They Came, We Saw, Stevens Died

The president's defenders say that conservatives are making too much of the Libya debacle on September 11, 2012. Perhaps. But it is a symbol of our president's refusal to see himself as a war president even as our enemies wage war on America.

After the adminsitration spiked the ball on the war, it would be easier to judge the validity of that charge if the Obama administration actually fully explained what happened rather than having the rest of us try to piece together events from leaks and selective explanations that have changed over the last two months.

It would be easier to judge if it didn't seem like the administration was desperate to avoid giving a full explanation until after tomorrow's election.

My basic concern is that once the shooting started, we failed to use military assets that might have helped win that battle. More broadly, my concern is that this is simply an example of the failure of the administration to see the war as a national security issue rather than something that can interfere with the president's domestic agenda.

Mistakes and defeat happen in war. I can excuse that. The enemy is trying to win, too. And stuff simply happens.

What I can't excuse is a refusal by our commander in chief to lead us in war--or even feel he is a war president.

UPDATE: More questions.

UPDATE: And more uncertainties about what has been said.