Obama Orders U.S. Flags Lowered to Half Mast
The Stars and Stripes atop the White House was lowered Wednesday after President Barack Obama ordered all flags on government buildings to half mast to honor Americans slain in Libya.
"I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds," Obama said in a proclamation.
The order applies to all U.S. military posts, diplomatic sites abroad and ships at sea, and will remain in force until sunset on September 16.
U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens, 52, and three others were killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi late Tuesday by armed Islamists outraged over an amateur American-made Internet video mocking Islam.
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack," Obama said in a statement in the White House Rose Garden. "Make no mistake, we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the killers who attacked our people."
Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid tribute to the slain envoy and said its mission would not waver in its support for Libya's shaky attempt to build democratic rule.
They said security would be stepped up at various U.S. missions around the world.
Source: Agence France Presse
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://prod.naharnet.com/stories/en/53349 |