was it revealed in today's House hearings?
please share, cons.
please share, cons.
Benghazi smoking gun
- Thread starter JuliefromOhio
- Start date
Yet Another Benghazi Nothingburger Today
—By Kevin Drum
| Wed May. 8, 2013 2:07 PM PDT
Well, the big Benghazi hearings have finished up for the day, and as near I can tell we learned.....nothing. We heard testimony about the following:
The Pentagon didn't dispatch fighter jets to patrol Benghazi following the initial attack.
A 4-man special ops team was stationed in Tripoli, but wasn't dispatched to Benghazi the morning after the attacks to help with rescue and evacuation.
In interviews on the Sunday after the attacks, Susan Rice said things that contradicted Libyan President Mohamed Yusuf al-Magariaf.
None of this is even remotely new. The Pentagon has said before that they believed it was best for the Tripoli team to stay in Tripoli.1 General Carter Ham has testified that he didn't think deploying F-16s over Benghazi would be helpful, and he still doesn't. And Rice's interviews were litigated to death long ago. If you actually review the evidence, it turns out that her language was careful; it was based on CIA talking points; there was (and still is) evidence that the "Innocence of Muslims" video played a role in the attacks; and al-Magriaf was almost certainly wrong about whether the attacks were a long-planned operation. Details here.
All of this stuff is arguable. Maybe the Pentagon was wrong about both the Tripoli team and the fighter jets. Maybe Rice should have said something slightly different on the Sunday shows. Maybe the State Department should have beefed up security in Libya months before the attacks. Maybe the infamous talking points got sanded down a bit too much by the interagency review process. That's all possible.
Was Benghazi mishandled? Maybe. Are there lessons to be learned? Probably. Is there a scandal or a coverup? There's never been any evidence of it, and there still isn't. This is a show that goes on and on without end, but it never delivers a payoff. Issa and his colleagues need to start paying more attention to stuff that actually matters, and give up on the Fox-friendly conspiracy theories that never pan out. Enough's enough.
1Hold on. I might be thinking of something else here. It's not clear if the Pentagon has addressed the deployment of this particular team before. Regardless, this is solely about a tactical decision made after the attacks. A different team from Tripoli was dispatched earlier and arrived in Benghazi shortly before the final mortar attack.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/05/yet-another-benghazi-nothingburger-today
—By Kevin Drum
| Wed May. 8, 2013 2:07 PM PDT
Well, the big Benghazi hearings have finished up for the day, and as near I can tell we learned.....nothing. We heard testimony about the following:
The Pentagon didn't dispatch fighter jets to patrol Benghazi following the initial attack.
A 4-man special ops team was stationed in Tripoli, but wasn't dispatched to Benghazi the morning after the attacks to help with rescue and evacuation.
In interviews on the Sunday after the attacks, Susan Rice said things that contradicted Libyan President Mohamed Yusuf al-Magariaf.
None of this is even remotely new. The Pentagon has said before that they believed it was best for the Tripoli team to stay in Tripoli.1 General Carter Ham has testified that he didn't think deploying F-16s over Benghazi would be helpful, and he still doesn't. And Rice's interviews were litigated to death long ago. If you actually review the evidence, it turns out that her language was careful; it was based on CIA talking points; there was (and still is) evidence that the "Innocence of Muslims" video played a role in the attacks; and al-Magriaf was almost certainly wrong about whether the attacks were a long-planned operation. Details here.
All of this stuff is arguable. Maybe the Pentagon was wrong about both the Tripoli team and the fighter jets. Maybe Rice should have said something slightly different on the Sunday shows. Maybe the State Department should have beefed up security in Libya months before the attacks. Maybe the infamous talking points got sanded down a bit too much by the interagency review process. That's all possible.
Was Benghazi mishandled? Maybe. Are there lessons to be learned? Probably. Is there a scandal or a coverup? There's never been any evidence of it, and there still isn't. This is a show that goes on and on without end, but it never delivers a payoff. Issa and his colleagues need to start paying more attention to stuff that actually matters, and give up on the Fox-friendly conspiracy theories that never pan out. Enough's enough.
1Hold on. I might be thinking of something else here. It's not clear if the Pentagon has addressed the deployment of this particular team before. Regardless, this is solely about a tactical decision made after the attacks. A different team from Tripoli was dispatched earlier and arrived in Benghazi shortly before the final mortar attack.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/05/yet-another-benghazi-nothingburger-today
Mr. Friscus
Governor
Just at face value, all I know is that I was told by administration official after administration official that it was a "spontaneous protest" over a video.
Yes, I know many spontaneous protests that use such heavy weaponry that was used in this attack... but none come to mind, odd.
Are the Pro-Obamites on here still claiming the spontaneous protest bit?
(P.S. Sad I have to say this, but I'm not a Republican, so you're "You guys are just the same old liars" garbage doesn't apply to me, sorry to short-circuit your wiring).
Yes, I know many spontaneous protests that use such heavy weaponry that was used in this attack... but none come to mind, odd.
Are the Pro-Obamites on here still claiming the spontaneous protest bit?
(P.S. Sad I have to say this, but I'm not a Republican, so you're "You guys are just the same old liars" garbage doesn't apply to me, sorry to short-circuit your wiring).
did the hearings reveal the smoking gun that will take down Pres Obama and damage Hillary Clinton for 2016?
Really? All you've heard comes from one administration official after another? Name three.
How about this guy...
Wissam Buhmeid, the commander of the Tripoli government-sanctioned Libya's Shield Brigade, effectively a police force for Benghazi, maintained that it was anger over the Mohamed video which made the guards abandon their post. "There were definitely people from the security forces who let the attack happen because they were themselves offended by the film; they would absolutely put their loyalty to the Prophet over the consulate. The deaths are all nothing compared to insulting the Prophet."
There were a number of different versions of the attack that were circulated after the attack. Rice stated that there was an FBI investigation going on and that we would know more as a result.
How about this guy...
Wissam Buhmeid, the commander of the Tripoli government-sanctioned Libya's Shield Brigade, effectively a police force for Benghazi, maintained that it was anger over the Mohamed video which made the guards abandon their post. "There were definitely people from the security forces who let the attack happen because they were themselves offended by the film; they would absolutely put their loyalty to the Prophet over the consulate. The deaths are all nothing compared to insulting the Prophet."
There were a number of different versions of the attack that were circulated after the attack. Rice stated that there was an FBI investigation going on and that we would know more as a result.
Mr. Friscus
Governor
I guess you can lie as long as it doesn't bomb your election chances.
At least the Obama congregation won't mind... as for me, I prefer higher standards for someone I'd support with such vigor.
But hey, way to go... the major media is overall ignoring a factual lie by the President about a major international attack that cost American lives. It's amazing what having the most powerful people in the world on one's side can do.
Unless SOMEONE among all of the Obama faithful here on politicaljack.com can prove this was a spontaneous attack over a video... then I will stand corrected, and hey, I'll leave the forums. By all means, prove it.
At least the Obama congregation won't mind... as for me, I prefer higher standards for someone I'd support with such vigor.
But hey, way to go... the major media is overall ignoring a factual lie by the President about a major international attack that cost American lives. It's amazing what having the most powerful people in the world on one's side can do.
Unless SOMEONE among all of the Obama faithful here on politicaljack.com can prove this was a spontaneous attack over a video... then I will stand corrected, and hey, I'll leave the forums. By all means, prove it.
OldGaffer
Governor
Here is the investigation conclusions from the State Department, read it and get back to us.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/202446.pdf
Mr. Friscus
Governor
Um, how about you show me what I should see, and not throw a 39 page document at me for me to read...
NightSwimmer
Senator
What is quite obvious from your own statements is that you are both a partisan hack and a liar. Deny it to the gates of Hell, if it makes you happy. You aren't fooling anyone but yourself.
Yuri Zhivago
Mayor
Julie, Repubs have to go with the scandal they have, blown out of the proportion with continuos blown out of proportion outrage, not the major Katrina/ 911/Iraq War/economic crash type scandal they wish they had….
Yuri Zhivago
Mayor
what was the lie about again, conchik?
And how differently the security of ourdiplomatic outposts should be , if the origin of attack is angry mob outraged over video, or pre-planned attack.? The walls should be erected in one day differently, switch electrical outlets? Come' on "genius", what the [Unwelcome language removed] difference does it make what caused the attack, to the problem of securing our diplomatic outposts? that's what filthy republican party ,hell bent anti-American establishment aimed only on their political gains and money for their owners-1% , should be concerned about, instead of cutting it the budgets for everything in sight- including security of our embassies, kids meals , cancer help etc, unless it concerns their air travel
GordonGecko
President
So who was the last Democrat you ever voted for?
Yuri Zhivago
Mayor
somewhere he admitted he is R.Paul supporter
