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Lack of Strike Force Impeded Benghazi Response
Washington Times ^ | October 28, 2012 | Rowan Scarborough

Posted on 10/29/2012 12:50:08 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

As U.S. Africa Command waited for any order to rescue Americans on Sept. 11 at the besieged consulate and CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya, it was missing a key unit that the Pentagon gives every regional four-star commander — an emergency strike force.

The new command’s lack of such a unit is another piece in the unfolding Benghazi timeline that shows an overriding theme: As radical Islamic extremism swelled in the chaotic coastal city, U.S. security assets in Libya diminished.

From the State Department’s denial of diplomats’ requests for more security in Libya to Obama administration officials repeatedly saying the military-style attack on the consulate resulted from “spontaneous” protests, the events before, during and after the Benghazi assault reflect the political, diplomatic and military confusion that is post-Gadhafi Libya.

Each U.S. geographic combatant command, whether it be in the Middle East, the Pacific or, in this case, Africa, is entitled to a special operations rapid-response team — a group of Green Berets to perform instant combat in situations like the Islamist militants’ attack on the U.S. Consulate.

But on that day, AfriCom, the Pentagon’s newest geographic combatant command, which is still in the building phase, lacked what is called the “commander in-extremis force,” said a senior special operations official.

“All geographic combatant commands have one allocated to them, except AfriCom,” the senior official said. “AfriCom’s is in the process of being established.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: benghazi; benghazigate; derelictionofduty; libya; libyagate; nordstrom; securitydenied; shadowwars; strikeforce; threatmatrix; waronterror
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To: TigersEye

they did not protest the video until Hillary and Obama went on the news about it and calling attention to the video..I believe they helped organize the demonstrations that followed..to make it an issue. then we had days of riots .


21 posted on 10/29/2012 2:35:33 AM PDT by dalebert
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Obama is Stalin “crying” over the unfortunate Poles fighting and getting slaughtered by the Nazis in Warsaw.

The Red Army, halted at the gates of the Polish Capital for “logistical concerns” did eventually go to the rescue of the dead.

22 posted on 10/29/2012 2:47:11 AM PDT by Happy Rain (Mitt 4 then Sarah 8)
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To: Happy Rain
"..........Surely it is in the president’s best interests to release a copy of his order, which the military would have sent to hundreds in the chain of command. And if the president did not direct the NSC “to do whatever we need to do,” then who was in charge? When the American ambassador is attacked and remains out of American hands for over seven hours as a battle rages — and our military sends no aid — either the crisis-response system inside the White House is incompetent, or top officials are covering up." Benghazi: Obama Emerges from the Fog of War [Where is president's order to "secure our personnel?"]
23 posted on 10/29/2012 2:52:11 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

This is a must-read post. Excellent description of how Dept State stripped its people and property of protection despite months and months of reports about deteriorating conditions.

Hillary, your goose is cooked.


24 posted on 10/29/2012 2:57:51 AM PDT by gotribe (He's a mack-daddy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV415yit7Zg)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
We are witnessing the Gotterdamerung of the MSM on this one-—they are throwing what little remains of their credibility in abetting the cover up.

Obama has to win or they are finished cuz only he can save them and destroy their competition.

A decade ago I called them Media Martyrs—willing to sacrifice journalism for the socialist cause.

25 posted on 10/29/2012 3:05:54 AM PDT by Happy Rain (Mitt 4 then Sarah 8)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Geraldo had Charles Woods, father of former Seal Tyrone Woods on live, to which Geraldo was bowing his head down and shaking it in a no gesture as he just had a retired General on to give cover for Obama not being able to send the military in, to which Mr Woods was saying(paraphrased) in the interview "it is better to die the life of a hero, than live the life of a coward"
26 posted on 10/29/2012 3:17:32 AM PDT by Son House (The Economic Boom Heard Around The World => TEA Party 2012)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

From your Bing West thread.....

“the general in charge of the Africa region has allegedly said he received no directive from Washington to dispatch military aid. Members of the mutual protective society of generals are offering the bizarre defense that our Africa Command could do nothing because it has no military assets; it’s some sort of ghost command. Even if that is true, the most powerful nation in the world has sufficient forces and flexibility to send fighter aircraft over a consulate in flames, or to land some troops at the secure airport east of Benghazi. After all, our embassy in Tripoli, 400 miles away, sent an aircraft with six Americans to fight in Benghazi. But our base in Sigonella, 480 miles away, sent no help.”


27 posted on 10/29/2012 4:04:54 AM PDT by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
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To: nuconvert
...the mutual protective society of generals...

What the hell is the 'the mutual protective society of generals'? Never heard of it googled it, nothing.

28 posted on 10/29/2012 4:37:22 AM PDT by Never on my watch (I can see November from the Chick-Fil-A drive through lane.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife; TigerClaws

TC

Reference our discussion yesterday, this is the piece to which I referred


29 posted on 10/29/2012 4:45:10 AM PDT by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... Present failure and impending death yield irrational action))
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

bfl


30 posted on 10/29/2012 4:49:32 AM PDT by RoosterRedux (Obama: "If you've got a business -- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.")
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To: TigersEye

It appears we are the dead cat.


31 posted on 10/29/2012 4:51:42 AM PDT by Protect the Bill of Rights
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To: Happy Rain

I watched that on Geraldo. I got the impression from Ret General Keane that nothing was done because they had nothing in range to get there quick enough.

But what was interesting, he only said a drone sees a narrow area and that this compound was considered in a residential area and they could not tell the militia from the bad guys.

In otherwards, they didn’t do it because of the negative publicity if Libyans claimed they killed “innocents”.

So, it was safer to let the Americans die because that is easier to deal with than dead Libyans.

It is also damn sad that there was supposedly no quick strike force around.

All in all, it was shameful from the moment they pulled the good security team out of Libya weeks before all the way to the end.

Which always brings me back to the hostage idea. Something just isn’t kosher about this whole episode.


32 posted on 10/29/2012 4:56:09 AM PDT by dforest
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Total distraction issue, and utterly irrelevant. The fact is that, with or without specifically dedicated trained extraction teams, 2 Navy SEALs held off the bad guys for 7 hours. Drones, jets, gunships, etc were within an hour's distance. Any or all of those would have extended their lives, and extended the time to get two MORE Navy SEALs (or anyone else with "balls the size of cueballs") into the picture, and at least TRY to protect American lives, and most especially, the two SEAL heroes who were requesting help.

Obama's leadership is not about trying to help American soldiers under attack from al Qaeda,

even while he watches for hours.

This is the lesson of Benghazi. This is what needs to be on flying banners at football games this weekend.

33 posted on 10/29/2012 5:00:29 AM PDT by Teacher317 ('Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss.)
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To: Never on my watch

You’re kidding, right?


34 posted on 10/29/2012 5:03:34 AM PDT by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
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To: Happy Rain

I hated that the idiot had them out in the cold. They all had short sleeves, just in from Hawaii, and idiot horaldo has a coat on. Why not find coats for them or move the interview inside?


35 posted on 10/29/2012 5:04:09 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (christian.bahits.com)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

One does not paint a target comprised of enemy implacemnts and do so with a cumbersome and hard to conceal laser targeting device... unless there are assets directly overhead that are ready to lock in onto the laser and deliver assets on top of those points. This story is just a cover to make the sheeple forget about the targets being painted with targeting lasers. WAKE UP AMERICA!

LLS


36 posted on 10/29/2012 5:16:09 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (OUR GOVERNMENT AND PRESS ARE NO LONGER TRUSTWORTHY OR DESERVING OF RESPECT!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife; All
FYI: This coverup is bigger then Watergate and Americans Died. From the Tweet Site "Twitchy";

"Bret Baier confirms more Benghazi tips are coming in"

Link to Twitchy
37 posted on 10/29/2012 5:25:25 AM PDT by bobsunshine
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
“And I ended it by saying, ‘For me, the Taliban is on the inside of the building,” Mr. Nordstrom said."

Not only the Tally-ban, but the Moose-limb Bros as well, whom this Islamic Jihadist-appeasing-defending and supporting Admin, consider to be some sort of benign "fraternal" organizations, such is their willful ignorance and stoooopidity.

From the Chief Clueless Moonbat and Dir of Natl Intel, James "CRAPPER!" which speaks volumes:

In February, 2011, when mass demonstrations were bringing down Mubarak's presidency in Egypt, Clapper told a House Intelligence Committee hearing that:

"The term 'Muslim Brotherhood'...is an umbrella term for a variety of movements, in the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has decried Al Qaeda as a perversion of Islam," ... "They have pursued social ends, a betterment of the political order in Egypt, et cetera.....In other countries, there are also chapters or franchises of the Muslim Brotherhood, but there is no overarching agenda, particularly in pursuit of violence, at least internationally."

Small wonder this corrupt, Regime was unwilling to admit that they had supported elements of AQ in their quest to see the Arab Spring succeed and their narrative that with the elimination of OBL, the AQ worldwide was "on its heals"

PS: WHAT HAPPENED to the Consulate Staff (reported to be between 20-30 personnel) that was rescued and where are they now?

They are ALL witnesses yet no one seems to know anything re: there whereabouts and that not one has been found or questioned?

Are the being held under quarantine, incommunicado, somewhere and not even allowed to have contacted their family or threatened with incarceration should any speak of what happened???

If not, it would be simply amazing that not one has whispered a word of what transpired and that no one they spoke to, would have leaked any of this information.

Something here smells to high heaven....along with everything else associated with this cluster fook!

38 posted on 10/29/2012 5:31:52 AM PDT by neveralib
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Thanks for posting this.


39 posted on 10/29/2012 6:47:14 AM PDT by Excellence (9/11 was an act of faith.)
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To: bobsunshine; All
"Bret Baier confirms more Benghazi tips are coming in"

Bump!!!!!!

40 posted on 10/29/2012 6:52:21 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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