Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Benghazi Scandal Grows (Long article)
TWS ^ | May 20, 2013 | Stephen Hayes

Posted on 05/10/2013 6:01:13 AM PDT by Kaslin

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-110 next last
To: thouworm

Thanks for the link to the video. The transcript is the only one I found


61 posted on 05/10/2013 9:25:29 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Geraldo On ‘Major Deception’ In Benghazi: Was Mitt Romney Told By CIA’s David Petraeus To Back Off?

On Friday’s Fox & Friends, Geraldo Rivera dove into the news that the intelligence community’s assessment of the reasons behind the attack on an American consulate in Benghazi was “scrubbed” of references to Islamic terrorism. Rivera said that, while he did not believe this was an impeachable offense, he was sure this “major deception” was likely to hinder former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential aspirations. Rivera added that former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney may have been told to back off claims of a cover-up in Benghazi for national security reasons by Former CIA Director David Petraeus.

“I think the biggest vulnerability to the Obama administration — indeed, to the president himself — comes from the cover-up,” Rivera said. “If, indeed, as these papers suggest very strongly, there was an intent to take a terrorist attack and morph it into something much more benign and spontaneous, then I believe that this is something that goes to the very heart of the integrity of the office.”

“This is a major, major deception,” Rivera added.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/geraldo-on-major-deception-in-benghazi-was-mitt-romney-told-by-cias-david-petraeus-to-back-off/


62 posted on 05/10/2013 9:28:22 AM PDT by kcvl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #63 Removed by Moderator

To: Kaslin

“Well, well, well. What a surprise!”

This Benghazi coverup/scandal is so bad, the controllers of ABCNNBCBS have told their nets/stations to release some of the news.

That way, they can claim they covered it.


64 posted on 05/10/2013 9:30:11 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (I'm afraid to go visit any American college because of all the foreign students with bombs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: kcvl

Did Aliens kidnap Whorealdo and replace his liberal brain with a normal one?

““I think the biggest vulnerability to the Obama administration — indeed, to the president himself — comes from the cover-up,” Rivera said. “If, indeed, as these papers suggest very strongly, there was an intent to take a terrorist attack and morph it into something much more benign and spontaneous, then I believe that this is something that goes to the very heart of the integrity of the office.”

“This is a major, major deception,” Rivera added.


65 posted on 05/10/2013 9:32:27 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (I'm afraid to go visit any American college because of all the foreign students with bombs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

November 16, 2012

Former CIA Director David Petraeus testified on Capitol Hill Friday that the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in September was an act of terrorism committed by al Qaeda-linked militants.

That’s according to U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-New York, who spoke to reporters after a closed hearing in the House, which lasted an hour and 20 minutes.

King said Petraeus’ testimony differed from an earlier assessment the former CIA director gave lawmakers just days after the September 11 attack, which left four Americans dead, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.

“He (Petraeus) ... stated that he thought all along he made it clear that there was significant terrorist involvement, and that is not my recollection of what he told us on September 14,” King said.

“The clear impression we were given (in September) was that the overwhelming amount of evidence was that it arose out of a spontaneous demonstration, and was not a terrorist attack,” he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/16/politics/benghazi-hearings


66 posted on 05/10/2013 9:32:55 AM PDT by kcvl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: boxlunch
Very well said.
67 posted on 05/10/2013 9:33:38 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: kcvl

I saw it. Whoraldo is an idiot


68 posted on 05/10/2013 9:42:06 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: boxlunch

I can’t think of a thing which would cause the enemy (the mainstream media turned fifth column enemy within) to change their loyalties to the people and away from the oligrahcs who write their paychecks. BUT I am keeping track of where to go hunting when the rule of law breaks down and chaos reigns because of these vermin helping to destroy America.


69 posted on 05/10/2013 9:45:51 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: kcvl

Thanks for that. Our senior military leadership are craven cowards who hide behind regulations and career concerns when it is obvious that our constitution is being violated and our laws broken. I do believe there were a few who came forward that evening and shortly afterward, and their careers were cut short. Where are they now? What do they fear so much that they won’t tell the truth now?

Two nights ago Issa claimed to Greta on FOX that a 4-star general had been sent as a “babysitter” for the State Dept. during phases of the Benghazi investigation.


70 posted on 05/10/2013 9:46:09 AM PDT by binreadin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin; piasa

Another stand-down discussion:

Turner: Now, do you know why they were told to stand down? Did Colonel Gibson give you any information or understanding?

Hicks: I actually don’t know why.

Turner: Is there any reason to believe that the situation in Benghazi was over? There were a number of series of attacks, as you’ve described it to us. Any reason to describe that there was no longer any danger in Benghazi?

Hicks: No, it was every reason to continue to believe that our personnel were in danger.

Turner: Mr. Hicks, Mr. Chaffetz has given me an article that appeared in USA Today just this week. And just as early as last Monday, Major Robert Firman, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the military’s account that was first issued weeks after the attacks hasn’t changed. “There was never any kind of stand-down order to anybody.” Now, that’s a pretty broad statement, “anybody.” What’s your reaction to the quote by Mr. Firman?

Hicks: I can only again repeat that Lieutenant Colonel Gibson said he was not to proceed to board the airplane.

Turner: So your first-hand experience being on the site, standing next to Colonel Gibson, who was on his way on that C-130 transport and being told not to go, contradicts what Mr. Firman is saying on behalf of the Pentagon?

Hicks: Yes sir.


71 posted on 05/10/2013 9:47:11 AM PDT by thouworm (Steyn: They let [Stevens] die, and then told lies over his coffin.They did that to one of their own.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Don Corleone

Hung out with Johnny Ola and the Rissotto brothers!! Hahaha


72 posted on 05/10/2013 9:48:36 AM PDT by Hyman Roth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

ISSA: The gentlelady’s time is expired, but if anyone wants to respond, they may.

Hearing none, we’ll go to the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Chaffetz.

CHAFFETZ: Thank you, Chairman.

And thank you all three for you being here. And thank (inaudible) the families of loved ones who’s (ph) passed away.

Mr. Hicks, I want to go back to that first plane from Tripoli. It went from Tripoli as — as the — noted in the ARB report. Included seven rescue team members, including two U.S. military personnel. That plane then returns to Tripoli. And the first rescue team that is there is now really engaged in the attack. You have no idea, it’s my understanding, as to when the attack is going to end, so the second rescue team is preparing to go.

And I want — you mentioned it in your opening statement, but if you could please go back to what this second team — now, the second team included four U.S. military. These are highly trained special forces personnel, one of which is a medic. And yet these military personnel do not operate under your authority and your permission is not enough for them to go. Explain to me again exactly what happened.

HICKS: Again, we determined that we needed to send a second team from Tripoli to secure the airport for the withdrawal of our personnel from Benghazi after the mortar attack.

CHAFFETZ: But were any of these U.S. military personnel not permitted to travel on a rescue mission or relief mission to Benghazi?

HICKS: They were not authorized to travel.

CHAFFETZ: What happened with those personnel?

HICKS: They remained in Tripoli with us. The medic went with the nurse to the hospital to lend his skills to the treatment of our — and care of our wounded.

CHAFFETZ: How did the personnel react to being told to stand down?

HICKS: They were furious. I can only say — well, I will quote Lieutenant Colonel Gibson. He said, “This is the first time in — in my career that a diplomat has more balls than somebody in the military.”

CHAFFETZ: So the military’s told to stand down, not engage in the fight. These are the kind of people willing to engage. What did — where’d that message come down? Where did the standdown order come from?

HICKS: I believe it came from either AFRICOM or SOC Africa.

CHAFFETZ: Now, my understanding is that General Ham was actually not in Stuttgart or AFRICOM’s headquarter but he was in Washington, D.C., is that correct?

HICKS: I don’t know the whereabouts of General Ham on that night.

CHAFFETZ: Mr. Chairman, this is something that we’re gonna have to continue to explore.
~~~~~~~
[THOMPSON testimony begins]

I need to move quickly now to Mr. Thompson, if I could. You were leader there at the — what’s called the FEST within the State Department. According to the State Department website, the FEST is the Foreign Emergency Support Team, the U.S. government’s only interagency on-call short notice team poised to respond to terrorist attacks worldwide.

I want to read to you an excerpt of an e-mail sent by you to Kathleen Austin-Ferguson on Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 at 9:58 p.m. Could you help me understand, who is Kathleen Austin-Ferguson?

THOMPSON: She is Undersecretary Kennedy’s deputy.

CHAFFETZ: You wrote, quote, “I am told that Pat Kennedy participated in a very senior conference call with the White House and discouraged the FEST option. To remind, FEST has dedicated aircraft able to respond in four (ph) hours, is Department of State-led and provides the below skills. When FBI was contacted they responded that this situation would be better addressed via a FEST response, thus there are others who are thinking the same way. Ready to discuss further as needed.”

Mark, two questions.

(CROSSTALK)

*** [The transcript bracketed by asterisks is an interruption in the questioning of THOMPSON]
**********************************************************

ISSA: Can the gentleman suspend for a moment?

Earlier there was one document that had not been placed in the record because it hadn’t been provided through official channels. And I’d ask that we get that. I think it came from Mr. Gowdy.

And then Mr. Chaffetz, if you could make your document available so we could make copies.

ISSA: And then for any other members on either side of the dais, if you plan to use a document that is not currently committee record — and I realize, since we’ve gotten very little, there’s very little committee records — please do us the favor of having copies so they can be distributed at or prior to the beginning of the questioning.

I’m sorry to interrupt...

(CROSSTALK)

(UNKNOWN): Mr. Chairman, one — one thing.

Mr. Chairman, as you recall yesterday I said — I reminded you that we had never, with regard to Mr. Thompson, this is for some — we’ve gotten a syllable from him.

ISSA: All right and we have no transcript...

(UNKNOWN): Right.

ISSA: ... either.

(UNKNOWN): But let me go on.

One of the things I said in our conversation is that they — if there were any documents that were going to be used, we would have liked to have had them yesterday. But — but with the regard to this document, it sounds like it’s a crucial document and in fairness to everybody, to all of us, and to Mr. Nordstrom who said he wanted a complete hearing, we’d like have the document, if we suspend — so he — before — we’d like to see the document that he’s talking about.

ISSA: OK, I’m — in the case of this particular document, Mr. Chaffetz is — my understanding is you do have the document. So I’ll let staff work on that and provide additional time, if — if need, if that turns out to not to be true.

For our witnesses, if you have any documents you’re going to refer to that we don’t have, if you’d have counsels allow copies to be made. Again, I want to make sure everyone has it as soon as possible. Obviously, if the State Department had made the documents they show as so-called in-camera, if they’d allowed us to have copies we’d all have more documents but...

(UNKNOWN): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

ISSA: ... that’s a different — different argument. Mr. Chaffetz, I’m sorry, we’ll give you back a couple of seconds. And the gentleman may continue.
***********************************************************

CHAFFETZ: Mr. Thompson, do you recall that e-mail?

THOMPSON: I do.

CHAFFETZ: Two questions.

Were you ever given a detailed explanation as to why the fest (ph) was not considered for deployment?

And number two, did you attend or attempt to attend any senior meetings to plead your case for a fest (ph) deployment? And if so, what happened?

THOMPSON: The reason I was given was that this was not the time for the fest (ph). It might be too unsafe for the fest (ph) and I got that through Miss Austin Ferguson. I — I readdressed that with her, I readdressed it with her staff two days later.

CHAFFETZ: Did you attempt to attend any meetings?

THOMPSON: The next morning there were VTCS. I presumed I would be part of that. I was told not to attend those, although C.B. was represented there, the fest (ph) portion and the response portion of the Counterterrorism Bureau was not represented there.

CHAFFETZ: So, why were you not called into action? This is what you trained for. It’s what tabletops are for. It’s what you’re prepared to do. Why was fest (ph) not called into action?

THOMPSON: I do not know.

CHAFFETZ: Mr. Chairman, it’s one of great mysteries. Here we have this expertise, we’ve invested heavily in it, they tabletop it, they understand it, this is exactly what they train for and they were never asked to go into action. We had no idea how long or when this was going to end.

Yield back.

ISSA: I thank the gentleman.

The gentleman is correct.


73 posted on 05/10/2013 10:01:28 AM PDT by thouworm (Steyn: They let [Stevens] die, and then told lies over his coffin.They did that to one of their own.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: thouworm

The Turner/Hicks testimony (post 71) in context

TURNER: Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.

Gentlemen, I want to thank you for being here today. Without your statements there is a tremendous amount of information that we just wouldn’t know. And certainly it’s important that you’re giving us this information, as we all have deep condolences for the families.

As we look at the information that we’ve gotten today, we basically have two standdown decisions that we’ve been able to discuss. One, the Foreign Emergency Support Team that Mr. Thompson has told us about. And Mr. Hicks, you told us of Colonel Gibson.

Mr. Hicks, I’m a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and I’m very fascinated with the standdown order to Colonel Gibson. As we pursue that we want to know who gave Colonel Gibson the order and why. And so we — I would like to review that standdown order with you and what you experienced that night since you were with him as he was receiving that standdown order.

You told us that there was a C-130 Libyan transport that had been provided and that you had indicated to Colonel Gibson that he should go to reinforce Benghazi and help to withdraw personnel. Colonel Gibson was told to stand down, and that plane left without him, landing about 7:30 in Benghazi without Colonel Gibson’s team.

Let’s start first with the review of what is Colonel Gibson’s team. What were those personnel, Colonel Gibson’s team, what were they doing in Libya?

HICKS: They are the — the remaining members of the special security teams group of special — 16 or — 14 special forces personnel assigned to protect Embassy Tripoli after the return and re- establishment of the embassy in September of 2011. And on the 1st of August the secretary of defense signed an order changing their status from being a security team to a training team, and transferring the authority — their authority from the chief of mission, the ambassador to General Ham.

And in — on August 6th, two members of that team were in a carjacking incident as they were driving early in the morning outside — outside the compound, and they had to use their weapons in order to escape that armed attack on their vehicle.

In light of that incident, General Ham decided to draw down the team from 14 personnel to four personnel. And Lieutenant Colonel Wood and nine others — Lieutenant Colonel Wood testified before this committee last October — left Tripoli in the middle of the month. So the Lieutenant Colonel Gibson and the other three members of that team are the remainder of that group.

TURNER: So their chain of command had been changed and they — and they had been reduced. But as you were just describing, these are highly trained individuals with specialized skills that would have been useful in the situation in Benghazi?

HICKS: Yes, absolutely, and particularly given the fact, again, that the personnel in Benghazi were — were exhausted from a night of fighting against very capable opponents.

TURNER: Now, do you know why they were told to stand down? Colonel Gibson give you any information or understanding of...

HICKS: I actually don’t know why.

TURNER: Is there any reason to believe that the situation in Benghazi was over? I mean, there were a number of — series of attacks you described to us. Any reason to believe that — that there was no longer any danger in Benghazi?

HICKS: No, there — it was every reason to continue to believe that our personnel were in danger.

TURNER: Mr. Hicks, Mr. Chaffetz has given me an article that appeared in USA Today just this week. And just as — as early as last Monday, Major Robert Furman (ph), a Pentagon spokesman, said that “the military’s account that was first issued weeks after the attack hasn’t changed. There was never any kind of standdown order to anybody.” And that’s a pretty broad statement, “anybody.” What’s your reaction to the quote by Mr. Furman (ph)?

HICKS: I could only, again, repeat that Lieutenant Colonel Gibson said he was not to proceed to board the airplane.

TURNER: So your firsthand experience being on the site, standing next to Colonel Gibson who was on his way on that C-130 transport and being told not to go contradicts what Mr. Furman (ph) is saying on behalf of the Pentagon?

HICKS: Yes, sir.

TURNER: Mr. Hicks, did the embassy have a defense attache on staff whose role it was to interface with the Defense Department? And did you ask him that evening, was the — were there any resources coming from the U.S. military? And what was your — your reaction to his responses as the evening unfolded?

HICKS: My reaction was that, OK, we’re on our own. We’re going to have to try to pull this off with the resources that we have available.

TURNER: Were the Libyans surprised?

HICKS: I don’t know, but I think they were.

TURNER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

ISSA: Thank you.

Before we go to Mr. Connolly, just because most people in the audience, including on the dais, don’t understand chief of mission authority, would you as chief of mission run us through who was under your chief of mission authority and who wasn’t? In other words, who did you have command-and-control of? And we’re talking about military assets. Because I think a lot of folks up here are hearing two chains of command, and it’d be helpful for you to explain it as a career State Department person — quickly.

HICKS: All — all civilian personnel in civilian (inaudible) personnel in Libya were under chief of mission authority, which was...

(CROSSTALK)

ISSA: ... which was yours.

HICKS: ... until he was — we knew that he was dead and then that passed to me.

The four members of the special forces team were under General Ham’s authority. We had two other military special forces personnel in country, and I was at that time unclear as to whether they were under my authority or not.

ISSA: So anyone you had under your authority you gave orders to, they responded, they went down range if you asked them to. The others were not allowed to?

HICKS: Yes, sir.


74 posted on 05/10/2013 10:10:56 AM PDT by thouworm (Steyn: They let [Stevens] die, and then told lies over his coffin.They did that to one of their own.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: onyx

That’s great news. Somehow we need to keep up the pressure and get people talking about this. Make the media look like the totally biased, incompetent, or morally corrupt agents of complicity that they really are!


75 posted on 05/10/2013 10:13:46 AM PDT by boxlunch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: thouworm

BUMP.
Thank you so much, thouworm!


76 posted on 05/10/2013 10:15:17 AM PDT by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: boxlunch
God bless and keep you, dearest boxlunch.
SALON ARTICLE :Secrets of the conservative media machine, 4-04-2013
77 posted on 05/10/2013 10:16:23 AM PDT by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: nikos1121
Do we have anyone...anyone in this God Forsaken government, (and media) of ours who can stand up to these people who are controlling our lives as though we are cattle?

You mention Nixon - remember: No one, I say NO ONE saw John Dean coming.

78 posted on 05/10/2013 10:17:41 AM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory, and He will not be mocked! Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: nathanbedford
It is striking how many people colluded in a cover-up to protect the institution, the presidential candidate, and the secretary of state, without considering the good of the country.

Have you seen the report that the Romney campaign squashed an RNC commercial on Benghazi? In effect, Romney enabled the coverup even as the RNC made some effort to get some eyes on it.

79 posted on 05/10/2013 10:22:47 AM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory, and He will not be mocked! Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: KeyLargo

New thread with that?


80 posted on 05/10/2013 10:26:04 AM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory, and He will not be mocked! Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-110 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson