Posted on 05/05/2013 7:27:15 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
Greg Hicks, former deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, Libya, told congressional investigators that the State Department internal review of the catastrophe at the mission in Benghazi "let people off the hook," CNN has learned.
The Accountability Review Board "report itself doesn’t really ascribe blame to any individual at all. The public report anyway," Hicks told investigators, according to transcript excerpts obtained by CNN. "It does let people off the hook."
The board's report on the Benghazi attack, in which Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in September, is being reviewed by the State Department's Office of Inspector General.
Rep. Darrell Issa, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Sunday on CBS that Hicks will testify Wednesday in a congressional hearing on the deadly attack in Benghazi.
"In our system, people who make decisions have been confirmed by the Senate to make decisions," Hicks told investigators."The three people in the State Department who are on administrative leave pending disciplinary action are below Senate confirmation level. Now, the DS (Diplomatic Security) assistant secretary resigned, and he is at Senate confirmation level. Yet the paper trail is pretty clear that decisions were being made above his level. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at thelead.blogs.cnn.com ...
Usually, I agree, it would be “nothing new here, move along!”. This one is different. The crime story is growing legs as we watch.
Life imitating art. There’s a new TV show that shows the beginning and the end in the first act. The hour long show then follows the characters as they solve the mystery. Just like what high information voters understand about Benghazi and are following in Victorian Media outlets.
The attack lasted 8 hours. Went on so late, the Commander in Chief went to bed, tired from golf and demagoguery. There is a US Air Force Base at Aviano Italy. How long does it take to scramble a couple of jet fighters? How long to fly Aviano-Benghazi? What would be the effect on raghead attackers if jets merely overflew them at 750 feet. And did not at least one of the men who was killed have a radio? Could he have talked with pilots? Did he know how to direct air support? Would he have even needed to direct it? Just by giving, his own position, would he not have enabled the pilots to put a ring of fire and steel 500 meters around their position. I don’t know. Can anyone answer?
>> should both be charged with ACCESSORY TO MURDER. They both have blood-covered hands.
“Stand down.”
Snipes and grenades would have also worked. It could have been suppressed.
The closest base was the Naval Air Station Sigonella, on Sicily.
Reportedly, there was a squadron of F-18s armed and ready to go, Special Ops choppers loaded with rotors turning, plus tanker support -- all ready to roll, had the signal been given.
It never came.
With the right kind of persuasion, I’m sure local assets could have assisted, but with the notion of “Stand down”, I’m doubtful that was considered.
Sheer coincidence?
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