Benghazi hero Kris "Tanto" Paronto targets radical Islam and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as chairman of Leading from the Front, an advocacy campaign organized by the American Legacy Center.
"Radical Islam is at war with America, and we are slowly losing," Paronto said in a statement released by the American Legacy Center. "From Benghazi to Orlando, we are seeing the deadly consequences of President Obama and Secretary Clinton's 'leading from behind' and their willful blindness towards the threat of radical Islam."
"Our only hope for safety and victory is for the American people to wake up Washington and demand a new direction," Paronto continued.
Paronto, a former U.S. Army Ranger and private contractor, was a member of the CIA annex security team during the Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. He was portrayed by actor Pablo Schreiber in the Hollywood movie "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi," which was released Jan. 15.
Paronto helped save more than 20 lives during a 13-hour firefight against terrorists in Benghazi in 2012. His story was also part of the book "13 Hours" by Mitchell Zuckoff.
While with the Army Rangers, Paronto served with the 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and later served as a private security contractor throughout South America, Central America, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Paronto also was employed with the U.S. government's Global Response staff conducting low profile security in high threat environments throughout the world.
"Kris Paronto is an American hero," stated Adam Waldeck, executive director of the American Legacy Center in a statement. "There is no person that better understands the threat of radical Islam or our government's failure to properly combat it. The American people deserve an honest conversation about how to defeat this growing threat, and together with Kris we hope to lead it."
The American Legacy Center concentrates on large-scale issue advocacy campaigns "to help ensure that America remains a land of opportunity, prosperity and freedom for all,"
according to the center's website.
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