Diplomat Airs Benghazi Attack Details

WSJ.com ^ | 5-9-2013 | By SIOBHAN HUGHES And ADAM ENTOUS

[topher]

WWASHINGTON—A high-ranking American diplomat delivered an emotional reconstruction Wednesday of the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, providing the first detailed public account from an American official who was on the ground in Libya.

The testimony from Gregory Hicks, the No. 2 U.S. official in Libya at the time, before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee also drew new attention to key questions about the attacks, and how the administration handled the aftermath.

[Grampa Dave]

— Then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Jan. 23, 2013:

“I wasn’t involved in the talking points process.... As I understand it, as I’ve been told, it was a typical interagency process where staff, including from the State Department, all participated, to try to come up with whatever was going to be made publicly available, and it was an intelligence product.”

“With all due respect,the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided to go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?”—Hillary Clinton

[C210N]

So, what was Stevens doing in an outlying consulate, as opposed to the central embassy?

[Oldexpat]

Somehow the GOP is still missing the boat. They need to get somebody who was in Benghazi to testify. They could have asked the question-—what is the name of the person or person’s who part of Steven’s security detail that were in Benghazi and where are they now? THey aren’t CIA people and their jobs aren’t secret. They could be called to testify also..from where ever they are in the world .

[topher]

Hillary's orders... Hillary wanted this to be a permanent facility...

That is what I remember from the testimony yesterday.

[onyx]

PLEASE Support Free Republic today!
It takes ALL of Us to Keep FR on the Air!

[topher]

There is a fourth person who wants to testify, but red tape (security clearance for the person's lawyer) is holding this.

However, it is unclear who this is (in terms of where they were at the time of the attack).

[topher]

The article hits on a key point -- fighters were only 2 to 3 hours away but there were no air-refueling tankers available.

My question is why the Pentagon did not have assets in place ... ... in just in case

Somebody, with what was going on Egypt, should have realized should be able to protect places like Fort Apache -- places in hostile territory -- on the anniversary of 9/11

I don't understand why the US Navy did not have a carrier task group in the area ... just in case...

I understand having one in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, but why wasn't there a second one available in the Mediterrean...

And I am clearly baffled by having US fighters at N.A.T.O. bases nearby but no tankers.

That means the Republican as well as Dimwits dropped the ball. The Air Force as well as the Navy dropped the ball, as well as the Pentagon and the folks at Langley...

Republicans have needed to address the age/shortage of US tanker aircraft before they start dropping out of the sky like what happened recently (cause unknown, at least to me, at this point)

[ExTexasRedhead]

http://bobmccarty.com/2013/05/08/seal-team-six-families-set-news-conference-thursday-morning-obama-to-face-tough-questions/

Can be seen here:

http://www.trentovision.tv/

[topher]

A better question: why was Stevens at an insecure facility on the anniversary of 9/11 in a country with lots of folks hostile to the United States?

Hillary wanted to be a permanent location (Benghazi). Did she order Stevens to travel at the time of 9/11 to Benghazi?

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

Here name is Victoria Toensing. http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/08/fourth-benghazi-witness-gagged-by-red-tape/

She must have some incriminating info. to have been blocked from testifying. I think the leftist-radicals are afraid a woman testifying might get the attention of Obama's base; The 20-something bimbo female.

[Enchante]

YES, there is still a huge failure on all sides to get the facts and perspectives from “on the ground” in Benghazi during the attacks -— there should be public testimony from the 32 or so ppl who survived with full first-hand accounts of what it was like to be under deadly attack for HOURS with no aid from the Obama/Hillary admin.

All this crap about how it would take “20 hours” or more to launch any kind of counter-raid against the jihadists is simply nonsensical in terms of US military resources in the region. If it were really true that we could not counter the terrorists within several hours not days then that itself is a symptom of gross incompetence on the part of the Obama/Hillary admin.

[Enchante]

Victoria Toensing is the attorney representing the 4th witness. The article says the witness may be “he or she” so we don’t know whether the 4th witness is a woman or man. Whoever it may be, we need to get through the administration’s crap red tape to have the testimony given publicly asap.

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

Hillary stripped Stevens of most of his security then LEFT HIM THERE FOR 9/11.. Hmmmmm.. Sounds like he was being set-up to be kidnapped? Was THAT the motive for the attack on the consulate? Is THAT why the 0bama admin. shows no interest in finding the perps? Is 0bama afraid the perps will ‘out’ the kidnapping?

[C210N]

One of the scenarios floating around months ago was interesting: The regime purposely allowing the mudslimes in Bengazi to “get” Stevens alive, and then followed eventually (prior to the election though) by an exchange for the blind sheik. However, 2 navy seals messed it up by protecting Stevens from capture, mudslimes going nuts and changing plans to a lynching, and then the coverup so that this does not come to light...

[Enchante]

more than 2130 comments already at this WSJ piece, the trolls for Hillary and Obama are out in force to lie, obscure, and distract!!

[topher]

Washington Post had a tweet during the hearing that it was just white-middle aged males and patrons of Chick-fil-a interested in Benghazi...

Sounds like some liberals are interested as well... At least to try to protect Hillary and Obama.

[topher]

I don't understand why folks are not pressing for the security clearance being given.

Obviously, this will help clear Hillary's name, Susan Rice, and the Obama Administration quickly... (only if they are innocent...)

[Borax Queen]

Wow, good ones!

[topher]

Victoria Toensing headed the first anti-terrorism group at DOJ under the Reagan Administration.

She has the qualifications, but in terms of security clearance, it has been a while since she held her high level security clearance (Reagan administration).

She also, apparently worked in some capacity with Barry Goldwater.

Michelle Malkin and others should be clamoring for this woman to be given her security clearance - in my opinion...

However, I could see how this woman brings fear into the eyes of Obama, Hillary, and others -- she has been guest commentator on various news networks (Fox, ABC, etc)...