Best-selling author Richard Miniter had a dire warning for Republicans who gathered to hear him speak Thursday evening at Savannah Center.
He warned that the Obama Administration is deliberately hollowing out America’s military and many disheartened soldiers, including Navy SEALs, are leaving the fighting forces.
Miniter retold a story from his book, “Eyes on Target,” about a Navy SEAL who was accused of bloodying a captured Al Qaeda suspect’s lip. That SEAL was pulled from duty and forced to stand trial. Even though he was eventually exonerated, the entire process left him disheartened and he quit the SEALs.
In Benghazi, Al Qaeda had made no secret of its presence including a parade where members strutted their military might shortly before the attack on the American embassy there, Miniter said.
He said the Obama Administration refused to heed warning signs.
And then when the embassy was under attack for eight hours, no help was provided for the Americans trapped inside.
He said most Americans are not paying attention to the chain of events.
He encouraged audience members to use social media to reach out and “start the conversation” with others.
“Talk to them about issues they care about,” Miniter said. “Help them understand that their freedoms are at risk.”
Ella Moore of the Village of Mallory Square said she found Miniter’s presentation both sobering and inspiring.
“He wants people to wake up. The world is changing drastically. It’s up to us to wake up and bring normalcy back,” she said.
The event was a joint meeting of The Villages Republican Club of Sumter County and the Republican Club of Sumter Landing.