by Ethel C. Fenig
Sunday night's CBS news program 60 Minutes' was a devastating--and surprising--expose on the slaughter of Americans in Benghazi, Libya last year including American Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other brave Americans.
Oh, and no surprise, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D) and President Barack Obama's (D) repeated assertions that the entire deadly incident was caused by the silly youtube video, "The Innocence of Muslims," mocking Islam, were wrong. Or as Clinton so notoriously put it,
Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?
As CBS summarizes, "Benghazi was a planned, sophisticated attack by al Qaeda against a barely protected American outpost."
This lack of protection makes a great deal of difference as there were numerous indications of al Qaeda activity in the area and repeated early warnings of planned attacks. The segment left a great deal unsaid: why did the USA have a consulate in Benghazi and what was really going on there and of course, why wasn't outside aid and rescue attempted?
Other Benghazi highlights in tweets.
1. "It's a terrible, terrible experience" -Hicks recalls effectively learning that U.S. military assets weren't on the way to #Benghazi
2. "They knew what they were doing. That was a well-executed attack" - Andy Wood on the #Benghazi attackers
A CIA quick reaction force ignored orders to wait & went into the compound, where they repelled 60 terrorists & saved 5 Americans
"'We're here to kill Americans, not Libyans,'" #Benghazi attackers told U.S. Mission guards, Jones recalls
"We're getting attacked...they're all over the compound." Jones recalls an officer in the #Benghazi compound telling him over the phone.
When the attack began, Amb Stevens called his deputy Greg Hicks, who said Stevens "sounded frightened."
3. Prior to the attack, Amb Stevens approved a cable to DC that said: "The al Qaeda flag has been spotted...flying over govt bldgs"
4. "You are going to get attacked in #Benghazi," a security official says he told Amb Stevens 3 months b/f the assault on the U.S. mission
5. A security official says the attack in #Benghazi was no surprise b/c al Qaeda had posted their plots against U.K. and U.S. online
Contrary to early WH statements, Benghazi was a planned, sophisticated attack by Al Qaeda against the barely protected American compound
Security officer Morgan Jones says hrs before the attack, Amb Stevens told him he was worried about security at the Benghazi compound.
There is much more to be uncovered about this incident including how and why CBS decided to probe. Is there more to come?
Full video here:
No comments:
Post a Comment