it was for ransom but it was to be an exchange for the Blind Shiek ................................ It was delayed waiting for the word that the attackers had Stevens. Doughty, Woods and the other guys were not suppose to be there. Mursi wanted Rahman turned over to Egypt back in June. There was talk that the attackers were Egyptian members of the Sheik Rahman brigade. Yes folks, it still stinks of a $$$$ deal, probably with some kickbacks too. maybe in 50 years the truth will come out. If it came out now, there would be lynchings.
You are entirely correct. The plan was going well until Stevens and Smith went into the “safe room” and the idiots on the ground came up with the idea to smoke them out. When the expected video showing Stevens a captive, instead showed him either dead or very close to it, the panic set in at 1600 because they had not considered this in their plan.
That is why they went into hunker mode to cover themselves instead of being concerned for the rest of the contingent over there. They also had no concept of the idea that those trained in the arts of combat would do a totally unnatural thing for them and run to the sound of gunfire rather than running away from it. Seeing this in their live feed, they then concocted the video meme that I’m sure was mediabot tested before it was trotted out.