If the WH wants people to believe that they believed the risks were too great to rescue Americans under attack, then they are insane.
The damning thing - and damning to all sides - is the intentional and persistent lies from the admin in the next few weeks saying that it was a spontaneous demonstration sparked by a video. Panetta has now unwittingly admitted this was a lie. Everyone who is focused on that will agree that they willfully deceived the American people and the world for weeks. You and I are in agreement that what Panetta says now shows cowardice at best. But not everyone will agree to that, especially soccer moms. Everyone, however, will agree once they put two and two together that the admin lied consciously and persistently for two weeks. Panetta is counting on the fact that this will devolve into a classic hawk versus dove argument for the next week. And one more week is all they need.