Doubts surface over e-mail on claim of responsibility for Benghazi attack
By CNN's Tim Lister and Paul Cruickshank
The often fiercely political debate over who knew what - and when - about the September 11 assault on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi has taken another turn with the disclosure of a series of e-mails sent from the State Department on the night of the attack.
But the most explosive of the e-mails - which were released late Tuesday - may have been inaccurate, a "spot report" on a rapidly evolving and highly confusing situation.
The disclosure of the e-mail has given new life to the already fevered debate over when the Obama administration learned that the attack was more than a protest that turned deadly but was the work of terrorists.
The e-mail carried the subject line: "Update 2: Ansar al Sharia Claims Responsibility For Benghazi Attack." The message said: "Embassy Tripoli reports the group has claimed responsibility on Facebook and Twitter and has called for an attack on Embassy Tripoli."
That message was sent to a wide range of federal offices, including the FBI, from the State Department at 6:07 p.m. ET on September 11 - seven minutes into September 12 in Libya. At that time, the attack on the consulate was ongoing, and the subsequent assault on the annex building, in which two more Americans would be killed, had not begun.
Also: Some Bengazi attackers connected to al Qaeda in Iraq
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and two other Republicans in the Senate wrote Wednesday to Obama, saying: "These emails make clear that your Administration knew within two hours of the attack that it was a terrorist act and that Ansar al-Sharia, a Libyan militant group with links to Al-Qaeda, had claimed responsibility for it."
However, an examination of the known Facebook and Twitter accounts of Ansar al-Sharia in Benghazi reveals no such claim of responsibility. Aaron Zelin, a research fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, tracks dozens of jihadist websites and archives much of what they say. He told CNN he was unaware of any such claim having been posted on the official Facebook page or Twitter feed of Ansar al-Sharia in Benghazi.
Zelin, who said his RSS feed sends him any new statement from the group, provided CNN with a copy of that feed. It shows no Facebook update between September 8 and September 12, when a posting late that afternoon first referenced the attack. Zelin notes that the posting referred to a news conference the group had held earlier that day in Benghazi in which it denied any role in the assault on the consulate, while sympathizing with the attackers.
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Accompanying a posting of the news conference on YouTube, a commentary says that the attack on the consulate was "a wave of rage for Allah and his Prophet, it came from the Muslim youths."
The posting continues: "Ansar al-Sharia brigade did not officially participate as a military body, nor received any orders directed from the brigade."
The group's Twitter feed tells the same story. The account, @anssarelshariea, bears the group's logo and a tweet on September 8 - and then nothing until four days later. And at no point is there a claim of involvement in or responsibility for the attack on the U.S. Consulate compound.
Perhaps the person who reported the claim of responsibility - and the threat against the consulate - was viewing another Ansar al-Sharia site, or one supportive of the group.
In the hours following such incidents, it is not unusual for "spot reports" from agencies and overseas posts to pour in to the State Department. They typically include intercepts, what's picked up on social media, witness accounts and what's being said by local officials. They often contain raw, unfiltered information that is then analyzed for clues, patterns and contradictions.
In the case of the Benghazi attack, there were plenty of contradictions. Such situations are frequently chaotic, with claim and counter-claim by witnesses unsure of what happened when, according to U.S. officials. Building a complete picture without access to first-hand-accounts and little visual evidence can be a major challenge to government experts working from thousands of miles away.
So too have been the attempts to pin down who represents Ansar al-Shariah and their movements on the night of the attack.
Wings of Ansar al-Sharia, which means "partisans" or "supporters of Islamic law," are based not only in Benghazi but in the Libyan town of Derna, east of Benghazi. The group's leaders in Derna are thought to include Abu Sufyan bin Qumu, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee.
A different Ansar al-Sharia is affiliated with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen, and budding franchises are said to exist in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.
As Zelin wrote last month in Foreign Policy, the groups "lack a unified command structure or even a bandleader like the central al Qaeda command....They are fighting in different lands using different means."
Wherever they may be, members of Ansar al-Shariah are united by a shared outlook, one that is implacably anti-Western and in favor of the imposition of Shariah law across the Muslim world.
The description on the Ansar al-Sharia (Benghazi) Twitter feed proclaims: "The goals of Ansar al-Sharia brigade is to implement the laws of Allah on the land, and reject the human implemented laws and earthly made constitutions. There will be nothing ruling in this country other than the laws of Allah."
Zelin said he believes that the rise of the groups heralds the end of the dominance of global jihad by a single hierarchical organization such as al Qaeda - and returns the state of jihad to the jumble that characterized it during the 1990s.
"One key difference, however, is that jihadi groups are now more ideologically homogenous," Zelin wrote in Foreign Policy.
"In the 1990s, jihadis thought locally and acted locally, while many now talk globally and act locally."
CNN's Pam Benson contributed to this report
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
Yeah, McCain and you guys are slime balls. Go play in traffic
I think McCain would know how horrible it is to be left – he was a POW in Vietnam and still suffers from his ordeal. He is a Veteran and thinks about those serving our country. It is a dis-service what Obama has done to our country and treating Americans like we can't think for ourselves, expecting us to just accept his lies.
Meanwhile Someone thought enough to Send a drone over the consulate....WHO called for the Drone ? and Why ? and what did the Drone see ? emails are one thing..but an eye on the situation Watching in Real Time is quite another...The attack lasted over 7 Hours and no Help was sent...( just a drone watching from overhead )..Where did the Drone come from ? What other Military assests were there as well ? and why were they not called upon ?There is a person somewhere who may have at least some answers to all this...The Pilot of the Drone...How does the Pilot feel after watching fellow Americans who were left to Die for some unknown political reason...while the Drone he flew just circled overhead .
From what I read in the emails, the 1st one was sent at 4:05 PM on September 11, 2012 stating;
"Ambassador Stevens, who is currently in Benghazi, and four COM personnel are in the compound safe haven. The 17th of February militia is providing security support."
2nd one was sent at 4:54 PM on September 11, 2012 stating; "SBU Embassy Tripoli reports the firing at the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi has stopped and the compound has been cleared. A response team is on site attempting to locate COM personnel."
from 4:05 to 4:54 is 49 minutes. Where do you get the 7 hour figure? Source please?
Hey Jim Walton, CNN head of World wide news. Since your leaving at the end of the year. Maybe you could ask your staff to have some journalistic integrity and actually try to be the credible news source it once was? This lack of reporting the facts and desire to be a propaganda tool is just sleazy...i always thought CNN would do its homework, be fair and balanced, but mostly seek the truth. Jim, its not the ratings you have failed at.. its the sleaze have let into the news room!
This is the problem, CNN paints a picture of Obama being the best thing ever, instead of PUTTING all the facts out there, that is why America is uninformed. TELL THE TRUTH and stop being biased. This is about AMERICA, not who CNN is rooting for. PLEASE tell the truth, this is a very critical election.
The problem is that when facts ARE given your side doesn't like them so they ignore them and complain that no facts are given. Grow up.
Funny, they're not doubting the authenticity of the e-mails.....like they were just a bunch of SPAM! They're questioning the reliability of one tiny portion of one e-mail. So......if they had just said "HELP. UNDER ATTACK. NO INTERNET ACCESS. DON'T KNOW WHO'S ATTACKING US!" That would somehow have made a difference?
Will someone please explain to me the big deal about calling it one thing or another? Seriously, it totally f'ing ridiculous.
Who cares what it is called. This is the problem with American politics. Our elected officials have to spend so much time on what something is called or classified as and it get in the way of them doing their job.
If our POTUS is intentionally misleading us, trying to convince us that there is no more war on terror and his apology tours worked and we can all sing campfire songs and get along now ...but it's all smoke and mirrors, that's a BIG deal.
CNN–how come big headline yesterday, very little line link today. Thus, yet another inaccuracy the President has to counter with 12 days to go. Why no big headline today??!!
CNN is becoming a joke. They have lost all credibility.
I can't believe Americans do not care that four people died. The consulate represents America, those people were attacking America. Wake up.. no one wants or likes what happened, but it does deserve the America's attention. If we allow these acts and blame it on ourselves our enemies get bolder, not kinder
Wh is everyone trying to blame Obama.When we wrre attacked on 9/11/2001 –mainland America-nobody blamed Bush for lack of security and intelligence. We stood together as Americans until the Tea Party dividers came along.
The hair-splitters and gnat-strainers are out in force (in the comments, here), having their perpetual man-periods because Obama said "acts of terror," instead of "act of terror."
the only blood is the blood on Obama's hands.....really a video caused this? and you ok to be lied to as an American?
No Fredsta, that is not what most of the comments here are saying. Most comments are wondering why the Obama Regime promoted a story-line that was not the truth, and that insurmountable evidence shows that Obama KNEW was not the truth.
Don't let your political leanings blind you to the facts, this is not about democrat or republican, conservative or liberal, its about the truth, the whole truth. Just watch Obama at the UN, watch Rice on TV, ask why the guy who made the video sits in jail, ask why no special ops. forces where sent to help US citizens!
Oh NO! We can't possibly be sure what the people who were being ATTACKED were telling us? They're 2nd e-mail was based on social media? That would insane to trust those folks – and who can argue with them now? It's not like those 4 souls can come back and dispute ANYTHING this WH says now! Did they wake up the next day and say "Those e-mails were from THOSE guys? Those were the same guys in the drone video? HUH!" This is nearly a crime.
Dear CNN , you are just not in the "credible news business" ..you have officially become a reality TV show for Obama...What a sleazy network you have become...truth hurts.
jorge true you are right coverup and spin to save obama
Clinton laughs in the video...death must be funny to her. There was no rush on that night to save these guys and now there's no rush to get more lies out to the people. The Dems need time to polish up their lies.
Reading this blog makes me fear for my sanity sometimes. There seems to be no fundamental difference between some folks here and those violent, possessed terrorists.
C'mon McCain. You know better than that how this works. One report of a claim of responsiility that wasn't even on the official account of the group doesn't prove anything. And the next day they were saying the opposite. False claims of this nature happen all the time. It would have been the height of naivete and irresponsibility to base an assessment entirely on one posting. And since McCain is neither naive nor irresponsible generally, I have to presume this is pure politics and thus crap.
Chill it's not the one claim standing alone here, there were several indications in the Ambassador's reports and requests that tie into this, the reports of mortar's being used! How many mobs (Which again WERE NOT REPORTED by any EYEWITNESSES as they were videoing from their phones and uploading to YouTube themselves!!!!) carry Soviet built Mortars with their signs? Al Jazeera is more accurate than our Administration or CNN! And you do not find that sad? This is not even an intelligent misdirection. The truth will come out because we have Americans still there and these cables, emails and the fact that a drone was diverted over the scene and live feeds were directed.
This article is focusing on the wrong part of the Benghazi story. It matters little what group claimed responsibility for this attack and when. What matters is that the emails in question were sent to the White House Situation Room 2 hours after the attack began. That means that everyone who was in the White House at that time knew what was happening. This is evidenced by the fact that Special Operators were sent to Benghazi but put on stand-by; military aircraft were moved from Northern to Southern Italy (a mere 480 miles from Benghazi); and a team of Marines was sent to Tripoli but never sent into Benghazi. Meanwhile, the Ambassador and his security team were still alive and holed up at an outpost 1km from the Consulate. It wasn't until 5 hours later that the Ambassador and his security team were killed by mortar fire at the outpost, all while those in the White House Situation Room watched this unfold, real-time, from a feed from an unarmed Predator Drone positioned above Benghazi. This is the real scandal. Those in the White House knew what was happening in real-time, yet did nothing to respond and potentially save the life of the still-alive Ambassador and security team. To add injury to insult, the President of the United States woke up the next morning, boarded Air Force One, and took off for a fundraiser in Nevada. I've heard this compared to Watergate, but this makes Watergate look like child's play. Lives were potentially needlessly lost in Benghazi, and someone needs to be held accountable for that.
You are Soo Right , It's about getting Help to these 4 Americans and They sat and
Watched and Did Nothing ! This says to All of the Middle East Go Ahead Kill our people We'll Watch !! So sad these men were waiting for help to come and No One came ! Makes us know how Safe our Americans are overseas Fighting ! They are Not ! If I had a Child overseas I'd be Worried !
Common people. It's not the President's job to micromanage what's going on at every embassy in the world. It was up to the State Department and the Special Ops forces on how to proceed. Stop calling Obama a liar. Oh no! He withheld information for a couple of days! Oh no! Yea, have you ever watched a police investigation? I've rarely heard them say "We've just four minutes ago found information showing Tom Jones was the murderer! Please transmit this on all stations so that he can get a head start and take off running". That's not how an investigation works, and it's that kind of knee jerk reaction that landed us in Iraq.
This is not about the withholding of information, or even about putting out false information (the video meme). This is about being the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, having unlimited resources at your disposal to potentially save the life of a group of individuals who you put in harms way by appointing an Ambassador to Libya, and doing nothing. This in no way compares to a police investigation. A decision was made not to use the assets in place to attempt to save the lives of American citizens under attack by enemy combatants. Just as the Commander-in-Chief gets credit for giving the "Go" on the operation to capture/kill Osama bin Laden, he too gets the blame for not giving the "Go" to attempt to save the Ambassador and his security team.
thank you for being rational!
Wow Lew, you make a lot of statements as if they are fact. Are you getting all your precise timelines and logistics directly from a friend at Langley...or perhaps FOX News?
This is where I see the inconsistency. If the Administration felt that the claim by the terrorist organization was false – they took it seriously enough to send marines to the Embassy in Tripoli. That act, in itself, shows that on 9/12/12 – they believed that this was a terrorist attack. Regardless of how this eventually plays out – on 9/12/12 – they believed it was a terrorist attack – which is not the same as "an act of terror".
Do you think you and your colleagues could dig deeper on Benghazi!!! There is a lot going on with this story...gun running, lying to Americans, Obama strong arming Hilary Clinton, US funded weapons in the hands of Jihadists...if you even care about our Country...get to work!!!! You are a gifted, talented journalists...serve this Country...now!
Yeah CNN do Your JOB!!!!!!!!NOW
Bingo ! People need to go to Drudge or Reuters if they don't like Drudge and find out the Truth !
Sorry Reuters took it Off ! Image That !
Went to Reuthers Sorry Reuters took it Off ! Image That !
Or go to Reuters
I truly believe that Obama knew more than he's saying. He hoped the real truth wouldn't come out before election day. People deserve to know the truth. Where was our president when all this was taking place? Why wasn't something done to help those guys? Even the Dems should be wondering about that instead of trying to make excuses. Is that how little those poor guys lives are worth to the Dems. The news agencies who aren't demanding an explanation are pretty sad too.
obama was too busy packing for vegas, watching football, on the phone with JZ and Beyonce while there was still time to save the ambassador.....this is an embarrassment for America and this administration......imagine the nightmare poor Stevens and the others went through......help could of been sent in time.........its time for obama to go.....
Apparently McCain the warrior has a foggy memory about the Fog of War.
Obama blamed a video for 8 days that had nothing to do with it????? With lives lost I would call that a person that is a "heinous" liar...nice president
You need to go to DRUDGE and get the Truth ,
Since when does the government share confidential information? We now know that Bush knew of the upcoming attack in NYC and did nothing about it. But, that took 5 years to acquire.
The "must read" article that CNN published last night but seems to have under wraps today can be found here:
http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/24/us-intel-believes-some-benghazi-attackers-tied-to-al-qaeda-in-iraq/
How the Bengazi story is unfolding continues to be a tragic statement on the decay of the American press and indeed points to the eventual collapse of our great country.
The press-outside of Fox and Drudge-acts as a propaganda machine for the Obama administration. Similar to the best of state run media mouth pieces of China, Russia, and Nazi germany the American press attacks the truth and alters the dialog to suit the agenda of the Obama regime.
The reality is the Obama regime willingly mislead the American public, at the UN and repeatedly on national TV, to prevent the fact that in Libya and North Africa anarchy reigns and terrorist are taking root due to Obama's polices.
Deep American decay can be witnessed when the "fall guy" who made some video sits in jail and the press does not question if the real reason why this is to show the rest of the world we do not tolerate free speech.
Please if you are a liberal don't hate on me, but instead ask the question as to why Obama got in front of the UN and pitched a falsehood. Ask why US UN Secretary Rice repeated the same falsehood over and over again. Ask why the feds imprisoned a guy for a minor parole violation and why he is still awaiting trial. And ask if our country can exist when a press acts not as instruments of truth but as biased propagandists...
The Dude
you are so correct.. this is not about politics....Hey America it does not matter your political biases..... As Americans you can NOT look the other way and allow a series of lie's from our most important officials....CNN you have failed the journalistic integrity test again...why? don't you want to be a credible news source.. it is clear to any intelligent viewer your motives...and that stinks
Well said! It is sad that our one last hope for freedom and independence is fading away.
Very well said...we have become a cult of personality
My friend, if you think Fox and Drudge are not propagandists then you are an absolute fool. I will agree that the producer of the film should not have been arrested but that's because he posed no danger to society. But our country does that all the time. He's a victim of a bigger, unrelated problem. You put yourself in the public spotlight and someone is going to notice if you are breaking the rules and indeed he was in violation of his parole. As for Rice, she made it very clear that they were going only on preliminary information and at this point with the facts that we have, there is no indication that the video didn't have anything to do with the motivation behind the attack. Witnesses on site even claimed that the group WAS doing it in response to the video and the administration has said from day 1 that it was an act of Terror. I don't have all of the answers on this, you don't have all of the answers on this and we won't for some time now. Investigations into matters such as these take time. We didn't have all of the answers for some time after 9/11 or after the 93 attack or after any embassy attack. If this happened 2 years ago it wouldn't even be an issue. No one would even be bringing up now except perhaps breifly in a foreign policy discussion. Your conspiracy theories are rediculous. This was a tragic event that like most tragic events could have been prevented but wasn't because we didn't have the benefit of hindsight.
Why isn't CNN or other major media challenging Obama on this? why hasn't Obama answered the question directly how they lied about the blaming the video??? See CNN u are NOT the most trusted news.....u don't have to be a rep or dem...just an American to see this...it is disgusting CNN!! DO YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!!
So i guess if terrorists dont claim responsibility for attacks on social media we cannot take any attack to that of a terrorist...geezus CNN...come on
You missed the point of this article. The article isn't saying that the attack wasn't a terrorist attack. All the article is saying is that their is evidence that the e-mails that came out the other day that said a specific group claimed responsibility for the attack, were in fact not accurate.
Imagine CNN spinning it this way. The powers that be came up with this, "Ok, lets say that the e-mails may be doubtful because ....hmmm....hmmmm......how about we go with "you can't really trust e-mails from eyewitnesses because they don't really know what they see until weeks later. Oh, and don't call them terrorists, call them ....ummm....hmmm....a group of repressed young men who happened to have AK-47s and RPGs in the trunk of their camels. Remind the viewers that they were out on a picnic when one of them downloaded a video from you-tube and then they got a little out of control. Poor misunderstood jihadists." Everyone in the room gives a round of applause, each secretly thinking, "HA,those saps that watch this network are just dumb enough to swallow this foul fish whole. Allah, I love America. OOps, I meant Obama, I love Americal."
Hey, call Joe BIden and ask for some more of that kool-aid he is donating for your parties, CNN.
You missed the point of this article. The article isn't saying that the attack wasn't a terrorist attack. All the article is saying is that their is evidence that the e-mails that came out the other day that said a specific group claimed responsibility for the attack, were in fact not accurate.
Mike in MN,
I think you are missing a point as well. The headline and article is specifically skewed towards an Obama campaign damage control slant. The e-mails are just physical evidence for what has been known and underreported. The campaign/WH came out blaming a video when evidence was to the contrary. They didn't say "We're not sure" they said it was the video, even going to the lengths of buying airtime in Pakistan with a commercial to this effect.
If the facts aren't in why was the video blamed? Why go in the direction of a video and who was the person who suggested this red herring?
obama failed the 3am call test, then he spent millions in commercials etc in the muslim world apologizing that America has free speach.......he still has not condemned these heinous murderers......no wonder some people think he is a closet muslim....
obama failed the 3am call test, then he spent millions in commercials etc in the muslim world apologizing that America has free speach.......he still has not condemned these heinous murderers......no wonder some people think he is a closet mu slim....
The problem with this report starts near the beginging when it says "when the Obama administration learned that the attack was more than a protest that turned deadly but was the work of terrorists." It was never a protest and never said to be a protest, there had been previous attacks to this they knew all along. It was also being wacthed live no protest it was an attack...and so we are all still waiting to find out who told hillary and rive and obama that a video was to blame....where is the transparent administration we were promised......crickets..
Witnesses on the ground initially reported that the attack was because of the 'movie.'
The point is, multiple and often contradictory reports come in when all the time, especially in the middle of a chaotic event. Experienced politians like McCain know that. It's irresponsible and obviously political to jump on single messages before an investigation is complete.
Excuse the typos....
Right. Twitter and Facebook are not credible but neither is an obscure video on YouTube.
News flash....the race is tied. Now it is time for all the people who sat on their hands last election to actually get out and vote.4 years of the same or 4 years of something different...simple decision.
Sure nails down motive and opportunity! George should not of committed all those war crimes!
musl ims have been killing people and attacking the west for many years before George was even born......nice try though...man dems are dumb, its like they are zombies and have to follow obama no matter how much of a failure he is......
It's impossible for them to admit failure. I will admit, as fair warning to Mr. Romney, that I was completely disheartened by the Republicans lack of activity when they enjoyed the same political monopoly as Mr. Obama and the Democrats did. Safe to say, after Mr. Romney wins, he will be under the same watch. (Notice Libs, I preferred to use respectful names, not the "F" adjective, or "C" adjective, or the "N" adjective.....)
BTW – it's "Should HAVE" not "Should of".
I have been trying to respond to Edwin but CNN will not post my response. Sorry, Edwin.
Where were all of these conservatives screaming about Libya now when Bush ignored intelligence telling him that terrorists ere planning 9/11. They lauded him as a hero then. Why have they changed now? Hmmmm could it be an election year? Typical right wing hypocrisy.
What does this have to do with the terrorist attack in Benghazi? However, since you brought it up – Why did Bill Clinton fail to authorize killing UBL in 1999?
I missed the reports and proof that President Bush knew about the 9/11 attacks and ignored them. Also, I would just like to say that President Bush addressed the American people when there were problems and kept us informed. Where was Obama in regard to the Benghazi attack? Apparently watching it, then going to bed and then flying to Vegas. All he and his inner circle have been doing these past four years is sneaking around pushing through whatever they can that is their best interest and now that it is campaign time he thinks he is a TV personality with his agenda being to push, push, push more distortions of what the reality of his four years as president really were. NOW he says he has spoken with Israel and NOW gas prices will drop etc., etc.. When the "facts are checked" does anyone out there LISTEN????? May God bless Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods and their grieving families. I am sorry for the hours of terror and violence that this administration forced them to endure and I am so sorry to their families for finding out what their loved ones were forced to endure at the hands of animals.
Shame on CNN ! 4 people died and CNN will not cover the facts of why the White House blamed for 8 days the attack on a video. Obama himself on the View stated it was the video days after the attack. CNN is in the tank for Obama ! Front Page News no. Not for CNN Reporters who will not ask the hard questions in an interview. Very sad for America when news stations will not report the facts or ask the hard questions. Wake up America and please vote with proper knowledge and facts. You must look for facts other then CNN.
And they used to be a really good news organization.
It is sad indeed when Al Jazeera offers a more in depth and fair assessment than CNN! When all comes to light some weeks after the Election are we really prepared for a Biden Presidency? Really? We have been and are still being lied to! Look to BBC and Al Jazeera, neither exactly pro American, for the real investigated stories.
So, Mr. Zelin leads us to believe that because the credit for the attack was not found on any "known" Ansar al Sharia Facebook accounts – the emails must then be bogus. Ah come on – how much more can this story be spun? Facts are the situation was deteriorating in Benghazi. Repeated requests for security were denied by our State Department. Ambassador Stevens gave a grim assessment of the situation on the day he died. The administration has repeatedly revised and spun this story from Day One. If the situation was so confusing at the time – why was the story about the demonstration gone awry promptly reported as "fact" by the administration?
wow everyone knew cnn licks obamas butt but this is ridiculous now......
OBAMA IS A LIAR!!!!!!
I cannot find the article that I referenced below:
08:21 PM ET
US Intel believes some Benghazi attackers tied to al Qaeda in Iraq
By Suzanne Kelly, Pam Benson and Elise Labott
on CNN's site. It has disappeared since last night. However, there is a Soledad O'Brien video with a congressman that contains much the same information. You can find it here:
http://startingpoint.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/24/rep-mike-rogers-on-consulate-attack-emails-somebody-latched-on-to-what-they-wanted-to-hear/
Obama DIDN'T lie the WH did not know at that time. Think McCain and Robmey are man enough to apologize?
NO.... Me either............ WIMPS
Um, I hate to burst your bubble on this but yeah, they kinda did. Do others lie? Yes they do. Does that excuse this lie? No, not in grown-up land.
If Obama did not know, why did he send Susan Rice to the talk shows to say unequivocally that the attack was the result of a "spontaneous demonstration" about a video??? Why did the WH keep saying that for over two weeks, until the truth began coming out? It is not looking good for Obama who made NO preparations for increased security on the anniversary of 9/11, who ignored cables, emails, and personal pleas from embassy staff for more security. Even if you discount the new emails which were happening as the attack was going on, no one can discount the cables and emails and direct requests and intelligence information from the embassy requesting security and telling of the increase in radical elements in Benghazi. Obama had not counted on survivors who would tell the truth and a trail of written correspondence which would reveal his many lies. Clinton and Obama are not to be trusted or believed.
Well they have a suspect in custody and guess what? By an amazing coincidence he is a member of NASCAR al sharia. Imagine that. Did you fail to say that they were watching the situation real time via a drone. I wonder who directed that drone to fly over Benghazi? Give me a break. One other thing. Who was it who initially said that this was an impromptu demonstration first. No one will ever claim that and the silence is deafening. And what info did that person receive that led him to that belief?
I know typed in Ansar and it changed it to NASCAR.
Ha! That's kinda awesome.
Randy, all true! Who diverted the insert team from responding to the two former seals taking out the attackers and ordered them to the Embassy? Why were the helicopters on board the destroyers not ordered in? Why is Al Jazeera a better source of information than CNN?
Oh wait... so it was really the repubs who were lying their a**es off about this email? Is anyone REALLY surprised?
Hey CNN, is there an investigation into this report or is this all we get? The President was bashed based on media reports and copies of emails. If you are going to report something like this at least follow up before the election. Fair is fair!
Isn't it great that CNN is able to spin its headlines like this? Elect Romney/Ditch CNN
I agree. Only a few emails have been released, though some of the emails and cables from Ambassador Stevens have been obtained by the committee investigating Benghazi, and these show that Obama and his administration was criminally negligent. The cables and emails, as well as direct pleas, go back to February 1, 2012 and tell of a deteriorating security and dangerous situation on the ground. If you watched the investigation proceedings, you saw Charlene Lamb talk in circles without explaining why lax security existed (Obama sought and received a waiver for a more secure building) or why an untried British firm that hired locals who were untrained were assigned to the embassy, or why the pleas from embassy security staff was ignored.???? Clinton/Obama say that they cannot know what the situation was so why did they relentlessly promote the idea of an unexpected, "spontaneous" attack? It was CYA mode, and they are pathological liars.
Obama is doing his BEST imitation of Sgt Schultz from Hogans Heroes "I know NOTHING!"
IMO, It was NOT a planned "terrorist" attack.
Your opinion means nothing when you deny the facts surrounding this. I believe America knows it's been lied to (Yes even you know that) and Independants are changing their votes.
Here wego! The Spin machine is in full gear now. Obama administration has issued it's marching orders to CNN to cover his 6 on this one, and the lemmings are falling straight in line.
So... it turns out Obama was right that the WH did not know at that time. I wonder if McCain and Romney will apologize?
Even if this is proven beyond any doubt to be correct, do you think any repub or GOP politician will accept it as fact? They accept nothing as fact, regardless of how many times something is proven to them!
"Mr President, we have a situation. Our consulate in Benghazi is under attack. We have a live feed in the situation room."
Possible responses:
a) I'm on my way (therefore he knew and lied)
b) I have a speech/interview to give on the campaign trail. (He knew and didn't care)
c) He was unreachable and his aides didn't brief him (incompetance)
Does anyone truely believe the WH didn't know? This proposition is hogwash. They may not have know exactly what happened but they knew it wasn't due to a film trailer on YouTube released months before. This is pure polical spin because the campaign is inseparable from his policy makers and they are in damage control mode for his campaign, not America.
How can anyone claim that Twitter and Facebook are legitimate sources to know if an attack is by terrorists etc.? Anyway can set up these accounts and claim whatever they want! Surely McCain should know that. What an ignorant claim from such a senior Republican.
How can anyone claim they are not worth great attention? If social media fueled the Arab spring why would we presume it was not a red flag?
You might argue that social media is not a legitimate source. The fact that they were watching the attack live at the White House and seeing men with RPGs and setting up motors, would leave anybody to understand that this wasn't a demonstration by people upset about a video.l
This article by Lister an Cruickshank introduces a classic fallacy of Red Herring. At this time, we do not need to know "The Truth" about Benghazi; rather, we need to know what information Barry and Hillary had during the first 48 hours, what processes of investigation they employed, and what decisions they made. We know now that they are stonewalling. This article simply adds to that stonewalling effort.
Last night this CNN had a wonderful article that addressed what we need to know at this time. That article was::
08:21 PM ET
US Intel believes some Benghazi attackers tied to al Qaeda in Iraq
By Suzanne Kelly, Pam Benson and Elise Labott
which this CNN website has managed to lose over night. Why is that, CNN? The article explained that the terrorist in jail in Tunisia is the attacker who posted to Facebook during the attack on the consulate. Now that article moves us down the road toward learning what decisions were made by Barry and Hillary. I am sure that CNN will repost that article now, right CNN?
Why do we need to know that? The government needs to know what happened and who did it, but what possible necessity is there for the public to know exactly when the WH people knew what? Clearly they did not send aid in. Clearly the situation turned out badly.
But how is ANYTHING actually improved if the public learns who thought what, when?
Amen. This is not a movie folks. Things don't unfold in a quick 2 hours and end up all neat and tidy at the end. And why do you need to know what happened "right now this minute?" I frankly want leadership that makes sure they are correct and clear about what happened, and then makes decisions about how to respond. Not someone who flies off the handle and declares war at the first sign of trouble. The right wants so badly to find something about our President you just make stuff up. That scares the wits out of me.
What the public needs to know is if our current president and Secretary of State are outright liars. I think that is important. And they are. Once again who floated the spontaneous demonstration idea. Get back to me when someone steps up to take responsibility. Btw why did Rice go on tv to shovel this garbage. If someone saw her don't you think they would have called her immediately to tell her to stop? Idiots
At this time in the history of the USA, the most important question is how much of what Barry, Hillary, and friends have said about Benghazi is true.
Hey CNN, why isn't this article a headliner? Everyone is so eager to bash the President over this very issue, yet a report like this is not front page news?
I agree!!! CNN DO YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is absolutely disgusting what CNN is doing...
Thats because it doesnt change anything nor exonerate obama and his lies and imcompetency.....obama and hillary are the most pathetic leaders this country has ever seen.....cnn licks obamas blls so this article is just trying to put a little doubt in weak minded left wingers minds......its too late, this has become to big...its too late for this admin to get out of this one....please vote obama out...he left our ambassador to be tortured and die..........he is no leader....yet he goes on an apology tour and spends millions on commercials in the muslim world apologizing for our freedom of speach...there is no way out of this one, they say the situation is fluid and they didnt have all the facts, yet they had a drone over the area while the attack was happening, then went on tv, to the UN, across the muslim world claiming this heinous crime was caused because of a video that an AMERICAN made under free speech.....he did not condemn the murders or murderers, did not say it was a terrorist attack (even though it was on 9/11 and the attackers had mortars, rpgs and ak's........then lied for weeks.....this is no president of the US.......time for something new.......he cannot be trusted. As for hillary and Bill for that matter, they tore obama apart during the primaries, then flipped to his side when he was elected....look at some of the things bill and hillary said about obama before the election in 08.
There are some very frightening people posting here. They sound like domestic terrorists, not Americans engaged in political discourse. They also seem to be unable to READ and COMPREHEND, at least no more than fits their fantasies. It's a shameless state of affairs.
This is beyond ridiculous! The fact remains Obama and his administration failed on this one and people died.
Failed how?
Are you kidding? They failed miserably because 4 Americans were killed on their watch. Regardless of the emails, explain to me why a US Consulate anywhere in the Middle East was so poorly protected on 9/11. The defense of this administration on this issue is truly amazing to say the least.
I want to know why those people were still there. Everyone else, including the Red Cross, had pulled their people out.
Sorry, xoxo, if the facts contradict what you have convinced yourself is true. A sane, intelligent person would realize that means they were wrong; you, however, doubt new facts simply because they don't say Obama is evil.
I don't think that classifies you as sane or intelligent, sorry.
Do your fact checking, it was the republicans that cut $300 million out of the security budget, Obama managed to get some of it back but not all of it.
Do your fact checking. It was the State Department that denied real-time requests for additional security at Benghazi. The State Department headed by Hillary Clinton.
It wasn't a republican who didn't send any help to the embassy now was it?
a video caused this???? are some people high or something..do they like when the President of the United States lies to them and treats them like fools? Wake up..he works for us! All of us. this is simply unacceptable
Everyone else have pulled their Ambassadors out. Even the Red Cross had pulled their people. You can't blame the GOP for this one.
That 'fact' has already been disproven. Try to pay attention and quit protecting your Commander In Lies! It changes nothing about the lies and the cover and the failure to protect Americans who asked for help 3 times!
Stevens was aware that Benghazi was extremely unstable, he was aware his security people wanted more assets, he knew he was a target, he went to to Benghazi with almost no assets for protection. So why was he persuaded to go and who persuaded him? It looks like it was an entire setup. They were attacked after the Turk left. They knew where the CIA had their "safe house". So much for stealth by the CIA. This was a complete setup in my opinion. Your thoughts.
I want jobs - Romeny is my choice
I want lower debt – Romeny will do that
I do not want gridlock – Do not reelect Obama
I want the partisan stalemantes and rhetoric to end – do not elect Obama
I want tax reform – Romney does too
I want civility returned to DC - Mitt will do that
I hate people who lie and mislead and make false promioses – Do not reelect Obama
civility? You've got to be joking!
He's not. Just blurred vision not correctibel even with surgery.
Wow can any truly honest person claim civility from the Obama administration? Really? You must like to lie to yourself a LOT!
"I hate people who lie and mislead and make false promioses – Do not reelect Obama"
Actually, you just gave the best reason to NOT VOTE FOR MITT! He has lied and changed his stance so much through this campaign nobody really knows who he is or what he stands for.
I don't think he even considers it lying anymore to change his position over and over and over, in order to win votes. I think he thinks we really don't care.
lol
Romney's plan increases our debt. I know everybody wants tax cuts and nobody wants to pay for them. Romney refuses to answer specific questions on how tax cuts will be paid for, if you're gullible you believe and trust him. I'm not gullible.
Name a Romney lie tough guy......obama doesnt even have a plan for the next 4 years...have you heard one solid thing from him ? All you need to see is the failures of the past 4 years and no obama has to go......you gullible lefties believe anything your leader forces you to believe......he has done nothing, has no plan, and just blatantly lied to the American people while the ambassador and others were tortured and murdered and dragged through the streets....obama was on the phone with J-Z and Beyonce, and then flew to vegas instead....anyone, anyone, that would even consider voting for obama must truly be blind, or does not know how to read.....or sorry, they want more free handouts like food stamps etc....obama hasnt passed a budget, even the dems voted it down, and in no way can work across the aisle....Romney can......
In MA Romney vetoed 800 items. Virtually all were overturned. So much for bipartisanship. Romney did not create jobs in MA. MA was 47th in the nation for job creation. At Bain he did not create jobs. Bain eliminated jobs and was the pioneer for outsourcing to China. So he moved jobs to China, I guess that is creating jobs in China??
An American ambassador is raped and killed. For weeks, Obama and the Crew tell the world that all the uproar can be attributed to a video that not one of the twelve Muslims with computers ever saw. How stupid do you think Americans are? Obama even stands before the United Nations and mentions the video six times. Perhaps Chris Matthews and the other bigots at MSNBC might want to be informed that with Obama it's not an African-American issue, it's an anti-American issue.
who was raped? I never heard that part of the story.
It was announced through the AP our Amabassador was sodomized prior to being drug through the streets. Eventually civilized members of Libyan society ended it and took him to the hospital.
The AP reported no such thing.
Kozak, you've got to be an absolute moron for posting something as absurd as that.
Link that sodomy claim, son. And he wasn't dragged through the streets. Those men were carrying him to the hospital. But you don't want to read that, do you? No. Disgusting is what you are.
99 % of the people posting on here have absolutely 0 % of an idea of how these kind of events are dealt with and the processes that must be followed for all diplomatic missions in trouble. Oh no Captain America shouldve just flowen in there to save the day, the republicans wouldve nuked the entire city and killed everyone responsable and the rest. You people should keep your mounths tightly shut until you learn that your distaste for the POTUS is the entire cause of your 'outrage'. You're all POS!
I agree. Comments on this and other articles about the Benghazi attack are pretty silly. None of the people commenting know a thing about how information is gathered, who gathers it, how it is vetted for accuracy and legitimacy, or how that information is then dispersed outside of the intelligence gathering agency. Most of statements are all oriented around political partisanship and zealotry. They think they should be able to Google the attack and get immediate answers. These are the same people who is Wikipedia to get their own "facts".
I am not among those 99% as I am well informed, and I disagree with you Chris. We can talk points of view or we can namecall, but in my experience the loser in the debate is the one who has to resort to namecalling.
Mistakes were made. Will the responsible party please admit it so we can move on? Obama sold the movie story because we are suppossed to be loved now he's President, and this hurts him politically. He is a politician through and through and he has legislated from executive regulations because he can't lead his own party or muster enough courage to legitimately discuss his direction for the country with the 50% or so that disagree with him though their representatives.
You've made the mistake of assuming you're talking to a mature adult. Judging by his post, I find it difficult to believe this person is a day over 14 and SHOULD be in school right now.
Plenty of blame to go around, starting with the security funding that the Tea Party congress cut from the budget. And if you think that video didn't inflame the Middle East, you're very foolish. I also am not convinced that wasn't set up, either. Notice there's been not another word about the man who made it.
It's been well established that additional security was warranted and asked for LONG before this incident took place. These requests were either ignored or denied. I don't recall Republicans dropping nukes on embassies in the past, even when they had supermajority control. On what data do you base this nonsensical assumption? The cause of the outrage is the fact that our President, regardless of political affiliation, dropped the ball and lied about it. It really is that simple.
I can forgive him dropping the ball. Everyone makes mistakes. I can live with a lie or two. All politicians do it. But doing both over an incident where American diplomats and servicemen lost their lives is just too much to swallow.
if the gop was in the white house it would be all their fault but since it's a democrat you will defene them
If it was the GOP, they would be talking impeachment.
Throughout our history, any attack on America has always unified us against the external threat. Now you have one group of Americans blaming another group of Americans instead of the guilty party. Way to go, republicans! You must be so proud of yourselves.
so very true and sad
the dems did the same thing to bushafter 9/11
keefers: .. no they didnt, they should have. in fact only one man was smart and strong and american enough to call BS on Bush – Russ Feingold. He voted no on going to Iraq. He knew better, he was the only honorable person there.
Why did Obama leave servicemen and the Ambassador to die in Libya.
don't dumb a complicated situation down so much just to serve your own partisam prefereance. This isn't that simple. Go watch Spiderman or something, you must be 16.
Shut your pie hole. You just did the same thing. Liberal softy weakling.
This is really pretty easy. This attack was watched in real time by the Pentagon, National Security and the WH. Reports said the people involved were wearing clothes and carrying flags and had vehicles with the al-quaeda linked group's emblem on them. There was never a mystery as to whom carried this out. Even beyond that, no matter which group, it was terrorism, pure and simple. It was not done by a group of pacifists. Because the embassy had been attacked at least twice in the past few months and it was 9-11, there could not even be a question. Furthermore, in the hours before the attack, Stevens met with a Turkish minister and they were watched while at a safehouse. The government was made aware at that point that Stevens knew he was in trouble. The real question is why more requested security was not provided ahead of time, why it was not provided during the hours of the attack as it was ongoing, and why this administration would go out of its way to point fingers and misdirect/redirect/lie about this when we all know that they were aware at the time. You only lie to hide something. Gun-running? Attempts to incite ME violence? Pandering for votes to the muzzies? It will come out. Hopefully, it will be before the election so we all know exactly where this 'prez' and administration stand.
Absolutely unbelievable that news sources (if you can call CNN a news source) are making excuses for Obama. Have any of you seen the photos of the Ambassador? What those animals did to him? It is absolutely horrific and hard to look at and these a$$ as in holes are making excuss for the lamest POTUS we've ever had!
The emails and testimony before Congress prove the administration knew and watched the attack in realtime via drones from the WH situation room. This information creates more questions: Why were no ready response forces not sent in from Italy where they are tasked to respond to exactly these situations? Why did the President just go to bed during the attack without knowing the whereabouts of our fellow citizens? Why was our ambassador there and meeting with a Turkish government emmisary? Why was the official story touted by UN Ambassador Susan Rice and WH press sec Carney THE VIDEO, THE VIDEO, THE VIDEO? This and the Fast and Furious coverup are 100 times worse than Watergate, because in Watergate- NO ONE DIED!
If American "journalists" did their jobs and asked real questions of this administration, MAYBE the TRUTH WILL COME OUT! But NO todays "journalists" are more interested in allowing the lies to continue and cover for this Anti-American President and his Anti-American agenda! Maybe this is why traditional media has an 8% approval rating in the country. They are losing viewers/readers and the sponsors. How long will they sell their journalistic integrity for their ideological agendas instead of DOING THEIR JOBS?
The Benghazi pseudo-outrage is yet another in the chain of desperate frenzied paranoid psycho-conspiracy GOP/neo-con witch hunts and, characteristic of all of them, lacks any scintilla of corroborating evidence to support their diseased thinking. What's even more telling is that even in the face of indisputable evidence that refutes their delusions they haggardly stick to the insanity that personifies their self-gratiating un-American agenda. A truly pathetic commentary on what a menial clan of guttersnipes the GOP has become.
Duane: Best distilling of this farce I've seen yet. Well done.
Tired of politicized reports on Benghazi. This election is about fixing the US economy, not Benghazi, and it's pretty clear which candidate would do a better job at that.
Do you really think the President controls the economy?
Every time I read the stories about this I am just bewildered. The argument seems to be about what word(s) were used to describe this unfortunate event? Have things really sunk to that level? That we are having a petty squabble about using the word "terror" as though it holds some mystical power, that when invoked alters the events of the past? It doesn't f'ing matter what word you use to describe it, what matters is that it is being investigated and that those responsible will be held to account...
This is so incredibly childish that I am embarrassed for the people perpetrating this witch hunt.
Yes unfortunately they have. We have a president who doesn't have the backbone to stand up to a hostile congress and a financier who ruined one state then went on to be a corporate raider. They can't talk about their accomplishments so they have to try to find things to nitpick about in the other candidate. Neither one of them is qualified or has the ethics and integrity to be president.
Really?! Pres Obama wanted to make an issue out of his own words? Please, this is a repugnican tactic clear as day, oh wait...I bet a repug could argue that the word day doesnt mean day. Obama wont cripple the country and shut it down, that's a repug move...if Obama wanted to nit pik Romney, he only need ask at every rally what the magic alien underwear will mean to America. Are these Morman aliens gonna come and spite our enemies? or just collect money for their pockets?.. Obama isnt weak, he's civilized...
You nailed it. Artificial controversy is a huge business these days. This is a prime example of media created and media perpetuated "crisis", that only serves to distract people from actual problems, and solutions.
Doubts still exist because some news agencies do not have the gonads to ask questions until the exhaulted one is safely back on the throne,
Those who criticize the President for this are just sticking to your agenda against him. It has nothing to do with logic or reason. A logical and reasonable person would understand that: 1. By nature these events are chaotic. 2. Early info can be either innacurate, incomplete, or contradictory. 3. Info should be verified before being reported.
Meaning the administration did make a mistake here but it wasn't to lie or cover anything up. It was to come out with a statement too early stating that it happened as part of a protest. We share part of that blame for demanding immediate information. Officials need to be given the time to determine facts. Also, why would the administration want to cover up a terrorist attack and pretend it was part of a protest. THAT is what would make the administration's policy look bad because it would mean that the US helped people who then turned against it. And had that been the case all of you would be criticizing the President for such. It would hurt him more if protesters did it yet that's what he reported because he thought that was the truth. We all know that militants are in a war with the US, his policies in Libya have nothing to do with the attack.
Ideology aside, an attack was occurring /ongoing at one of our embassies and yet we did not respond in ANY fashion. We have a ton of military in the region and could have had a plane, done or other type of response on scene likely before there were more casualties. Yes this is Sunday morning quarterbacking but inaction is often an answer in upon itself. Then we lied. We could have said.. No comment. It is currently being instigated. Information is still coming in. Classified. But we chose to sympathize with the aggressor and "play with words" that intentionally were misleading. "Acts of terror"..."This was a terrorist attack"..."No comment at this time". Generally speaking I think our foreign policy has been OK. It never really seems to be great so I do not fault anyone. But purposely misleading the American public has its own consequences and one has to question why? And what else?
Now that you are finished posting you can go put your head back in obamas butt...he failed here, he allowed the ambassador and the others to die while he spoke to J-Z and beyonce and flew to vegas....he could of sent immediate help but didnt...then lied about it for weeks on tv, at the UN, and spent millions apologizing to the musli m world for Americas free speach......have you been following or just so scared at how many negative comments against obama are here and you needed to contradict?
The Benghazi attack took place after the Cairo protest where the people stormed the Embassy. It is still not clear if the attack happened due to Cairo protest by the local extremist group or, it was planned out attack. Was this administration early to blame it on the video? Yes, but did this administration correct itself in couple of days, yes it did. Did this administration drop the ball on the security of the consulate office in Benghazi, it may have which we hope the investigation will provide. Let us not jump like kids without knowing the full picture. I'm sure there will be people who won't agree what ever the investigation comes up with, the 9/11 attack in NY & Pentagon which some people think it was internal conspiracy.
Yeah and its not clear that Mickey Mouse lives in Disneyland. Yeah Democratic Liberals live in Disneyland. Come on, Obama is a lying, cheating, inmoral man who would stop at nothing and will say anything to get Re-Elected. The only reason he did all the horrible things he did after Benghasi where done because Obama thought it would hurt his chances at you guessed it; Re-Election. Out with the scoundrel. Come on November 6th. And when we elect Romney President and kick the Democrats out of the Senate we will finally get to uncover the truth. And the truth is going to be ugly.
This really has nothing to do with an "agenda" –
I think is more of a reflection of the "decision-making" process of this Administration.
Most of us seem to forget why we ended up in Libya to begin with – our President sent over our personnel in 2011 in connection with the uprising. But he chose not to involve Congress – rather he went around them and did not get their approval. While Congress may seem like an "inconvenience" – the discussions and debates that would have been had may have prevented this fiasco to begin with. Discussions about our purpose before and after, security concerns, protection – etc... we need that type of interaction and we need differing points of view. That is how you solve problems and come up with solutions.
When you decide to put people in harm's way – Congressional approval is a must. 10 members of the House filed a lawsuit against the President. And this was not a partisan issue – it was a Democrat member of the House that spearheaded the lawsuit.
Now I agree with you that there was confusion during that time. I also believe that there are details that the American public probably shouldn't know. However, given what the WH appeared to have known on September 12 (regardless of whether or not it ends up being true) – why was our President not in the WH? If they were under the impression that it was a terrorist attack – isn't it reasonable to think that it could happen someplace else? When we had 9/11/01 – there were 4 planes involved that we know of. Not one. Four. We had several Embassys that were being bombarded by protestors immediately following this attack. So why was our President in Las Vegas? What does this say about the priorities of this President?
And the best way to keep rumors to a minimum is not to spread them. To go out and communicate to the American public inaccurate or incomplete information is not acceptable. To attempt to "qualify" the information or give us a "play on words" is nothing more than a slick way to be dishonest. And it's not ok.
This behavior should be of great concern to every American citizen – it is a direct reflection of the decision making process that we are being governed by.
JuJuBee – What a superb post. Respect to you.
So you are fine with our gov sitting and watching Americans die and do nothing? Your defense is sickening.
TruthMatters – I am pig sick of you whining liberals apologising for your lying, weak, spineless president! You've spent months persecuting Romney over trivia but you can't handle that clown making yet another ghastly mistake. Grow up and learn to live up to your name.
TruthMatters?: I would respond to you, but I can't stop laughing at your ignorance long enough to do so
Hey TruthMatters...keep your head in the sand drinking your Kool-Aid. The point is not that the Administration got it wrong. The point is that for weeks they lied with utter certainty stating 1. This was a spontaneous protest and 2. That the motivations of this protest were because of the video. They lied about the events and lied about the motivations. These are absolute lies not inaccuracies. While Obama lied...Good men died.
The WH, DoD, State Dept and CIA have incredible live feed information capability along with the ability go go anywhere in the third world within 7 hours with a lot of firepower. Why do you think taxes are so high? The WH NSC is a robust organiation formed for just the type of situation that happened in Libya. They gather info so that policitians can make rapid educated decisions. This is true 100% of the time. They have absolutely incredible equipment and personnel and lots of it to ensure this process works. The decisions made are not always good ones. And a slow or non decision is in and of itself a decision to be indecisive. Decisions were made quickly about responding to the attack in Libya. The result is every military person's nightmare. Indecision or political considerations trump the value of your life. This is a direct reflection on the current president and who he chooses to surround himself with. Incompetent or selfish politicians are nothing new. The new twist here is CNN, NBC et al, being allied as they are with the administration and supressing the story. The press is failing the citizenry.
This is incredible. Is CNN a news organization or a branch of the Obama campaign? You keep saying "it is (or was) unclear whether it was terrorism or a video protest". There WERE NO VIDEO PROTESTS. Why would you assume it was a protest over a video? Is it just a coincidence that it occurred on 9/11? Is it irrelevant that there were emails from the CIA operatives HOURS before that the facility was being watched? Is it irrelevant that the ambassador himself openly expressed worries about his safety, and whether he would survive another 24 hours?
You have absolutely NO credibility, and the sooner CNN is consigned to the ash-heap of history, and the sooner all of you "reporters" are flipping burgers, the better.
I am seriously considering avoiding CNN altogether in the future. The amount of pure political propaganda is staggering. I usually read all news outlets to get a view of all sides on issues but this bias is uncalled for. FIX IT CNN!
Sorry if he felt that unsafe or unwilling to do his job he would have left I find it hard to believe he was that scared a man that walked on the streets in protest of gadafi when war was all around... He would have left and a secret planned surprise attack are the most successful so get over it be sorry for victims then realize Obama wil pull trigger on those responsible unlike some people Romney bush rummy Cheney.. .
Another Monday morning quarterback of whom Faux News could be proud. Your grasp of the facts regarding this tragic event show your ignorance. The point of the article is that, despite the insistence of "shoot (from the mouth and otherwise) first, ask questions later" Republicans, it's more important to get the intel right. And that can't happen immediately.
I only wish it was you out there getting killed rather than those other 4 Americans while the Adminstration did NOTHING. And then LIED about the whole thing and sold our First Amendment down the river with their pathetic story. You people are demented.
Why don't you wait until the full report comes out. Did you ever ask why did Stevens risk his life and those of other members by going to a very unstable area with almost no assets to protect himself and the others he put at risk. He was supposedly persuaded to go. Who did that and why?
You are a wise man Tom A....keep speaking the truth.
Isn't there a way to blame Bush for this?
Yes there is bush when he had an opportunity to get on peaceful grounds with gadafis regime he failed and let it slip away leading to gadafis war overthrow and eventual power vacuum left in the wake that allowed various armed militias to control areas of Libya like bengazi
There was a drone above the embassy and a squadron of Air Force planes less than 1 hour away at Sigonella AB, Italy. The drone was feeding live footage of the attack to US intelligence. Such an attack woukld naturally have alerted the Joint Chiefs (at a minimum) who could have scrambled the jets and stopped the assault before the last 2 Americans were killed... but the call never came...
Scramble jets to do what exactly? Bomb the embassy? You don't use fighter jets for "precision" strikes on individual people. Even the Warthog is a ground-attack strafing fighter, not riot control. And if a jet had fired and missed, and hit the embassy, then where would you be?
C-130 gunships are HIGHLY accurate...
We cannot attack a sovereign nation like that there are rules off law are nation must oblige by plus it is on Libya to protect are embassy not the air force two hours away
We cannot attack a sovereign nation? First of all, an American embassy anywhere in the world is US Territory, secondly, obama already bombed libya to remove ghaddafi......so what you are talking about I am not sure of.......get an education, get off obamas food stamps....
A military strike would have made a bad situation, much, much worse.... We had assets in the area and a judgement call was made not to use them. Not my decision and I won't Monday morning quarterback those decisions. A rapid response force could have been there within 7 hours without the use strafing. Precision bombing could have been there in less time. Someone obviously thought it better to allow a sacrifice for PR purposes than a street of dead militants and potentially dead Americans to boot with the opposite PR in the Muslim media.
Although I agree with this call, it displays weakness, which will translate into additional attacks in the future. This consulate was attacked because of the weakness and lack of defenders.
Absolutely ! They even held lazer designators on the mortar positions & the Whitehouse never sent a plane !!! The Lazer's tell them exactly where to fire ! This is criminal, they should be tried an given the same treatment our hero's were given by the terrorist's !!! The Nation should be up in arms right now & somebody but FOX news should be reporting this criminal act that left our hero's dead !
I love the smell of fake outrage in the morning. Smells like...desperation.
I was thinking the exact same thing. Here again, republicans, this time lead by the bitter McCain, jump the gun giving statements about what they THINK are the facts without actually taking the time to make a thorough analysis. Thank God the United States has a president that is measured, deliberate and doesn't shoot from the hip like President Obama.
Here is the truth, as reported by a news company NOT in the tank for Obama:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/
You folks are so screwed up. All of you. Four brave heroes died at the hands of cowards, and what do you all do. You make excuses for things you know nothing about. I think these people are big enough to defend themselves or they shouldn't be where they are. The folks who need defending are those four brave souls who no longer have a voice. I hope the families are taken care of for life and I hope these men get the Congressional medal of honor! I pray for the rest of our people in harms way, do they have the support of our country?
Wise up.
The US president will not and should not publicly reveal what we know about tactical situations, especially when the event and US response are still under way. POTUS wasn't about to telegraph to the terrorists that we knew what they were up to. One of the best ways to catch terrorists is to not let them know you're on to them so they continue to use the same communication channels, meeting places, and personnel.
The GOP would be complaining if the POTUS was being forthcoming; they'd claim he’s giving away tactical advantage.
Nobody likes it, but diplomatic missions get hit all the time regardless of how much or little security exists at the facility. Since 1926, US diplomats have been attacked 34 times (every 2.6 years; look in wikipedia for List_of_attacks_on_diplomatic_missions) under GOP and Democratic administrations alike. Security or the lack of it doesn't enter the equation; attacks have been made even on the most hardened facilities. Diplomatic missions are assaulted because they are "message" targets that are usually easy to approach (especially if you have "stand off" weapons such as mortars, RPGs, and light artillery as the Benghazi attackers did).
Get over it: this was a tragedy, but not out of the ordinary. The world is a dangerous place and foreign service officers know it going in. Somebody is always targeted, whether it's 241 Marines in a Beirut barracks or the US embassy softball team (Phnom Penh, 1971).
No competent President is going to tell the world what US investigation found or what the actions plans are. Wise up.
I'd be saying the same thing is a Republican were in the White House: this is about military strategy, not making cheap political points.
Nice try Nemo,
You wrote: "Get over it: this was a tragedy, but not out of the ordinary." This is the first time an ambassador has been killed in service since 1979 AND the Obama admin is trying to cover it up. THIS IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY! Fool.
looks like some repubs resort to anything for political gains including using the tragic deaths of their fellow americans.shame on you repubs.
Yeah, they would just lie and lies for weeks to cover up their failures and pretend Al Qaeda was on its heels. Oh, wait you said Republicans... Never mind.
That is the republican way. How about we blame the fanatics who carried out the attack and punish them accordingly? Send in the drones.
How about individual responsibility? Who made the call for no additional security after the embassy asked for it? Why did they blog about seeing thier own country assigned security taking pictures of the compound the day before? We had warning and did nothing... and no one claims responsibility.
These e-mails prove on the SPOT report there are 20 armed militants shooting and expolsions. Regardless of which group is claiming responsibility they knew it was not a "protest" while the assault was going on.
Obama's luck ran out about midday on Sept. 11, when mobs in the Middle East stormed our embassies, burned Obama in effigy and took four more American lives. "Lead from behind" had not been the answer. Al Qaeda lived on, even if bin Laden did not. The wars he was "ending" were turning out badly. The strategy of the administration's Middle East policy seemed to be falling part.
Obama put the blame for it all on a 12-minute film nobody had even seen; he said a few words about the American dead, and hopped on a plane for Las Vegas; referred to the dead as "bumps in the road" of his policies; met the flag-draped coffins when they were returned to this country, and went off for more campaign events. Along with his luck, his touch seems to have left him. And it looks like it's not coming back with with just snide remarks about Big Bird, binders and Romesia.
You have a really screwed up sense of not only foreign policy, but also the state of your precious GOP. The whole "lead from behind" talking point is tired Faux News rhetoric that for the large majority of the country was debunked once and for all in the final Presidential debate. If you want to cling to tearing this President down instead of moving the country forward, go right ahead, but don't go crying when you're sweating as bad as Romney in that debate if, God forbid, that man ever sets foot in the Oval Office and is faced with a crisis.
"Lead form behind?" How about Obamacare? The affordable care act as passed is in direct contrast to Obamas running points in 08. Congress passed it in the current form because he didn't lead the negotiations. This washis signature achievement... so which do you prefer, is he a "leader and a liar" or a "non-leader'?
More attempts by the 0bama media to cover up for him. No wonder no one watches CNN anymore.
...except for yo?
Then why are you here? Maybe because FOX shut off their comments?
How about doing a story about the two Seals that fought alone atop the compound in Bengazi for SEVEN HOURS and eventually died upon that rooftop! The guns they were using were caked in blood! SEVEN HOURS! Imagine yourself or your kid being abandoned and left for dead like that. The US military had planes in the area, but the only plane that got any use was AIRFORCE ONE jetting off to VEGAS! Our POTUS is a joke. The safe room our Ambassador fed to was a closet, really? That is the best the US can do? Why the cover up CNN REPORT ON THE NEWS! You cover petty ridiculous stories and have the likes of Spitzer babbling on about nothing. COVER THE SEALS STRANDED ON THE ROOF TOP FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES FOR SEVEN HOURS WHILST OUR LEADERS TURNED A BLIND EYE!
Let's see...folks will believe as undisputed fact certain news stories casting a negative light on the administration, but other news stories that reveal possible inaccuracies must obviously be liberal media lies. Okay, I see how it works now.
The best offense and defense in a fight is not to be found in telegraphing one's blows and positions to one's enemies whether foreign or domestic.
I am so sad for the people that lost a loved one and I am also appalled that this writer is satisfied that this was not a terror attack..I always laughed at the ida of a bias in the news..but I sure am seeing it in this news item..4 men died and the President went to a political rally/ fund raiser..
REPORT THE NEWS!!
The facts are simple, Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility and it doesn't matter what name they want to use. No matter how CNN tries to cover for Obama, on 9/11, Obama and the State Dept. failed to protect our Diplomat in a dangerous part of the world.
Let's see: September 11, 2001, 3,000 American citizens are killed on American soil. You blame the terrorists. 4 American citizens are killed in Libya, and you blame President Obama for the failures of his administration to protect these people. Tell me, why is this President expected to be able to do more to protect people in another country than Bush was expected to do to protect people here in the US? What was Bush's reaction to 9/11? Oh yeah, it was how can we blame Iraq for this? I really wonder where all of the right wing people who attack our President were 11 years ago, when the need for criticism was 750 times greater?
The only reason this happend is because Bill Clinton when he had the chance to take out Bin Laden did nothing.
ROFLMAO!
CNN, is Obama PAYING you at this point? How pathetic...
MAYBE ONLY HILLARY CLINTONS OFFICE KNEW ABOUT IT. SHE HANDLES THINGS LIKE THAT AND HER ALONE. WE NEED A NEW PRESIDENT. HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT. I DO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF HIS MANAGEMENT OF THE WHITE HOUSE. HE DID NOT GET THE MEMO JUST LIKE HE DID NOT GET THE REQUEST FEOM THE EMBASSY PERSONNEL FOR MORE MONEY. THAT MOOZLIM MAN IS FULL OF IT !
4 years and no budget from obama, tripled the deficit, more then any other president......2 years with a super majority and he did NOTHING for the economy, fast and furious, holder, beer summits, racist idols like Jeremiah wright and bill ayers, muslim terrorist apologist, first time the US credit rating has been lowered, not saying a word while the leaders of iran and syria kill their own people, but goes after mubarak and ghaddafi, and now abandoning the ambassador and the others to be slaughtered like dogs while he texted J-Z and Beyonce and flew to vegas......no way this man deserves four more years..no way anyone can vote for four more years of this.........looked at the American people and LIED to us all....and still no records released....why, cuz his college records will say he applied as a foreign exchange student........oh, and hoe many millions of tax payers dollars has michell obama spent on lavish vacations????? Good bye obama, you have failed America.....
Maybe the writers are in "doubt" but most Americans are not.
Maybe instead of running interference for the WH you have written an article about the 2 attacks that occured prior to this 9/11 one.... one of which blew a hole in the embassy wall and the fact that the British Embassy had already packed up and left because of security concerns. What? We don't talk to Great Britain? The WH new the situation was becoming more and more volitile. What were they waiting for? something castastrophic to happen.... duh! Well it did and it resulted in the murder (not killing, not death) but murder of our dear Ambassador and 3 other Americans. The failure of the white house to act and the refusal to send more security is inexcusable and unforgiveable. And no amount of tap dancing after the fact is going to absolve the WH or Obama from responsibility. You, the writer, must think Americans are gullible and stupid. We're not.
I'm supposed to believe CNN when it comes to telling the truth??????
ABSOLUTELY!!!!
If you don't believe CNN...why are you even on here?
Because there you still people who are naive.
Looks like CNN is doing its best to help the Prez create a smoke screen to cover his tail. The article spends more time describing the Al Qaeda cell then it does the tag line. Problem is the email was sent, the email was received & the email was accurate – this is not being debated. So the Admin knew.
Obama gets burned either way on Bengazi – If he knew it was a terrorist atack, he showed poor leadership in getting on Air Force One the next morning to fly to Vegas for fund raising, when he know our Embassy had been attacked by terrorist & 4 patriots were murdered.
If he didn't know it was a terrorist attack, he still showed poor leadership judgement by getting on AF1 and flying to Las Vegas when there was confusion & conflict going \on over 9/11 attacks on American property & people that left 4 patriots dead.
Poor leadership decision making by the Prez – that is what he needs to be apologizing for.
You're an idiot
This needs to ge to the TOP of News' Lists and immediately thoroughly investigated! This is far worse than Watergate as we have 4 American casualties and emails showing that the Admin knew within 2 hours that it was a terrorist attack, they were also watching on live VIDEO- which has not been released- and they had another 5 HOURS before the attack ended to get help to the Americans. NO HELP was sent to rescue them!!! What is being covered up??? Why all the LIES?? Why hasn't this been explained in detail by now??? We deserve the TRUTH before this election!!! The news people need to do their jobs!!!!!!
Were you as indignant when W killed 4,000 (that's 3 zeroes) Americans in Iraq?
how many has obama killed in last 4 years in irag, afganistan, oh wait we arent there anymore and quitmo is closed..come on man wake up how come no marines stationed there thought still American soil
It's different! He was protecting us against a greater threat (gay people)!
I don't know kaf...pretty sure they just did....pretty sure they wrote an article that I just read and you have commented on....hmmmmmm
Seems more like everyone just wants Obama to be guilty of some horrible act at this point. It's a volatile world over there and muslims are going to be furious about one thing or another. While this did unfortunately end with the death of an Ambassador, the last thing we need is another president to jump on something without clear facts and start a war. Remember when Bush's team used a college kid's report to prove there were WMDs?
When the Muslim world began to react to the Video, there were protests in various places, including Cairo. The U. S. Embassy in Cairo released a statement which basically decried the insensetiveness of such inflamatory behavior , Basically requesting that Idiots PLEASE stop making their job more difficult and DANGEROUS, One MITT Romney released a purely political statement 'defending' American free speech and castigating THE ADMINISTRATION of 'apologising for America'. Hours LATER what had been a PROTEST in Ben Ghazi, was taken advantage of by terrorist to attack the consulat, and later a safe house, with rocket propelled grenades, resulting in the deaths of four Americans. Since that time, the Republicans have made EVERY effort to politisize and take advantage of this situation. A case could be made for the culpability of Mitt Romney in these deaths and certainly for the Republican Party for taking political advantage of a deadly situation.
So we've officially quit blaming that youtube video for this?
Can CNN stop talking about the "confusion", and starting investigating who in the administration came up with the lie about the video? Who had the idea to completely fabricate that story, and blame U.S. citizens rather than terrorists for the attack? Isn't that worthy of investigation?
see my post just below yours. People need to get a clue about how intelligence works.
You won't know anything coming from the MSM. Time and again they sit on stories and only report what the WhiteHouse wants them to.
I agree with you 100%.
The Republicans were hoping this was their "October Surprise", but unlike the lies perpetrated by the "Swift Boat Veterans" that derailed John Kerry it isn't going to work. Lets see. Well they can always fall back on their lie that Obama wasn't born in the US.
Hilarious response. Thank you for brining humor to a sitting president who decided not to intervene and save a US ambassador for political reasons ad then tried to cover it up for the same reasons.
Problem is, the election's within a hair's breadth in many of the swing states – including "the three biggies." Hence the Republican Party's sudden fascination with this issue. 😉
The Republicans are so desperate that they will throw anything against the wall to see if it sticks. The fact is that the email cannot be verified as coming from Ansar al-Sharia, but the Republicans will use it anyway to discredit the President. Just like the "Swifty's" used fake testimony and lies to smear John Kerry and paint him as a coward instead of a hero, the Republicans will stop at nothing, no matter how outrageous the lie to turn support in their favor.
Regardless. I worked in USAF Intelligence for 7 years. It is a fact that often a nation will not tip it's hand and discuss what is known publicly. Why? Because doing so could endanger sources on the ground and also could erase a longer term, bigger objective. In WWII the British cracked the German Enigma code. Even though they knew the Germans were about to bomb Coventry back to the stone age they did not let on. They did not evacuate Coventry. Thousands of civilian lives were lost. However, by not letting on that Enigma had been cracked, the British and allies now had the upper-hand that would ensure an ultimate victory over Hitler's Germany.
And John McCain – who I would have voted for had that harpie from Alaska been pushed on him as his running mate – knows full well what I describe in my previous post is true. Shame on you Johnny.
MMMmmmm, I'm not sure I can blame him considering the stakes. This very well *could* tip it over the edge in the crucial swing states; even as an Obama supporter I'm doubtful Obama would have been able to resist the temptation given a similar opportunity going in the other direction. He knew the rules of the game when he agreed to play it and he knew this would "get rough."
That's terrible. Would they have been able to do that today? The Media would be all over them and not to mention Human Rights Watch. Yes its quite possible we are being lied to for the moment. I know we have an agenda that still makes no sense at all to the passerby or the voter. unless its global domination and then, of course it makes perfect sense.
p.s. – Problem is, the uneducated and unintelligent don't realize these things; and they're too emotional right now to perceive when they're being manipulated or to think this through clearly. The Republicans are of course not going to be able to resist taking advantage of that given the stakes.
No pass on this. The President doesn't get the luxury of spiking the football on Bin Laden within 24 hours thereby alerting the enemy that we have more sensitive information, and then hide this information. It smacks of political expediency, not intelligence SOP. Could it possibly be that there is a political agenda? I guess that is only true if you are a Republican. I find it odd that the great generation who grew up mistrusting government due to Watergate, now defends the largest government in the history of the U.S. with blind abandon.
Well – this is a different angle to consider that I believe should be considered. However, does this open up a new can of worms on the 9/11/01 Shanksville terrorist hijack and crash?
"who knew what – and when – about the September 11 assault"
http://pulverizedtonearpower.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/pulverized-to-near-power/
Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) - regulates federal cybersecurity compliance - not working well. Government agencies vulnerable to high-tech terrorist hack. Romney knows this and is prepared to fix it.
Our embassay was under attack. Hey CNN, that wasn't "confusing" to the people getting attacked and sending emails to the asleep State Dept and Obama Administration.
Obama lies, Americans die
Kind of the way Bush was not able to prevent the 3,000 deaths on 9/11/01
totally different; the drone overhead was streaming live and the situation room at the WH was watching the entire thing unfold not to mention as long as 44 days previously there were cables sent to Washington from the so-called security team protecting the embassy requesting more security and were denied.
You are purposefully mis-leading in your description of the request for more security Annirich. 6 more security forces were requested for individual security, escorts. 3 were granted. At no time, was there any mention of a full scale military assault and the need to defend against it.
Correct; and boy does obo lie. He's a textbook case of narcissism which is a personality disorder with the compulsion to lie for self adoration and you can certainly say Obo does that; "I", "I", "I",....
George Bush couldn't secure and protect the country's two tallest buildings just a few hours away from the white House after having warnings resulting in THOUSANDS of deaths and you people expect an administration to be correct about security threats on the other side of the world all the time? You people are the unreasonable ones....and BTW, a Consulate is NOTHING like an Embassy. Consulates have greatly reduced services, minimal staff and are usually just a simple building surrounded by walls and a few security personnel. Benghazi was/is a place where the United States in respected and liked (relative to other parts of the country/world)...why do you think the Ambassador was comfortable traveling to there?
I support the President and will vote for him, but one thing I have not seen explained: If it was so uncertain who was responsible here, why was it necessary for UN Ambassador Susan Rice to go on all the morning talk shows 5 days after the attack and assign responsibility? Why not just say "We're investigating" or even decline the interviews at all?
Not everything an Administration does can be right, or even laid to the feet of the President, but this was a mistake.
Unfortunately in this day of hyperpartisanship if you came out with a statement that there was an ungoing investigation and not all the facts were available to comment on the other side would say you were covering something up. Was it right to give the information that you had at the time without stating that this information could change, no. But in this atmosphere you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.
so you support $16+TRILLION in debt? and this administration has only created 325,000 in the past 4 years; deficit spending $1TRILLION/year; 1.3% GDP...are you nuts? Do you do any kind of business at all? Obviously not! I hope you don't have any kids out of college looking for jobs because there aren't any. Obo was unqualified to begin with and with his subversive muslim connections his agenda is that of destroying our country. He is anti-American, anti-business, anti-Republic. You go ahead and vote for this Enemy-in-Chief and if gets in good luck with that. Our country will die!
>was it necessary for UN Ambassador Susan Rice to go on all the morning talk shows 5 days after the attack and assign responsibility
Too keep the terrorists guessing about whether we we on to their activities? Grow up...
Obama is a liar, over and over again.
George W. was/is the biggest liar in our history! Worse than Nixon! Wonder why Romney doesn't want a Bush endorsement? Meanwhile, Romney is very busy spreading even bigger lies! "The math doesn't work"! We are talking simple arithmetic here, not higher mathmatics!
While Romney claims he wants to create jobs in the private sector, his company (Bain Capital) is still very busy killing jobs here and sending the work to China! Remember, Romney still owns 51% of Bain. He claims he is not envolved! He hides behind a blind trust! What a joke! Vote for your favorite liar!
when will Obama come off the campaign trail to address this? answer never, because he loses the election and wont have to address it, what a criminal!
At the end of the day, the act had already been done. As awful as it was, be it an act of terror or because of the film, we can't reverse what happened, Instead of blaming the film maker, people can blame Obama. Maybe had we know ahead of time, we could have stopped it, we will never know. I am sorry that good people were killed. Look at all the good people that were killed under Bush on 9/11 . I am not blaming Bush. He was not to blame as Obama was not to blame. Blame the people who did these acts, not the people who learned about them after the fact.
You've missed the point; extra security had previously been requested and was denied multiple times; there were emails and calls for help that were ignored; and then, insultingly obo tried to cover it up by lieing. Even on the Vies where he deemed himself "eye candy" he referred to the video. Hillary lied; Susan Rice lied; Jay Carney lied; GMAFB; again, their disdain for the American People is all too real and evident.
This is the best comment I've read. Personally, I don't care whether the president called this a terrorist attack or not. I just care that they catch whoever is responsible.
There are some majr differences between 911 and the Benghazi attack.
1. The attack went on for 7 hours; more then enough time to get a rapid response team to the consulate. They had time to launch a drone but no other response. Not the case with 911.
2. After the attack when more information was coming in Obama went to bed so he would be rested for his trip to Las Vegas the next day.
From a FOX NEWS Article on the event timeline
"President Obama met with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Vice President Biden in the Oval Office at 5 p.m. ET, a little more than an hour after the onset of the attack. The Pentagon began moving military assets: "
Enough of the BS with Obama went to sleep
Bottom line is this: these attacks went on for hours, not minutes. The White House situation room received the information and the comnader in chief chose to take no action. The conclusion is obvious: the 3 AM phone call came in and our President was sleeping so he could hop on a plane to Vegas the next day – Americans died so he could continue his celebrity dream. The only words for that are "dereliction of duty". This man should NOT be President.
I remember when Ronald Reagan was president in 1983 the US Embassy in beruit was attacked, 68 people were killed, 17 of them American soldiers and CIA personel. I never remember the Democrats making political hay over the fact that an American Embassy was hit and Americans were killed. Politics and many Americans have stooped to new political lows
The diffrence is Reagan didn't try to cover it up by blaming it on a video well after it had been established to be a terrorist attack. No one is politicizing the attack – they are investigating the coverup.
People are starting to wake up – we know we are lied to now and we look for the lies in every event, every news story. We have lost homes, we have lost family members in war. We are not the fat and happy people we were in the Regan years. We believed then that the entire region was filled with "boogymen" and expecting any president to control that bunch of blood thirsty hooligans was of course beyond our scope. Now we know them much much better. We know that the intelligence agencies have been playing musical muslims with us for decades. my question is how are they our intelligence agencies when they deceive the people paying their salaries and their expenses?
I have never voted anything accept Democrat but I can't in good conscience vote for Obama this time. Something fishy is going on here and that they are covering it up makes it worse. It looks to me like CNN is actively campaigning for Obama as well. This does not bode well for America!
I made my move here -CNN's turn next
"You want the truth? You couldn't take the truth!"
TRUST "ME"
After the election...
you will get the "truth"
FORWARD -> -> ->
Just like Bill Clinton said... " There is NO "truth." "
This story is huge and CNN should be digging for information every minute. If you don't you are not any better than MSNBC and you are part of a bigger problem. DO YOUR JOBS. We deserve to know why 4 of our citizens were slaughtered and no assistance was provided by our own country!
As seen by this "don't draw any hasty conclusions, these things are complicated" attempt to cover the Obama administration's incompetence, CNN won't dig too deeply. CNN is not composed of journalists, but, rather, advocates for the current administration.
It will get more messed up if Obama gets elected again.
CNN is to far up Obama's azzzzz to report the truth.
Understand, we have no real journalists today – only headline creators! Where were the journalists when George W. was lying to everyone about Iraq and WMD's? Where were the journalists when George proudly announced "mission accomplished"? We don't have credible journalists! All we have is a bunch of rumor mongerers hiding behind the idea of "free speech"!
Hint: Our national cyber security systems may have been hacked numerous times while obama was in office - the systems put in place by bush - and we were never told. obama will never admit it for "high security reasons." they are outdated - his information technologists within the intelligence community are incompetent against more advanced technology used by foreign hostile forces –even chinese kids can hack us now. think about it. then we wonder how/why e-mails were "confusing" tot the obama admin resulting in torturous deaths in benghazi. ask bush about the systems that were put in place. romney knows about this but is careful not to divulge too much. you have to trust romney that he knows what needs to be done as he hinted in debate if you listened to him-which most dont because they are blinded by obama's pretty eyes and smile - his disgusting stare at romney -- romney could feel strange vibes being so close to obama -- unnatural for obama to project -which made romney feel uncomfortable. very disgusting - get it? LMFAO
Redfirestorm, it is obvious that you desire to vent about something....anything. Yet, your statements are baseless and without merit. At this point in the game, some would rather continue to believe any of the myriad of ploys that have been tried and subsequently, failed. If you have time, it may be better suited to focus that wealth of energy on factual and proven issues...rather than agonize yourself over trivial and dishonest intentions. Nevertheless, have a wonderfully, blessed day.
The systems Bush put in place are still in place. You really think the intelligence community gathered together the day Obama took office and said "shhhh....don't tell Obama we have sophisticated systems that will make our jobs eaiser. Let's hide them and look like disjointed idiots while he is in office...then we will tell the Republicans about it in 2012"
And this has to be the funniest excuse for a debate performance ever...Romney was uncomfortable by Obama's stare? Romney was uncomfortable in the presence of Obama's? Disgusting stare? Project much? Really, just too funny.
How about Romney was uncomfortable trying to remember where Iran is located in relation to Syria? Or maybe he was uncomfortable trying to remember his new script on Foreign Policy that contradicts much of what he has said before. Or how about you were uncomfortable with Obama's stare and want to pretend Romney felt the same.
HOW DARE CNN HIDE THIS HEADLINE INSTEAD OF PLACING IT AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE LIKE YESTERDAY'S! SO IT TURNS OUT THAT THE INFORMATION WAS INCORRECT AND MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SEEN YET BY THE WHITE HOUSE, NOT TO MENTION THAT THE LOCATION IN QUESTION HAD NOT EVEN BEEN ATTACKED YET, BUT YOU HIDE THIS HEADLINE. WHY DON'T YOU JUST SELL YOURSELVES TO FOX. YOU ARE EQUALLY AS BIASED AND INTELLECTUALLY DEFICIENT!
You see Laura, CNN is just grasping at straws to discredit this claim. They don't make it the Headline because they know their accusation is not valid. See how this works? Go drink some more Obama Kool- Aid and you'll fell better.
So if this isn't valid, why would we assume yesterday's article was? Sounds to me like the test for validity is "does it match what I already believe"
If you don't trust or like CNN then just leave. No need to waste your energy. Those of us that do trust and like CNN will stay. jmo