but just as deserving as the seals while deserving far less of a medal than the one proposed for these brave seals.
As far as saving CIA operatives? Wouldn't the knowledge CIA operatives were there in itself jeopardize the lives of the persons in the Department of State?
If CIA operatives were in the compound, that may have angered both the foreign government and the people in Benghazi. Are you sure about CIA? If CIA operatives were there and visible as such, then they compromised the State department Mission and their own as well. Does not make a lot of sense. CIA does not do diplomacy.