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Obama twice dodges Benghazi question
The Washington Examiner ^ | 10/26/12 | Byron York

Posted on 10/26/2012 5:21:23 PM PDT by markomalley

In a more difficult interview than he has experienced in recent sessions with MTV, NBC News, Jay Leno, The View and other outlets, President Obama twice did not answer the question of whether his administration denied requests for help from Americans under attack at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on September 11. That attack left Ambassador Chris Stevens and four other Americans dead. On Friday, Fox News reported that during the attack, the CIA turned down an “urgent request” for military back-up from agency operatives under fire in Benghazi.

In the interview, done Friday by Kyle Clark, a reporter for Denver’s KUSA-TV, Obama was asked a two-part question: “Were the Americans under attack at the consulate in Benghazi, Libya denied requests for help during that attack, and is it fair to tell Americans that what happened is under investigation and we’ll all find out after the election?”

Asking a two-part question always allows the subject to address one and ignore the other, and that is what Obama did. “The election has nothing to do with four brave Americans getting killed and us wanting to find out exactly what happened,” Obama said. “These are folks who served under me that I had sent to some very dangerous places. Nobody wants to find out more what happened than I do. But we want to make sure that we get it right, particularly because I have made a commitment to the families impacted as well as the American people. We’re going to bring those folks to justice. So we’re going to gather all the facts, find out exactly what happened, and make sure that it doesn’t happen again. But we’re also going to make sure that we bring to justice those who carried out these attacks.”

Actually, Obama answered neither question. So Clark asked the most important one again: “Were they denied requests for help during the attack?”

“Well, we are finding out exactly what happened,” Obama said. “I can tell you as I have said over the last couple of months since this happened, that the minute I found out what was going on, I gave three very clear directives. Number one, make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to. Number two, we’re going to investigate exactly what happened to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Number three, find out who did this so we can bring them to justice. I guarantee you that everybody in the State Department, our military, CIA, you name it, had number-one priority making sure that people were safe. These are our folks. And we’re going to find out exactly what happened. But what we also are going to do is make sure that we are identifying those who carried out these terrible attacks.”

Clark then moved on to another topic. But the bottom line was that Obama was asked the question of the day — were Americans under attack denied help? — and he didn’t answer. Twice.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: benghazi
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To: workerbee
thought Mark Levin was going to stroke out during the first 1/2 hour of his program tonight, talking about this. I’ve heard him mad, but nothing like this.

I bet, but I can't get to his site to get his shows now. Haven't been able to for the past week!


The pain you feel today is the strength you'll have tomorrow.

21 posted on 10/26/2012 6:01:41 PM PDT by rdb3 (Democrats: Once a slave owner, ALWAYS a slave owner!)
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To: crz

Prison? That is just silly. I may not like his motives and you may not like his motives, but he is the CIC. When it comes to denying or providing support, it’s entirely his call as CIC, neither he nor anyone else is going to jail for his decisions. It’s a given that commanders knowingly commit their people to situations that are sure to result in death - thankfully they are all volunteers and know that they could be sacrificed like pawns at any time.

My guess is there’s way more to this story than is being discussed, we are only getting the cover stories right now. I’m all for getting to the truth, but don’t expect anyone to go to jail for doing their job.


22 posted on 10/26/2012 6:04:40 PM PDT by reardensteel
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To: reardensteel

You ok with them going to jail if they did not do their job and someone is dead?


23 posted on 10/26/2012 6:27:19 PM PDT by nomorelurker
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To: markomalley
Thanks for posting this.

oReilly was all over this on his show....

Hannity interviewed Charles Woods Father of the fallen Seal .....

He had very critical words for those in the Whit House monitoring the attack and sent no help!

Hannity also had Issa and the Utah Congressman on....

24 posted on 10/26/2012 6:31:29 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach ((The Global Warming Hoax was a Criminal Act....where is Al Gore?))
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To: reardensteel

Glad I never served next to you. I would want someone who would have my back.


25 posted on 10/26/2012 6:34:31 PM PDT by crz
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To: nomorelurker

Like I said, we don’t know what was really going on yet. We probably agree way more than we disagree on this topic, I’m just pointing out that CIC is omnipotent with regard to this.

Now...if you want to talk about “Fast and Furious” or all the money that has been handed out to campaign donors, I think there are plenty of people who could/should go to jail. But that’s a non-military matter.


26 posted on 10/26/2012 6:37:06 PM PDT by reardensteel
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To: reardensteel
I’m all for getting to the truth, but don’t expect anyone to go to jail for doing their job.

Actually, if true -- 0b0z0 the idiot homosexual loving abortion promoting wimp was not doing his job. He was either derelict or treasonous at best.

27 posted on 10/26/2012 6:45:36 PM PDT by DBeers (†)
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To: crz

I would also want somebody who has my back, but if my commander was more concerned with my back than accomplishing the mission we would never win a war. We don’t know what their mission really was, we can only speculate. I was just as angry about this as anyone, and blame may be well deserved, but like it or not, nobody is going to jail for it.

I’m always sympathetic when I hear these stories of angry upset parents of lost military, but I think their emotions blind them to the reality of conflict and military command structure. Anger and blame is expected, but don’t take seriously comments about commanders being “murderers”, that’s just emotion talking. The media are only fanning the flames of emotion to increase ratings, they aren’t doing anyone any favors by encouraging these thoughts. It is sad that the media so trivialize conflict and by so doing sully the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to their country.


28 posted on 10/26/2012 6:57:14 PM PDT by reardensteel
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To: reardensteel

If Obama had been “doing his job,” he wouldn’t refuse to talk about it. But unless his job is supporting the jihad, he wasn’t doing it, and this is why you are hearing nothing but spin and obfuscation out of his mouth.

Good try, but face it: your boy was either so disastrously careless and negligent that he is not fit to drive or handle sharp implements, let alone be President of the US; or he’s working for the other side and doesn’t give a fig about Americans. So between those two options, which do you think is preferable?


29 posted on 10/26/2012 6:58:38 PM PDT by livius
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To: markomalley

30 posted on 10/27/2012 4:53:42 PM PDT by CodeToad (Padme: "So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause.")
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