By Brian Klein, Special to CNN
Editor’s note: Brian P. Klein is an economic consultant and former U.S. diplomat who blogs at Klein’s Commentary. The views expressed are his own.
The recently publicized series of State Department emails laying out in harrowing detail the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi have provoked another round of finger-pointing and more politically-motivated pabulum.
At 4:05 p.m. on September 11, 2012: “The Regional Security Officer reports the mission is under attack. Embassy Tripoli reports approximately 20 armed people fired shots; explosions have been heard as well.”
Ambassador Christopher Stevens and four other personnel, according to the same email, are at this time in the safe haven and the 17th of February Militia is providing security support. Based on this early assessment, it appears the situation is under control. Diplomats are safe. Armed entities are defending.
Further reassurance comes at 4:54pm: “Embassy Tripoli reports the firing at the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi has stopped and the compound has been cleared. A response team is on site attempting to locate COM personnel.”
Unfortunately, all was not under control, the compound was overrun, and Stevens died along with three other personnel.
The spin machines have been busy politicizing this tragedy since its onset. The same Congress people that cut State security funding hauled up department officials to berate them over the lack of high security at the consulate (the same happened after the disastrous 1998 bombing of the U.S Embassy in Nairobi.) In the second presidential debate, Mitt Romney berated President Obama for taking so long to identify the attack not as an unruly mob, but the work of a specific terrorist organization (even though Obama did characterize the attack as an act of terror shortly after events unfolded).
In another email released by CNN, Ansar Al-Sharia appeared to claim responsibility on Facebook and Twitter. Aha, go the conspiracy theorists, proof the administration knew but didn’t say anything for weeks. But no, actually, that doesn’t prove a thing.
On any given day in the complex world of threat analysis, people and groups make all kinds of claims. It isn’t as if terrorists are holding a press conference for the world’s media to ask questions. Individual bits of information are simply that – single puzzle pieces that tell very little about the full picture of what happened until amassed and reconstructed. Details must be verified, cross-checked and analyzed before informed assertions are made.
This very small selection of emails give the impression of control, but solid information is often hard to come by at the beginning of any situation that eventually transpires. No single account could immediately identify a specific attacker. Even establishing the facts of a traffic accident requires a police report and potential review by a judge or jury. It’s a process. An armed assault on a U.S. diplomatic mission, thousands of miles away, in a far flung province recently freed of civil war is an infinitely more complicated undertaking. It requires – indeed demands – time to assess and judge.
There are ways to address the serious issues involved in the loss of our diplomatic personnel. Inquiries can and should be made. Did the rush to set up a presence in Benghazi trump normal security procedures? Why was a rosy picture being portrayed of a post-uprising Libya, when in fact serious threats remained. How critical was it to set up a new consulate in the first place?
But using the attack in Benghazi as fodder for more November electioneering serves only the short-term interests of those who benefit by not giving the security of our diplomatic missions the thorough review (and funding) it requires. This does nothing to ensure the future security of our diplomatic personnel. They deserve better.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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What a bunch of propaganda, poor excuse for the facts. Obama is a liar
Those are some very bold accusations...have you ever considered being less careless with the facts. Oh, I get it...you are a Republican.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/10/kelly-libya-security-cut-while-vienna-embassy-gain/?page=all
Before you start running your pie hole about Republicans read this. Also, Congress gives the State Department a budget but once they have it the DOS controls it. Now they can spend money on pushing Vienna green but they neglect to provide security. I am so damn tired of hearing the Republicans cut the budget. Well they did but a lot of Dems voted for it too. Also, if this country was not giving handouts to lazy jackwagons sucking down ICE's maybe the DOS would have more money. I bet you were all in for the budget cuts too as well as the military as long as you get yours right. Its people like you that will cause this country to fall no not because your a democrat but a idiot.
FACTS...... yes the facts which is being hidden. Listen to interview with the father of the American lost in the battle. Mr Woods' interview on FOX should shock evey american to their bone. Where is the Media? Where is the outrage & holding people accountable? CNN has chosen to hide the facts and it doens not make front page. Our people requested 3 times during battle and CIA told to stand down. Wake Up.... this is bigger that watergate coverup.
careless like when obama proclaimed that the attack was based of a youtube video nobody knew existed?
True, it has been a political game, the Benghazi incident!
I must ask the author, who painted a "rosy picture" of the "post-uprising Libya"? The Libyans with their oil wealth would have a rosy future, if the country could achieve political stability.
I do agree it takes time to asess the real situation on the ground. But in the US everybody wants to know RIGHT NOW, when something has happened and the aggressive media are lurking round the corner. So the administration had been under pressure.
I guess the truth hurts. Reports that requests to go support the embassy were repeatedly made and denied. Failure to muve any assets in support of the action. Attempts to gloss over the facts regarding planned terrosts actions and attributing the cause to "a movie" . Of the worst problem here is the complete and utter FAILURE by CNN to look into this cover-up by the current administration.
Look who is careless with the facts!
How about the 3 requests for help the CIA ground personnel asked for during the 6 hours and a half of battle? And how about the 3 e-mails before Sept. 11th the Ambassador Stevens asked for? Those went straight to the White House! How would you have liked to be in that situation, to ask for help and finally to die on your weapon 6 and a half hours later? (That is what happened to Woods while waiting for the White House to respond). But the White House was busy watching the live video stream coming from the drones above the embassy perhaps with popcorn and Coke. Shame on CNN and all the media who do not do their job! You are accomplices in the cover-up. Shame! A media that does not report the facts it is only government propaganda. You are not wordy of your name. And the blood of our soldiers who asked for help and did not received it screams for the truth and the truth will come out!
Could CNN be any more in the tank? Either Panetta is lying, or Obama is lying, or someone in the military chain disregarded an order. Obama is asked a very simple question about whether the compound was refused support three times – and he can't answer. If this were Cheney CNN would be rabid. CNN is a shell of its former self sadly.
He's not a loser, but a liar. Just as he did with "Fast and Furious", he disregarded the loss of life to protect his image. In that case, to protect his flippant 90% comment he spent at least one border crossing agent life and hundreds of Mexican lives. He claims to have made great strides in the Middle East and North Africa with his input to the "Arab Spring" and his effective help with Sorties in Lybia, but the truth is Al Queda has been making great strides. What a downer for his campaign this attack must have been. In any case, just think about it, they watched live for several hours the assault take place live. We are all over the Mediterranean will airforce bases. Why did we not respond? We could've been there within an hour. As far as claims, think about this as well, the viability of a claim while something is going on, is plausible and needs to be taken seriously. We have been trusting these people with the security decisions of all of our young people representing the United States overseas and there is no excuse for Obama's, Clinton's, and Rice's behavior.
I think it is important to ask why there was a denial of the ambassador's requests for more security prior to the September 11 attack. He was in a dangerous environment and should have had more security. Also, I get tired of reading that the president called it a terrorist attack in the rose garden. I think if you check his entire statement and the word terrorists in context, it was not a reference to the September 11 attack at all.
Ad Hominem is a logical fallacy.
what's even more of a fallacy is how obama was able to deduce that a youtube video nobody knew existed somehow caused 20 people to arm themselves with ak-47s and rpgs and stormed a compound
The fact that four of our people are dead and only FOX news is concern about it, just makes me sick. CNN and the rest of main stream media have the blood of these deaths on their heads just as much as the killers do for hiding and covering this up. REALLY, Obama called this a terror attack on the 12th? Then why the video for blame? Main stream media are in bed with Obama are as much losers as the him.
I am encouraged that even though CNN is doing everything in its vast power to ignore the facts of this story and act as a state run media outlet, there are people here who do realize that and look elsewhere. I am sickened by the corruption of this Obama administration, and Benghazi is the apex of evil, with their apparent disregard for human life, and perhaps Obama and his puppets even had a greater role in causing the death of these Americans! The corruption and lawless use of power by the Obama administration spreads into every aspect of his rule, from foreign policy characterized by Benghazi and Fast and Furious, to going over the congress to actually make laws, to using taxpayer money for large gifts to his special interest friends, all while telling people he's the champion of the little guy, and accusing Romney of all the evil he himself has accomplished over the past 4 years. Wake up America! 4 more years of this will truly be a different America–one never intended by our forefathers.
You are correct. I'm an independent and it's clear to see that CNN wants nothing to do with this story. CNN – I thought- was a news organization. Benghazi and the obvious WH cover-up is news! CNN's failure to report accurately and objectively makes them a joke. If this were GW Bush's term, it would be headlined by CNN. My indie friends and I won't watch/listen here anymore. Bias bias bias.
You're right and especially galling is that this Zakaria likes to portray himself as knowledgable about international events but buries this story and his head in the sand, if not elsewhere.
Truly amazing editorial control on this "non story" I went looking all through google news and CNN for the latest on what could be an administration cover up. Couldn't find any "news" articles but found this "principled editorial." Strange. I wouldn't think a real news organization would miss a juicy news story as big as Watergate. Unless of course they were primarily just DNC shills. How are your ratings these days CNN? Getting tired of towing the line at the expense having a newsworthy set of headlines? Have you done an internal survey to determine if you hired any minority opinions like people that aren't in the bag for the current administration? If you did, you might find out that your news is probably just a laundered version of DNC talking points and coverups.
This is where CNN is caught red-handed as accomplices to Obama; it's plain as day.
Funny how an aspiring Hillary had no problem jumping on Nixon in Watergate, but now that the tables are turned, sauce for the gander seemingly isn't good enough for the goose.
Well I say Hillary's goose is cooked either way, but now the paper-tiger media shows its stripes as being aligned with the Obama Machine.
CNN and "the likes," defined by unethical reporting–in this clear case, lack of reporting on the Benghazi. Shame on "em all. Four dead Americans . . .they asked for help during the 7 hour attack and didn't get it despite quick reaction force capabillity within striking distance. Shame on CNN for its irresponsible omission to protect a poor excuse for Commander in Chief. " We never leave our's behind" can now legitimately fall on deaf ears.
You are absolutely right, The administration was watching this attack in real time. They knew it was about some movie, they left americans to die, repeated request for air support (AC130). AC130 is a very accurate weapons systems the aircraft was used in Just Cause, Desert Storm, OIE and AED, it not a bomber. Obama left Americans to Die and that the story. What he said in the Rose Garden was a generalization and not a DIRECT comment about what happen in Benghazi. This Administration is anything but open. Remember OSL and the situation room pictures, where are those from Benghazi? Obama need to go, CNN is such a one side show (not news)
Hello CNN are you out there? It is journalistic malpractice not to inform the American people of all the information concerning the Benghazi consulant attack. If your internal sources can't get it, go to FoxNews and update your information. A free America depends on no biased, accurate, up to date, complete reporting. Hello CNN are you out there?
Who's your daddy Klein?
The author of this piece says "Details must be verified, cross-checked and analyzed before informed assertions are made." So why did Jay Carney, Susan Rice, Hillary Clinton and President Obama say that all this was over a video? Who verified those details? Who cross checked and analyze that information before claiming so adamantly that it was over a video?
Do not perpetuate the lie by providing editorial cover. Any administration could have been attacked at any time and you cannot protect everyone 100% of the time. But when an attack comes, don't lie about it.
"Who cross checked and analyze that information before claiming so adamantly that it was over a video?" –a very good question, and one that needs to be considered in the context of the administration's foreign policy.
who crossed checked it? obama
that's good enough for the isheep
Those emails don't look anything like government email systems I am familiar with. Has anyone vetted these?
Actually they do and they are gov emails. How do I know well guess I use those a gov email account. The paper work you are reading are printed copies that were scanned to go back into the computer after information was blackened out.
I worked with an international organization in Bosnia after the war. I have to say the security and the contingency plan they had in place in Libya was way worse compared to the one Clinton had in Bosnia 15 years ago. I think this administration failed the American people in every department. If we are honest with ourselves – that is the truth.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was right: this is becoming a political gotcha instead of a realistic assessment of what happened and more importantly, what needs to be done to decrease the odds that such a tragic event happens in the future to people serving/functioning upon our nation's behalf.
Brian, if your goal was to add nothing to the current discourse, you succeeded. There are plenty of voices saying, "It's not as clear cut as it seems" or "Don't politicize this." One more "ditto" helps no one. However, from your background you could have elucidated on: 1) what standard "safe room" protocols are and analyze why seemingly they were abrogated, 2) the fairly long timeline of the attack and what factors might inhibit or proscribe the administration from acting and 3) what kinds of things might keep our personnel safe in hostile environments in the future. Thank you.
I cannot believe what this author is spouting. NOTHING is "under control" in the first email, the complex is overrun and the ambassador is trapped in the safe room with the building being set on fire. SNAFU is the situation, going FUBAR fast.
Has anyone even considered the insanity of calling an attack at 10pm in the evening a demonstration. The purpose of a demonstration is to get media coverage, they are announced to media and held at convenient times for evening news etc.
Is this article written by a reporter or Osama Hussein Baraks attorney
What happened to real reporting?
Shame on you!
Absolutely agree. I called my Senator yesterday morning to beg him to do something. The staffer on the phone knew nothing, said the Senator wasn't on the Intelligence Committee and had no comment. I demanded a staffer in foreign affairs. He called me and I begged him to get the Senator off the campaign trail to do something about this scandal. I expected nothing. A friend called an hour later and the same staffer who answered the phone when I called and who knew nothing NOW had a whole list of statements for my friend. Less than 24 hours later, my Senator held a press conference with Johnny Issaksen of Georgia DEMANDING the release of the drone video. Spend an hour on the phone on Monday in honor of Ty Woods and Glen Doherty. Who needs CNN?
What a terrible lie i am embarrassed but this administration.
Liberal causes trump the truth. How could you possibly believe what you have just written. No rational,
intelligent , balanced person would have come to these conclusions. The real truth is that the
President and his administration gave out false information on numerous occasions about a very important
and tragic event. It is obvious that they are covering their incompetence and running the clock on any
investigation until they pass the election
Interesting to read how easily Americans be manipulated about truth and things that happened or never happened. An American embassy is not much different than any other embassy of another nation in a foreign country. Of course there is a risk, but you can't always minimize it. So you must handle this somehow, some people believe in free will and liberty, so not everything is in God's hand and you must carry the responsibility for yourself. But liberty means also that a person's decision wasn't always exact and perfect! Stevenson knew the country and was very familiar with people and place as well. I think it doesn't matter if it was a terror attack, or something like a terror attack – the video appeared at the same time and Stevenson was killed and three others as well – so what you make out of this in the early moments depends how you think about safety and the role of America in the world. America as a world police, or watch-dog isn't appreciated in the Middle East. Who should pay for that? Are you prepared to drive on damaged roads, because of ideals of a sort of war heroism in Irak? You don't have good payed teachers and schools, you have terrible prisons and still the death penalty, so that your prisons give new room for new detainees! So, if Americans don't want to be laughed about and called: Big mouth – care for your own business, it is necessary that they be first in putting their own house in order! Greetings from Germany, that is heading in the same direction than America 30 years before, because when A. Merkel was a child, it was so nice in remembering the Americans sending food packages and later jeans and coke!
But wWhy can't you just wait until it's clear what really happened? What about 9/11? I'm sure the Bush administration was much eager in telling lies to Americans and to draw the world in a war with Irak! They even told lies to the rest of the world! I wouldn't be so naive to give such demagogues my vote again ....... for a cheap quick job that is outsourced after the vote! World-saving – Tss – Please Americans wake up!
Listen to some FACTS: The Red Cross who go to the most dangerous placed on the planet pulled out Libya. The British Ambassador was nearly killed in a car bomb attempt. His aide was killed. Our Ambassador was NOT! His security pleaded numerous times for more security to no avail. They were denied numerous as was shown in congressional hearing. The State department then told them that the miniscule security left would have to be REDUCED! They pleaded to keep what they had to NO AVAIL! Now 4 people have been murdered and apparently it a political issue to question what has happened. There is no question that ...lack of security heavily contributed to the deaths of these people. That is not debatable. There is clearly a political motive to not cover this story and any good journalist would acknowledge that.
Every American should be totally outraged at this. There is a reason why Fox News has more viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined. Now Fox does slant to the right but they do not obscure a story of immense importance as CNN apparently does. Four people are dead because of a prescribed lack of security. This is the biggest cover up since Watergate and no people were killed then. That father of one of the fallen stated Hillary told him she would find the You tuber who caused his son's death and bring him to justice when she knew in real time that the Utuber had nothing to do with this. Absolutely appalling. Red Cross pulled out. The British pulled out and our Ambassador was left there with no adequate security after repeated attempts to get more and this CNN reporter has the balls to say questioned what happened has been a political endeavor. Maybe that's true for CNN. They should be ashamed.
Impeach Obama! change your facebook status to "Impeach Obama" in honor of our fallen heroes at Benghazi...let's roll!! Tweet it also
Obama saw the chaos in Benghazi. He watched from his room as the attack began.
A call for help was made. "Stand Down" was the reply.
A second call for help was made. "Stand Down" again was the answer
Ground forces had the bulls-eye on the enemy. "Stand down" was the command.
Obama knew, and saw, and watched in real time our American ambasador die.
He did not die from explosion or gunshot, but from suffocation.
Help from the proud military was less than 2 hours away.
But our ambasador suffocated over the 7 hours while the administration told our forces to "Stand Down."
Oh president Obama. This is horrible, a reprehensible deed. You LIED and DENIED.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/
Why is CNN not covering this? This is worse than Watergate!
Did you pull a muscle bending over backwards to deflect any blame from the adminsitration. Now how foollish do you look with the release today that the 2 Navy Seals killed had 3 seperate requests for air support denied and they were ordered to 'stand down'. Anyone in defense of this administration on this event is completely blinded by artisan ideology to the point of excusing the deaths of 4 brave Americans.
Well said GlennH!
The only people politicizing this are you, your CNN cronies, and our current administration. When you have Navy Seals on the ground asking for help and they are repeatedly being told "no" then this is not about poiltics, its about incompetance.
emails sent to the white house stated that 20 armed men rushed the compound with guns and rpgs
Obama claims that it was a riot caused by a YT video nobody knew existed until obama pointed to it. When was the last time 20 heavily armed soldiers=riot?
Maybe the president couldn't see it. he needed his rest before campaigning in vegas. Maybe technology doesn't make up for being at your post and doing your job when that phone call comes in at 4 in the morning
Ashamed I voted for Obama.
I used to be a big fan of his.
I absolutely now believe that Obama personally quashed the security requests before the incident, and personally quashed the requests for real-time assistance as those brave SEALs tried for their last breath to save our people.
The horror in my heart over who I helped elect brings me to tears now.
Like most news watchers, I flip between CNN, FOX and other outlets to get the liberal and conservative spin on what passes for news. This author's lop-sided liberal spin-job is the only thing that came up on a search for "CNN Bengaszi stand down order. " Try as you may, you will not be able to sweep this news under the rug until after an election. You have a duty to report, along with other news organizations. Your viewers are watching...for a while. Do the right thing or you will lose all credibility. .
How stupid do you think we are? How can you continue to hide this cover-up?! Watergate was about a simple theft and Nixon lost his job. This involves the murder of 4 innocent Americans because of incompetence followed by a shameful cover-up, all while Obama was campaigning in Nevada. You can't continue to hide this until after the election. No wonder CNN becomes more and more irrelevant everyday.
I'm an independent and it's clear to see that CNN wants nothing to do with this story. CNN – I thought- was a news organization. Benghazi and the obvious WH cover-up is news! CNN's failure to report accurately and objectively makes them a joke. If this were GW Bush's term, it would be headlined by CNN. My indie friends and I won't watch/listen here anymore. Bias bias bias.
Related Story:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/reporter-obama-would-not-answer-repeated-questions-on-whether-requests-for-help-in-benghazi-were-denied/
We can not ignore this, we can not wait. The world is watching, and we need a true leader. How can Ms. Clinton take responsibility before the President did? What happened to Nixon or Clinton when they Lied to the country? This is to much negative drama for a president: Rev. Wright, 25 years at a all black, America hating church, Sgt Crowley, doing now what he said he wouldn’t do in 2008, Acorn, 2016 ( the movie), false promise’s, unqualified Zars, etc. etc.
..."(even though Obama did characterize the attack as an act of terror shortly after events unfolded)...." .... it's official... Fareed is on the take as well... I saw the speech and I'm NOT stupid...
CNN is doing its best to make sure this does not hurt Obama's re-election. The MSM has become the equivalent of the the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda of nazi Germany.
BENGHAZI !!!!....... Where is the reporting? This is a tragedy and you should be reporting about it. Put your political leanings aside for goodness sakes. Shame on you all.
This is poor reporting at best by CNN. To diminish this still breaking and developing story to an Op Ed buried in a web site is astonishing. Then, compounded with the poor writing of a 6 year old still underwhelms the reader of any hopes of a cogent argument for the administration's position regarding this travesty.
Does CNN remember the name Cindy Sheehan? Your network and others offered her up on your alter of Bush hatred on a regular basis. Now we have a father speaking out on the the cowardice of your Chosen One and his minions and you completely ignore the story. What a disgrace! How can you call yourselves journalists? Go home look your children in the eye and tell them about the honor, courage, and selflessness of the men who laid down their lives for fellow americans who were facing death at the hands of Islamic evil but we chose not to report the facts because of your bias and cowardice. How do you sleep at night?
I'm so frustrated with this site. I've been trying to get more information about the battle in Benghazi on the anniversary of 9/11. I've been all over this site. It's like it never happened. I want to know more about the drones overhead providing real time video. I want to know more about CIA assets on the ground. I want to know more about our assets who were repeatedly told to stand down. I want to know more about the SEALs who were painting/targeting the terrorist mortar crews with lasers for close air support. I want to know why three times that long night, the SEALS pleas for help were ignored. Shouldn't a site dedicated to journalism be digging into this? I'd like to know more. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Is this the best CNN can do? It's a joke! He makes it sound like a minor incident overseas. It's the same old story for 4 years.. Protect Obama at any cost. 1st it was anyone objecting to Obama's policies was a racist. Now if you question the events at Benghazi, you're trying to politizie it. I want some answers... I want to know who told the CIA operators to stand down. I'm mad as hell that our ambassador and 3 other Americans are dead, when it may have been prevented. Where is the outrage? And I'm really angry that FOX news is the only one covering this story. Bless you Jennifer Griffin at FOX new!
WHERE IS THE RAGE? They had cameras in the compound, drones overhead, satellites all streaming LIVE LIVE LIVE to the WH, Pentagon, State Dept, CIA, FBI.
Did Obama watch Ambassador Stevens and the three other get murdered in REAL TIME or wait until the next morning en route to more campaigning in Las Vegas???
The attack lasted for 7+ hours… Did Obama tell the Quick Response Forces (commandos) in Sicily NOT to go save Ambassador Stevens??? Can you imagine being Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey who was forced by Panetta to give a press conference yesterday in which he confessed to leaving men behind to die?
The American military, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leaves men behind to die, at least not until Obama’s Presidency.
The father of one of the murdered Navy Seals called Beck’s program yesterday to get the truth out.
When his son’s body arrived at Andrews AFB, Hillary told the father: Don’t worry, we’ll get the guy who made this video.
Why didn’t Obama, Hillary and Biden say: We’ll get the people who killed your son?
The father just wants to know “Who gave the order not to save my son.”
Where is the RAGE at EVERY campaign event Obama has? How about the media? Are they so far gone for Obama they have no morals, or sense of right and wrong, either?
Where is the RAGE???????
Shameless propaganda. Until he comes out and answers even the most BASIC questions on Libya, Obama should be heralded as the "Butcher of Benghazi." If I'm wrong, maybe the president can grow some "cue balls," come before the American people (not on Nickelodeon, the View or MTV) and set the record straight with a press conference (where he ACTUALLY takes questions) or an actual interview (not conducted by his cabana boy Brian Williams). I won't hold my breath you sorry, pathetic coward. Oh yeah, and CNN journalists, are you guys ready to expose the truth or you still whining about "binders"??
WAKE UP CNN!!! Your reporting is biased. This is outrageous – that the short, one-sided blurbs of reporting are buried in your news. Remember Watergate? Nixon was impeached for less. This cover-up is blatant. Unbelievable.
As Fox News viewership hits new highs
I'm sure you're aware that HILLARY was a prosecutor in Watergate... but now it seems she's above the same law that she prosecuted against another official.
Looks like we see that justice is a fool's paradise.
What does CNN and other bias news organazations think they get for not reporting the truth about this and all other issues that makes Obamas administration looks bad? I feel sorry for all the idiots that believe their lies and twisted reports. The only way to improve this country is to report the real facts and let the people decide. The elected officials are elected "hired" by the PEOPLE! The people should know what the elected officials are doing so that the people can make a good decisions the next chance we get to elect "hire". The only way the people can know what they are doing is by getting true and unbiased reporting on all the issues, good and bad! What else have they been lying about or just not reporting? Please CNN report the unbias truth.
That might be the worst opinion piece I have ever read. Saying this was a financing issue? There were "funded" forces within a mile of the situation and "funded" military within an hour. And to say this is being politicized? Don't ya think Congress might be a little curious about a dead ambassador, especially after the changing stories and timelines? And you have ZERO coverage of the new information. No wonder you've lost your credibility (and viewers).
I've read over these responses and am encouraged that the "Biased" media can't make this go away by simply not reporting on it! Thank you to all who have expressed their outrage at CNN and MSNBC for decieving the american people! But, what else can be done? Alot of idiots watch these deceptive stations and believe what they push. How can the truth be exposed? There aren't many days until the election is over.
This is FRAUD and even TREASON by the mainstream media; here they are claiming to report the facts, but they are defrauding the truth to the American people by act of omission, selectively picking and choosing what gets reported and what doesn't in order to favor one side over the other.
And Benghazi-Cairo were ACTS OF WAR, not simply terrorist attacks, since a US embassy is American soil by international law and recognition, while ambassadors have diplomatic immunity under penalty of war if they are attacked.
So here we have:
1. Acts of war against the United States by terrorists;
2. The president DELIBERATELY LYING to the American people about them;
3. The president and Vice-presidentt LYING ABOUT THE LIES during the debates and afterward,
4. The media covering it up, and even interrupting the presidential challenger during the debates;
5. The media refusing to cover the story in order to PROTECT the president.
This is just an atrocity beyond anything yet seen in the major media. I don't understand it, though it does not surprise me.
But what is the mainstream media’s excuse for cautiously engaging the president on Libya? Aren’t we supposed to be watchdogs? The ongoing story is story focused on whether the Obama administration provided, or refused to provide, adequate protection for the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya when it faced the threat of attack on Sept. 11. The attack left the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans dead. Subsequent conflicting accounts coming from the administration on how the White House responded, or didn’t respond, are tailor-made for a full-blown media feeding frenzy.
Yet, the so-called media watchdogs so far have been mostly toothless.
From a FOX news journalist. Regardless of how you feel about FOX this is a LEGIT story. This article is focused mainly on the emails. There is a ton more info on this that CNN totally ignores.
Absolutely, I normally don't like Foxnews, but this is a CRIME by the president deliberately LYING to the American people about acts of war, not just against our Consulate and People in Benghazi, but also against our Embassy in Cairo.
And the other media prove they are SHILLS for the Obama Administration by refusing to cover it!
Even at the second debate on 10/16 between Obama and Romney, CNN's Candy Crowley IMMEDIATELY jumped in and shut down Romney's question he tried to get Obama on record claiming that he told the American People it was a terrorist attack on 9/12/2012.
Obama did NO SUCH THING, but blamed a video and mob-uprisings for 2 weeks AFTER the attack on 9/11; but CNN's agent IMMEDIATELY jumped in and shut down the question.
Later, of course, she played this down, but she clearly served the purpose of protecting Obama– during a DEBATE, where she had NO BUSINESS shutting down a question by the challenger!
CNN is showing its true colors, and so are the rest of the mainstream media, i.e. they are SHILLS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
I just hope to God that the American people see the truth.
COWARDS IN THE WHITE HOUSE-what if i made a bad decision before the election. I am a vet–served under CIA hall of fame member col. lutjens-with a 7 hour window he would have gone in to save our troops. THEN obama/biden/clinton/and o;ther lied to us--it was a demostration. He lied because he did not want America to know he could have saved those people. sending a billion dollars to the brotherhood-there sure is a pattern. GO TO FOX NEWS FOR TRUTH ABOUT LIBYA.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/27/obama-avoids-question-on-whether-americans-in-libya-were-denied-requests-for/
Elections have consequences....even 4 yrs later...
Whether it was a mob action or terrorist, our country still should protect it's people. It's been one excuse after another. Simple fact Obama watch our people get killed and then went to Nevada to campaign. He and Hillary lied to the parents of our dead heroes. Father said Obama wouldn't even look hm in the eyes when he said he was sorry. No doubt Obama is Sorry excuse for a president, sorry excuse for a man, sorry excuse for a human.
We're on the same page .. This president seems to have a complete disregard for the United States of America. I cannot understand why the people that follow him are so blinded as to what he is doing...
Obama has his own fan club made up of the mainstream media........No accountability from any of them with the exception of FOXNEWS.com....where the facts are reported...
This administration tried to cover up this 9/11 attack on our American Embassy in Bengazi. The latest facts out are that our CIA compound just minutes away called for help 3 times and were denied through the CIA command. The CIA operatives had the laser sight on terrorist morter operator and was told to stand down...... Folks, how would you like for you sons and daughters to be in harms way protection our Unites States of America and not get the support requested. We need a new leader, our current President is not looking out for America... but will apease his Islamic radical friends... If you want unbiased facts you better tune in to FOX NEWS at FOXNEWS.com..... Please vote on or before Nov 6........May GOD have mercy on our United States of America......
Wait a minute!
What was Ambassador Stevens doing in Benghazi on 9/11? He went there knowing full well of the dangerous situation AND knowing that congress had voted to cut spending for his, and other ambassadors safety. Ask Paul Ryan!
In my humble opinion, Stevens screwed up! Sure, we don't like to blame a dead man for making poor decisions but Stevens was simply in the wrong place (and should have known it). Had he remained in Tripoli for a week, he would still be alive. Stevens chose to walk into danger, no one ordered him to go to Benghazi!
pogo...unfortunately ambassador stevens appears to have had the same nieve conviction about radical muslims as his boss. Regardless, there is no excuse for a commander in chief, who put someone in harms way, and allowing him to die without taking action to save him. Had it not been for the brave former SEALS many more us citizens would have died.
This is a shameful cover up being aided by CNN and the other liberal media outlets. Really you might as well wear your VOTE OBAMA name tags instead of Press Tags. This would never have been swept under the carpet if it had been a republican president. This is so much worse than the Nixon cover up. We no longer have the press to protect us from the abuse of power from leaders., unless it fits into their world political view. The MSM is aiding the cover up. I am disgusted. Shame on you CNN.
While Benghazi is a tragedy and a mess, and lessons are to be learned, the implication with some of these posters is that Romney is the answer That is where the issue of Benghazi gets manipulated. Romney is a throwback to the neocons and our failed wars. His supporters and language is the same, deja vu. Our failed optional wars have weakened us considerably, and we cannot go in with the stupid testosterone approach any more, unless we are directly threatened. Romney flipflopped in the debate, but what he has consistently said before that is that we need to be more "afgfgessive" with Syria. How? I think that Obama has done very well handling the financial crisis, a hostile congress that has undercut him at every turn, just recently voting down a jobs bill that would have helped all of us, dealing with the Arab Spring the right way, showing restraint on Iran to give Ahmadinajad time to shoot himself in the foot with his bosses (which he is doing), trying to stop settlements in Israel so that we could get some movement on peace talks, but our cowardly politicians cannot say no to Israel. He has done a lot of things that I approve of, not perfect, but way better than Romney's rigid and doctrinaire thinking. If we had suppported the dictators in the Arab Spring, we would have lost even more credibilitly worldwide, and gained huge numbers of recruits for the Islamists. Right now those countries are in internal discourse – read your history of Europe to see our birthing of democracy against violent religious advocates, both Protestant and Catholic. They need to find a way to moderate their religion into civil rights. Romney is too in bed with Israel and with war profiteers, so he will not be able to do the subtle diplomacy required to manage some of the unexpected crises that we shall face. His economic politicies will also weaken and gut America. That is a huge area that the Benghazi issue is being used as a smokescreen to hide from real public scrutiny and debate – we need to be concerned about what they want to do – don't forget that Romney is old and Ryan follows the economic extremist Hayek, and he also wants to force his religious views on our secular society, in which everyone is free to believe what they want – for the moment.
Amazing, here we have a president you LIED to the American people– and here you say we should KEEP him!
Then you fly off on a wild-goose-chase, attacking Romney.
Sorry Danny-boy, the pipes are calling.
P.S. I love how Obama and his sheep call this a "tragegy," when in reality it's a TRAVESTY– caused by OBAMA, and then LIED about, repeatedly!
And now he's lying about the lies!
But the sheep just keep on attacking Romney and blaming Bush.
It's all they know.
Well, that certainly can only be classified as an opinion piece. Unbelievable that the story on this is not carried on your home page. It is CNN and other news outlets who are politicizing this by not reporting on it, and losing more and more credibility. Journalism at its worst.
I go to CNN's home-page and here's what I see in the main video's:
FEATURED
How Obama's faith has changed
Opinion: What makes a president great?
Avlon: Obama's plan suits CEOs more
Pilot remembers Cuban missile crisis 3:39
Photos: Iconic shots are his trademark
Julia Roberts turns 45: Her best roles
Opinion: To be powerful, act it
Saving blue whales from ship strikes
What cop does after woman slaps him 1:41
Distraction: Who knew HE could dance! 1:07
Honey Boo Boo tries national anthem :59
NFL Week 8: The best photos
Reporter drops fish, falls over in boat 2:31
UFO spotted over Kentucky 1:13
Halloween costumes: How far is too far?
------------------
NOT ONE WORD about the Benghazi scandal!
No, the top 3 are PRAISING Obama as "great," talking about his "faith," and how "his plan suits CEO's more"!
SHILLS, SHILLS, SHILLS!
For shame.
The real Benghazi lesson is.......the President is incompetant, or a liar........or both............
There will ALWAYS be incompetent liars in office, as long as the media supports them - like CNN and the rest of the mainstream media are doing with Obama.
As Jefferson said, "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance;" but here we see willful complicity.
Power corrupts, indeed.
What I hear is nothing but excuses and half truths coming out of this President's administration. Obama talks about "trust" in his campaign speeches but doesn't seem to understand the meaning or implication of the word. Weeks later we still have not been told the whole truth about the attack in Benghazi on 9/11, the deaths of Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans and CNN's less than full and accurate reports don't help matters either. What I don't hear anyone talking about is why this tragic event was not foreseen and prevented from happening. I see a fundamental lack of leadership and accountability throughout this administration. 9/11 is known as a day of threat awareness by all Americans so how could those responsible for the Ambassadors safety not take precautions? Its simple, if you cannot protect your people you remove them from harms way! I for one do not wish to hear one more pathetic excuse i.e. lack of funding or the situation was not clear.
Not only that, Obama is going back on its own story; first they say it's a video for 2 weeks, then they say they NEVER SAID THAT but blamed terrorism from the start on 9/12.
And the mainstream media says NOTHING!
It's time for the American people to realize that CNN and others are just lapdog shills of the politicians, and get all our news from the internet.
From reading all these comments, terrorism wins again. Libyans sought out and brought in the perpetrators, as should be done in any country. An embassy is not a military base. We all know this all started as a result of a video made in CA by Egyptians who wanted to influence other Egyptians against Coptic Christians and the USA. This was the whole purpose of the video, and the later release of the names, nationalities, and religions of the video makers. The Libyans in the demonstration were just puppets of this conspiracy. Ansar Al-Sharia used the demonstration as cover for setting up their operation. As soon as the shooting started, the demonstrators were gone. Instead of the US military stepping in, the Libyans were supposed to step in, which is how it works when you're in someone else's country. It's really easy for some armchair generals to say things like "I wouldn't do it like that, and kill'em all, let God sort them out" Our armchair generals would have the USA bombing and shooting everyone anywhere who even looks like a terrorist. Would the world be better with Libya as a puppet state of the USA? Should we become the Imperialists that most of the world already thinks we are? I say, you armchairs should get what you want, because otherwise you'll continue to be loud and imposing. We should go to war. It doesn't matter who we go to war against as long as we go to war. Anyone seeming to believe differently than you should be put in concentration camps or the penal system of the USA making weapons for the war. Then we can make the Middle East peaceful. Real peace, after all, is only achieved after complete and utter destruction of your enemies.
Libya brought in the perpetrators – FALSE
this all started as a result of a video – FALSE
Ansar Al-Sharia used the demonstration as cover for setting up their operation – FALSE (there were no demonstrations in Benghazi
.Instead of the US military stepping in, the Libyans were supposed to step in – FLASE
Our armchair generals would have the USA bombing and shooting everyone anywhere (Sounds like the assasin-in-chief) – FALSE
Anyone seeming to believe differently than you should be put in concentration camps – FALSE
Then we can make the Middle East peaceful. Real peace, after all, is only achieved after complete and utter destruction of your enemies. – This IS what Iran etc. DO want to do.
The real benghazi lessons, just one. Change the President !!
We can't just vote Obama out, he must be IMPEACHED. If he's allowed to serve out his term, he'll simply issue last minute pardons to everyone, resign, and allow President Biden to pardon him in return.
We cannot allow another Bubba-gate, where people are able to get away with murder simply by having enough power.
JUSTICE must be served, or we hurt the country and those who died.
Stupidity of Clinton and a fully video
Failure of Obama to protect the Ambassador and other Americans
Three times asked for help
Three times denied
No excuse, just cowardice
Obama got that midnight call
He did not answer
Hilary looks foolish
Obama looks useless
Americans are dead but the big mouths in the white house blabber lies
There is NO lesson ... Barack Obama is lying ! He is facilitating this COVER UP of Benghazi ... and he is aided and abetted by the Main Stream media
In a related story ... Candy Crowley successfully dusted the Romney Dog carrier for paw prints !
It is a shameful day for a "free and independent press" !
"But using the attack in Benghazi as fodder for more November electioneering serves only the short-term interests of those who benefit by not giving the security of our diplomatic missions the thorough review (and funding) it requires. This does nothing to ensure the future security of our diplomatic personnel. They deserve better."
Nailed It!
pogo...your missing the point of what is happening. What keeps our government from misdeeds is freedom of the press. When news organizations burry a story for the obvious reason that it is harmful to the sitting administration... we all lose. Look what happened with "fast and furious". When it became obvious that the administration was not forthcoming with the facts...executive privilege was claimed. How much coverage did the executive privilege get. What about all the "Czars" that seem to get appointed when congress is out of session. The are supposed to go through a vetting by congress. Is this being covered. All our rights are being trampled on...The press is supposed to expose this so the american people can hold our elected officails feet to the fire. CNN has lost its way as a news organization and like NBC is no longer objective.
The lesson is........when the WH and the entire administration start lying to us, we should be on guard...........they have something to HIDE!
As the real facts come out, it just keeps getting more and more bizarre. The people should be demanding a full accounting, of the real facts surrounding this event, and how American lives were sacrificed.
the lesson we the americans has to have learns are this: african and middle east people they love killed themselves , they do for thousands and thousands of years, and they hate any country or people than try to move out from that culture than are part of their daily living , we see the jewish people as soon they go back to the old land they start to killed their cousins, believe me nobody can do nothing again that nice and beautiful custom they keep and love keeping
The real disgrace here is that no one seems to be asking the pertinent question. Why was an attack on an American ambassador in an Arab country on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11 not anticipated? Why was any American ambassador in any of these countries not locked away in a secure and properly guarded facility on that day? Republicans are focused on cover-up because the administrations answers smell but the real issue is the lack of anticipation. Every New Yorker knows about 9/11 precautions. You don't have to be a genius to figure this out. Obama has been focused on being re-elected since he was elected the first time.
I don't understand why he covered this up???? or why he kept telling a story we all knew was a lye. IThis one thing changed my vote to Romney – who wants a cover-up artist as POTUS.