Colorado's Coffman parts ways with GOP in response on Libya

Rep. Mike Coffman, the Denver Post reports, parted ways with GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney — and even agreed with Tweets coming out of the Obama administration — in his response to four American diplomats’ deaths in Libya this week.

Four people, including the U.S. Ambassador posted in Libya, died this week after riots erupted there. An American-made short film was caused to be among the reasons for the riots. The film offensively depicted Islam and mocked the prophet Muhammad.

Before the killings, the embassy there Tweeted a criticism of the movie: “The continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.”

Romney on Wednesday sharply criticized that, saying America should never jeopardize its free speech values.

“It’s a terrible course for America to stand in apology for our values,” he said to Bloomberg News. “Instead, when our grounds are being attacked and being breached, the first response of the United States must be outrage at the breach of the sovereignty of our nation.”

But Coffman, a former combat Marine, disagreed, calling out the film makers for intentionally attacking a faith and putting American lives at risk.

“Unfortunately, the state department was irresponsible in posting an ambassador and his staff in an unstable country without requiring a U.S. Marine Corps security detatechment to protect them,” he said, in a statement. “It is equally irresponsible for Americans to intentionally attack the Islamic faith for the sole purpose of inflaming tensions while knowingly putting at risk State Department personnel as well as our troops serving us on the ground in Afghanistan.”