--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As tragic as Benghazi was, its importance…" description: "\"As tragic as Benghazi was, its importance pales next to killing Osama bin Laden.\" — Bob Beckel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/bob-beckel-4887_benghazi_as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance_1836679.jpg" --- # As tragic as Benghazi was, its importance pales next to… ![“As tragic as Benghazi was, its importance pales next to killing Osama bin Laden.” quote by Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/bob-beckel-4887_benghazi_as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance_1836679.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/bob-beckel-4887_benghazi_as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance_1836679.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/bob-beckel-4887_benghazi_as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance_1836679.jpg) > “As tragic as Benghazi was, its importance pales next to killing Osama bin Laden.” [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the tragedy of Benghazi with the perceived greater significance of eliminating Osama bin Laden, implying the latter overshadows the former. **In simple terms:** It says killing bin Laden matters more than Benghazi. Key Takeaway Prioritize larger strategic outcomes. Themes politics conflict priorities Mood reflective critical Type analytical opinion When to use this quote - policy analysis - media reporting - national security discussions Key Concepts Strategic impact public perception Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance strategic victories with human tragedies? - What criteria should guide our assessment of importance? A Different Perspective It may downplay the human cost of Benghazi. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Tragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragic/) ## Related quotes > [After the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the Obama administration steadfastly refused to say which element of the U.S. military had participated in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/after-the-killing-of-osama-bin-laden-the-obama-administration/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Obama killed Osama. Yes, President Barack Obama gets to crow about the killing of Osama bin Laden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/obama-killed-osama-yes-president-barack-obama-gets-to-crow-about-the/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [I think President Obama has always been a little bit underestimated. Some of the things he's done with foreign policy have been unassailable. Getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-geist/i-think-president-obama-has-always-been-a-little-bit-underestimated/) [Willie Geist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-geist/) > [The killing of Osama has taken place nearly 13 years after the terrorist bombings in Nairobi that led to the death of over 200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwai-kibaki/the-killing-of-osama-has-taken-place-nearly-13-years-after-the/) [Mwai Kibaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwai-kibaki/) > [“Despite being briefed about the ongoing terrorist attack at the Benghazi facility very soon after it began, the president took no meaningful action as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/despite-being-briefed-about-the-ongoing-terrorist-attack-at-the/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“With the November election looming and the president’s campaign rhetoric about decimating al-Qaeda becoming laughable, the White House endeavored to defraud the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/with-the-november-election-looming-and-the-president-s-campaign/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [I am not surprised that the president of the United States called this a phony scandal. I'm not surprised Secretary Clinton asked, "What difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-am-not-surprised-that-the-president-of-the-united-states-called/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [I think the debate was really some powerful moments of clarity. We saw that Donald Trump, substantively, has the same issues on issue after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-think-the-debate-was-really-some-powerful-moments-of-clarity-we-saw/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ So Hillary \[Clinton\], "I do feel in some ways tired." And that's your leading Democrat presidential candidate for 2016. She's been tired for how… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/so-hillary-clinton-i-do-feel-in-some-ways-tired-and-that-s-your/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ I could be wrong about that, and \[Susan Rice \] may have really wanted \[secretary of state place\]. But now she has become a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-could-be-wrong-about-that-and-susan-rice-may-have-really-wanted/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The Benghazi attack was one of the more confusing, chaotic days that we had at work because you had these multiple violent protests taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/the-benghazi-attack-was-one-of-the-more-confusing-chaotic-days-that/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [Big mistakes were made in Benghazi, and people should be held accountable. But the brave officers who staff American posts in crisis zones know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/big-mistakes-were-made-in-benghazi-and-people-should-be-held/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [My big problem with Hillary and the Department of State where Benghazi is concerned is there is just no accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/my-big-problem-with-hillary-and-the-department-of-state-where/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [“Recent disclosures by some of the combatants about the night of the Benghazi attack remind us that almost everything Jay Carney, Susan Rice, Hillary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/recent-disclosures-by-some-of-the-combatants-about-the-night-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With Benghazi, I don't see anyone saying, 'Hey look, I am overall responsible for this and therefore, I take responsibility for what happened. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/with-benghazi-i-don-t-see-anyone-saying-hey-look-i-am-overall/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) ## More by Bob Beckel > [I do oppose repealing Obamacare, because it's working for growing numbers of previously uninsured Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-do-oppose-repealing-obamacare-because-it-s-working-for-growing/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Anger in the black community towards Republicans is established and immutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/anger-in-the-black-community-towards-republicans-is-established-and/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [The hardest-hit taxpayers in our disgraceful tax system are those folks who pack Trump's rallies, especially in hard-hit Rust Belt states like Ohio and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/the-hardest-hit-taxpayers-in-our-disgraceful-tax-system-are-those/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Some days I feel like I'm only the fire hydrant to Westminster dog show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/some-days-i-feel-like-i-m-only-the-fire-hydrant-to-westminster-dog/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [We've come a long way from the days of Jim Crow, and yes, we elected a black president, but racism lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/we-ve-come-a-long-way-from-the-days-of-jim-crow-and-yes-we-elected-a/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Charter schools are not a panacea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/charter-schools-are-not-a-panacea/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Jim Crow laws stripped blacks of basic rights. Despite landmark civil rights laws, many public schools were still segregated, blacks still faced barriers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/jim-crow-laws-stripped-blacks-of-basic-rights-despite-landmark-civil/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Like many other Americans, I'm tired of the U.S. taxpayer paying for foreign wars, especially when the countries we defend have raked in huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/like-many-other-americans-i-m-tired-of-the-u-s-taxpayer-paying-for/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [It should be mandatory that any tax breaks go through appropriate committees and be voted on separately by both the House of Representatives and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/it-should-be-mandatory-that-any-tax-breaks-go-through-appropriate/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Where most politicians would have abandoned a supporter like Jeremiah Wright and the community he served, Obama, while strongly criticizing him, did not throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/where-most-politicians-would-have-abandoned-a-supporter-like-jeremiah/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [I came from a dysfunctional family - very dysfunctional. And my father used to find great humor in throwing me down the stairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-came-from-a-dysfunctional-family-very-dysfunctional-and-my-father/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [As a former presidential campaign manager, I remember the final week of the campaign as being the longest and most important week of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-a-former-presidential-campaign-manager-i-remember-the-final-week/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [In the 1990s, the Democratic Party began to cozy up to their long-time enemies: Wall Street Bankers. They took their money and relaxed their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/in-the-1990s-the-democratic-party-began-to-cozy-up-to-their-long-time/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [My pop culture ended somewhere north of Elvis but not too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/my-pop-culture-ended-somewhere-north-of-elvis-but-not-too-far/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [I have never analyzed a presidential election as much as I did the Trump-Clinton race of 2016.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-have-never-analyzed-a-presidential-election-as-much-as-i-did-the/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) [Explore all 104 Bob Beckel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) ## More Benghazi quotes > [With Benghazi, I don't see anyone saying, 'Hey look, I am overall responsible for this and therefore, I take responsibility for what happened. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/with-benghazi-i-don-t-see-anyone-saying-hey-look-i-am-overall/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“Recent disclosures by some of the combatants about the night of the Benghazi attack remind us that almost everything Jay Carney, Susan Rice, Hillary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/recent-disclosures-by-some-of-the-combatants-about-the-night-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My big problem with Hillary and the Department of State where Benghazi is concerned is there is just no accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/my-big-problem-with-hillary-and-the-department-of-state-where/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [Big mistakes were made in Benghazi, and people should be held accountable. But the brave officers who staff American posts in crisis zones know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/big-mistakes-were-made-in-benghazi-and-people-should-be-held/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [The Benghazi attack was one of the more confusing, chaotic days that we had at work because you had these multiple violent protests taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rhodes/the-benghazi-attack-was-one-of-the-more-confusing-chaotic-days-that/) [Ben Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rhodes/) > [ I could be wrong about that, and \[Susan Rice \] may have really wanted \[secretary of state place\]. But now she has become a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-could-be-wrong-about-that-and-susan-rice-may-have-really-wanted/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ So Hillary \[Clinton\], "I do feel in some ways tired." And that's your leading Democrat presidential candidate for 2016. She's been tired for how… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/so-hillary-clinton-i-do-feel-in-some-ways-tired-and-that-s-your/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I think the debate was really some powerful moments of clarity. We saw that Donald Trump, substantively, has the same issues on issue after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-think-the-debate-was-really-some-powerful-moments-of-clarity-we-saw/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I am not surprised that the president of the United States called this a phony scandal. I'm not surprised Secretary Clinton asked, "What difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-am-not-surprised-that-the-president-of-the-united-states-called/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [“With the November election looming and the president’s campaign rhetoric about decimating al-Qaeda becoming laughable, the White House endeavored to defraud the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/with-the-november-election-looming-and-the-president-s-campaign/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Despite being briefed about the ongoing terrorist attack at the Benghazi facility very soon after it began, the president took no meaningful action as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/despite-being-briefed-about-the-ongoing-terrorist-attack-at-the/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [I agree with Donna Brazile who said about Benghazi: "We got to preven dis from hapinin agen. "](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-agree-with-donna-brazile-who-said-about-benghazi-we-got-to-preven/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [There's no way we can get to the bottom of Benghazi without David Petraeus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/there-s-no-way-we-can-get-to-the-bottom-of-benghazi-without-david/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [ Even in this case, whatever it is, it's about \[Barack\] Obama. "How did Obama do at the memorial? Did Obama come off well? Will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-in-this-case-whatever-it-is-it-s-about-barack-obama-how-did/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I am a career public servant. Until the aftermath of Benghazi, I loved every day of my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hicks/i-am-a-career-public-servant-until-the-aftermath-of-benghazi-i-loved/) Greg Hicks Browse all 71 Benghazi quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As tragic as Benghazi was, its importance pales next to killing Osama bin Laden.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Beckel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance-pales-next-to-killing-osama/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Benghazi" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance-pales-next-to-killing-osama/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/bob-beckel-4887_benghazi_as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance_1836679.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/bob-beckel-4887_benghazi_as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance_1836679.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/bob-beckel-4887_benghazi_as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance_1836679.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As tragic as Benghazi was, its importance pales next to killing Osama bin Laden.” — Bob Beckel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bob Beckel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As tragic as Benghazi was, its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance-pales-next-to-killing-osama/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-tragic-as-benghazi-was-its-importance-pales-next-to-killing-osama/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```