Posted on 07/31/2013 6:53:04 PM PDT by xzins
A Marine operations commander told lawmakers Wednesday he gave troops in Libya permission to respond to a September 2012 attack on a U.S. mission in Tripoli.
Testifying in closed session before the House Armed Services Committee, Col. George Bristol contradicted claims by some congressional Republicans he had issued a stand-down order following the attack, in which U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stephens and three other Americans were killed, The Hill reported.
Bristol, who commanded Joint Special Operations Task Force-Trans Sahara at the time of the attack, said he gave the Tripoli security team leader, Lt. Col. S.E. Gibson, permission to act freely in response to the attack, The Hill said, citing a description it had received of the committee's members-only briefing.
Gibson told Congress last month he was ordered not to send his team to Benghazi because they were needed in Tripoli in the event of an attack on the U.S. Embassy.
Republicans argue the United States wasn't prepared to respond adequately to the Benghazi attack.
They accuse the Obama administration of downplaying or covering up the administration's handling of the attack, its lead-up and aftermath during the heat of the 2012 presidential campaign.
"Colonel Bristol has experience that could be valuable in deepening our understanding of the events of that day," a committee source told The Hill.
"Of particular interest to the committee is what our posture was in the weeks and months that preceded the attack," the source said.
Bristol, a seasoned combat commander, stepped down from his task force commander post in March.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
So did Dohtery and Woods disobey an order? or just go on in on their own? How did they find out the annex was under attack?
I guess Chaffetz is lying:
AFRICOM Leader General Carter Ham Was Never Ordered to Save US Men in Benghazi
Per Rep. Jason Chaffetz R-UT asking General Ham directly:
(close paraphrase)
Did we have assets in the area? The answer is yes.
Did we have proximity? The answer is yes.
Why we didnt send in some of those assets? The general said he was not requested to do so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4W1LDSs5X4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Last year I read Jeff Shaara’s book, “The Final Storm”, about the battle of Okinawa. It still haunts my memory.
What our Marines did there merits all of them being awarded the MOH posthumously for the dead, and with full national honors for those still living.
It was chilling, disturbing.
Then the Ambassador, Smith, Doherty and Woods were ‘collateral’.
This is how Trayvon became more important than Benghazi.
The smartest the republicans could do is link her to Obama's statement about scandals being phony and force the media to ask her some questions:
Hypothetical Statement by Reince Priebus (or anyone in the party):
"I have to say that I absolutely disagree with the position taken by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that oour ambassador and his security team being murdered in Benghazi is a phony scandal."
As this is published the Hillary media will go into protection mode and allow her an opportunity to make a statement saying the original quote was Obama's, not hers. THEN, the obvious follow up has to be, "do you agree with his statement?"
At that point she has no way out.
(Of course, this is only a fantasy on my part. No one is going to dare put her on the spot for fear of being taken apart by her media.)
If he gave that order and there was no “stand down” order then why the hell were not a bunch of troops or their Lieutenant or captain or whatever COURT-MARTIALED for disobeying an order?????
“What does it matter now?”
Makes no sense, does it. Moreover, he says he gave permission to go.
So if there was no stand-down order, I’m sure investigators can have immediate access to all the survivors, who signed non-disclosure statements for no good reason.
RIGHT?
Per the article it is a leak from a staffer from a closed committee, I am sure I can guess from which side. This is the standard operating procedure for the Dem’s. Leak a partial quote, half truth or lie from a closed or classified hearing and our side that plays by the rules can’t respond. I will hold judgement until I hear our side if they have the balls to leak the truth.
I’m convinced this all goes back to her. (Obviously, to Obama, too.) I think Hillary is the key. She was/is a disaster.
We cannot allow the pink swastika to dominate our military.
Yes. More than I can comprehend.
I think this was not a situation of an order being given -that is, a stand-down order - but simply of no order being given at all. It was a sensitive situation and probably these people, whether they were careerists or just diligent military personnel, would not have made any decision on their own.
They just never got an order or anything they felt that would enable them to cover themselves for any action, and since Obama has been all about attacking our military for any real or imagined offense, they were probably afraid to proceed without a specific order.
He is responsible for murder. Is he gay?
Twelve and a half thousand died.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but this article makes it appear that Col Bristol gave a “go if necessary” permission. LTC Gibson says he was told not to launch for any reason.
Those two don’t fit together.
That’s what got my attention. Commanders give orders, not ‘permission’.
How do you piece together Gibson saying he was told not to launch, and Bristol saying he gave permission to launch if necessary?
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