Was Chris Stevens targeted by radicals?

First, let us express our deep condolences to the United States and the family of Ambassador Stevens who was murdered by Islamic extremists. Australia owes him a deep debt of gratitude for his efforts to secure the release of one of our nationals, Melinda Taylor who was imprisoned there.

Newsmax is reporting that the US is investigating whether the 9/11/12 attacks were a preplanned act rather than a response to a bad movie:

U.S. officials say the Obama administration is investigating whether the assault on the U.S. consulate in Libya was a planned terrorist strike to mark the anniversary of 9/11, and not a spontaneous mob enraged over a anti-Islamic YouTube video.

U.S. government officials said the Benghazi attack may have been planned in advance and there were indications that members of a militant faction calling itself Ansar al Sharia - which translates as Supporters of Islamic Law - may have been involved. They also said some reporting from the region suggested that members of Al-Qaida's north Africa-based affiliate, known as Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, may have been involved.

"It bears the hallmarks of an organized attack," one U.S. official said. However, some U.S. officials cautioned against assuming that the attacks were deliberately organized to coincide with the Sept. 11 anniversary. …

Other attacks such as those in Cairo and Yemen followed the line of invading embassy grounds, pulling down the flag, burning it, and replacing it with an Islamic one. In the case of the Benghazi attack the scenario was entirely different, with an organized group of terrorists attacking the embassy, besieging it and ultimately murdering Ambassador Stevens and three others.

Press reports of the character of Stevens indicate that he was a real hands on Ambassador who went above and beyond his duties in trying to foster genuine good relations between the US and the Libyans:

Robin Wright, a former foreign correspondent who knew Stevens and is now at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, posted on Facebook: "He knew the streets, not just the elites. He had an infectious enthusiasm about the extraordinary history playing out across the Middle East, which he witnessed up close.

"He got it. He spoke the language and knew the culture. He never flinched even slightly about the dangers - whether serving in a country when Kadhafi was in power, or heading the US office in Benghazi during Libya's uprising, or going back to become ambassador during a difficult transition.”

Stevens had served as envoy to the Libyan rebels from the early weeks after the revolt erupted in February 2011, when NATO aircraft helped rebels overthrow the 40-year-old regime and eventually capture and kill Gaddafi.

"I was thrilled to watch the Libyan people stand up and demand their rights," Stevens said in a video introduction released by the State Department shortly after he was appointed ambassador in May 2012. "Now I'm excited to return to Libya to continue the great work we've started, building a solid partnership between the United States and Libya to help you, the Libyan people, achieve your goals.” …

It is quite conceivable that this attitude may have been what got him killed. Radical Islam is not interested in good relations with the US or any of the West for that matter. The aim of the radicals is to harness hatred of the West in order to expand their numbers and further their agenda.

The last thing they would want in their area is a genuine peacemaker who has nothing but genuine intentions to foster goodwill in the country. It is entirely fair to suggest that Mr Stevens was targeted, not for being a symbol of ‘US imperialism’ but because his attitude and actions spoke of all that the US really wants out of Libya; a good and peaceful relationship.

It is reasonable to say that in the eyes of these venomous zealots, he had to go.