Benghazi, foreign policy, and the Stevens Initiative

It has now been 10 years since the attack on a U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya. The incident left four Americans dead and turned into a scandal that changed American politics.

In the years since and the investigations that followed, Benghazi became a watchword for both the left and right. For many Republicans, the attack embodied everything wrong with Democratic foreign policy. For those on the left, it was yet another conservative conspiracy theory.

But there is another version of the story, told by the Stevens Initiative. It’s a program that promotes the life and legacy of U.S. Ambassador J. Chris Stevens, one of those killed in the attack.

The initiative was launched in 2015 as a living memorial. Stevens studied abroad in Europe and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. These experiences shaped his view of the world, fueled his curiosity, and prepared him to be a hugely respected diplomat who earned the esteem of people wherever he served.

We speak to Anne Stevens, sister to the late Chris Stevens. Also, we talk to Christine Shiau Director of the Stevens Initiative. and those who have taken part in the program.