“Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future.” Corrie Ten Boom
I remember telling people weeks after the bombing in Nairobi, that the scene at Embassy Nairobi was just like a movie. But it was nothing like a movie scene at all. It was real and it was horrific and the remembrances and memories haunt many of us to this day. I don’t compare much to movies any more. But, I will admit that every once in a while, a movie character provides insight into our narrow comprehension that gives us pause and we should take it to heart. In the second season of NBC’s science fiction drama, Heroes, the fictional Dr. Mohinder Suresh offers in prologue “Is it man’s ability to remember that sets us apart? We are the only species concerned with the past. Our memories give us voice, and bear witness to history, so that others might learn – so they might celebrate our triumphs and be warned of our failures.”
But I would caution that memories are fragile things that that ebb and flow over time moving us from the rounded warmth of friendships to the sometimes harsh sharp edged and cutting realities of mayhem, murder and gore and back again. The bombing of the American Embassies, in Africa, 20 years ago summons images of those we loved and those with whom we laughed and cried. My memory of that time invokes individual auras of compassion, heroism and leadership. It also offers the sharp and cutting edge of the evil that used the bombing as a launching pad or at least a test bed for its version of global terror. That evil also slices into my memories exposing, for me, our failures to see the attack coming as well as our failure to end its malevolence for the last 20 years. The author, Mark Lawrence, said “Memories are dangerous things. You turn them over and over, until you know every touch and corner, but still you’ll find an edge to cut you.” It is that sharp and cutting edge intrudes and that I want to address.
There is a Vai (Liberian) tribal proverb, “Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.” Where we slipped is the blade that cuts into my memories of those that left us that day. This article is in fact a rebuke of our government’s agencies and leaders not putting a high enough value on lives lost, not only in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam but in attacks on our diplomatic outposts since 1983. It is an admonition of the recidivism of the commissions, reports, investigations and boards that since 1983, fault security, policy and intelligence failures. But in the end fail to hold accountable the seemingly unaccountable centers of power along with their decision makers. In that light, it is my desire that if this is read, used or believed by those who now are on the front lines projecting US interest and influence or soon to go there, that things will change and that they will be the drivers of that change.
Time and again, after a catastrophic event the pattern begins with condemnation and a declaration of thoughts and prayers. That is soon followed by a promise that “..we will get to the bottom of this travesty” by conducting a thorough study, appointing a blue-ribbon commission, accountability board or a complete review. This is usually accompanied by the promise that “we will fix what was wrong and establish accountability.” The Accountability Review Boards into the facts and circumstances surrounding the bombings of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania has disturbingly similar verbiage to reports that date back to the Inman Report published after the bombing of the Marine Barracks and the attack on the US Embassy in Beirut in 1983. In part the Africa report states “the Boards were most disturbed at two interconnected issues: first, the inadequacy of resources to provide security against terrorist attacks and, second, the relative low priority accorded security concerns throughout the US government — by the Department, other agencies in general, and on the part of many employees both in Washington and in the field. Saving lives and adequately addressing our security vulnerabilities on a sustained basis must be given a higher priority by all those involved if we are to prevent such tragedies in the future.” It continues “…The Boards did not find reasonable cause to believe that any employee of the United States Government or member of the uniformed services breached his or her duty in connection with the August 7 bombings. However, we believe there was a collective failure by several Administrations and Congresses over the past decade to invest adequate efforts and resources to reduce the vulnerability of US diplomatic missions around the world to terrorist attacks.” It goes on to say that while policies and procedures were followed regarding threat assessment and security the threat had changed rendering those processes inadequate. It “found most troubling the failure of the US government to take the necessary steps to prevent such tragedies through an unwillingness to give sustained priority and funding to security improvements.” The Boards then made recommendations so this would not happen again. But, of course it did. Even considering blatant partisanship, the report on the events in Benghazi reveal conclusions that are disturbingly similar.
My memories of 7 August, 1998 created a desire to make a home inside of me for everyone touched by those bombs, survivors and the dead, Americans, Kenyans and Tanzanians. But the knife’s edge of the recollection of our failures will always be there. I remind myself that the only way I can touch those killed that day is to place my hand on their names etched into the memorials in Nairobi, at the Department of State and at Arlington Cemetery.
For those of you in diplomatic outposts now or those soon to go, I would offer the following advice. First, if you feel safe you are probably vulnerable. Relentlessly let that vulnerability be known. Second, have the courage and persistence to inexorably give voice to your observations and assessments. Do so with the purpose of protecting those near you as well as the innocent who passes by. Commit to this before an event even to the detriment of your career. Third, never forget the value of life. It is not subject to risk and mitigation. It is sacred and its loss is final. Fourth, insist on accountability not just words in a report from a review board.
I have no doubt that unforgiving time and age will alter my view of that day and where we fell but I will make every effort not to forget where we slipped.
US Embassy Beirut- 63 killed
US Embassy Annex- 24 killed
US Embassy Yemen-18 killedUS Embassies Kenya and Tanzania- 224 killed