President Obama on Friday, speaking in front of the caskets of the four diplomatic workers killed in Libya, said “justice will come to those who harm Americans."
Obama spoke at the Transfer of Remains Ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, where the remains were first returned to U.S. soil. The ceremony also was attended by Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
The president spoke about each of the four Americans killed, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, calling them patriots who laid down their lives protecting their friends, both Libyan and American.
He said that the awful loss and terrible images of the past week might cause some to question the work being done in places like Libya, but that the United States “will never retreat from the world.”
Obama said that the United States will “stand fast against the violence on our diplomatic missions,” and do everything in its power to protect Americans overseas, as violence continues spread across the Middle East amid the protests.
Read more on The Hill's DEFCON blog.
