GOP Report Concludes Military Could Not Have Changed Outcome in Benghazi

Mediaite ^ | 2/12/14 | Tommy Christopher

[Nachum]

The attack on the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya that left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, continues to be a line of political attack against the Obama administration, but a new report from the Republican-led House Armed Services Committee belies at least one aspect of the popular conservative criticism, that U.S. forces were ordered to “stand down” when they could have saved lives in Benghazi.

The Republican-authored report’s findings are, by no means, a love letter to President Obama or then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. For example, the report concludes that U.S. personnel in Benghazi were woefully vulnerable in September 2012 because a) the administration did not direct a change in military force posture; b) there was no intelligence of a specific “imminent” threat in Libya; and c) the Department of State, which has primary responsibility for diplomatic security, favored a reduction of Department of Defense security personnel in Libya before the attack.”

The balance of the report contains many such harsh judgments of the Obama administration, the State Department, and the intelligence community.

However, as ThinkProgress notes, the report does undermine a key spoke in conservative talking points about Benghazi:

As Media Matters reports, Fox News cited reports of a stand-down order no fewer than 85 times during prime-time segments as of June 2013. As the new report — which the Republican majority of the committee authored –makes very clear in its findings, however, no such order ever existed. “There was no ‘stand down’ order issued to U.S. military personnel in Tripoli who sought to join the fight in Benghazi,” the report says, noting that the military was not positioned to respond to the attack.

[TigersEye]

Yes, I understand your point. I was just clarifying that they were in motion so in a sense they were “called” they were just never given permission to move forward from a “ready to go” position. From the only person in the world who could give that permission. 0bastard.

[Travis McGee]

Nothing will ever come of this. We are in Mark Levin's "post-constitutional America."

[Eagles6]

Maybe someone in the know can chime in and let us know. I find it hard to believe that it would take 6 hrs to find planes and pilots and fuel and arm them.

I believe the battle went on at the annex for 6-8 hrs. and no one knew how long it would last at the time. Could have gone on for 12-24-48 hrs. Could have turned into an Iran type hostage situation.

[combat_boots]

EVERYONE heard and many WATCHED.

In real time.

There were/are injured around. Who are threatened into silence.

[TigersEye]

We are in Mark Levin's "post-constitutional America."

Oh, I think something is going to come of that!

I don't disagree with your conclusions though.

[Travis McGee]

We are in the calm before the storm, 1860, 1913 etc.

Batten down the hatches.

[TigersEye]

I find it hard to believe that it would take 6 hrs to find planes and pilots and fuel and arm them.

You're not the only one who doesn't believe that.

Assets were in motion. It happens automatically whenever an "Imminent Danger Notification System" alert is sent.

In support of that contention.

[TigersEye]

I’m locked and loaded and ready to be exploded! ;^)

[Eagles6]

Have any of the survivors on the ground testified before congress?

[Travis McGee]

Lots of us are, but without food coming in, most of us will be starving before we run out of ammo. That will not solve the food problem but it will solve the "population problem" by perhaps 90%....

Alas, Brave New Babylon 60-second Youtube trailer

[combat_boots]

I don’t know.

I doubt their families would be alive by the time they left MDW, if so. DC is pure s#it

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/19/testimony-gives-more-evidence-administration-benghazi-claims-were-indefensible/

[blueunicorn6]

You could very well be right. I think that the Democrats have convinced the Republicans in Congress to go easy on Benghazi for national security reasons. I think that’s baloney. The United States is a republic and our people deserve to know the truth. If the bad guys have missiles, let us know. If we were doing something in Benghazi at the second facility, let us know. We’re all grown up. We can handle it. I am a citizen of these United States. We don’t have an aristocracy that can just ignore us citizens. I’m as good a citizen as Obama.....probably better.

[combat_boots]

They sat on the tarmacs at Sig.

What with 0bama’s love of drone strikes, you have to admit he could have sent some of those in the area to kill some people. Bad guys, I mean.

[TigersEye]

I am far less prepared than I'd like to be but as prepared as I can be. As it is!
That was a really nicely done video clip. Love the song selection.

[Eagles6]

So it appears that at least 5 CIA guys testified in classified hearings. This is the only story that I have seen about it.

[combat_boots]

There were at least 29 injured evac’d to Ramstein. I don’t know—but doubt—that any of the 5 were on the ground.

Frankly, I wouldn’t testify for jack with the ID10ts in DC.

[Travis McGee]

I sure hope I’m wrong about where we’re heading.......

[Eagles6]

We need to know what happened but I see your point. Nothing would come of it and there would be retaliation from the regime.

Now if these were impeachment proceedings...

[TigersEye]

So do I. I have no desire for that reality to come about.

[TigersEye]

Well said. Our nation is supposed to have a citizen government. We are supposed to be the ultimate authority, the Constitution notwithstanding, and we need to be well informed to exercise our rights and our duty as such.