State Dept.: No Mob In Benghazi; Whistleblower: We Begged For Help
The Obama administration's unraveling story of the deadly September 11 attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya has not finished unraveling. A State Department official yesterday confirmed that there was no mob outside the Benhazi compound prior to the Al Qaeda attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others. And a former security officer at the embassy told Congress that officials on the ground had spent months prior to the attack requesting more protection for the site.
From AP's Bradley Klapper:
Senior State Department officials on Tuesday revealed for the first time certain details of last month's tragedy in the former Libyan rebel stronghold, such as the efforts of a quick reaction force that rushed onto the scene and led the evacuation in a fierce gun battle that continued into the streets. The briefing was provided a day before department officials were to testify to a House committee about the most serious attack on a U.S. diplomatic installation since al-Qaida bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania 14 years ago.
The account answers some questions and leaves others unanswered. Chief among them is why for several days the Obama administration said the assault stemmed from a protest against an American-made Internet video ridiculing Islam, and whether the consulate had adequate security.
This new admission contradicts the administration's previous position that the embassy was subjected to a peaceful protest that was "hijacked by extremists." Obama administration officials were maintaining this claim nearly a week after the attack, although it was known within 24 hours that the attack was a pre-meditated act of war. Here is Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice making this claim the weekend after the attack:
Meanwhile, ABC's Jake Tapper reports that the former top security official at the embassy says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's bureaucracy rejected his requests, over most of this year, to beef up security at the site in response to credible threats of a terrorist attack:
Eric Nordstrom, the former Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Libya, has told congressional investigators that security at the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, was "inappropriately low" – and believed that State Department officials stood in the way of his attempts to change that.
Nordstrom and the commander of a 16-member Security Support Team, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Wood, heard that foreign fighters were flowing across the Egyptian border and were making their way across the border to the Libyan city of Derna – which is to the east of Benghazi — and from there were making their way to Benghazi. But State Department officials seemed oblivious to their Benghazi post's vulnerability.
Nordstrom was worried -he did not know how much the Americans could rely on members of a local Libyan militia in Benghazi that provided security — the "17th of February Martyrs Brigade." Mostly merchants and shopkeepers before the war, they seemed eager, but they hadn't much experience and other than a daily $30 stipend for food from the U.S. Embassy, they hadn't been paid in months.
Nordstrom had "no idea if they would respond to an attack," he told investigators.
As has been the case with many revelations about the Obama administration's inner workings recently, this one comes courtesy of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California). State Department mismanagement continued after the attack, creating a critical delay in getting FBI investigators to the site.
And while Rice was a key player in Obama's original disinformation campaign, there now appears to be a rupture between the president and his own State Department, with an unnamed official telling USA Today that State never claimed the Libya attack resulted from the little-seen trailer for the purported film Innocence of Muslims. "That was not our conclusion," the official said, adding that "others" need to answer questions about the false linkage of the video and the attack.
Nevertheless, the producer of Innocence of Muslims remains the only person American authorities have taken into custody in connection with the attack.
The Oversight Committee will continue hearings later today.
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Bush lied: People died!
Obama lied: Feel warm inside!
We need that on a T-Shirt or a bumper sticker.
Well, if you’re an Ambassador you’ll just feel room temperature.
In Libya that’s pretty warm.
Big Bird is Not too big to fail.
Ineptness, corruption, dishonesty. You couldn’t make this into a movie, because people wouldn’t find it believable.
We hold our fictional politicians to a much higher standard.
Indeed.
this just uglier by the day, to the point where even the Obama steno pool can’t polish it.
You underestimate the steno pool, wareagle.
Any other President, and I include Dems as well as Reps, would be finished by a story about how they:
(1) Stripped security from a high-risk area like Libya, over the constant and vociferous protests of seemingly everybody on the ground there, and in the face of constant, ongoing attacks including two assassination attempts on the British ambassador,
(2) Had an ambassador killed, which happens maybe once a generation, AND
(3) Lied about it for days and days. Detailed, knowing lies.
If something like this had blown up before a month before Clinton’s re-election, it would have finished even him. But as it is, we are still in a dead heat because the DemOp media is still in full collusion mode.
But no one has ever been running against anyone as evil as Romney.
Mmmmm Kool-Aid.
What the hell are you talking about? WG was speaking ironically. Or he’s fucking retarded, but I’m going to go with irony here.
Remember how liberals all claimed the it was okay to arrest the filmmaker because he got the ambassador killed?
They were just being true to their revolting statist beliefs. I’m sure they haven’t recanted, and never will, becasue the state is all knowing, wise, and perfect. Is it any wonder that they are clearly all members of the Secret Admirers of Stalin Club?
“Secret Admirers of Stalin Club”
The Walter Duranty chapter, NYC
Secret? They admire his results outright, just think he needed a more complicit press and better PR.
And a few more camps.
Lets face it, there were a lot of obese babushkas that needed eight weeks of starvation and hard labor to get back their 18 year old bodies. Stalin totally wasted the opportunity to stamp out obesity. (Except in the Ukraine and Siberia.)
Not to mention all the jobs that would have created. Guards, ‘exercise enforcement agents’, administrators. Lots and lots of administrators.
HuffPo still insists that the video caused the riots and the filmmaker is at fault. The original, Obama-friendly narrative is insidious.
We obviously need more government control in our lives – I mean just look… er, at this… er…
ah, fuggit.
“There now appears to be a rupture between the president and his own State Department, with an unnamed official telling USA Today that State never claimed the Libya attack resulted from the little-seen trailer for the purported film Innocence of Muslims.”
The truth of this is simply unfathomable to Obama’s closest supporters: Barack Obama exploited racism and bigotry against Arabs and Muslims to try to deflect criticism away from himself…
Don’t blame me for my incompetence! Blame the wild-eyed, Muslim Arabs, who are so fanatical, they spontaneously murdered our ambassador in response to a YouTube video!
The Obama Administration’s scapegoating is pathetic, here, and we should never stop calling them out for this until they publicly recognize their racism and bigotry–and apologize for it.
They tried to blame their incompetence on the crazy dark people.
Before we all fall in line to Ken’s narrative agenda of pretending all of those sweet faced Islamist are just like you and me, don’t forget those thin skinned Muslims also lay siege to our embassy in Egypt and several others for a few days.
I love it when I still see traces of idealism in our ranks…it brings a tear to my eye. God (or whatev you beleive in, or don’t) bless you, Ken.
From a pragmatic point of view, I hope swing voters take a good hard look at Obama’s behavior on this before they vote in November.
They won’t.
The Obama Administration’s scapegoating is pathetic, here, and we should never stop calling them out for this until they publicly recognize their racism and bigotry–and apologize for it.
Calling it racism and bigotry gives the administration waaay too much credit. At least racists and bigots stand for some sort of principle, however distasteful we may find it.
The administration’s actions reveal just how cynical and unprincipled they really are.
At least racists and bigots stand for some sort of principle, however distasteful we may find it.
I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it’s an ethos.
“Let us not forget, Dude, that uh, keeping an aquatic…mammal…in the city limits…that ain’t legal either.”
“Barack Obama exploited racism and bigotry against Arabs and Muslims to try to deflect criticism away from himself.”
Is there any evidence that Obama personally received accurate information and decided to spin it otherwise?
I doubt it. Just incompetence based on a rush to judgement by a staff eager to exploit a situation to suit their own image.
“Is there any evidence that Obama personally received accurate information and decided to spin it otherwise?”
I’m sure you asked this same question about Bush a WOMD’s in Iraq
They were going to tell Obama what happened, but Bush, Cheney and Halliburton stopped them.
“Is there any evidence that Obama personally received accurate information and decided to spin it otherwise?
Did you read what Cavanaugh wrote in this post?
Cavanaugh wrote: “Obama administration officials were maintaining this claim nearly a week after the attack, although it was known within 24 hours that the attack was a pre-meditated act of war.”
Why did they run Susan Rice out there to sacrifice her career? Did she piss of Hillary? Or were they hoping that people would confuse her with Condoleezza Rice?
Drake, it’s the Bill Clinton strategy re: Monica Lewinsky. Deny, Deflect, Defame, anything to avoid taking responsibility for your actions, or lack thereof. I suppose it’s fine for soemthing as trivial as receiving fellatio in the Oval Office, but that’s it. These retards have adopted that strategy for issues that actually matter, all for the sake of staying in power, remaining powerful, and polishing their respective legacies. Stewardship? Leadership? Bah! What use have they for that?
And the next debate is on foreign policy, is that right? Well well, should be very interesting. I may actually watch.
Unfortunately, it will focus on Bush’s International War on Women.
They’ve moved on from the video. See Dana Milbank for the latest excuse — Republican budget cuts. I suppose proper deployment of available resources isn’t an option.
We need all those SEAL teams scouring Afghanistan for bin Laden!
They have something like 15,000 private security contractors in Iraq. Libya was asking for, what, a few dozen, a few hundred?
So I don’t that’s going to wash.
Never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity.
But in this case, I think you can blame malice AND stupidity. Plus arrogance, a fawning media, and contempt for the very people you represent.
And we’re going to have 4 more years of this sociopathic regime?
I’m going to be a racist and vote against Obama.
I never believed the two to be mutually exclusive.
There’s no box marked “against Obama”
More’s the pity.
Clearly this is a result of the failed policies of the previous administration.
this one comes courtesy of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California).
But who’s keeping tabs on steroids in baseball?
One thing to keep an eye on is Hillary Clinton. At some point, she and Barack are going to have to turn on each other, or her future prospects are stone cold dead. Will she be a sacrificial lamb for Obama’s re-election? Seems unlikely. Will she turn on him before the election? Can she afford to wait?
She’s in a real bind here, with no good paths to take to insulate her presumptive 2016 run against this disaster. But its pretty clear to me that this story is getting out of control, and her interests and Barack’s will not be in alignment.
It would be awesome to see her devour him. It will be like watching Satan devour her own tale.
I was thinking the same thing. How long will Hillary stay on Obama’s sinking ship?
She’ll stick it out. She played good soldier in the Senate to great effect. And if everybody who held a position in the Obama administration is publicly dead if he loses, the Democrats would be left with Jerry Brown and Harry Reid as their only viable Presidential candidates in 2016.
Now, the day after he loses (assuming he does), expect extremely well-sourced stories about how the Pres and Jarrett kept Hillary on a tight leash and wouldn’t listen to her.
expect extremely well-sourced stories about how the Pres and Jarrett kept Hillary on a tight leash and wouldn’t listen to her.
I dont think anyone will believe it if she waits until after the election. If she wants to be believed, she needs that to come out NOW.
I agree, see my comment below. I think there are two reasonable courses for her:
1. Resign and fall on her sword. Take the blame for this, end her political career and possibly save Obama.
2. Resign and blame Obama. Claim to have fought him over this. Kill his reelection and get herself positioned for 2016.
Your premise is flawed – you assume enough people care about the Libya situation. They don’t.
If Hillary resigns, people will take notice.
And she will gain a measure of respect in parts of the electorate going forward.
1. Resign and fall on her sword. Take the blame for this, end her political career and possibly save Obama.
I wonder what her cash price for that would be? Because I’m sure it would take cash, and lots of it.
2. Resign and blame Obama. Claim to have fought him over this. Kill his reelection and get herself positioned for 2016.
That’s dangerous, because a lot of the Dems will hate her for giving the Messiah over like that.
Cash? There’s not enough cash in the world to reimburse her for giving up the slightest chance at increased power.
3. Resign, and blame Republican spending cuts.
At some point, she and Barack are going to have to turn on each other, or her future prospects are stone cold dead.
I think they’ve been dead for a while–2008 was her best shot to get the brass ring, and she blew it.
In 2016, she’s going to be 68 years old, and no matter how much she tries to distance herself, she essentially became Obama’s creature the minute she accepted the SecState job. So she’ll have both age and that association working against her, assuming Obama wins this year. Not to mention that her political and professional successes been completely dependant on her marraige to Bill, not because people inherently like her or trust her.
And even if she does run and win, history shows that she’s more likely to be a one-termer, and I doubt that’s the kind of legacy she wants to leave.
Incidentally, Obama’s bigoted narrative is also contradicted by the headlines from the days after the assassination of our ambassador:
“30,000 Protest Militias in Benghazi, Libya, Burn Militants’ Compound”
BENGHAZI, Libya ? Hundreds of protesters seized control of several militia headquarters Friday night, including the compound of one of Libya’s strongest armed Islamic extremist groups, evicting militiamen and setting fire to buildings as the attack that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans sparked a backlash against armed groups.
Men at the administrative center for the Ansar al-Shariah militia, suspected to have led the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate, fired in the air to disperse the crowd but eventually withdrew from the site with their weapons and vehicles. The protesters handed the seized compounds over to Libya’s national army.
….
signs mourned the killing of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, reading, “The ambassador was Libya’s friend” and “Libya lost a friend.”
http://www.denverpost.com/nati…..-militants
For whatever reason, I can’t find any reports of anyone in that crowd carrying a sign about a YouTube video! Certainly nothing to support Obama’s scapegoating or bigotry.
Your administration is either inept or corrupt. Which is it Mr. President?
Did you say “both”? I think you said “both”…
And while Rice was a key player in Obama’s original disinformation campaign, there now appears to be a rupture between the president and his own State Department, with an unnamed official telling USA Today that State never claimed the Libya attack resulted from the little-seen trailer for the purported film Innocence of Muslims.
Yeah, I can see the non-politically appointed State folks getting a little bit touchy right about now. Should be entertaining to see if their personal feelings overcome their lifetime of liberalism and their devotion to O. The politically appointed ones, however, will not waiver.
Will she be a sacrificial lamb for Obama’s re-election?
I don’t think Hillary will fall on her (or anybody else’s) sword.
Especially not for the Ascended One.
Why must you bring up this old news. Instead of obsessing about ancient history should we not be thinking about the way forward.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?f…..yaJ8eR9tzw
Don’t bother going to the link, It bad.
See if this works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..r_embedded
“That was not our conclusion,” the official said, adding that “others” need to answer questions about the false linkage of the video and the attack.
The State Department fucked over their diplomats on security, but they’ll be damned if they’ll take the blame for Innocence of Muslims-Gate.
“BarackHawk Down”
Lacist!
Romney should point out that flying Airforce One up to New York City to PAR-TAY with JZ cost ten times what a little extra security for Benghazi would have cost. And then run that photo of the Champagne tower.
I used to say this about somebody else, but it is getting to be more and more appropriate for you-know-who every day.
“We don’t know whose fault it was, but we know whose fault it WASN’T.”
You know who else tried to avoid fault?
People who malloc?
I dont know how the Sec State survives this. She should either be resigning in disgrace or resigning because she cant trust the President whose orders she was following.
She would have to be able to feel shame on some level in order to understand herself a disgrace.
Because nobody cares.
REPUBLICANS OOGA BOOGA
See?
If nobody cared this thread would be empty.
Ok, ok. VIRTUALLY nobody.
Well yeah, we care. But we aren’t most people.
Needs more ass
She should either be resigning in disgrace or resigning because she cant trust the President whose orders she was following.
“My commission! Resign my COMMISSION?!”
-Hot Lips O’Houlihan
I’m beginning to wonder if this administration tells Obama much of anything. Either that, or Obama just doesn’t care. Obama might be the first ‘I don’t give a shit’ president we’ve had. Even Reagan’s critics pointed to his onset of Alzheimer’s as an excuse for his disconnect.
Can’t it be both? If he doesn’t care in the first place(routinely skips his security meetings, after all), then they’re much less apt to tell him anything.
I suspect that Obama may be suffering from something he’s not making public, like severe depression or fatigue. Not that that’s an excuse, considering Lincoln, FDR, and Kennedy all managed to give a shit, but it would go a long way towards explaining his behavior.
These are not the Nobodies you’re looking for.
The fundamental conditions for this attack were created by GEORGE BUSH. Yeah, that’s the ticket!
America won’t survive much more ‘smart diplomacy’. Unless, of course, that is the goal.
Incompetence or intentional Usurpation?
You must decide whether there is a third party occupying the white house, The New Party.
thanks