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]

They sat on the tarmacs at Sig.

And in Aviano Italy, somewhere in Germany and in Croatia too. We don't
lack the teams and they aren't lacking in readiness. That is simply not true.

[fortheDeclaration]

Coverup!

[Republicanprofessor]

Benghazi ping.

Let Republicanprofessor know if you want on or off this ping list.

[Sir Napsalot]

“9-11 Report”, part deux. Everybody CYA.

[FreedomPoster]

And just to expand on that - the real issue is cross border authority. My understanding is only POTUS can issue that.

TM - this is a crap Leftist take on things, but the report itself may be worth looking at.

[rodguy911]

PLease keep me on this one thanks

[fatima]

Unreal.

[ConorMacNessa]

I refuse to believe that our military was unable to respond to this atrocity. No "Stand-down" order?

I say Bravo Sierra!

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[1010RD]

Let’s say that help arrived too late to save lives. Wouldn’t some immediate response or hot pursuit have sent the right message?

[1010RD]

Spot on. The report sounds like an utter whitewash.

[dearolddad]

The really sad part is: Those MF’rs didn’t even try.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

GOP Report Concludes Military Could Not Have Changed Outcome in Benghazi

So, when is the TEAparty response to the GOP report?