The State Department has released the independent review board report, available here. It provides many details, but ignores the big issue, which is the White House response once the attacks started. I’m not sure if that was outside the scope of the investigation, but there’s no explanation as to why that issue was ignored.
Here are some of the key findings:
“The Board concluded that there was no protest prior to the attacks, which were unanticipated in their scale and intensity.”
“However, 2012 saw an overall deterioration of the security environment in Benghazi, as highlighted by a series of security incidents involving the Special Mission, international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and third-country nationals and diplomats…”
“Given the threat environment, the physical security platform in Benghazi was inadequate.”
“Terrorist networks are difficult to monitor, and the Board emphasizes the conclusion of previous accountability review boards that vulnerable missions cannot rely on receiving specific warning intelligence. Similarly, the lack of specific threat intelligence does not imply a lessening of probability of a terrorist attack. The Board found that there was a tendency on the part of policy, security and other U.S. government officials to rely heavily on the probability of warning intelligence and on the absence of specific threat information. The result was possibly to overlook the usefulness of taking a hard look at accumulated, sometimes circumstantial information, and instead to fail to appreciate threats and understand trends, particularly based on increased violence and the targeting of foreign diplomats and international organizations in Benghazi. The latter information failed to come into clear relief against a backdrop of the lack of effective governance, widespread and growing political violence and instability and the ready availability of weapons in eastern Libya. There were U.S. assessments that provided situational awareness on the persistent, general threat to U.S. and Western interests in eastern Libya, including Benghazi. Board members, however, were struck by the lack of discussion focused specifically on Benghazi.
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Comments
Worse than than the attack and the cover up, is the GOP’s allowing Hillary Clinton to phone-in her “the dog ate my homework” — or I fainted and hit my head –b.s., and allow her to skip the Congressional hearing.
Worse than any crime is a crooked, oowardly or lazy cop.
The GOP should have offices in a donut shop, not in Congress.
“The Board found that there was a tendency on the part of policy, security and other U.S. government officials to rely heavily on the probability of warning intelligence and on the absence of specific threat information.”
TRANSLATION: The folks in charge had their eyes closed and their fingers in their ears so they would not have to pay attention to anything bad. Because they were/are
a) Amateurs
b) Idiots
c) Afraid
d) All of the above
So exactly where was Barry Obummer over that seven hour period when Benghazi was going down on multiple fronts?
That question remains unanswered and inquiring minds still want to know.
Hillary took a case of “diplomatic flu” in order to avoid testifying. There is no way she is going to willingly get herself sworn in and on the record on this. She thought she had it down pat with Rice willing to spout the Obama lies.
Greta had a little on this. It seemed the report did not recommend any prosecution or investigation. So four dead, no one is fired or to blame.
Still many questions about the stand down order, or the organized lies told by Rice and Obama. Many more questions.
Was the president the only one who did not know or understand the situation in Benghazi? If that is not the case, then we have a pattern of evading accountability. If it is the case, then we have reelected an incompetent to lead our nation, and others, over the cliff.
Good grief!
In a nutshell: A few state department personnel were incompetent at their jobs and they should be placed on a performance improvement plan after their next review.
It must be nice to live in a zero accountability enviroment. Where else but DC can you get through life continually claiming the dog ate your homework?
Amazing, isn’t it? In our pathetic government, demonstrated incompetence in the job for which one has been hired/appointed not only will not get one fired, it is actually a resume’ enhancer.
It’s also maddening that the names of the “leaders” at State who failed to do their jobs were withheld from the public. Because the last thing the taxpaying public should be allowed to know is which of our taxpayer-financed “leaders” are incompetent at leading, right?
Good grief – a 43 word sentence.
43 beans in every cup.
So that’s it? Clinton gets away with it, and that’s that? No pressure on the GOP?
The lack of outrage amongst everyone here and the absence of a collective demand the GOP to hold the Obama administration’s feet to the fire over this astounds me.
What is everyone here waiting for?
Outrage? Sorry, I’m too exhausted after 4 years of Obama. This isn’t the first “outrage” from this administration and won’t be the last. Since the American people saw fit to reelect the obfuscator in chief and the republicans who refused to hold his feet to the fire, I’m going to operate under the assumption that this is exactly what the people want so I’ll sit back and watch as they get what they asked for.
LOOK! A SQUIRREL!
for those who disliked this comment, you obviously didn’t get the sarcasm. So I will be sure to add /sarc tags next time. Geez.
Didn’t read it, won’t bother. Your posted excerpts present the administration’s Theory of Life — Wishful Thinking. What’s missing is what was going on there in the first place . . . and the whereabouts of the remaining staff, of course. Now, there’s a job for NBC’s Richard Engel and his intrepid band of fools. Yeah, right.
When are we going to hear from the people who were whisked from the embassy, and subsequently saved, by the brave responders to the initial attack? I saw one story about this and then it disappeared.
A central question from the start has been why military assets such as armed drones, aircraft or special marine units on alert in Sicily were not used during the siege that lasted hours. The report only notes that there was not enough time for such deployment, but gives no evidence.
I understand that this would be outside State Dept. authority, but why bring it up at all without any discussion? Perhaps to enable the WH to deflect any future questions on the matter.
The main theme in every government report right there on page 3 straight from the government report writing template – We constantly struggle to get adequate resources necessary to do all the things our job requires of us so don’t blame us when we fail.
Released one week before Christmas, four days after a huge media event (CT shooting), and during the end time for the fiscal cliff negotiations. I’m surprised they didn’t wait till midnight this Friday to release it. This too will slip under the ice and disappear into the depths of American apathy.
If we let it.
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