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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
Kris is a friend of mine and we link up a couple times a year to catch up. I had the honor of being invited to the premiere of “13 Hours” in Dallas and got the opportunity to speak with Tyrone Woods’ mother the evening before at a social function. She of course was still grieving but staying strong, reassured by the fact that because of the book, film, and those of us in the community sharing the story of their sacrifice that his loss was not in vain. Ignoring the potentially criminal negligence and other malfeasance involved and knowing we may never get the full story, as long as people remember that there are Americans alive today because of the sacrifices of a few then that will be enough for now.
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Some of us who worked in certain positions know of the truth - the full truth! This was a total case of direliction of duty by Obama and Clinton, and a case of obstruction of justice when they not only tried to craft a BS scenario about a video being the cause of an uproar leading to the attack - but it was also a conspiracy to commit a cover up as well. Then you add in Hillary entering a SCIF multiple times with an unauthorized flash drive to illegally downloading Top Secret and Secret and Confidential classified information multiple times, and then illegally removing the information from the SCIF and illegally transporting the information on an unauthorized medium - and then illegally storing the unauthorized medium with classified information in her home and later illegally uploading the classified information from the unauthorized medium (flash drive) to her personal computer in her home basement which is not authorized or cleared by security to store classified information... and then to top it all off - she e-mailed the classified information multiple times to people not authorized to receive it which was later shared with foreign state actors and also her computer was hacked by foreign state actors in which they obtained the classified information stored on her computer. Perhaps this was her intent all along!
As a Counterintelligence (CI) Special Agent - these are the kind of crimes that not only warrant an investigation, but would lead to immediate criminal charges on multiple counts and would have certainly led to an indictment. People who have committed much less only one time have been charged with much more! Here's the real kicker... there are no statute of limitations on these crimes! The only way Hillary escapes this:
1.) Free pass by the President and Justice Department... which would set a bad legal precedent for those who commit similar or less crimes like Hillary in the future.
2.) Flee to a non-extradition country.
3.) Plead guilty and negotiate a plea deal to receive a reduced sentence.
4.) Pass away before charges can be brought forth against her.
So, if people wonder why she should never serve as Commander-in-Chief... I hope people now realize that the crimes she committed were deliberate, with forethought, with intent, by deception and without regard to the national security and defense of our country.
The question I have is this... if any federal agent has the authority to conduct an arrest based on the probable cause that a crime has occured in violation of the U.S. Code - then why didn't the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service or U.S. Secret Service arrest Hillary and join the FBI along with the Department of Defense (since some classified information contained DoD material) in conducting a criminal investigation to obtain and present evidence of her criminal actions? I guess since Obama was the President - these agencies as being within the executive branch were likely ordered by Obama that Hillary was not to be touched. Just look at how former FBI Director Comey and former AG Lynch crafted - or should I say "repeated" a ridiculous narrative (likely scripted by Obama and the White House) in order to ensure Hillary was let off the hook. Makes you wonder if Hillary had something on Obama and threatened to release information on him if she were to be investigated, indicted and arrested!
I have spoke with other agents within the FBI, DSS, USSS and DoD - all agree that she should have been arrested and sent to prison, and some agents that are still active are waiting for the greenlight to arrest her. The families of Benghazi may one day finally have their justice if Hillary is finally sent to prison for her crimes.
As a Counterintelligence (CI) Special Agent - these are the kind of crimes that not only warrant an investigation, but would lead to immediate criminal charges on multiple counts and would have certainly led to an indictment. People who have committed much less only one time have been charged with much more! Here's the real kicker... there are no statute of limitations on these crimes! The only way Hillary escapes this:
1.) Free pass by the President and Justice Department... which would set a bad legal precedent for those who commit similar or less crimes like Hillary in the future.
2.) Flee to a non-extradition country.
3.) Plead guilty and negotiate a plea deal to receive a reduced sentence.
4.) Pass away before charges can be brought forth against her.
So, if people wonder why she should never serve as Commander-in-Chief... I hope people now realize that the crimes she committed were deliberate, with forethought, with intent, by deception and without regard to the national security and defense of our country.
The question I have is this... if any federal agent has the authority to conduct an arrest based on the probable cause that a crime has occured in violation of the U.S. Code - then why didn't the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service or U.S. Secret Service arrest Hillary and join the FBI along with the Department of Defense (since some classified information contained DoD material) in conducting a criminal investigation to obtain and present evidence of her criminal actions? I guess since Obama was the President - these agencies as being within the executive branch were likely ordered by Obama that Hillary was not to be touched. Just look at how former FBI Director Comey and former AG Lynch crafted - or should I say "repeated" a ridiculous narrative (likely scripted by Obama and the White House) in order to ensure Hillary was let off the hook. Makes you wonder if Hillary had something on Obama and threatened to release information on him if she were to be investigated, indicted and arrested!
I have spoke with other agents within the FBI, DSS, USSS and DoD - all agree that she should have been arrested and sent to prison, and some agents that are still active are waiting for the greenlight to arrest her. The families of Benghazi may one day finally have their justice if Hillary is finally sent to prison for her crimes.
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Just about everyone we have lost will eventually get forgotten as the new attacks happen, it's up to us (you) to keep their memories alive and remind the ones who didn't do enough that their actions caused loss.
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Franklin Graham on Judge Kavanaugh Accusation: 'Not Relevant'
Franklin Graham on Judge Kavanaugh Accusation: 'Not Relevant'
Words matter, especially when said by a crazy witch-doctor
Franklin Graham jumped into attacking Senator Feinstein during an interview, (see video below) saying they (the Democrats) are pulling a fast one at the last minute with what sounds to me like he is angry because the Republicans all but had the nominee they wanted.
Graham’s easy dismissal or minimizing an alleged attempted rape charge of rape (something he did some 40 years ago) against a nominee to the highest court carries disturbing implications for our democracy..something he did as a teenager…
Evangelical Christian leaders have a moral responsibility to condemn Graham’s response regarding it doesn’t count, cause Kavanaugh did “this as a teenager.”
Wait a minute!
Next Graham goes on to say Kavanaugh has not been a criminal since his teenage years.
“They (aka liberal who support a woman’s right to choose) could not find anything else in his record, so this is just an attempt to smear him.
What? Everyone has the right to be heard when they have been the victim of an attempted rape.
All honorable leaders have an ethical responsibility to condemn these remarks by Graham.
Watch Graham speak these words here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ljWlevaU0&feature=youtu.be
Franklin Graham jumped into attacking Senator Feinstein during an interview, (see video below) saying they (the Democrats) are pulling a fast one at the last minute with what sounds to me like he is angry because the Republicans all but had the nominee they wanted.
Graham’s easy dismissal or minimizing an alleged attempted rape charge of rape (something he did some 40 years ago) against a nominee to the highest court carries disturbing implications for our democracy..something he did as a teenager…
Evangelical Christian leaders have a moral responsibility to condemn Graham’s response regarding it doesn’t count, cause Kavanaugh did “this as a teenager.”
Wait a minute!
Next Graham goes on to say Kavanaugh has not been a criminal since his teenage years.
“They (aka liberal who support a woman’s right to choose) could not find anything else in his record, so this is just an attempt to smear him.
What? Everyone has the right to be heard when they have been the victim of an attempted rape.
All honorable leaders have an ethical responsibility to condemn these remarks by Graham.
Watch Graham speak these words here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ljWlevaU0&feature=youtu.be
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CW3 Dick McManus
No, I stand by my comment. It was wrong that Congress did not insure a deeper more comprehensive investigation into Kavanaugh's alleged behavior by the FBI.
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So today the death toll in Puerto Rico was announced to be 2975 people. That is 2975 Dead American Citizens who were abandoned by the Trump administration because they are LATINO.
Where is your outrage in that? That is almost equal to 10 years in Iraq.
Where is your outrage in that? That is almost equal to 10 years in Iraq.
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SPC Chris Ison
Interesting allegation, care to back it up with facts? Because my research shows that Puerto Rico has only received 17 billion in disaster relief, and they applied for 90 billion; of which HALF of it is for the Bankrupt Medicaid problem. Where as Florida is receiving 36 billion in disaster relief including 2 billion to relive the citrus industry there.
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Cheap ass Republican House cut embassy security budget by 50%... Cut it in god damn f#@king half!!! So it comes to mind... Did the GOP, party before country scum, of the house cut the security budget in half in hopes something like this would make the administration look bad. Ya... just as ridiculous most of the posts here. You want security in bad places, you just pay the frickin freight or shut the hell up.
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PO1 Jim Fuller
The GOP cut Clinton's embassy security budget in half. The Republicans hold all the blame for Benghazi... given the recent history of the area a big chunk of cash needed to be spent there... that or not done anything and let the bad guys have another stronghold. The GOP sure finds it easy to get all the support they need to keep everyone worried about $hit on the other side of the world.
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I never took an Oath to never leave anyone behind. This a MARINE tradition. That has bled into the other services. And is not followed by every unit and every group of soldiers. While I was in Iraq, we were on patrol, when another vehicle was hit by an IED, and my squad leader refused to go in and back them up. I quote: "I am not driving into an ambush". So, yeah that is not a real thing.
Finally, none of these men, are SOLDIERS, AIRMAN, MARINES, or SAILORS, they were private contractor's and FSO's.
I for one, hate private contractor's fuck them. They have no place in our battlefield, they are unregulated and irresponsible. If they need QRF, they should have private contractor's doing QRF.
Finally, none of these men, are SOLDIERS, AIRMAN, MARINES, or SAILORS, they were private contractor's and FSO's.
I for one, hate private contractor's fuck them. They have no place in our battlefield, they are unregulated and irresponsible. If they need QRF, they should have private contractor's doing QRF.
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