Yes, but add in this factor. The QRF, let’s assume it was in Frankfort Germany, (just guessing), only went to Sigonella because CBA was not granted even more quickly. If CBA was given right away, say, by a Reagan or Bush, the QRF would have gone directly from Frankfurt to Benghazi, for either a paradrop or a C-130 landing on a nearby desert road, or in a C-17 preloaded with vehicles.
By the time the jet or prop transports arrive with the troops, USN and USAF jets are already controlling the air space, and are working with Ty Woods to kill everything hostile in sight of his laser.
In this “immediate action” scenario, (direct flight Germany to Benghazi) the Force Recon QRF arrives after the bad guys have already mostly been driven off by U.S. air power, our fighter jets and elint platforms having arrived over Benghazi one hour after the first alarm went out.
The Marines secure the annex and consulate areas, and have meals waiting by the time the ad-hoc CIA rescue team arrives from Tripoli in a chartered twin engine.
Sigonella is only in this story because early CBA was NOT given, so the Force Recon QRF and their planes needed a place to wait around. And they waited all night, and were never sent to Benghazi.
And as we know, this is ALL on Obama. He alone holds the CBA “royal scepter.”
So in reality, the film of this non-action is so covered with guilty fingerprints it’s practically opaque. Forget about the Marines spooling away on Sig, the mere fact that there wasn’t an F/A-18 on station within an hour after the SHTF call is evidence of omission, proving a military solution wasn’t on the table from the get-go. Otherwise, what the hell? I can’t imagine anyone debating for more than a half a second whether or not to save American lives when you have the nation’s resources and might behind you.
Flashback to President Reagan and the invasion of Grenada to “rescue med students”: end of problem of Cuban/Soviet settlement there. Media briefly complained. End of story for many years.