CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack

[paulitician]

I understand that the seals had lazers locked onto targets. Hmmm That tells me they knew where an attack would be most effective and 2, that that drone was armed.

They never got the order to proceed. It's a very sad catastrophe for sure. And the Dear Leader can't blame DA BOOOOSH, or Romney. This is all on him.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Fox News Channel reported Friday that American officials in the compound repeatedly asked for military help during the assault but were rebuffed by CIA higher-ups. At a press briefing one day earlier, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, asked why there had not been a quicker, more forceful response to the assault, complained of "Monday-morning quarterbacking." Panetta said he and top military commanders had judged it too dangerous to send troops to the eastern Libyan city without a clearer picture of events on the ground.



The "basic principle is that you don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on; without having some real-time information about what's taking place," he said during a joint question-and-answer session with Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff General Martin Dempsey.

"As a result of not having that kind of information, the commander who was on the ground in that area, General Ham, General Dempsey and I felt very strongly that we could not put forces at risk in that situation," Panetta said. General Carter Ham commands the U.S. Africa Command.

And the CIA has denied that anyone in its chain of command rejected requests for help from the besieged Americans.

But Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol, in a post published Friday, doubted Panetta's explanation and said the fault must lie with Obama himself. "Would the secretary of defense make such a decision on his own? No," Kristol wrote. "It would have been a presidential decision."

"He's wrong," said Vietor.

Obama did not deny requests for help in Benghazi: Aide | The Ticket - Yahoo! News

Tell you what, I am going to accept the headline of that story without reading it. In fact, I am even willing to take Obama at his word that he actually, in his words, issued a very clear directive to make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to.

This is where I have a problem. Given the way Obama reacted to the Rolling Stone article about Petraeus, does anyone actually believe that Obama would be sitting around pretending everything was fine if someone had actively disobeyed his orders to secure our people?

 

[Foxfyre]

Fox News Channel reported Friday that American officials in the compound repeatedly asked for military help during the assault but were rebuffed by CIA higher-ups. At a press briefing one day earlier, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, asked why there had not been a quicker, more forceful response to the assault, complained of "Monday-morning quarterbacking." Panetta said he and top military commanders had judged it too dangerous to send troops to the eastern Libyan city without a clearer picture of events on the ground.



The "basic principle is that you don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on; without having some real-time information about what's taking place," he said during a joint question-and-answer session with Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff General Martin Dempsey.

"As a result of not having that kind of information, the commander who was on the ground in that area, General Ham, General Dempsey and I felt very strongly that we could not put forces at risk in that situation," Panetta said. General Carter Ham commands the U.S. Africa Command.

And the CIA has denied that anyone in its chain of command rejected requests for help from the besieged Americans.

But Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol, in a post published Friday, doubted Panetta's explanation and said the fault must lie with Obama himself. "Would the secretary of defense make such a decision on his own? No," Kristol wrote. "It would have been a presidential decision."

"He's wrong," said Vietor.

Obama did not deny requests for help in Benghazi: Aide | The Ticket - Yahoo! News

Tell you what, I am going to accept the headline of that story without reading it. In fact, I am even willing to take Obama at his word that he actually, in his words, issued a very clear directive to make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to.

This is where I have a problem. Given the way Obama reacted to the Rolling Stone article about Petraeus, does anyone actually believe that Obama would be sitting around pretending everything was fine if someone had actively disobeyed his orders to secure our people?

If Obama had given the order to secure our people in Benghazi, why did he and his press secretary and his Secretary of State and his U.N. Ambassador spend the next week or more not mentioning that they had ordered help when requested but rather insisting that the attack was a spontaneous mob retaliating against an offensive video?

 

[Cecilie1200]

SSSHHHHHHH.......

Could we interest you in a free Obama Phone?

What? No food stamps with that phone? For Christ's sake......

you have to be getting food stamps to qualify for the phone.

 

[Foxfyre]

And it now appears that the Administration has relieved General Ham of his duties. Was this because he presumed to rescue the consulate staff when they first called for help after he had been ordered to stand down? The timing of his replacement doesn't meet the smell test does it.

Obama to nominate Army Gen. Rodriguez to lead AFRICOM - News - Stripes

If only there had been no surviving witnesses to testify (and the reason there are is due to two brave former Navy seals who gave their lives to save their countrymen.) If only there had been time to suppress those e-mails.

Would we still be believing the administration's story that the attack was a spontaneous angry mob reacting to an offensive video?

 

[Bigfoot]

Obama also relieved a Carrier Group Commander while at sea. That may be unprecedented.

I bet the Clinton's have him by the short hairs now!

 

[BluePhantom]

The CIA annex was a mile away, it's amazing that the sound of "gunfire" carries that far!!!

Oh the sound of 150-200 people firing automatic weapons and RPGs doesn't travel a mile?!?!? Good God you are an idiot Ed. No wonder you believe Obama's bullshit.

 

[Bigfoot]

The CIA annex was a mile away, it's amazing that the sound of "gunfire" carries that far!!!

Oh the sound of 150-200 people firing automatic weapons and RPGs doesn't travel a mile?!?!? Good God you are an idiot Ed. No wonder you believe Obama's bullshit.

I had to tell that same guy he was an idiot yesterday. Over something just as simple if not more so. ~shrug~

 

[BluePhantom]

Tell you what, I am going to accept the headline of that story without reading it. In fact, I am even willing to take Obama at his word that he actually, in his words, issued a very clear directive to make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to.

I read it. It's basically an aide saying "it's not our fault". Look, this is very simple. The libs and the administration are trying to spin this by using specific wording....saying "assistance was not denied by X, Y, or Z". This is a hilarious argument. The president is the only one who can give the order to commit forces....the Secretary of State can't do it, the Secretary of Defense can't do it....that power lies exclusively with the POTUS. Had Obama given that order forces would have been committed. But forces were not committed and that means Obama never gave the order.

 

[Bigfoot]

Tell you what, I am going to accept the headline of that story without reading it. In fact, I am even willing to take Obama at his word that he actually, in his words, issued a very clear directive to make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to.

I read it. It's basically an aide saying "it's not our fault". Look, this is very simple. The libs and the administration are trying to spin this by using specific wording....saying "assistance was not denied by X, Y, or Z". This is a hilarious argument. The president is the only one who can give the order to commit forces....the Secretary of State can't do it, the Secretary of Defense can't do it....that power lies exclusively with the POTUS. Had Obama given that order forces would have been committed. But forces were not committed and that means Obama never gave the order.

That's exactly what it is and I think that everyone is pretty much becoming aware of it. Obama tried to spin it, was caught lying and now is trying to spin the lie. He is hoping to stay mum at least until after the election. I think it's going to come out, to many people know exactly what happened. he cannot keep relieving our top commanders and everyone of them are pissed!

 

[asaratis]

Obama doesn't want to offend his Muslim friends. That is why he hasn't done a goddamned thing concerning a harsh response to this act of radical Muslim terrorism!


Let's see..Obama invades Libya after getting approval from the UN (not the US Congress)

Obama gets rid of Gaddafi and allows radical Muslims to take over.


Radical Muslims attack the US Embassy and in a prolonged firefight (long enough that we could have blown away the mortar position and sent fighter jets to blast away the attackers) capture and kill our Ambassador and three others...and Obama doesn't do a goddamned thing!

Obama should be on trial TODAY!

Obama is a worthless, Muslim-lovin' Marxist ASSHOLE!!!

He is anti-American!

 

[Bigfoot]

I bet ole Bill is sitting on the couch in the oval office with Michell on his lap and Obama is scared to ask him to leave. Hillary might spill the beans.

 

[Trajan]

The phrasing and language is curious on both accounts, the CIA spokesperson said they didn't deny requests for help....they did not say they weren't asked....

The WH says:"Neither the president nor anyone in the White House denied any requests for assistance in Benghazi........

Same same....

 

[Trajan]

And for those that question the source etc....ok, fine, but, so lets go this route-

who here believes that anyone in that compound and/or annex would NOT have asked for help?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Tell you what, I am going to accept the headline of that story without reading it. In fact, I am even willing to take Obama at his word that he actually, in his words, issued a very clear directive to make sure that we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to.

I read it. It's basically an aide saying "it's not our fault". Look, this is very simple. The libs and the administration are trying to spin this by using specific wording....saying "assistance was not denied by X, Y, or Z". This is a hilarious argument. The president is the only one who can give the order to commit forces....the Secretary of State can't do it, the Secretary of Defense can't do it....that power lies exclusively with the POTUS. Had Obama given that order forces would have been committed. But forces were not committed and that means Obama never gave the order.

I agree 100%, if Obama had given an order to do everything possible to secure the people there would have been boots on the ground within hours.

 

[Moonglow]

I understand that the seals had lazers locked onto targets. Hmmm That tells me they knew where an attack would be most effective and 2, that that drone was armed.

They never got the order to proceed. It's a very sad catastrophe for sure. And the Dear Leader can't blame DA BOOOOSH, or Romney. This is all on him.

so now our government is a tightly centralized organization?With a strickly no freedom of the field commander to make their own decisions and no chain of command?
And if mother fuckers are so perfect, how come your on your azz and not out there showing us how it is done?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The phrasing and language is curious on both accounts, the CIA spokesperson said they didn't deny requests for help....they did not say they weren't asked....

The WH says:"Neither the president nor anyone in the White House denied any requests for assistance in Benghazi........

Same same....

Then we have Panetta, who said "You don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on. (We) felt we could not put forces at risk in that situation."

I hate to contradict the Secretary of Defense, but you have special ops teams that train to hit the ground with little or no intelligence. We also had at least one drone, a live feed from the consulate, and a com link with the SEALs on the ground. Someone made a decision not to send help, and Obama did not over rule it, even if he didn't make it. That makes him responsible.

 

[boedicca]

I agree 100%, if Obama had given an order to do everything possible to secure the people there would have been boots on the ground within hours.

If Obama had given the order he claims he did, there is a document trail. Where is it?

This entire situation is a shocking, yet all too predictable outcome of Obama's incompetence-narcissism-ammorality.

Wood and Doherty had a painted target, and asked for help to take it out. They would not have painted the target without assets in the area. Either an armed drone, an AC130 or even a helicopter was in the area. These two men spent hours asking for help while they held the enemy at bay (ultimately killing 60). Why wasn't support sent in when the facts show that there were resources within logistically feasible distances?

Another question is why weren't Special Ops sent in? Special Ops (CIF) don't wait until they know there is no danger to conduct rescue missions, something our pathetic CIC would know if he had ever studied the military.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I understand that the seals had lazers locked onto targets. Hmmm That tells me they knew where an attack would be most effective and 2, that that drone was armed.

They never got the order to proceed. It's a very sad catastrophe for sure. And the Dear Leader can't blame DA BOOOOSH, or Romney. This is all on him.

so now our government is a tightly centralized organization?With a strickly no freedom of the field commander to make their own decisions and no chain of command?
And if mother fuckers are so perfect, how come your on your azz and not out there showing us how it is done?

You voted for the guy, don't blame me.

 

[GWV5903]

Impeachment would be nice in my book...

How this admin is not broiled by the MSM is a travesty...

It makes you think he could have shot Stevens on live TV and they would still cover...

This is not my POTUS, never will be...

He is a piece of shit...