1/3/2020
My Take On The Official Response To Benghazi
I recently began reading a portion of the December 7, 2016 House Calendar No. 163 titled the “Final Report of the Select Committee on The Events Surrounding The 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi“.
In the roughly 150 pages I read I get the sense that Obama knew about the Benghazi attack within an hour of it happening. He had already spoke with his national security team about the Arab Spring and the anniversary of the 9/11/2001 attack on the Twin Towers.
Obama told Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense, to do what it takes to save American lives. Panetta issued the order to deploy assets ASAP. I did not read about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s response anywhere in this section of the report.
What I did read was bureaucratic bungling which transmitted down to the troops on the ground who were chomping at the bit. There was a clear message from Secretary of Defense – Go Get Them, but that had to wait while a White House “committee” discussed what the implications of sending troops into Libya would look like. Whether they should be in uniform or civilian clothing (4 times the “rescue team” was told to change clothing).
Nobody bothered to listen to the Secretary of Defense’s order to “Charge”. Therefore no aircraft were deployed, not teams were brought to bear on the situation. The only team to respond was a DOD team in Tripoli, who had to secure their own air transport to Benghazi, then barter for 4 ½ hours for ground transport to the Annex.
Military resource leaders had to watch Fox News reports on television about the action at the Annex in Benghazi. They were attempting to self-mobilize, but had everything except air transport to Libya.
It seems that at every command level they only heard prepare to deploy, but no command of execution “Deploy” was ever received, although Secretary of Defense said “Deploy” and assumed it was taking place.
The fact that neither President Obama, Secretary Panetta or even Secretary Clinton became personally involved or followed up on the status of what was happening on the ground, coupled with the fact that everybody seemed to feel it’s just too late, so why bother.
Those on the ground at the Annex in Benghazi had a much different thought process – they wondered if they would survive? Was help coming?
I read that “rescue” had been redesignated as “beef up Tripoli” in case something really bad happens there, while Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans lay dead in Benghazi. There was no situational awareness outside of the crisis taking place.
This report is more than 900 pages long and I’m too steamed at the moment to continue reading. – I am the Real Truckmaster!
It is coincidental that as I prepared to write this article we have an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq and the subsequent targeting of Iran’s top terrorist General Soleimani who was actively involved in several terror attacks against the US, including Benghazi in 2012.
Benghazi ain’t going away!
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