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Susan Rice defends initial comments on Benghazi
CBS ^ | 11/21/12 | Sara Dover

Posted on 11/22/2012 11:12:12 AM PST by Nachum

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, defended her early account the attack on the American embassy in Benghazi, responding to critics who say she gave misleading information about the nature of the attack and the motive behind it.

Rice said Wednesday she "relied solely and squarely" in preliminary information given to her by the intelligence committee shortly after the assault that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens.

Asked about her initial comments by CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk at the U.N., Rice said she "made clear that the information was preliminary, and that our investigations would give us the definitive answers. Everyone has worked in good faith to provide the best assessment based on info available."

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: benghazi; benghazicoverup; rice; susan; susanrice
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To: Eva

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,” said Judge Sotomayor, who is now considered to be near the top of President Obama’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees.


41 posted on 11/22/2012 1:11:07 PM PST by jessduntno ("Socialism only works...in Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they have it." - RR)
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To: Nachum
"made clear that the information was preliminary"

Well, there's still a YouTube user in jail for it.

42 posted on 11/22/2012 1:11:34 PM PST by tsowellfan (Allen West for Speaker!)
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To: Nachum

She is a good liar, but this has already been exposed as a lie, still charging the windmill.


43 posted on 11/22/2012 2:21:51 PM PST by dila813
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To: Nachum

She’s got all the old white guys in the state controlled “media” out there defending her and playing the race card for her so she can lie her ass off and still come out smelling like a rose.


44 posted on 11/22/2012 2:58:31 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Amnesty - Obama's bailout of Mexico. Barry sticks it to America again!)
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To: Nachum
Obama and his administration have completely failed to grasp the necessity of credibility on the world stage. Here is this woman caught in one stupid lie after another on behalf of his adminstration. What happens when she in the greater role of Secretary of State tries to get some head of state to believe the latest line of crap Obama asks her to spew? I don’t think she’ll even be granted a meeting. Obama may have the media worship and the worship of blacks, but elsewhere he won’t get the time of day from anybody.
Emotionally, the Zero is still a 12 year old who thinks if the first lie doesn’t work, just try another. Credibility is the essence of leadership, and he has lost it.
45 posted on 11/22/2012 3:23:25 PM PST by Missouri gal
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To: tsowellfan

If he was ‘JUST’ a youtube user,he wouldn’t be in jail. Facts is facts. He was a muslim terrorist, an FBI asset, who was instructed to make this idiot video available and pass it off as being made by a “billionaire Israeli Jew” so the whole ME uprising could be blamed on Israel but he was identified by Walid Shoebat for who he was. They couldn’t leave him on the street for fear he would talk so they have him all snuggled away from press and anyone else who might wish to talk to him. I will be very surprised if he is EVER heard from again.

WHY don’t people get that this entire thing was planned MONTHS in advance???


46 posted on 11/22/2012 3:27:48 PM PST by MestaMachine (It's the !!!!TREASON!!!!, stupid!)
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To: SpaceBar
Doubling-down on the lies is the best thing they can do... for us.

Thanks. You saved me some typing.

47 posted on 11/22/2012 3:28:29 PM PST by TigersEye (Who is John Galt?)
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To: Nachum
feh...
48 posted on 11/22/2012 4:00:40 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: MestaMachine

Beautiful and my hope and prayer as well.


49 posted on 11/22/2012 4:13:56 PM PST by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: CMailBag

Valerie is my bet


That’s WHY Clapper has to take the fall...can’t have the nation know that Valsputin is in control.


50 posted on 11/22/2012 4:32:02 PM PST by Hotlanta Mike ("God only knows it's not what we would choose to do." - Lyric from Us and Them - Pink Floyd)
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To: Nachum
Rice said Wednesday she "relied solely and squarely" in preliminary information given to her by the intelligence committee shortly after the assault ...

She went with 3-4 day old information? She is incompetent and does not deserve the SOS job.

51 posted on 11/22/2012 4:49:11 PM PST by Mike Darancette (I don't understand why the Boomers are so passive.)
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To: Missouri gal
“Obama and his administration have completely failed to grasp the necessity of credibility on the world stage.”

If the Obama abandons his own ambassador and covert warriors, how can US treaty allies trust the US to come to their aid especially when well-armed neighbors with old scores to settle perceive the US as weak and cowardly, too?

52 posted on 11/22/2012 6:05:38 PM PST by Seizethecarp (Defend aircraft from "runway kill zone" mini-drone helicopter swarm attacks: www.runwaykillzone.com)
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To: Nachum

My question to all involved that will NEVER get answered: Would we have even heard the facts that it was a terror attack if Rice and the MSM were able to successfully sell the “video” story? No way.


53 posted on 11/22/2012 8:18:39 PM PST by Eagle of Liberty (Be the Enemy Within the Enemy Within...)
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To: Nachum; Jet Jaguar; kristinn; RaceBannon; MarkLevinFan; penelopesire; rush; HonestConservative; ...

Ping

OT

Sound familiar?

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/11/czech-anti-chemical-warfare-troops-are-sent-to-jordan-after-obama-administration-loses-track-of-syrian-chemical-weapons/#comments


54 posted on 11/22/2012 8:44:35 PM PST by AliVeritas (God's will be done. Pray, Pray, Pray, Penance, Penance, Penance.)
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To: MestaMachine

WHY don’t people get that this entire thing was planned MONTHS in advance???

I’d say further out than that.

What was Stevens doing there?

When did CIC find out to the second and what were his orders to the second?

This guy has to go. I guess God wanted to make sure we weren’t there for Israel re: hook in the jaw, so the world would know he delivered them, no one else.


55 posted on 11/23/2012 12:13:53 AM PST by AliVeritas (God's will be done. Pray, Pray, Pray, Penance, Penance, Penance.)
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To: MestaMachine
Morning Mesta. Should justice come and justice always comes, zer0 voters are going to be suffering more than those who voted against zer0 eventually. Ignorance never rules over those who fear the Lord. Those who sense and understand what ignorance shall attempt to justify in words and deeds eventually rule over ignorance. Each of them know each of them lied. One of the ten Commandments has been broken and God has the final say when lies rule the day. All throughout the manual given to God fearing people by God, justice is mine sayeth the Lord. Maybe will be a time short or a time long.
56 posted on 11/23/2012 2:07:18 AM PST by no-to-illegals (Please God, Protect and Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform with Victory. Amen.)
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To: Nachum
Just for the record: The five Susan Rice statements:

ABC’s “This Week” - Sept 16, 2012:

JAKE TAPPER: So, first of all, what is the latest you can tell us on who these attackers were at the embassy or at the consulate in Benghazi? We’re hearing that the Libyans have arrested people. They’re saying that some people involved were from outside the country, that there might have even been Al Qaida ties. What’s the latest information?

MS. RICE: Well, Jake, first of all, it’s important to know that there’s an FBI investigation that has begun and will take some time to be completed. That will tell us with certainty what transpired.

But our current best assessment, based on the information that we have at present, is that, in fact, what this began as, it was a spontaneous — not a premeditated — response to what had transpired in Cairo. In Cairo, as you know, a few hours earlier, there was a violent protest that was undertaken in reaction to this very offensive video that was disseminated.

We believe that folks in Benghazi, a small number of people came to the embassy to — or to the consulate, rather, to replicate the sort of challenge that was posed in Cairo. And then as that unfolded, it seems to have been hijacked, let us say, by some individual clusters of extremists who came with heavier weapons, weapons that as you know in — in the wake of the revolution in Libya are — are quite common and accessible. And it then evolved from there.

CBS’s “Face the Nation” - Sept 16, 2012

MS. RICE: So we’ll want to see the results of that [FBI] investigation to draw any definitive conclusions. But based on the best information we have to date, what our assessment is as of the present is in fact what began spontaneously in Benghazi as a reaction to what had transpired some hours earlier in Cairo where, of course, as you know, there was a violent protest outside of our embassy– –sparked by this hateful video.

But soon after that spontaneous protest began outside of our consulate in Benghazi, we believe that it looks like extremist elements, individuals, joined in that– in that effort with heavy weapons of the sort that are, unfortunately, readily now available in Libya post-revolution. And that it spun from there into something much, much more violent.

BOB SCHIEFFER: But you do not agree with him that this was something that had been plotted out several months ago?

MS. RICE: We do not– we do not have information at present that leads us to conclude that this was premeditated or preplanned.

MR. SCHIEFFER: Do you agree or disagree with [the previous guest, the president of Libya’s general national congress] that al Qaeda had some part in this?

MS. RICE: Well, we’ll have to find out that out. I mean I think it’s clear that there were extremist elements that joined in and escalated the violence. Whether they were al Qaeda affiliates, whether they were Libyan-based extremists or al Qaeda itself I think is one of the things we’ll have to determine.

“Fox News Sunday” - Sept 16, 2012

CHRIS WALLACE: Let’s talk about the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi this week that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. The top Libyan official says that the attack on Tuesday was, quote, his words “preplanned.” Al Qaeda says the operation was revenge for our killing a top Al Qaeda leader. What do we know?

MS. RICE: Well, first of all, Chris, we are obviously investigating this very closely. The FBI has a lead in this investigation. The information, the best information and the best assessment we have today is that in fact this was not a preplanned, premeditated attack. That what happened initially was that it was a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired in Cairo as a consequence of the video. People gathered outside the embassy and then it grew very violent and those with extremist ties joined the fray and came with heavy weapons, which unfortunately are quite common in post-revolutionary Libya and that then spun out of control.

But we don’t see at this point signs this was a coordinated plan, premeditated attack. Obviously, we will wait for the results of the investigation and we don’t want to jump to conclusions before then. But I do think it’s important for the American people to know our best current assessment.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” - Sept 16, 2012

DAVID GREGORY: Well, let’s talk– talk about– well, you talked about this as spontaneous. Can you say definitively that the attacks on– on our consulate in Libya that killed ambassador Stevens and others there security personnel, that was spontaneous, was it a planned attack? Was there a terrorist element to it?

MS. RICE: Well, let us– let me tell you the– the best information we have at present. First of all, there’s an FBI investigation which is ongoing. And we look to that investigation to give us the definitive word as to what transpired. But putting together the best information that we have available to us today our current assessment is that what happened in Benghazi was in fact initially a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired hours before in Cairo, almost a copycat of– of the demonstrations against our facility in Cairo, which were prompted, of course, by the video.

What we think then transpired in Benghazi is that opportunistic extremist elements came to the consulate as this was unfolding. They came with heavy weapons which unfortunately are readily available in post revolutionary Libya. And it escalated into a much more violent episode. Obviously, that’s– that’s our best judgment now. We’ll await the results of the investigation. And the president has been very clear–we’ll work with the Libyan authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

CNN’s “State of the Union” - Sept 16, 2012, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

CROWLEY: There is a "New York Times" story this morning that suggests that the administration thinks this is a foreshadowing of a fall that will see sustained instability. Does the administration expect to see these sorts of protests outside U.S. embassies and elsewhere throughout the fall?

MS. RICE: Well, Candy, first of all, let's recall what has happened in the last several days. There was a hateful video that was disseminated on the internet. It had nothing to do with the United States government and it's one that we find disgusting and reprehensible. It's been offensive to many, many people around the world.

That sparked violence in various parts of the world, including violence directed against western facilities including our embassies and consulates. That violence is absolutely unacceptable, it's not a response that one can ever condone when it comes to such a video. And we have been working very closely and, indeed, effectively with the governments in the region and around the world to secure our personnel, secure our embassy, condemn the violent response to this video.

And, frankly, we've seen these sorts of incidents in the past. We've seen violent responses to "Satanic Verses." We've seen violent responses to the cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in an evil way. So this is something we've seen in the past, and we expect that it's possible that these kinds of things could percolate into the future. What we're focused on is securing our personnel, securing our facilities.

CROWLEY: Do you at this moment feel that U.S. embassies abroad are secure?

MS. RICE: We are doing our utmost to secure our facilities and our personnel and in various vulnerable places. We have demanded and we are receiving the cooperation of host governments. Host governments have also put out very strong messages in Libya, in Egypt, in Yemen and Tunisia condemning violence, saying that it's a completely unacceptable response to such a video. And we feel that we are now in a position doing the maximum that we can to protect our people.

CROWLEY: Why would one not look at what is going on in the Middle East now and say that the president's outreach to Muslims, which began at the beginning of his administration in Cairo and elsewhere has not worked because, yes, this video sparked it, but there is an underlying anti-Americanism that is very evident on the streets. So Why not look at it and think that this is this outreach has failed?

MS. RICE: For the same reason, Candy, when you look back at history and we had the horrible experience of our facilities and our personnel being attacked Beirut in 1981, we had the attack on Khobar Towers in the 1990s. We had an attack on our embassy in Yemen in 2008. There have been such attacks. There have been expressions of hostility towards the west.

CROWLEY: But this was sort of a reset, was it not? It was supposed to be a reset of U.S.-Muslim relations?

Ms. RICE: I have been to Libya and walked the streets of Benghazi myself. And despite what we saw in that horrific incident where some mob was hijacked ultimately by a handful of extremists, the United States is extremely popular in Libya and the outpouring of sympathy and support for Ambassador Stevens and his colleagues from the government, from people is evidence of that.

The fact is, Candy, that this is a turbulent time. It’s a time of dramatic change. It’s a change that the United States has backed because we understand that when democracy takes root, when human rights and people’s freedom of expression can be manifested, it may lead to turbulence in the short-term, but over the long-term, that is in the interest of the United States.

The mobs we’ve seen on the outside of these embassies are small minority. They’re the ones who have largely lost in these emerging democratic processes, and just as the people of these countries are not going to allow their lives to be hijacked by a dictator, they’re not going to allow an extremist mob to hijack their future and their freedom,. And we’re going to continue to stand with the vast majority of the populations in these countries.

FTI: Sunday Morning Talk Show Thread 16 September 2012

57 posted on 11/23/2012 12:07:17 PM PST by thouworm (.)
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To: MestaMachine
If he was ‘JUST’ a youtube user,he wouldn’t be in jail.

But according the what the government claims, he is JUST a YouTube user (that's all that matters) when it comes to Freedom of speech.

The difference between what they are claiming and what is reality is really not relevant. Their claim is they could jail anybody if they feel they are posting "hate speech" online.

58 posted on 11/24/2012 4:57:23 AM PST by tsowellfan (Allen West for Speaker!)
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