Attack on Benghazi Consulate 'Unprecedented,' State Department Official Says

ABC News ^ | October 9, 2012 | DANA HUGHES and LUIS MARTINEZ

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The size and "lethality" of the attack on the U.S. consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya, that left Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead was "unprecedented," a senior State Department official said today.

Senior State Department officials today gave the most detailed account to-date of the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on Sept. 11, which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other diplomats. One official said the nature of the assault was unparalleled in recent history.

"The lethality and number of armed people is unprecedented," one of the officials said. "There was no attack anywhere in Libya -- Tripoli or Benghazi -- like this, So it is unprecedented and would be very, very hard to find a precedent like that in recent diplomatic history."

Though the timeline of events outlined on the call was similar to the last official account of the incident, which was given on Sept. 12, some stark differences and new details were revealed.....

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Fox News was not invited to be in on the conference call the White House held with news agencies.

Detailed briefing info published at the UK Telegraph:

US state department contradicts original Benghazi account - The US state department has released a full account of what happened the night its ambassador to Libya was killed, rejecting its own earlier claims that the attack was a protest that had got out of hand. -

.....In the briefing, in advance of a congressional hearing set for later on Wednesday, there was no mention of the supposed protests on the night of the attack, September 11, and the streets around the consulate were described as "calm" beforehand...................."

[AD from SpringBay]

This is from Tuesday? So, we now have three official versions of the attack? Nice way to stay on top of things, Oh Great Leader.

[Diogenesis]

Planned, weaponized, and covered up by the State Dept.
for Obama-the-Undocumented-Moslem.

[SE Mom]

I heard the new defense last night on CNN. It’s similar to the Bill Clinton excuse at the Dem’s convention- no president could have fixed this. Now the State Dept says the attack was SO bad that NO AMOUNT of protection could have prevented it or saved the lives of the murdered Americans.

[freeangel]

Unprecedented, my butt. How many attacks have there been over the years by those peaceloving pigs? Although, this may be the first one to have been noticed by this many people because of internet sources so the State Dept is hoping it is those people this LIE will reach.

[Sacajaweau]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_United_States_embassy_bombings

[Cincinatus' Wife]

This is from Tuesday?

From an after hours conference call last evening.

Bret Baer on "Special Report" interjected breaking news about the White House conference call with news services (sans Fox News) late in the program yesterday -- close to 7PM EST.

[Sacajaweau]

I hate to use wiki but it’s reasonable background.

[Puddleglum]

The administration lied and misled for weeks and weeks and weeks. The truth is that our State Department cost an ambassador his life and then tried to hide it AND blame American free speech for it. I cannot begin to state how repugnant the situation is -this administration is unfit to command foreign policy and is unfit to protect our liberties. So many people need to resign over this and face punishment; one man should be voted out of office.

I remember the media was only interested in Romney's reaction, not Obama’s dereliction. Stupid media. Ate the candy right out of the State Department's hand and asked for more instead of asking questions. Complicit media.

[mazda77]

White House going into segregated damage control the night before something big is going to be exposed in the Oversight Committee hearings today. They know what is coming and what we have seen does not likely hold a candle to the fireworks today. Rep. Chaffetz is livid in every interview he appears in and it looks like he will take the lead.

In my estimation, somebody is going to spill their guts big time, ergo the late night before damage control excluding Fox News. Funny thing is Brett got the drop on it.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....I remember the media was only interested in Romney's reaction, not Obama’s dereliction. Stupid media. Ate the candy right out of the State Department's hand and asked for more instead of asking questions. Complicit media.

BUMP!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Sept. 27, 2012: Kerry, Rice position themselves on Benghazi attack "The two most discussed candidates to be America's next top diplomat now find themselves on opposite sides of the Libya issue, with U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice in the role of defending the administration's narrative and Sen. John Kerry(D-MA) promising tough congressional oversight while giving the State Department room to conduct its own investigation.

As the controversy over the administration's handling of the issue grows,Rice's comments on the Sept. 11 assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi are coming under increasing attack. Her insistence on a number of Sunday talk shows Sept. 16 that,according to the best information available at the time,the attack was an unplanned assault and the result of an anti-Islam video is facing harsh criticism from senators. Administration officials, including most recently Defense Secretary Leon Panetta,have since called it a "terrorist attack," and even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has indicated that al Qaeda affiliated groups were involved.

"First of all, there's an FBI investigation which is ongoing and we look to that investigation to give us the definitive word as to what transpired. But putting together the best information that we have available to us today, our current assessment is what happened in Benghazi was in fact initially a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired hours before in Cairo,almost a copycat of the demonstrations against our facility in Cairo, prompted by the video," Rice said Sept. 16 on NBC's Meet the Press.

........Privately,however, Kerry has been pressing the administration for answers. He sent a letter to Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides about Diplomatic Security on Sept. 17, The letter, which was previously undisclosed but obtained by The Cable,asks Nides to answer a host of questions on the security conditions at the Benghazi consulate and the cooperation of the governments in Egypt,Libya,and Yemen during and after the attacks....."

[jersey117]

Fox news is the one network who stayed with the story. Catherine Herrige and Brett Baer were on top of this story from day one.

[FryingPan101]

“Fox news is the one network who stayed with the story. Catherine Herrige and Brett Baer were on top of this story from day one.”

The “Chad Lad” grew into one of the best in the business ever.

Regarding the incident, however, what are we going to do about it????

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Fox news is the one network who stayed with the story. Catherine Herrige and Brett Baer were on top of this story from day one.

Which was mentioned last night on the show. The panel floated the idea that the WH didn't want anyone informed in on the conference call [FOX] to ask informed and embarrassing questions about the administration's newest spin.

[Gay State Conservative]

"Unprecedented" is certainly one way to put it but an even better way to describe the attack *and* Osama's coverup afterward is despicable!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Forgot to add to my comment that the WH immediately contacted Fox News once Brett Baer reported “on air” of the WH conference call [with their newest spin to news outlets - that Fox was excluded from] to apologize for their omission of Fox from the conference call [Brett reported this contact from the WH to Fox on the show].

[Nailbiter]

As of 5 am CST, Chicago WBBM was still running with video caused the the death of Steven’s. I was screamed at the radio— state dept and admin caused this mans death.

The difference between 10 yrs ago or more and now is that state run MSM, is so behind the times.
In this day information is readily available.
Administrations cannot hide information from citizens- there are alternate view points, information, on the spot video and reporting that can put their lies to open debate.

This administration and State department put American citizens in harms way for political gain.

But as always when dealing with humans once the battle is joined the plans are out the window.

We are dealing with two dumbass democrat politicians jockeying for position, and we lost citizens to their mistakes.

We have Obama looking for political gain with October surprise of rescuing citizens from Islamist radicals ala Ronald Reagan, the difference is that Reagan meant what he said and Obama channels Reagan while bowing to the enemy.

We have Hillary who is positioning herself for run in 2016, but has no regard for the damage she is doing to the country in the process.

Both are responsible for many deaths of citizens here and abroad.

I am reminded of opening for cartoon from the 60’s - Deputy Dog I believe- opening “I am here to save the day”.

I do not want someone to save the day, I would settle for someone to save freedom in the USA. And neither of these supposed politicians understand the concept.

Railing to myself- I am so very tired of liberals- the last 70 yrs have been license to steal from hard working conservatives across the planet, causing untold death to freedom loving people wishing only to live their lives without interference from govt bureaucrats

[rightwingcrazy]

“unprecedented in recent history”

A grand way of saying almost nothing. Perhaps the word “unprecedented” is their excuse for lack of preparedness, but the phrase “in recent history” immediately undermines it.

[kabar]

"The lethality and number of armed people is unprecedented," one of the officials said. "There was no attack anywhere in Libya -- Tripoli or Benghazi -- like this, So it is unprecedented and would be very, very hard to find a precedent like that in recent diplomatic history."

Try the attacks against our embassies in Iran and Pakistan in 1979.