Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy Monkey
Drones can't read minds yet.
The intelligence briefing removed mention of al Qaeda due to lack of corroboration at the time. When they were confident enough, the briefings reflected that change.
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So Happy Monkey, now that we know that the CIA briefing to the president included words like "attack" and never included the word "demonstration", (and several other references like it), etc., and this was all changed to make it more palatable for Obama's chances for reelection. Do these facts change your opinion on this matter? Or are the facts now irrelevant, because they no longer fit the ideology you've held dear?
What we know is that the military personnel who had volunteered to go to Benghazi during the attack, were ordered to stand down. Only a few political response team members disregarded their orders, and went.
As one of the military members there said: "I've never seen the day that politicians had more balls than the military".
I don't have all the facts, but it appears that the State Dept. wanted a very limited response to the attack - and the Ambassador called it an ATTACK, not a demonstation. You don't bring explosives and mortars to a demonstration! When the state response team was told to stand down, most did, just a couple went on. They may have been on loan from the CIA, and felt they could defend themselves from later charges of insubordination.
All they could do with that limited amount of personnel, was evacuate the Benghazi compound. They knew the Ambassador was already dead, and were unable to get to his body.
Nothing from outside Libya - like the nearby Aviano Air Base in Italy, could be used, because it required explicit approval from the President, and he wouldn't give it.
Sign of the times:
Aviano Air Base used to have a motto on their webpage:
"Anywhere, Anytime", next to a large picture of an F-15 Eagle fighter.
Now their website has a picture of their swimming pool, etc, and promotes their Drive Safely and Environmental Impact work.
Dear gawd almighty! What's next? Bingo, perhaps a little Karaoke or Poker tournament?
http://www.aviano.af.mil/index.asp