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What happened in Benghazi is an aggravation, ‘a craw in our side’, with many veterans still today. It is a sad story of Americans being abandoned by their nation, and it’s unfortunately been used by many politicians for political gain. Excuses were made to explain what happened and to somewhat justify it. Both Republicans and Democrats distort the facts during TV appearances and hearings. But the damage to those left behind - the families and survivors - seems forgotten, without explanation.
Many Americans don’t even understand what these men and women went through - they were living in hell for the thirteen hours preceding the final assault and the evacuation from the CIA annex. Many incorrectly think that the four Americans - Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty - died during the initial assault on the U.S. Diplomatic Compound. There was actually four separate attacks; the first attack on the compound and then three more on the CIA annex where everyone fled to after the first assault. Also, ten others were injured in these attacks. The compound was not an embassy, which means that it didn’t have the normal security detail or bunkering/protections that an American Embassy has. Only five diplomatic security special agents were in Benghazi at the time of the attack; two of them were there by chance, having traveled with Ambassador Stevens from Tripoli. One mile away, a CIA team at the annex was the quick reaction force for the compound, but no one was supposed to know that the CIA security team existed.
Ambassador Stevens was adored by many Libyans and had a great fondness for the country. He felt he could make a difference in the lives of those in Libya, and wanted to show the people that the United States stood behind them in establishing a new democracy. Eastern Libya, Benghazi in particular, was a key hub for intelligence operatives monitoring Ansar al-Sharia and members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Along with Ambassador Stevens, Secretary of State Clinton also wanted a more permanent post in Benghazi.
There was quite a bit of instability in the region prior to the attacks of September 11, 2012. There was frequent IED-related violence. The International Red Cross office in Libya was attacked and there was an assassination attempt on Dominic Asquith, the British ambassador. Requests were made for more security, but according to the regional security officer, Eric Nordstrom, they were rebuffed. Nordstrom told media that, for him and his staff, “it was abundantly clear that [they] were not going to get resources until the aftermath of an incident.” Lt. Col Andrew Wood, U.S. site security commander in Libya, testified that a regional security officer had tried obtaining more personnel, but was never able to attain a level of security that he felt comfortable with. It was pretty well known within the American intelligence community during the months preceding the attack that Benghazi was unstable and increasingly dangerous - and that a significant attack was imminent.
Top U.S. officials reported the attack as if it had been a spontaneous protest created by an anti-Muslim video...yet there were no such protests immediately prior to the attacks. There was, however, every indication that everything was premeditated. The assault began at nightfall, by militants swathed in flak jackets with covered faces. They were armed with RPGs, hand grenades, AK-47s, mortars, and machine guns. With that level of artillery, it’s quite apparent that this was not a spontaneous protest.
But for some reason...that is what we were supposed to believe.
Ambassador Stevens and State Department information management officer, Sean Smith - an Air Force veteran, died during the initial assault on the compound. The Global Response Staff team, which included former SEAL Tyrone Woods, left the CIA annex approximately twenty minutes later as the Quick Reaction Force in order to aid and/or rescue everyone at the compound. The Quick Reaction Force evacuated everyone from the compound to the CIA annex where they began preparing for potential continuing assaults.
In the ensuing hours, attacks continued as they bunkered at the CIA annex waiting for reinforcements or rescue. Meanwhile another former Navy SEAL, Glen Doherty, and six other men (five CIA operatives and two volunteer Delta operators) gathered at the Tripoli Embassy preparing to mount a rescue - 406 miles away from Benghazi. Since this was not a planned evacuation or rescue attempt by U.S. leadership, they had to figure some way to get to Benghazi. They somehow garnered $30,000 and, with a little persuasion of a couple of Libyan military pilots, they got them to fly from the airport in Tripoli to Benghazi.
At the Benghazi airport, they met up with supportive Libyan troops who took the team of seven men to the CIA annex. Upon arrival, Glen Doherty met Tyrone Woods on the roof of the annex. Within minutes, mortars were fired and both were mortally wounded - two more Americans killed in Benghazi within hours. After this final assault, everyone remaining was transported to the Benghazi airport with the help of the same Libyan troops who assisted Glen Doherty and his team.
The whole incident is very disappointing to me, and something I will never forget. We, as Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors, exist under an oath stating that we will “never leave our brothers and sisters behind”... but these people were left to die. They were left alone - abandoned by the administration, Congress, and in a sense, by their country. Their families also seemed to be forgotten as they never received any explanation regarding this incident. The names of everyone else who had been in Benghazi were also quickly forgotten. It seemed as though many Americans heard enough and didn’t want the truth regardless of the facts...and still don’t. Overall, the incidents that day were incredibly tragic, and I will continue to hope that someday everyone will have the answers they need!
Many Americans don’t even understand what these men and women went through - they were living in hell for the thirteen hours preceding the final assault and the evacuation from the CIA annex. Many incorrectly think that the four Americans - Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty - died during the initial assault on the U.S. Diplomatic Compound. There was actually four separate attacks; the first attack on the compound and then three more on the CIA annex where everyone fled to after the first assault. Also, ten others were injured in these attacks. The compound was not an embassy, which means that it didn’t have the normal security detail or bunkering/protections that an American Embassy has. Only five diplomatic security special agents were in Benghazi at the time of the attack; two of them were there by chance, having traveled with Ambassador Stevens from Tripoli. One mile away, a CIA team at the annex was the quick reaction force for the compound, but no one was supposed to know that the CIA security team existed.
Ambassador Stevens was adored by many Libyans and had a great fondness for the country. He felt he could make a difference in the lives of those in Libya, and wanted to show the people that the United States stood behind them in establishing a new democracy. Eastern Libya, Benghazi in particular, was a key hub for intelligence operatives monitoring Ansar al-Sharia and members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Along with Ambassador Stevens, Secretary of State Clinton also wanted a more permanent post in Benghazi.
There was quite a bit of instability in the region prior to the attacks of September 11, 2012. There was frequent IED-related violence. The International Red Cross office in Libya was attacked and there was an assassination attempt on Dominic Asquith, the British ambassador. Requests were made for more security, but according to the regional security officer, Eric Nordstrom, they were rebuffed. Nordstrom told media that, for him and his staff, “it was abundantly clear that [they] were not going to get resources until the aftermath of an incident.” Lt. Col Andrew Wood, U.S. site security commander in Libya, testified that a regional security officer had tried obtaining more personnel, but was never able to attain a level of security that he felt comfortable with. It was pretty well known within the American intelligence community during the months preceding the attack that Benghazi was unstable and increasingly dangerous - and that a significant attack was imminent.
Top U.S. officials reported the attack as if it had been a spontaneous protest created by an anti-Muslim video...yet there were no such protests immediately prior to the attacks. There was, however, every indication that everything was premeditated. The assault began at nightfall, by militants swathed in flak jackets with covered faces. They were armed with RPGs, hand grenades, AK-47s, mortars, and machine guns. With that level of artillery, it’s quite apparent that this was not a spontaneous protest.
But for some reason...that is what we were supposed to believe.
Ambassador Stevens and State Department information management officer, Sean Smith - an Air Force veteran, died during the initial assault on the compound. The Global Response Staff team, which included former SEAL Tyrone Woods, left the CIA annex approximately twenty minutes later as the Quick Reaction Force in order to aid and/or rescue everyone at the compound. The Quick Reaction Force evacuated everyone from the compound to the CIA annex where they began preparing for potential continuing assaults.
In the ensuing hours, attacks continued as they bunkered at the CIA annex waiting for reinforcements or rescue. Meanwhile another former Navy SEAL, Glen Doherty, and six other men (five CIA operatives and two volunteer Delta operators) gathered at the Tripoli Embassy preparing to mount a rescue - 406 miles away from Benghazi. Since this was not a planned evacuation or rescue attempt by U.S. leadership, they had to figure some way to get to Benghazi. They somehow garnered $30,000 and, with a little persuasion of a couple of Libyan military pilots, they got them to fly from the airport in Tripoli to Benghazi.
At the Benghazi airport, they met up with supportive Libyan troops who took the team of seven men to the CIA annex. Upon arrival, Glen Doherty met Tyrone Woods on the roof of the annex. Within minutes, mortars were fired and both were mortally wounded - two more Americans killed in Benghazi within hours. After this final assault, everyone remaining was transported to the Benghazi airport with the help of the same Libyan troops who assisted Glen Doherty and his team.
The whole incident is very disappointing to me, and something I will never forget. We, as Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors, exist under an oath stating that we will “never leave our brothers and sisters behind”... but these people were left to die. They were left alone - abandoned by the administration, Congress, and in a sense, by their country. Their families also seemed to be forgotten as they never received any explanation regarding this incident. The names of everyone else who had been in Benghazi were also quickly forgotten. It seemed as though many Americans heard enough and didn’t want the truth regardless of the facts...and still don’t. Overall, the incidents that day were incredibly tragic, and I will continue to hope that someday everyone will have the answers they need!
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 232
You say no one will ever convince you otherwise that Sec Clinton is somehow responsible for the deaths of these people. How so?
I am in no way a fan but I am unable to connect those dots, and I was as close to the events as anyone without being there physically (disclosure - I was the watch officer).
So let me ask you a couple of things:
- who decided to leave Tripoli without informing those of us for whom that knowledge would have meant something? Hillary or Chris?
- who decided to leave his security detail behind, again? Hillary or Chris?
- what resources existed that could have responded, because believe me, we went through every possible straw that could be grasped?
- or are you one of those that believe launching an unarmed F-16 from Aviano with no refueling capability somehow would have helped?
- 29000 Army soldiers in EUCOM at the time, 400 in AFRICOM.
- more than one special operations unit in EUCOM at the time, none in AFRICOM.
- Even if you had a mechanism to trigger the transfer of these units instantaneously, how do you solve the time distance reality of geography?
I have a long list of issues I will lay at the feet of senior leaders, particularly civilian elected officials, Benghazi and the deaths of these Americans isn't one.
Cheers, Neil
I am in no way a fan but I am unable to connect those dots, and I was as close to the events as anyone without being there physically (disclosure - I was the watch officer).
So let me ask you a couple of things:
- who decided to leave Tripoli without informing those of us for whom that knowledge would have meant something? Hillary or Chris?
- who decided to leave his security detail behind, again? Hillary or Chris?
- what resources existed that could have responded, because believe me, we went through every possible straw that could be grasped?
- or are you one of those that believe launching an unarmed F-16 from Aviano with no refueling capability somehow would have helped?
- 29000 Army soldiers in EUCOM at the time, 400 in AFRICOM.
- more than one special operations unit in EUCOM at the time, none in AFRICOM.
- Even if you had a mechanism to trigger the transfer of these units instantaneously, how do you solve the time distance reality of geography?
I have a long list of issues I will lay at the feet of senior leaders, particularly civilian elected officials, Benghazi and the deaths of these Americans isn't one.
Cheers, Neil
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MSgt (Join to see)
Col (Join to see)
With all due respect sir I do not blame Secretary Clinton for what happened in Benghazi.
But I do believe the entire Administration and Congress do hold a great deal of responsibility for the incident. There is no denying that it was a tragic failure of leadership. Also in the run-up to the attack and the night of, the Administration was so blinded by politics and its desire to win an election, disregarded a basic duty of government and tell the people the truth.
Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Stevens both wanted a more permanent post in Benghazi. Why he left with very little as a security detail can only be answered by the Ambassador or the Secretary and that isn't going to happen.
In testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, retired Air Force Brigadier General Robert Lovell (Deputy Director for Intelligence for Africa Command on the night of attacks) bluntly said about the military’s response on the night of the Benghazi attack: “The discussion is not in the ‘could or could not’ in relation to time, space and capability, the point is we should have tried.”
Yes, it might be true military assets were not in place to get to Benghazi for the initial attack. But we didn’t know how long it would last when we became aware of the distress nor did leaders completely understand what was in front of them, be it a kidnapping, rescue, recovery, protracted hostile engagement or any or all of the above.
Did the State Department ever even ask the military for backup that evening?
There is no denying if not for the courage of Glen Doherty and his team who took it upon themselves to respond, saved countless American lives because their Government leaders would not take any action to respond.
With all due respect sir I do not blame Secretary Clinton for what happened in Benghazi.
But I do believe the entire Administration and Congress do hold a great deal of responsibility for the incident. There is no denying that it was a tragic failure of leadership. Also in the run-up to the attack and the night of, the Administration was so blinded by politics and its desire to win an election, disregarded a basic duty of government and tell the people the truth.
Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Stevens both wanted a more permanent post in Benghazi. Why he left with very little as a security detail can only be answered by the Ambassador or the Secretary and that isn't going to happen.
In testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, retired Air Force Brigadier General Robert Lovell (Deputy Director for Intelligence for Africa Command on the night of attacks) bluntly said about the military’s response on the night of the Benghazi attack: “The discussion is not in the ‘could or could not’ in relation to time, space and capability, the point is we should have tried.”
Yes, it might be true military assets were not in place to get to Benghazi for the initial attack. But we didn’t know how long it would last when we became aware of the distress nor did leaders completely understand what was in front of them, be it a kidnapping, rescue, recovery, protracted hostile engagement or any or all of the above.
Did the State Department ever even ask the military for backup that evening?
There is no denying if not for the courage of Glen Doherty and his team who took it upon themselves to respond, saved countless American lives because their Government leaders would not take any action to respond.
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Col (Join to see)
A) I won't disagree with you about the "truth" but I find that a separate issue
B) I believe you are mistaken about the permanence of Benghazi. During Oddysey Dawn Benghazi was our first presence but once we were able to re-establish our embassy in Tripoli that was always the main effort.
C). There was no need, EVER, for the State Department to ask the military for backup. By pre-existing MOU it was already a military concern.
D). Please don't fall for the GOP BS of orders to stand down and such .... it didn't happen.
And with all respect due Lovell he wasn't in the damn FPOC when all this went down (but he did show up the next day)
B) I believe you are mistaken about the permanence of Benghazi. During Oddysey Dawn Benghazi was our first presence but once we were able to re-establish our embassy in Tripoli that was always the main effort.
C). There was no need, EVER, for the State Department to ask the military for backup. By pre-existing MOU it was already a military concern.
D). Please don't fall for the GOP BS of orders to stand down and such .... it didn't happen.
And with all respect due Lovell he wasn't in the damn FPOC when all this went down (but he did show up the next day)
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Col (Join to see)
Follow on - in the fun up to this ...... Cairo was in flames, Khartoum was under lock down and the embassy staff in Tunisia were sending to their loved ones what they thought were their final selfies.
Of all the goddamned times to stay low why would the Ambo pick this day to head out and not take appropriate precaution. Again, this was not a decision over which Secretary Clinton holds any responsibility
Cheers, Neil
Of all the goddamned times to stay low why would the Ambo pick this day to head out and not take appropriate precaution. Again, this was not a decision over which Secretary Clinton holds any responsibility
Cheers, Neil
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MSgt (Join to see)
Col (Join to see) -
Thank you for your open, informative honest responses sir! You have a great day!
Thank you for your open, informative honest responses sir! You have a great day!
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MSgt (Join to see)
Sgt Stacia McIntosh
And why would their be an investigation? The Marines were part of a multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut housing U.S. and French members of the Multinational Force. What exactly is the correlation between Benghazi and the attack in Beirut?
And why would their be an investigation? The Marines were part of a multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut housing U.S. and French members of the Multinational Force. What exactly is the correlation between Benghazi and the attack in Beirut?
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I agree 200%. It is my belief that clinton & obama had these people Murdered because they had evidence that they were 'running guns & war materiel' thru Benghazi to obama's creation 'isis' !
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Col (Join to see) - Your just a 'meat' puppet for the Very Corrupt administration of obama, who was/is Not a citizen & who was installed by the elitists ! Your denial means Nothing, because you are covering for them !
Your last statement Proves that you Did drink the kool-aid !
Your last statement Proves that you Did drink the kool-aid !
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Col (Join to see)
"You're." Amazing. It would appear that your bias and ignorance are inversely proportional to your intellect. Unfortunate that I actually thought we could engage on this topic with a modicum or reason. Apparently not. Have a good day sir.
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Obviously our conclusions about what we read are polar opposites, but I will Not stoop to insulting you, which I think you were trained Not to do in OCS ! So, Blessings my brother !
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Col (Join to see) - Because our views Are divergent & the fact that more info abt the situation Is available to you because of your status as a Col., does Not mean that we can Not regard each other as fellow Patriots ! Peace, my brother !
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The truly sad part is that as of 9 NOV 2016, the Republican party no longer gives a fu@k about Benghazi.
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SSG Edward Tilton
It'll be back for the next election. Issues are like that, if you actually fix one then you can't gripe about it any more
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I will Always 'CARE' because the 4 of them 'worked' for 'WE the PEOPLE....' Not for 'killary' Nor barrie soetero !!!!! They are all HEROES !!!
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How would they know where the CIA complex is? That is a confidential area. Maybe we need to start asking how it is that the enemy has knowledge of information that only the CIA, State Department and the President should be privy to in this case and the location of our SEAL Team that was ambushed before that. Side note, those SEAL's were the very men that supposedly took out Bin Laden. Obama was corrupt, as is Clinton and all those who helped cover up the treason committed against our people.
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Liberals don't want you to have justice. Nor do RINOs in our government. President Trump could possibly bring justice if he wasn't busy with a Liberal justice department.
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yea someday we will but we will not get it from hillary r her people. we left those Americans when we should have made every attempt to get them. we let them down.
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NO ! NO" NO NOPE They are Not forgotten ,, not even by other countries . the quickie blame on a video still has no place in an attempt to fill a wave of the hands air movement , that brain dead' attempt put others on red alert about your country, sorry the Benghazi is not over , it may not be in new articles as much .. other countries were just as sickened by no response as with articles. perhaps a ghostly vile rat will naw on the nerves of those that ~ had time to do better....
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