Africom and Eurcom HQs are both located in Germany. Benghazi is closer to Germany than most of the places our military commonly hot-foots it to. Gibraltar in Spain is further than Benghazi. The in-theater QRF does not play by Union Rules: "Sorry, we're just the QRF for Eurcom. This crisis is in Africa. Find your own QRF."
This is utter nonsense, another deflection and smokescreen.
The best-trained and most capable group in the theater is designated the QRF. If the emergency was in Benghazi, that QRF would go. My best understanding at this time is that group was a USMC Force Recon company, and they were moved to Sigonella to be closer to Benghazi if a military rescue was ordered.
No military rescue was ordered. Obama did not have to "stand them down," all he had to do was passively NOT give cross-border authority.
Former SEAL: Obama Never Gave ‘Cross-Border Authority’ Orders (Breitbart link)
Free Republic thread link
What I get from the Fox News article and other reports from the major news outlets, is the impression that , somehow the Pentagon, CIA, State Department and EVERYONE involved with the months of run up through the attack were merely incompetent and unprepared. Is this the picture they’re now trying to paint? That to me, is utterly preposterous that all of these agencies were THAT INCOMPETENT at the same time where the Benghazi consulate was concerned!
Furthermore, the US military is the most formidable fighting force on the planet (BAD-ASS)). As you well know, they are prepared for every possible contingency—and even the ones that “aren’t possible”. I believe as you do. These forces are assembled, equipped and trained for such an event as Benghazi, were ready to go, but were stopped cold by the lack of orders needed from the very top.