Patterico's Pontifications

10/30/2012

Jonah Goldberg on the (Absence of Any) Benghazi Fallout

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:18 am



The only way readers of the L.A. Times are going to get a clue that Benghazi might be a big deal is from reading Jonah Goldberg:

Last week, Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported that sources on the ground in Libya say they pleaded for support during the attack on the Benghazi consulate that led to the deaths of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. They were allegedly told twice to “stand down.” Worse, there are suggestions that there were significant military resources available to counterattack, but requests for help were denied.

If true, the White House’s concerted effort to blame the attack on a video crumbles. Yet, last Friday, the president claimed that “the minute I found out what was happening” in Benghazi, he ordered that everything possible be done to protect our personnel. That is either untrue, or he’s being disobeyed on grave matters.

This isn’t an “October surprise” foisted on the media by opposition research; it’s news.

This story raises precisely the sort of “big issues” the media routinely claim elections should be about. For instance, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that the “basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on, without having some real-time information about what’s taking place.” If real-time video of the attack and communications with Americans on the ground begging for assistance doesn’t constitute “real-time information,” what does?

Read it all. Thanks to MD in Philly.

85 Responses to “Jonah Goldberg on the (Absence of Any) Benghazi Fallout”

  1. I am assuming this is very atypical for the LAT, even as an occasional guest editorial.

    Somebody there interested in fairness?
    “Sinking to the level” of including conservatism to increase the readership?

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  2. And yet if you read the Dog Trainer’s wretched endorsement of Obama’s reelection (so horrible that I won’t even link to it) you would be assured that Obama provides “steady leadership” and that everything that has gone wrong over the last four years is the fault of instragant Republicans. Their editorial board, like their newsroom, truly exists in a west side world of their own.

    JVW (f5695c)

  3. MD, Jonah Goldberg serves as the Dog Trainer’s token conservative columnist. He was brought in when they let Michael Ramirez go.

    JVW (f5695c)

  4. Comment by JVW — 10/30/2012 @ 7:54 am

    Thanks for the info. I guess one could give the LAT a little bit of credit for having a real conservative as their token conservative. I’ve seen some papers where the token conservative is anything but.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  5. And what could have prevented anyone observing the attack from wanting, even moving to stop the huge debacle of death or capture of an Ambassador, the destruction of a consulate?

    http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2012/10/29/beyond-impeachment-benghazi/?singlepage=true

    An hour into the assault, could anything have saved the narrative of Arab Spring?

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  6. I just can’t imagine what those in the Situation Room thought they could possibly save with an order to “Stand Down”.

    That they could possibly retrieve with an investigation on unsecure territory some 17 days hence.

    Unless that was the whole point–None of the spontaneous would ever be debriefed.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  7. Why should the media search for the truth about Benghazi when there’s so much racism to uncover?

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  8. I’ve considered the possibility that Morsi intended to capture the Ambassador in trade for Abdel-Rahman and that antiChrist was complicit. Such treason would require sacrifice of the Ambassador, particularly if the roof caved in and heroes rescued him.

    http://pjmedia.com/blog/questions-for-white-house-over-benghazi-just-beginning/?singlepage=true

    Yet there are other intrigues afoot.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  9. So co-conspirator Panetta made the OBL call and then promptly changed chairs with the quiet man. We know OBL had been fingered for 6 mo. or more.

    Was the plan to bring the US into the ME orbit hatched before OBL or after?

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  10. They’re proving right now that they made the “correct” assessment of what the media would do.

    What their motives were for refusing to send help, we’ll probably never really know.

    I suspect it has something to do with not admitting that Libya and the other “Arab Spring” countries didn’t turn into US allies and may even have become active enemies or bases for the Islamists instead of neutral bastions of reserve and sense in a region full of zealots and firebrands prepared to head to Jerusalem en masse.

    Obama staked his meager foreign policy on the “Arab Spring” (yet for some reason refused to help the Iranian version. Valerie Jarrett I’m looking at YOU) and his ego wouldn’t allow him to be exposed as a failure this close to the election. (not enough time to set up his line of excuses, fallbacks and scapegoats. His usual MO)

    Once the decision was made/dithered over and the death of the Ambassador and 4 Americans was done, they began the coverup with the full knowledge that the Media would be complicit with their effort to hide this disgraceful incident.

    And the Media has obliged.

    Unfortunately for them both, they have yet summoned the nerve to shut off or control the internet, a la china, so the story is dribbling out.

    Most don’t realize that with a coverup it’s the dribbling out of information that’s actually the deadliest part. By admitting what went on and explaining how and why, they could have framed it to their advantage and the story would now be cooling on a back burner due to other events.

    Since they decided to hide facts known to too many they now face the daily spurts of the dribs and drabs of facts and speculation that will keep this in the forefront no matter how much the Media tries to push the story down.

    It’s Zombie news.

    Jcw46 (752544)

  11. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that the “basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on, without having some real-time information about what’s taking place.”

    This principle caused Gen McClellan and the Grand Army of the Potomac to sit out the first year or so of the Civil War, waiting for certainty, as Lee ran rings around them. Eventually McClellan was relieved and his army put to use.

    Seems like there needs to be some housecleaning at the Pentagon if this lesson has been forgotten.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  12. On the Omerta thread a posted a link to the opinion of a veteran Delta Force that emailed in to Blackfive, he described Panetta’s statement as “The Dumbest Shit I Ever Heard Doctrine”.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  13. McCain will get his chance to make up for that ‘campaign’.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  14. We may not understand but Libyans do:

    http://spectator.org/archives/2012/10/29/benghazigate-chapter-two

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  15. I hope McCain doesn’t get a cabinet position.

    mg (31009b)

  16. 14. Not to worry, oil and water.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  17. BTW, links via Doug Ross.

    http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=44853

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  18. Former Delta Operator on “The Panetta Doctrine” or also known as “The Dumbest Shit I Ever Heard!”

    I realize that anyone can say pretty much anything on the interalgoretubes. But I don’t think you can do better for affirmation than Blackfive. Cuz this is exactly what I’ve been saying ever since Panetta started peddling this happy horse shit.

    At first I was like, WTF. At second I was like WTFO?

    (The) basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on

    Does this guy, who is theoretically the Secretary of Defense, have even the most basic grasp of the reality under which his troops operate?

    Now, Blackfive may be quoting a Delta guy. And I was no one special. Just Navy. But turning to and not knowing a whole hell of a lot about what it was you were getting into was the order of the day.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  19. The Oregonian-Butthole by 6 with 12% other or undecided.

    Even being an atheist will not help him in OR.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  20. (The) basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on

    If that were the basic principle we wouldn’t have gotten out of bed. Hit snooze, let me know when somebody has figured out what’s going on.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  21. Greetings:

    Unstrangely enough, SoD Panetta seems much unaware of the old cavalry adage, “Ride to the sound of the cannons.”

    11B40 (e1d305)

  22. 11B40, Panetta is clearly unfamiliar with anything related to the military.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  23. If only he were just a avaricious, quixotic incompetent.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203335504578086450730075938.html

    Anointed of Belial.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  24. Yet, last Friday, the president claimed that “the minute I found out what was happening” in Benghazi, he ordered that everything possible be done to protect our personnel.

    So, why didn’t rescue forces get go orders?

    Either Valerie Jarrett pulled rank and countermanded the Commander-in-Chief’s instructions, or else clouds got in the way.

    ropelight (c070db)

  25. WaPo:

    “In the last three releases of the tracking poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News, Obama has trailed former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney among independent voters by between 16 and 20 percentage points.

    That’s a striking reversal from 2008, when Obama won independent voters, who made up 29 percent of the electorate, by eight points over Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

    And if Romney’s large margin among independents holds, it will be a break not just from 2008 but also from 2000 and 2004. In 2000, Texas Gov. George W. Bush won independents by 47 percent to 45 percent over Vice President Al Gore. Four years later, Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts essentially split unaffiliated voters, according to exit polls — 48 percent for Bush to 49 percent for Kerry. (Independents made up 27 percent of the vote in 2000 and 26 percent in 2004.)”

    Indies look to be 29% next week.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  26. You can listen to McCain’s interview with Hewitt and read the transcript of Hewitt’s interview of candidate and ex-mil Tom Cotton
    http://www.hughhewitt.com/blog

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  27. 25. Not happy, Barry.

    We’ll be interviewing your minions.

    You can tell them waterboarding may be torture but teabagging is in their best interest.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  28. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that the “basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on, without having some real-time information about what’s taking place.”

    Would he have felt the same if the President were under attack instad of the ambassador.

    Corky Boyd (c2186d)

  29. Somewhere in the line of command above those who called for aid there is at least one still-living coward.

    This has the odor of being a first order royal screaming cluster firetruck.

    Quick reaction forces do not wait for detailed “go” orders. They go when the need comes in, and on the way up and down they find out who, what, where, and how hard to hit when they land.

    Rumor now has it that AI CIF reaction force flew from Germany to Italy, and took off from there before being told to stand down. They may have been requested by GEN Ham — or they may have been recipients of the request to AI and knew to go from that. If that’s true, someone told them to stand down. Who? Who told that person to issue that order? Who …. You know.

    Whatever the original plan was, it was a plan made by someone very ignorant of basic military and espionage tactics. The planners thought that everyone would react as the planners imagined, and that no one would show any initiative.

    Or it was a plan made by a super genius, to make the USA and Obama look like fools. Well, maybe an ordinary gifted person, considering their competition.

    That GEN Ham has been reassigned and is now retired (or retiring) says a great deal about who stood up … and who cowarded up.

    htom (412a17)

  30. Sadly, my gut says you’re right, htom. It’s also cowardly to remain silent about what happened, although I understand why that occurs. This Administration has worked overtime to punish those who talk and thereby make sure it never happens.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  31. Obama said, “the minute I found out what was happening” in Benghazi, he ordered that everything possible be done to protect our personnel.

    But, did that order include authorization for our military forces to cross the Libyan boarder?

    If Obama withheld permission to cross an international border, and only POTUS can give that permission, then no military intervention originating in Europe, Sicily, or from US Naval forces would have been allowed to attempt a rescue.

    Without the Commander-in-Chief’s explicit cross-border authority (CBA) there could be no outside military intervention, and since in-country security had been systematically scaled back or stripped away, no military help could or would have been deployed.

    Standing orders are unambiguous, without explicit CBA authorization from President Obama no outside military intervention is possible.

    When the call went out from Benghazi for help General Ham at AFRICOM began to assemble a comprehensive rescue force, he had C-17s ready to transport war fighters, AC-130 gun ships, and MH-47 Chinook, Blackhawks, and Pavehawk helicopters ready to go, but without Obama’s CBA all they could do was to assemble in Sigonella, Sicily and wait for a go order from their Commander-in-Chief that never came.

    When General Ham announced his intention to go ahead without Obama’s authorization (CBA) he was relieved of command on the spot.

    ropelight (c070db)

  32. I believe Panetta misspoke. He meant to say the White House was lacking adequate intelligence to act.

    Words matter.

    in_awe (7c859a)

  33. Well, if the main issue is what happened within the chain of military command, I imagine the ability to speak of it or not also rests within the chain of military command, doesn’t it?

    So, if it’s Gen. Ham or some other high ranking officer instructed by the President, if they talk they’re busted, right, unless they can legally report to some Congressional Oversight Committee confidentially? Otherwise, it is a decision if and when to face the wrath of the CIC for disobeying orders. Is that correct?
    Or some staff assistant who was around and knows what happened is in the same situation.

    If it was “you”, when would you spill the beans, how many days before the election? If you’re going to be busted for it, might as well make it count.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  34. To me, “everything possible” would include that he’s authorizing CBA. Maybe this is just another of his lies. Or he said that, so he could say that he had, and added “except CBA”.

    htom (412a17)

  35. Comment by in_awe — 10/30/2012 @ 11:45 am

    That is one of the better explanations I’ve heard so far.
    Did Biden say that?

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  36. I hope that GEN Ham survives to the inauguration.

    htom (412a17)

  37. Maybe this is just another of his lies.

    Would you believe him if he said it rained in NJ yesterday if you didn’t have independent evidence?
    Just the other day he stated at a campaign rally that he had “kept all of his commitments and promises” from 2008. Anyone who believes that should be committed.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  38. If I was standing in an open field listening to him, with water drops falling on me, and he said it was raining where I was, I would look about for sprinklers, fire hoses, and very large birds.

    htom (412a17)

  39. Yet, last Friday, the president claimed that “the minute I found out what was happening” in Benghazi, he ordered that everything possible be done to protect our personnel.

    He only “found out” last Friday.

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  40. To me, “everything possible” would include that he’s authorizing CBA.

    Yes, but to Obama, CBA = “Cover Barack’s Ass.”

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  41. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that the “basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on, without having some real-time information about what’s taking place.”

    Excuse me, having never been in the military, this is just wild and crazy speculation, but isn’t a strong military a well prepared military?

    And a well prepared military is ready to be sent anywhere at anytime?

    And in the ME region (especially), wouldn’t there already be set in stone any number of plans, contingencies, ambushes, extraction plans,etc. readied, drilled, and memorized in case battle/firefight flares up without the enemy having had time to send out written notices????

    God, even the Boy Scout motto is: Be prepared. Why does Panetta scapegoat our brave service men and women this way because you can bet they were chomping at the bit to help their fellow Americans facing sure death.

    Dana (292dcf)

  42. 41 – Because Pannetta despises this country.

    mg (31009b)

  43. Unstrangely enough, SoD Panetta seems much unaware of the old cavalry adage, “Ride to the sound of the cannons.”

    Comment by 11B40 — 10/30/2012 @ 9:51 am

    Today’s fun fact! Kidz. With enough sugar cubes you can literally ride to the cannons.

    Start off with a cap gun. March your horse around in a wide circle with some guy in the middle with a gun. Fire off the cap gun, then drive you your horse into the center and give it a sugar cube.

    Before you know it, you can ride to the cannons. The horses think they’re made of sugar cubes.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  44. Just the other day he stated at a campaign rally that he had “kept all of his commitments and promises” from 2008. Anyone who believes that should be committed.

    A more brazen lie can not be conceived.

    SPQR (768505)

  45. A more brazen lie can not be conceived.

    Comment by SPQR — 10/30/2012 @ 1:06 pm

    There’s still, what, a week till the election?

    Just wait.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  46. Does approval of Rodriquez’ promotion to AfriCOM require cloture?

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  47. If I was standing in an open field listening to him, with water drops falling on me, and he said it was raining where I was, I would look about for sprinklers, fire hoses, and very large birds.

    Pissing on your leg and swearing that it is raining is one of their favorite gimmicks.

    JD (436368)

  48. A little over a year ago our so-called President unilaterally decided to help Muslim jihadists fight against K-Daffy and his minions…

    “The Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Charlottetown was deployed to the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya on 2 March 2011, but did not take immediate action once arrived.[267] Seventeen days later, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events then occurring during the conflict. That same day, military operations began, with US forces and one British submarine firing cruise missiles,[268][269] the French Air Force, United States Air Force and British Royal Air Force[270] undertaking sorties across Libya and a naval blockade by the Royal Navy.”–wiki

    Now, when jihadists in Libya attack an American consulate and murder several Americans…our military does absolutely NOTHING, not during the attack and not in response to the attack.

    Barack Obama is either an out-and-out traitor, or the most incompetent piece of shit that ever issued from that asshole known as the Left.

    Just looking at his face makes me want to puke.

    Just my two cents.

    Dave Surls (46b08c)

  49. k, Since President Buggy Whips is intent on giving us a 16th Century economy for the 21st Century, here’s more news you can use.

    Earlier I mentioned that with enough sugar cubes you can get a horse acclimated to gunfire.

    Well, if you really want to start up a do-it-yourself rodeo, real quick, try winging a sword blade around anywhere near your horse’s peripheral vision.

    Just saying. Don’t believe me.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  50. Now back to your regularly scheduled clusterf***, which, I shit you not, is no joke.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  51. Admittedly, some horses can put up with that kind of crap better than others. They’re individuals. Some aren’t phased, others wig out.

    Dunno, I’ve had horses and pointy metal objects on my mind ever since Tiger Beat embarrassed himself.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  52. “…I’ve seen some papers where the token conservative is anything but.”
    Comment by MD in Philly — 10/30/2012 @ 8:18 am

    But, enough about the NYT!

    AD-Restore the Republic/Obama Sucks! (b8ab92)

  53. “…Panetta is clearly unfamiliar with anything related to the military.”
    Comment by Steve57 — 10/30/2012 @ 9:55 am

    But, like his predecessor, Les Aspin (another Congresskritter), he is well versed in being “risk-averse”:
    Making difficult decisions can cost votes, so I’ll just vote Present!”

    AD-Restore the Republic/Obama Sucks! (b8ab92)

  54. The only commitment a lot of us wish to see Obama keep is at Bellvue.

    Everything the man has ever said comes with an expiration date – usually the moment that the words pass his lips.

    AD-Restore the Republic/Obama Sucks! (b8ab92)

  55. ________________________________________

    This story raises precisely the sort of “big issues” the media routinely claim elections should be about.

    I knew most of the media was biased (ie, to the left), but it really has gone beyond the pale with Obama.

    I recall certain observers in the local media over 20 years ago commenting on how the LA Times was totally easygoing about Tom Bradley when he was mayor until 1993, never saying a bad word about him. But I took that in stride, if only because Bradley was a fairly decent person — a moderate liberal — who seemed to have enough integrity that his time in office never was bedeviled with big scandals or huge screw-ups. But Obama is a whole different matter.

    This period of time is a reminder of how absurdly liberal and philosophically corrupt parts of American society have become.

    Mark (66bba6)

  56. This administration is brought to you by the number trillion and the letter Louis Vuitton.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  57. The mainstream media is not only ignoring this. They are ridiculing those who are covering it!

    In an article from last Thursday, a “reporter” from this rage praises Stephen Colbert’s mockery of Fox News coverage of the Benghazi incident. Absolutely despicable. Here is the link:

    http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-stephen-colbert-fox-news-libya-20121025,0,2670297.story

    Tony (2a43e2)

  58. narciso, the topic article anticipates the key argument by David Ignatius in your linked article @5:22 as follows: (emphasis added, separations for clarity)

    …For instance, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that the >”basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on, without having some real-time information about what’s taking place.”

    If real-time video of the attack and communications with Americans on the ground begging for assistance doesn’t constitute “real-time information,” what does?

    ropelight (c070db)

  59. Mooch, Cruella de Ville, George Clooney, and Sarah Jessica Parker are stunned…

    STUNNED

    I tell you…

    To learn Gucci isn’t a letter

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  60. Comment by narciso — 10/30/2012 @ 5:36 pm

    At the link:
    “Obama called the SEALS, and they got Bin Laden.
    The SEALS called Obama, and they were denied”

    Oh, that’s pointed and would be good on shirts, they can’t ban shirts with that on it, can they?

    Hillary Clinton said dissent was patriotic. I guess FB doesn’t think so.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  61. … Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
    This much we pledge—and more….

    JFK must be spinning in his grave. How the Democrats have fallen. (Not that the Republicans are much better.)

    0 should discard the phrase “leave no one behind”; I do not think he knows what it means and using it will only remind people of what a craven coward he is.

    htom (412a17)

  62. After the Bay of Pigs, and his colloquoy with Admiral Burke, trying to deny the responsibility,
    one learned not to take it seriously,

    narciso (ee31f1)

  63. I look forward to the Incomparable Won becoming disgusted with his Counsellors and representing himself at one of sundry trials.

    He will suffer them to file the appeal.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  64. “You can’t hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn’t we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn’t this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Greg – isn’t this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we’re not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!”
    –Media defense of Obama

    R

    AZ Bob (1c9631)

  65. what was the rescue plan?

    no confirmation of killed or captured, so would you not assume he was still alive in a safe room waiting for rescue as reported and as proved when discovered by Libyan looters.

    Boehner letter to Obama on OCtober 25, 2012
    a precept to articles of impeachmnet for high crimes by the president and vice president.

    Hows President Boehner sound to all of you if obama wins election.

    BRAD HANSEN (b21251)

  66. President Netanyahu is sounding pretty good right about now.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  67. http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/8r.RbXxS0sapFQp3usOezg–/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0zNDI7cT04NTt3PTUxMg–/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2012-10-30T191257Z_2036348639_GM1E8AV08VB01_RTRMADP_3_USA-CAMPAIGN-OBAMA-STORM.JPG

    Johnny-on-the-spot can manage to get dragged off the golf course when the SEALs are going to kill bin Laden, based upon intel he inherited from Bush, no problem.

    Sandy’s gonna hit, there he is again.

    Benghazi consulate gets over-run! Not a sign of the guy.

    Seriously, when has “homecoming queen” become a federal position?

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  68. If any of you were ever homecoming or prom queens I hope I’m not coming across too harshly.

    Homecoming queen or prom queen is a fine thing to aspire to. When you’re in high school. I’m just astounded to find a grown man who thinks he should be able to make a career of it.

    And get a federal pension for it.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  69. I don’t understand how President “That’s not my weed; I don’t know why it’s in my backpack” managed to get over 50 and still think he’s slick.

    http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/31/gingrich-rumor-says-networks-have-white-house-emails-telling-counterterrorism-group-to-stand-down-on-benghazi-rescue/

    http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/28/lyonsobama-needs-come-clean-what-happened-benghazi/?page=all#pagebreak

    Too many people know for a fact he’s lying.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  70. Rethinking my comment #24 @5:58am yesterday:

    Goldberg reported, Yet, last Friday, the president claimed that “the minute I found out what was happening” in Benghazi, he ordered that everything possible be done to protect our personnel.

    My flippant response pointing the finger at Valerie Jarrett failed to keep the focus on the President’s key statement.

    If we’re to understand why no outside rescue force was deployed by either AFRICOM or by the US Navy’s Carrier Strike Group then we must discover if Obama actually gave such an order, and if he did who countermanded the Commander-in-Chief’s order.

    If Obama gave the order he now claims to have given: that everything possible be done then no further authorization was necessary. That statement alone was all that was required for a full military response from our combined land and sea forces.

    Since no outside military response was forthcoming, it is imperative to demand the President prove he gave the rescue order or admit he’s guilty of dereliction of duty and other high crimes.

    ropelight (f90c90)

  71. Just curious. How many PACs does Preezy Big Bird want operating against him?

    LYONS: Obama needs to come clean on what happened in Benghazi

    Tiger Beat seems to have misjudged the situation.

    How can you say somebody being killed is not very optimal? I don’t think the President has the right idea of the English language.’ Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2220241/Barack-Obama-Benghazi-attack-Mother-diplomat-criticises-Presidents-optimal-comment.html#ixzz2AxcFphWM Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

    Like as an officer I could have looked in her face and lied. Like some Chi-town pol.

    It strikes me that on this one, every one is rogering up and saying, no, we won’t be providing cover.

    Steve57 (c8ac21)

  72. Steve, thanks for the linked articles. BTW the LYONS mentioned is a significant authority: Retired Adm. James A. Lyons, who was CINCPACFLT (Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet) and senior U.S. military representative to the United Nations.

    There are higher positions in the US Navy, but not many. For an officer of Admiral Lyons distinguished accomplishment to go public is a clear indication the US Navy isn’t going to take the fall for Obama’s treachery.

    ropelight (f77aba)

  73. On an earlier comment thread I opined that once the investigation Obama has ordered to determine what Obama knew and when he knew it, he’d then order another investigation to determine what the prior investigation told him he knew and when he was made aware of the investigation’s final report on what he knew.

    But these klowns are beyond parody:

    State Department to review its own Benghazi review

    Steve57 (320590)

  74. Steve57 – The Obama folks are quite fond of investigating themselves when they absolutely have to. Remember back to the process of auctioning off Obama’s former Senate seat. The Obama team investigated itself thoroughly and found no improprieties. America was able to rest easy due to that investigation.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  75. Via Ace:

    Herridge On Cable Month Before Benghazi Attack: “Smoking Gun Warning Here”

    You’ve got this emergency meeting in Benghazi, less than a month before the attack. At that briefing, the people are told that there are ten, ten, Islamic militias and al-Qaeda groups in Benghazi. The consulate can not sustain a coordinated attack and they need extra help. This information goes directly to the office of the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

    …”I can’t think of anything that would be more specific than if these groups had emailed the State Department and said, ‘Here’s the time, here’s the place, and here’s the method of the attack,'” she said.

    This reeks. There are so many levels on which this is not only wrong absolutely stupid it’s hard to know where to begin and when to end. Volume 12 of DoS’s Foreign Affairs Manual, for instance, lists a whole host of security procedures that were simply waived or ignored.

    I don’t understand how people get their overinflated and undeserved reputations for expertise, intelligence, and/or competence.

    But I see a bunch of reputations at the top about to be shredded.

    Clearly this has the fingerprints of Hillary! all over it. But if Ed Klein’s reporting is to be trusted, Hillary! has an ace up her sleeve in the form of evidence that she was over-ruled on beefing up security in Libya. And there’s only one guy who could have done that (and his puppet master).

    The thing is I’d bet everything that people at lower levels in State, DoD, CIA, and throughout the government were filing away all sorts of evidence proving this was entirely the WH’s screw-up.

    How they thought the WH thought it could get away with trying to blame hundreds of professional bureaucratic in-fighters is beyond me. But then I’m not the one who believes his own over-inflated and undeserved high opinion of my expertise, intelligence, and competence.

    Tiger Beat is.

    Steve57 (320590)

  76. http://www.radicalislam.org/analysis/riorg-exclusive-did-turkey-play-role-benghazi-attack

    RI.org Exclusive: Did Turkey Play a Role in Benghazi Attack?

    If reporting from the Washington Times is accurate, it looks like the Turkish Consul General Ali Sait Akin was in on the plot to attack the U.S. mission in Benghazi. According to an October 27, 2012 report, Libyan witnesses from the Benghazi neighborhood where the U.S. compound was located told reporters from the Associated Press (AP) that “150 bearded gunmen, some wearing the Afghan-style tunics favored by Islamic militants began sealing off the streets” leading to the facility “around nightfall.”

    Sunset on 9/11/2012 was 6:51pm Benghazi time.

    The Department of State “Background Briefing on Libya,” provided by telephone to reporters on October 9, 2012 states that Ambassador Christopher Stevens held his last meeting of the day on September 11 with the Turkish diplomat from 7:30pm to 8:30pm and then escorted him out to the compound gate to bid farewell. At that point, the briefing states, “Everything is calm at 8:30 p.m. There’s nothing unusual.”

    But the AP witnesses said that, “The neighbors all described the militants setting up checkpoints around the compound at about 8 p.m.” The checkpoints were described as being manned by bearded jihadis in pickup trucks mounted with heavy machine guns and bearing the logo of the Al-Qaeda terror franchise, Ansar al-Shariah.

    That means that the Turkish Consul General would have had to pass out through the blockade as he departed the American compound and left the area.

    …“[N]o one could get out or in,” according to one neighbor interviewed by the AP.

    Except for the Turkish Consul General, it would appear.

    …The topic of discussion between the Ambassador and his dinner guest has not been revealed, but it would seem to be of even more significance now that it has become obvious the Turkish diplomat and by extension, his government, were at least to some degree complicit in the attack against Ambassador Stevens and the others.

    A link to the report referenced in this article.

    http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/27/libyan-witnesses-recount-organized-benghazi-attack/print/

    As I’ve repeatedly pointed out, this happened in downtown Benghazi. There are lots of witnesses.

    You might as well try to cover-up the Superbowl.

    Now the big question; was the Obama administration involved in this attack on the US consulate? Because if the reports are accurate, the national security adviser ordered the military to stand-down, declaring “this is not a terrorist attack.”

    Now that sort of conflicts with their “fog of war” spiel.

    And you know? It probably wasn’t primarily a terrorist attack.

    Steve57 (320590)

  77. Looks like we have “undeniable” proof of the negligence prior to the event,
    Now we still need evidence of the failures at the time of the event.
    We already have enough public record after the event to show the dishonesty when combined with the first (two) parts.

    As long as at least one house of Congress is in repub hands the truth will out.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  78. I’m going to start calling 0 “President Stand Down”. Or maybe “President Find the Nobleman” (I like the anagram machine.)

    Had to stop at City Hall; there were a half-dozen voting absentee, another half-dozen waiting. I asked about this where I was going and was told it was a very heavy absentee turnout this election.

    htom (412a17)


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