Former CIA chief in Benghazi challenges film version of 2012 attacks

WaPo ^ | 1/15/16 | Adam Goldman and Greg Miller

[Fightin Whitey]

backed up by Carol and Ted and Alice

That there is funny.

I was going to go with the old junior high stand-by. "Now I know why they call you Bob."

Why?

"'Cause you should bob up and kiss my ass."

[Chewbarkah]

Interesting that “Bob” was not allowed to tell his side while the book was being written, but now gets to criticize the results anonymously, including specific contents of the film version he says he hasn’t seen. I have no doubt that his honest perception of some events would vary from that of others, and that his interest in the matter would distort his memory and presentation.

But the WAPO Journolists omitted to ask (or at least tell us): were there standing orders or plans NOT to intervene? (So that Stand Down orders aren’t required). What is Bob’s knowledge about resources beyond his immediate command, such as drones, AC130 Spectre, rescue teams? His comments in this article do not mention them. What were Bob and his team doing in Benghazi? Was Bob responsible for security planning for his CIA op AND the “diplomatic mission”? Why did Bob have to rely on “friendly” Islamist militias to come to his aid, when the main threat would be attacks by Islamist militias? Did he think this was a brilliant concept, or was it imposed on him? By whom? Did Bob get permission from the CIA to do the interview? Did he initiate the interview and permission process, or was he directed to spin up his partial story at this time? By whom?

Did Gowdy’s Benghazi Committee have a chance to interview Bob? (Not that it would matter).

[Spunky]

This is Bob

[PhilDragoo]

Little Dick Gephardt's imaginary friend "Bob" peeps, "It's not twoo! It's not twoo!"

[ManHunter]

I’m thinking I’d put Bob in a room with the three “contractors” and whoever comes out alive is telling the truth. Whad’ya think “Bob”?

[VRWCarea51]

Bob? Bob don’t live here any more man!

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

"Stand down" is a colloquialism, or a metaphor, for whatever order was given that did not result in help being sent. The Administration and it's defenders have latched onto that, and because nobody will acknowledge saying those two specific words, they deny it.

But someone, somewhere, must have been told what forces were available, and someone in the military would have asked if they should be sent. And that person said "no". So all we want to know is who that person was. And they refuse to tell us.

[jmaroneps37]

Gee I wonder why he would do that?

[CyberAnt]

Well .. the stats are .. 3 of the heroes, against ONE commander who probably got in trouble for allowing those guys to try to save the Ambassador.

[stylin_geek]

What’s interesting to me is that I’ve seen elsewhere that an Ambassador being taken captive is an “all hands on deck go ASAP” operation and there isn’t supposed to be any CIA CYA.

Nice to know that an Ambassador is expendable with this administration.

[DPMD]

According to the book, which I believe, Bob gave the order, and was MIA during all the fighting, yet given one of the CIA’s highest, if not the highest, awards for valor. I also believe the obama CIA is capable of this kind of mendacity, and that the agency, in presenting the award, might very well have been acting under orders from you-know-who.

[okie01]

We have Hillary emails about a rescue effort spinning up. Who stopped it?

For damn sure, somebody did. Maybe it wasn't "Bob". But somebody did.

[Doc91678]

Then America has a big problem in Hillary for president.

[cardinal4]

So, does COS “Bob” have a last name? Employee number? It could be anyone..

[Popman]

Bob's account is backed up by Carol and Ted and Alice.

LOL...

I wonder how many of the youngsters around here will know why that is SO funny...

[tet68]

He’s not anonymous, his name is Bob.
You don’t believe Bob?
How can that be?

[Thibodeaux]

you lie with dogs, you get fleas

you lie with hillary you get lies

[cpdiii]

How many of the CIA operatives have been interviewed, questioned before congress or asked what the hell they were doing in Libya?

I believe the guys that were fighting and dying!

[UCANSEE2]

Did “Bob” tell those navy guys to stand down and let the the Iranians “rescue” them?

If he did, he would not admit it, imho.

[gaijin]

Great action, but....I was still a little disappointed by the movie:

I like military stuff, yes, but by far the most interesting thing about Benghazi was the universal amazement of so many high-ranking military people that no forces were sent to help, when there were AC-130’s both at Sigonella Sicily (which is cloer to Benghazi than Tripoli and hosts a complete US naval air station) and also at our (then secret) base at the old French Foreign Legion base at Djibouti.

The other interesting part ignored by the movie was the very detailed speculation regarding WHY it was so important to Obama and Vallerie Jarrett that they do nothing to help those men.

The re-election was then just 5 or so weeks away, and 110% of their attention regarding Benghazi was how the fighting and any rescue might impact their re-election, which was widely forecast to be a squeeker.

Obama went to sleep and flew to Vegas the next morning for golf with a rapper and for some fundraisers. Most people think the details that night after 6 pm or so were handled by Valerie Jarret and Leon Panetta, who resigned shortly thereafter.

The other part left out totally was just how long and hard they were begging for help on the phone, radio, and even on the internet (seeing how badly they were being ignored by their entire chain of command, the goatee IT specialist guy even begged for help from his videogame friends, and indeed at several junctures the filmmakers show him still darting around during the attack wearing his videogamer headset, which he had been screaming into for several hours)