No way in hell! Clearly, Obama preferred that the 25-30 Americans in Benghazi would be better off dying quietly.
The six-man “rescue operation” from Tripoli was only sent because the CIA station chief in Tripoli could send that piticul little team on his own authority, without getting permission from Washington. (And he had to CHARTER a damn airplane to get them there!)
Meanwhile 100+ Force Recon Marines are standing by in Sigonella for the go-order, the same flying time from Benghazi as Tripoli!
By the time the little ad-hoc CIA “rescue team” from Tripoli arrived at the annex, I’ll say it again, they should have met the 100+ Force Recon Marines who had already secured both the annex and the consulate, with supreme U.S. air power above taking out any point targets the Marines couldn’t engage with direct fire.
Meanwhile 100+ Force Recon Marines are standing by in Sigonella for the go-order
Is this speculation, or do we know for a fact that it's true: i.e., we had guys on the tarmac, waiting for the orders to go? If that were the case, would there be formal written orders from the brass at Sigonella to mobilize and stand by for the go decision?