Testimony Reveals What Military Did While Benghazi Post Burned

News Max ^ | July 12 2014 | News Max

[PoloSec]

One by one, behind closed doors in Washington, D.C.,, military officers explained what they did and didn't do the night the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, burned.

Together their 30 hours of testimony to congressional investigators gives the fullest account yet of the military's response to the surprise attacks that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans the night of Sept. 11, 2012, and early the next morning.

Transcripts of the interviews, with some names and classified information blacked out, were released Wednesday

The nine officers, including retired Gen. Carter Ham, then the head of the military's U.S. Africa Command, described making on-the-fly decisions with only sparse information about the crisis unfolding at a diplomatic post and the nearby CIA compound.

None of them was in Benghazi. The closest? Some were 600 miles away in Tripoli, the Libyan capital; others gave orders from command headquarters in Germany or Washington.

They did not witness what went on in the White House or at the State Department. Ex-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and others have testified about Benghazi. More hearings are coming.

The nine officers shed light on the nature of the attacks; speculation that the military was ordered to "stand down" from helping Americans; suggestions that the U.S. should have rushed jets or a special operations team to Benghazi; and early misperceptions that the attack began as a protest over an anti-Islam video.

Some lingering questions about the Benghazi attacks and what the officers told the House Armed Services Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee this year:

[don-o]

None of the “Brass” of military leaders thought to put their special forces, F-16s, security forces, etc. on alert?

I recall that in the previous administration, at each 9/11 anniversary, the media would report on heightened readiness.

It speaks volumes that the current Regime considered 9/11 as just another day. Was Panetta ever grilled on this?

[rockinqsranch]

Pure and simple the military was stopped from automatically reacting to the situation in Benghazi by someone of higher authority within the Cabinet of the C.I.C., or the C.I.C. himself. No further explanation required.

Now the question is who, and why?

A cover up is in process.

[don-o]

Early reports talked about Benghazi live video from an overhead UAV (aka drone). Has this ever been confirmed?

Issa thinks so as he subpoenaed it (several times).

[Organic Panic]

Everyone who lives under the thumb of this regime, taxpayer citizens, live in terror of this regime. EPA declares you have a pond on your property they destroy you. Refuse to bake a cake for a few homos and they destroy you.

Cross the border illegally, Jackpot.
Collect welfare and vote democrat. OBAMAPHONE.

[mojito]

By now it's pretty clear what was happening in Benghazi.

Stevens and the CIA were running weapons from Qadaffi’s stores to ISIS in Syria via Turkey. Stevens was in Benghazi to meet a Turkish attache regarding a shipment the day of the attack.

My guess for the reason for the attack is simple: Libya jihadi militias wanted those weapons for themselves, and weren't too keen on having them taken away.

The whole operation was on a need to know basis: the operation was run from Benghazi because it's more isolated. In Tripoli, these activities would have drawn too much attention.

The attack when it occurred was monitored live in the WH, but no rescue operation was going to be authorized - the election was a couple of months away and any rescue would draw attention to what was going on there. And a jihadi attack on 9/11 would give the lie to Barry's foreign policy “successes.”

The guys in the field were left to fend for themselves, while the WH cooked up the stupid video story.

Barry figured that a compliant press more interested in getting their man reelected would ignore the story, and he was right.

These military guys in Tripoli probably suspected more than they're telling, but since they were kept in the dark about the operation they can testify under oath that they didn't know much and still technically be telling the truth.

[TigersEye]

Tripoli rescue team told to stand down.

Hicks: Special Forces ‘Furious’ Upon Being Told to Stand Down video at link

"According to Benghazi whistleblower Gregory Hicks, the deputy chief of mission in Libya, special forces were “furious” when they were told to stand down during the Benghazi attack. “I will quote Lieutenant Colonel Gibson,” Hicks told the House Oversight Committee in hearings today, “He said, ‘This is the first time in my career that a diplomat has more balls than somebody in the military.’”"

This might be considered a stand down too.

Whistle-blower: Botched talking points hurt FBI probe of Benghazi attack

"Another whistle-blower questioned Wednesday why more military assets were not deployed sooner during the Benghazi terror attack. Mark Thompson, a former Marine and official with the State Department's Counterterrorism Bureau, said he was rebuffed by the White House when he asked for a specialized team -- known as a FEST team -- to be deployed. This is a unit made of special operations personnel, diplomatic security, intelligence and other officers."

BENGAZI - Why Wasn't FEST Activated?

Here is a third way a "stand down" policy was implemented IMO.

Blow-by-Blow: How Obama & Hillary Left Americans to Die

"Nordstrom further testified in writing that Hillary Clinton waived security requirements for the Benghazi consulate despite high and critical threat levels in the six categories of security standards established under the Overseas Security Policy Board and the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 1999. The waiver can only be authorized by the Secretary of State, who cannot delegate that responsibility to someone else. ”If the Secretary of State did not waive these requirements, who did so by ordering occupancy of the facilities in Benghazi and Tripoli?” Nordstrom wrote."

[TigersEye]

Of course there was no "stand down" order for troops outside of Libya. There has to be a CBA (Cross Border Authority) order given which is more like a "stand up" order. The fact that no rescue was sent is proof that no CBA was given.

Only the POTUS has the authority to issue a CBA!

0bama was notified immediately and automatically when the Benghazi consulate triggered the "Imminent Danger Notification System" alert. He did nothing.

Judge Jeanine Investigates Benghazi Gate Part 4 - 10/20/2012 video 6:53
Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer (U.S. Army ret.), former CIA Station Chief Gary Berntsen and former CIA operative Mike Baker

They confirm everything Col. Hunt said about automatic notifications to the WH and add more details.

Howie Carr interview with Col. Hunt On The Newest Libyan Revelations audio 28:37

There are three scandals here...

• 1) The inexcusable lack of security.
• 2) The near inaction and denials of aid when the call for help came.
• 3) The bizarre "video did it" fraud that the Pres., Sec. State, UN Ambassador and other administration spokesholes perpetrated on the public.

---------------------------------------------------------

Denial of requests for security were a dereliction of duty. The lies and misdirection about the "video" after the attack were fraud and malfeasance under the color of authority. The inaction during the attack was something more than that.

The failure to act during the attack is the direct equivalent of desertion IMO.

ONE man had the authority to act that night.

ONE man deserted his post!

EXCLUSIVE: CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack, sources say

0bama abandoned his post. 0bama Is A Deserter!

0bama did nothing!!!

[Cyman]

Excellent summary!

[TigersEye]

This was September 11th anniversary, for crying out loud. None of the “Brass” of military leaders thought to put their special forces, F-16s, security forces, etc. on alert?

That is an especially pertinent question since numerous other embassies around the world were under assault all day long on Sept. 11th 2012. The Cairo embassy was almost breached. All of that was going on for hours before the attack in Benghazi and every situation room in DC and around the world was keeping a close eye on it all.

[TigersEye]

Why wasn't he advised to stay in Tripoli on September 11th, where there was adequate security.

Actually there wasn't.

Blow-by-Blow: How Obama & Hillary Left Americans to Die

”If the Secretary of State did not waive these requirements, who did so by ordering occupancy of the facilities in Benghazi and Tripoli?” Nordstrom wrote."

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

He was told, "Don't go. Don't get on that plane."

"Initially, I was angry," he recalled. "Because a tactical commander doesn't like to have those decisions taken away from him. But then once I digested it a little bit, then I realized, OK, maybe there was something going on. Maybe I'm needed here for something else."

Rear Adm. Brian Losey, who gave the order, said he needed Gibson's team in Tripoli in case trouble started there.

IOW.... Losey gave the order to stand down.

[TigersEye]

That order only affected personnel in Tripoli. It had no bearing on the
complete lack of response from U.S. forces stationed outside of Libya.

Did 0bama issue a CBA or not? That is the question.

[rdcbn]

Something isn’t right here. No military man would have just stood there and done nothing unless he KNEW for sure, and for a fact, that any danger had passed. If he didn’t know he would have gotten there as fast as he could just in case he could help his fellow soldiers/those in trouble.

---

In the Military, when you have people in trouble, you do not ask if you can get there on time - you go. You go even it if it’s improbable that you will get there in time because every soldier needs know that when the chips are down and s**t has hit the fan, his buddies are doing everything they can to help out.

This is really what was lost in Benghazi- the trust of the individual Soldier that his team has his back when it counts.

The actions of our senior leaders have dug a big hole and their comments just keep digging the hole deeper.

[cookcounty]

"The question still remains and apparently was not asked, How did you know, how long the attack would last?"

Any investigator NOT asking this question should be fired for gross incompetence.

[willibeaux]

Spok! This is the Chicago way. Val Jar is the honcho for this activity.

[stanne]

Wrong

I said his claim that D’s google claim was bogus was off

D’s lawyers say they have a case against google

It’ll be bogus or not depending now on what the court says. Those are just facts.

B can say or do whatever he wants. But there is the world of facts

[benghaziistreason]

everyone should read Ken Timmerman’s new book Dark Forces, also go the website of Walid Shoebat, he has this pretty much figured out. Also google “Benghazi or bust” and watch the video that will come up. The Obama Admin was responsible for the video, mark Youseffe has a long history as a Federal informant and small time crook, he never made a movie in is life. He was let out of jail a year early in JUne 2011, a couple weeks later he contacted a movie industry small timer named Alan Roberts real name Robert Brownell to help make the film. Mark Youseffe then contacted Steve Klein and Joseph Nassralla to be used as dupes to take the blame for the video. Joseph Nassralla’s business “Media for Christ” was used without his permission to apply for film permits. Two weeks before Sept. 11, 2012 Youseffe contacted Morris Sadek and Dr. Terry Jones and asked them to promote the film, never called “innocence of Muslims” until Sept. 11, 2012. Youseffe was arrested on Sept. 15, 2012 right on schedule and whisked away by the Justice dept, after conveniently calling the Wall Street Journals as “Sam Bacile” on the morning of Sept. 12, 2012 to blame the video on Jews who financed the movie, a complete lie. When contacted just a few hours later as Nakoula Nakoula he claimed to be a Coptic Christian, also a lie. Youseffe is a Muslim with ties to Eiad Salameh, his partner in crime for eight years and a known terrorist, they are probably both from Syria or Palestine. Google Walid Shobat, Robert Brownell etc, the truth is all out there for anyone to figure out. We have a president, Attorney General, former Secy of State and director of the CIA and many more who have committed treason on a grand scale. I recommend everyone call their elected representatives and demand the truth.

[OwenKellogg]

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[Republicanprofessor]

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[AllAmericanGirl44]

bfl