[Mouton]

As I understand it, the CIA cannot give orders to the military to do anything, their mission is the collection of foreign intelligence.

In some situations, the on site military can give orders to engage in foreign defensive operations, i.e. a ship at sea under attack, a military compound overseas under attack. The embassy in this situation is kind of different, it is US soil and had no on site military presence.

So to me, the NCA is the responsible agency here which should have ordered help. The NCA is His Excellency through the Sec of Def....sounds like Panetta is falling on the sword for his excellency who was probably too involved in honing his basketball game or running for office to worry about our embassy.

[FR_addict]

“As I understand it, the CIA cannot give orders to the military to do anything, their mission is the collection of foreign intelligence.”

I'm sure you are right that the CIA cannot order the military to do anything, but evidently there were CIA operatives at the annex who were begging to go to the aid of the ambassador and the others. I would think only the CIA could order these operatives to stand down. That the military could not order them to stand down. It would seem only the President could over rule the CIA head.

So we have two things happening here - the military orders and the CIA orders. I doubt either can over rule the other. So that leaves the President unless he designated some one to handle this incident, while he went to bed.

[FR_addict]

“As I understand it, the CIA cannot give orders to the military to do anything, their mission is the collection of foreign intelligence.”

I'm sure you are right that the CIA cannot order the military to do anything, but evidently there were CIA operatives at the annex who were begging to go to the aid of the ambassador and the others. I would think only the CIA could order these operatives to stand down. That the military could not order them to stand down. It would seem only the President could over rule the CIA head.

So we have two things happening here - the military orders and the CIA orders. I doubt either can over rule the other. So that leaves the President unless he designated some one to handle this incident, while he went to bed.