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Live Blog C-SPAN Noon ET * House Oversight Hearing, Benghazi Security Failures [Updates]

By Larry Johnson on October 10, 2012 at 10:30 AM in Current Affairs

From my post, “Obama White House in Meltdown over Benghazi (UPDATE)“: “TODAY’s hearing on murder of four American “diplomats” at the hands of Al Qaeda linked terrorists on the 11th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks will put the final nails in the coffin carrying the political corpse of Barack Obama. His Presidency is dead, done and finished. We have breaking news tonight (thanks, HelenK2) that two senior State Department officers informed the press (sans Fox News) that on the evening of 9-11 in Benghazi there was no protest or spontaneous riot. …”


UPDATE 2: View the two-part video
of the hearing below.

(To date, there appear to be no future reairings of the two-plus hour hearing. You can read opening statements by each of the four witnesses [see links at the end of this post], but a full transcript is not yet available at C-Span (and a transcript from a House committee hearing can take up to two weeks to publish).

UPDATE 1: LIVE ON C-SPAN ONE (on TV or C-Span’s site)

From the October 9, 2012 Washington Times article, “State Department creates own board to look at Libya security query“:

“There’s documentary evidence that requests came back to diplomatic security and Undersecretary Kennedy rejected them,” Larry Johnson, a former CIA officer and State Department counterterrorism official, told The Washington Times.

“What is at issue here, this board is set up to review all of the decisions that were made prior to the attack on 9/11 that reduced security for the U.S. mission in Libya. Kennedy shouldn’t have had anything to do with this,” Mr. Johnson said. “He should have completely recused himself from the process.” [Continued below ...]

More from “State Department creates own board to look at Libya security query“:

Mr. Kennedy is slated to testify Wednesday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is holding hearings to investigate the State Department’s response to threats before the attack, among other issues.

John R. Bolton, a former ambassador to the U.N. who is advising Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, told The Times that the undersecretary for management typically handles the creation of special boards.

In this case, Mr. Bolton said, with so many officials facing scrutiny, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, it would have been better to hand the job to the independent inspector general for the State Department.

“It isn’t different than what they’ve done before,” he said. “Maybe the lesson here in the future, it ought to be the [inspector general] that takes this board to guarantee the independence of the members.”

Army Lt. Col. Andy Wood, a Green Beret who led a site security team in Libya, told CBS News that he and others had requested more security, but State Department officials in Washington turned them down and pulled them out of the country, along with a six-member force of elite security guards.

“We tried to illustrate to show them how dangerous and how volatile and just unpredictable that whole environment was over there. So to decrease security in the face of that really is it’s just unbelievable,” Col. Wood said.

Col. Wood said team members could have accompanied Mr. Stevens to Benghazi, the site of the well-coordinated assault by al Qaeda-linked extremists.

Last week, ABC News unearthed a May 3 memo. …

For the rest of the story on ABC News’s exceptional digging by Jake Tapper, see Larry Johnson’s “Media Not Letting Go on Libya.”

Read WT’s accompanying article: “State Department creates own board to look at Libya security query”

Follow WT’s lead stories: @washtimes on Twitter
(See far right column for Washington Times’s Twitter feed)

______________________________________

Editor’s Update:

larryjohnson-new-ss1
Larry Johnson (Bio)


See Larry’s latest posts and Tweets in the RIGHT COLUMN.

______________________________________

UPDATE 2:

Witnesses

Ms. Charlene R. Lamb (testimony)

Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Programs, Bureau of Diplomatic Security
U.S. Department of State
Mr. Eric Nordstrom (testimony)

Regional Security Officer
U.S. Department of State
Lt. Col. Andrew Wood (testimony)

Utah National Guard
U.S. Army
Ambassador Patrick Kennedy (testimony)

Under Secretary for Management
U.S. Department of State
  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    So, who falls on their sword for the lies? Obama, Rice, Clinton, lower level employees? Hillary has been incredibly absent the entire post attack discussion. Between here and Rice, I suspect Obama to pick his former mistress Rice, except that he desperately needs Bill’s help for reelection. What’s an idiot like Obama to do?

    • TeakWoodKite

      What’s an idiot like Obama to do?

      go away.

  • binky354

    Remember when I reported a couple of days ago that a Dem spokesman had retorted that “the American people don’t want to know”? Finally that has been reported on; I knew I didn’t hallucinate it. But look who reported on it:
    http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2012/10/unbelievable-democrats-claim-americans.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

    @Matthew – I’ve spent hours trying to find this. Here’s the Youtube link:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ijO8E0KXnfc

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      Ah, I was expecting this from Debbie Wasserman-Shultz! She and VP Biden make perfect spokespersons for Obama. Guess we need to add Dick Harpootlian, Chairman of the South Carolina Democratic party to the list.

  • HELENK2

    White House counter terrorism adviser meets Libyan leaders in Tripoli, White House says – @Reuters

    • TeakWoodKite

      after the fact? or to get Libyan leaders on the same lying page by threat?

      • HObama HObamanana

        I suspect something similar, especially since the Libyans gave their PM the oust after he so forcefully said what happened in Benghazi was terrorism almost immediately after the attacks occurred.

        • TeakWoodKite

          I had not even included the fate of the Libyan PM in my thinking. ROLF. I just took as the repeated MO of BO that he would send a counter-terrorism advisor instead of the SOS.
          The 3:oopm phone call from Hillary to BO..
          “Barry, you’re on your own, I might have signed up

  • HELENK2
  • HELENK2
    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      Really good question. Hillary is AWOL. Maybe already on terminal leave and letting Rice be de facto SOS, lies and all?

    • http://www.facebook.com/mary.cusack Mary Cusack

      Changing Obaba’s diapees like she’s been doing since she threw the nomination.

      • HObama HObamanana

        Thank you for the accurate description about what she did with the nomination.

  • Savannahlawyer

    What turns my stomach the most is that Americans are dead, and the Administration is concerned about a political campaign.
    Secondly, and almost as nauseous, is that the absolute best case for what allowed this attack to occur was incompetence. Think about that. I’m dumbfounded.

  • Guest

    Oh god. Dennis Kucinich is the chair? ISSA!???

    – I’ve not looked up the lists of minority/majority chairs for that committee.

    • HObama HObamanana

      Kucinich is in the high chair.

      • TeakWoodKite

        Rolf.

  • BronwynsHarbor

    IMPORTANT: I CHANGED THE LINK to C-SPAN’s streaming video — to the direct page where you can watch … I have both my TV and the hearing going … simultaneously! :) I’d turn off one but they both work.

    NOW to see if there’s any way to embed the streaming video.

  • BronwynsHarbor

    Issa is giving opening statement … talking about EVERY ONE of the four dead … their lives, and the families they left behind.

    • Theymustbemorons

      Kucinich mentioned the budget cuts affecting embassy security during “the last two years” — a.k.a. the Republican majority control of the House. Paul Ryan needs to counter this tomorrow night and cast the administration as a bunch of liars who came together to create a cover up. They took the video story and ran with it. Kucinich is doing a good job of calling out the know-nothings.

      • Theymustbemorons

        Sorry, not meant as a “reply” … this is regarding Kucinich and not your comment Bronwyn.

      • BronwynsHarbor

        I missed most of Charlene Lamb’s testimony … will add it, the Chair’s opening statement and more as appendages to this post,

  • HELENK2

    Cummings is not going to be much use. He couldn’t even get the Ambassador’s name right. Sounds like he is there to cover for the backtrack bunch

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      Useful idiot.

      • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

        And another, Eleanor Holmes Norton. She, like Cummings, would rather talk about the “Republican Budget”. What about Obama’s budget?! Isn’t he the president? Oh, yes, no budget submitted in how many years or thousands of days?

        • Theymustbemorons

          Paul Ryan needs to effectively counter this in his debate with Biden. The deaths of the Ambassador and his colleagues can be easily inflamed into an emotional issue by Biden who, I suspect, will do his best to make the house budget cutters (and Paul Ryan is the leader of that movement) responsible for these murders. Ryan needs to prepare for that.

          • HELENK2

            Issa shot that down real fast. Saying that it was bi partisan and one more democrat than republican voted for the budget cuts

            • Theymustbemorons

              Well tomorrow’s debate should tell because this story has been spread around. Google “republicans voted to cut embassy security budget” and see what shows up. Biden will be sent out to hang Ryan with this. He must have equally powerful facts at his command to reach the debate audience on an emotional level. Many, many more will be watching the v.p. debate than the hearings.

              • Theymustbemorons

                “He must have equally powerful facts…”
                “He” meaning Ryan. Sorry.

            • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

              Issa isn’t the press. Obama has already proved himself a liar, Biden talks great. I bet this will come up and Ryan will have to address directly.

        • TeakWoodKite

          Hasn’t the senate voted 99-0 against all of BO’s budgets?

        • HObama HObamanana

          Yeah, they always seem to forget that it is the President that signs an bill into law.

      • KenoshaMarge

        Not all that useful methinks.

        • HObama HObamanana

          Agreed. I thought idiot defined him sufficiently.

      • BronwynsHarbor

        Woohoo … quoting me, MW. Thanks!

    • elizabethrc

      When has he ever been anything different? He is a waste of the taxpayer’s dollars.

  • Sally Vaci

    WTF? Blaming Republican budget cuts?

  • Theymustbemorons

    Did the Ranking Member’s remarks (Rep. Cummings) give a preview of the v.p. debate — the house made the cuts to the embassy security funding … the senate tried to restore part of the funding. Biden will be putting blame on Paul Ryan? Obama’s name not mentioned yet. Eleanor Holmes Norton is also repeating Cummings theme that Republicans cut budget for security.

    • randi

      well..if it is true (don’t know that it is – just thinking out loud) that the Republicans cut budget for security and that is a factor – well…one POTUS candidate is slashing another huge chunk of military/security and the other candidate has insisted he is re-instating that money. Looks to me like MR (and his campaign) have cornered BO on this and several other issues. Check-mate, methinks.

      • foxyladi14

        also if there was not enough money then they should have closed it down and brought the, home. ALIVE!!!!!

        • HObama HObamanana

          Right on!

        • TeakWoodKite

          If you can’t “afford” to have light cargo transport…don’t bother. It’s the same thing as our troops not having close air support in Afghanistan anymore. BO is so clueless he couldn’t get a free ride on Air America.

      • FormerLiberal9

        I may be wrong but I believe that States budget was cut something like 450 million. Its strange but isn’t that about the same amount Obama blew on Solyndra.

      • elijahzabmom

        The funding issue was debunked.

  • HELENK2

    the democrats on the panel are putting party before country even now.

    • http://twitter.com/AudreyGreeson Audrey Greeson

      Are we surprised? They always do that.

    • http://MediaBlackoutExposed.blogspot.com/ WhiteHouseCoverUpClickHere

      Everyone is being used by this administration, including the poor and uneducated, to complete the commie-unity organizing agenda.. The truth has leaked out!

  • Theymustbemorons

    Ironic … Col. Wood’s connection to the 2002 Winter Olympics.

    • BronwynsHarbor

      You beat me to it! RIGHT ON! He had to have gotten to know Mitt Romney, VERY well … they doubtless had numerous meetings about security issues at the Games and he quite possibly traveled with Mitt to Washington, D.C. when he lobbied Congress to give him additional funds for security.

      He is not just some Colonel either …. he has TWENTY-FOUR YEARS experience with Special Forces… which he had to say himself.

      C-Span’s accompanying article lists the primary person who CANNOT be at the hearing today … Ambassador Stevens.

      C-Spans article failed to mention the names, let alone backgrounds of the other three men who died in Benghazi. NOT did C-Span name the witnesses except the top two State Department dudes who I doubt I’ll bother listening to (well, i will just to hear them make excuses).

      At least the Committee’s site listed the names of all four witnesses, but not their bios. I am looking for their background — i have their names because John Batchelor mentioned them in his blog post. Leave it to JOHN BATCHELOR to find those names. I know I wrote about them too + their bios … am looking …

      • BronwynsHarbor

        Couple more thoughts:

        At least the Committee’s site listed the names of all four witnesses, but not their bios. I am looking for their background — i have their names because John Batchelor mentioned them in his blog post.
        Leave it to JOHN BATCHELOR to find those names. BATCHELOR always makes sure he gets ALL the facts, and he credits every single guest he has on, including our very own Larry Johnson. BATCHELOR is my go-to source for the fascinating details – like the names of the leaders of various Al Qaeda sects, Libya’s hierarchy of new leaders (and their full, properly spelled names), the dates, the locations in Libya (which most people couldn’t find on a map, let alone name a single city except, perhaps, Tripoli). None of you, thankfully, who read this blog — you’re all so well-read on international politics, which is LARRY’s forte. I have to double-check the spelling of the Al Qaeda plotters and try to track their internecine wars.
        Larry, like John Batchelor, is one of the very few people who can speak authoritatively on Benghazi, Libya, Jordan, Syria, Arab states (who are financing the Libyan Al Qaeda “gangs.” It made me heart-sick that John Batchelor’s post on Syria, Jordan, etc. got pretty much ignored on his Web site — I haven’t checked in a few days, but I am sure that everyone here read it, commented on it, and thanked John … you don’t have to thank me for re-posting his posts because I am thrilled to have the chance to learn more and I always find that I retain information much more if I have to study it for a particular reason.
        In my case, there are at least two reasons: (1) I break up his paragraphs because, as a former newspaper reporter (for several newspapers, a book, and numerous articles for magazines), I know that readers need paragraph breaks because it is much easier on the eyes to read short lines of text. The best newspapers have paragraph breaks after every sentence. (Reminds me … I did that for another blog writer once, and he never thanked me, publicly or otherwise.
        I’ll never forget one instance: After I had completed my extensive editing (and rewriting of portions of his post), he said my work was “Fine.” He didn’t thank me publicly or privately. I hinted — not wanting to appear too hungry for praise — but it was a “trial balloon” that popped. Thankfully, that was a while ago. But it did take me @ 2 hours because I had to refer to the source material in order to identify who said what to whom, and which blog post he was quoting from.
        I digress … the bottom line is that, even when we disagree with them or even me — the people who comment at this blog take a few seconds to type, “Thank you.” To which I reply, Thank YOU, HelenK2 and far too many others to list, for all the insights and links you share many times, every day. I just wish I remembered every time you contributed information or entire posts. We turned Hokma’s comment into a post, and I hope it got a response … hope.
        SO: Thank you, Larry. Thank you to Darrell Issa for holding the hearings. C-Span … well … they only announced the hearing this morning, so I had to add C-Span’s ID + twice change the link so that YOU could easily find the live streaming. So, no thanks needed for me, except for the C-Span link snafu + I had to change Larry’s writing so that it was clear that it was HE who was quoted in the Washington Times piece — quite a coup, even for Larry.

        • BronwynsHarbor

          (Reminds me … I did that for another blog writer once, and he never thanked me, publicly or otherwise. )

          I’ll never forget one instance: After I had completed my extensive editing (and rewriting of portions of his post), he said my work was “Fine.” He didn’t thank me publicly or privately. I hinted — not wanting to appear too hungry for praise — but it was a “trial balloon” that popped. Thankfully, that was a while ago. But it did take me @ 2 hours because I had to refer to the source material in order to identify who said what to whom, and which blog post he was quoting from.

          I digress … the bottom line is that, even when we disagree with them or even me — the people who comment at this blog take a few seconds to type, “Thank you.” To which I reply, Thank YOU, HelenK2 and far too many others to list, for all the insights and links you share many times, every day. I just wish I remembered every time you contributed information or entire posts. We turned Hokma’s comment into a post, and I hope it got a response … hope.

          SO: Thank you, Larry. Thank you to Darrell Issa for holding the hearings.

          C-Span … well … they only announced the hearing this morning, so I had to add C-Span’s ID + twice change the link so that YOU could easily find the live streaming. So, no thanks needed for me, except for the C-Span link snafu + I had to change Larry’s writing so that it was clear that it was HE who was quoted in the Washington Times piece — quite a coup, even for Larry.

          • TeakWoodKite

            :)

  • Theymustbemorons

    Something seems off about the just concluded tiff over what’s classified and not classified regarding Lamb’s testimony. Now Issa is walking things back a bit on the chart that was “commercially available.” Interesting how Cummings jumped in to say he had no problem with it.

  • HELENK2

    are they leaking information again??

  • Theymustbemorons

    As Kennedy defends Rice, I still wonder where Rice got the story about “the video.” Maybe he’ll explain that.

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      Both work/report effectively to Obama, not Clinton. Don’t know Kennedy’s tie to Obama, but Rice has long, personal, and, if reports from 2008 were correct, intimate ties directly to Barack Obama.

      • Retired_from_SPOnaj

        Kennedy is a long time career Foreign Service Officer who quite literally came up through the ranks. He is not considered to be a “political” (appointee). That being said, he may have acted politically in this instance.

        • TeakWoodKite

          You think they ( and we) will ever know which one it is?

          • Retired_from_SPOnaj

            Probably not. Pat doesn’t strike me as the type to write his memoirs.

            • TeakWoodKite

              how I wish…..

      • HObama HObamanana

        Are you implying from the “intimate ties” remark that Kennedy is Larry Sinclair the 2nd?

    • Retired_from_SPOnaj

      Rice doesn’t report to Kennedy, or for that matter, Hillary. Rice reports to the White House.

  • HELENK2

    Kennedy is just spreading BS. If he had any class he would resign

    • HELENK2

      looks like Issa just nailed Kennedy on documents

  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    Ouch! “Under penalty of perjury” Does “request” mean “request”? Answer, no.

    There is a nice, short, and clear sound bite. Will the news report it?

    • Theymustbemorons

      Amazing. And we also heard when “5″ is not really “5.”

      • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

        So quickly we get back to the definition of “is”.

        Politicians.

  • HELENK2

    were the two SEALS that were killed part of the actual consulate security or were they there working on something else and when the attack occurred went to help at the counsulate??
    I ask because I thought i read somewhere that they were NOT part of the consulate security

    • Retired_from_SPOnaj

      They were definitely “working on something else.” But, being former SEALs, they reacted and took action in the interests of America when and where needed.

      • HObama HObamanana

        And yet their names are hardly mentioned. In life, I can understand why. But in death as a result of service to and for our country, I really don’t understand.

        • TeakWoodKite

          two more stars on the wall.

        • shelldoll2

          That’s the deal and they know that.

        • Retired_from_SPOnaj

          For some professionals, the only appropriate way of death is the same way that they lived and served, anonymously.

      • TeakWoodKite

        can one be a “former” SEAL?

        • shelldoll2

          Yes. The same as one is a “former” Marine.

          • TeakWoodKite

            I thank you for your service as I do theirs, I thought “Once a Marine always a Marine” ( or SEAL) was the way of a warrior. Bushido Code.

            • shelldoll2

              Oh I agree. It’s just hard to explain. My father-in-law was a former Marine. Call him an ex-Marine? Flee for your life.

              He was one of the most kind, gentle, honest, patriotic people I’ve ever known.

              • TeakWoodKite

                Thank you.

  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    How is this discussion thread “Hillary covering”? Many of us really wonder where Hillary is. One might suggest that she shares blame and has Ambassador Stevens’ blood on her hands as well. I really haven’t seen anyone trying to cover for or defend Hillary.

    • BronwynsHarbor

      See above. Or below — depends how you sort the comments … I mentioned Hillary several times, but it was after you posted your question, which is an excellent one.

    • cookiegramma

      I read Sally’s comment as saying that the people at the hearing are covering for Hilary and I would add to that the Dems are covering big time for the Administration and attempting to change the focus.

  • Theymustbemorons

    Well, Kennedy’s right about one thing … it is an “evolving” situation. Eleanor Holmes Norton is a disgrace.

    • HObama HObamanana

      She doesn’t even have a vote in the House. Her opinion means nothing.

    • shelldoll2

      Evolving in the sense that one of my science teachers had us all convinced that prehistoric amoebas still existed.

      Most of them are our current so-called leaders.

      The Giant Most Intelligent Must be Worshipped Amoeba now occupies the White House.

      I rest my case.

  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    Norton just went off topic with idiotic question about Mitt Romney. What an idiotic with nothing to constructively say about the death of Ambassador Stevens and others in Libya.

    • Retired_from_SPOnaj

      What’s Ed Norton doing in this? Oh, you mean Eleanor Holmes Norton. Hard to tell them apart.

      • shelldoll2

        LMAO!

  • Theymustbemorons

    3 is 5…
    a disagreement is a discussion…
    the triumph of relativism?

  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    Got that? Between 10,000 and 20,000 missing shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles are missing in Libya AND there is more presence and influence by Al Qaeda, since or as a result of Obama’s action and inaction in Libya. Nice job Barack.

  • Theymustbemorons

    Kucinich mentioned the budget cuts affecting embassy security during “the last two years” — a.k.a. the Republican majority control of the House. Paul Ryan needs to counter this tomorrow night and cast the administration as a bunch of liars who came together to create a cover up. They took the video story and ran with it. Kucinich is doing a good job of calling out the know-nothings.

  • binky354

    Fox has the investigation into Benghazi on…just switched to CNN, they’re discussing whether Lance Armstrong used drugs.

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      Well, isn’t the initially French-led persecution of Lance Armstrong is continuing news?

  • HELENK2

    mrs lamb asked if she was in communication the NEXT day when the people from benghazi got to tripoli and she is saying no? Why didn’t she???? They were safe then and memories would be fresh. that makes no sense at all.

  • HoosierinDixie

    I haven’t been listen to closely so maybe someone here can clarify something for me. Did they say the situation did not warrant keeping the security team but Mr.Nordstrom got a raise after they removed them because it was then more dangerous?

    • HELENK2

      yes. really does not make much sense does it??

  • BronwynsHarbor

    The GOP best be cautious … if correct, the GOP-led House slashed funding for the State Department. I thought, well surely they can cut back on security for some people — like VALERIE JARRETT (!) and her Secret Service detail.

    But Ambassadors + staff in ANY foreign country are under threat because Al Qaeda and its derivatives are global and coud strike out at any Ambassador, embassy, consulate anywhere in the world.

    The first country that popped into my mind was the UK but, the UK’s consulate was attacked THREE weeks before the U.S.’s and who among us knew that? And that was but one of SEVERAL attempts — Al Qaeda did a series of “dry runs” to test the vulnerabilities. Surely Larry, John Batchelor and a few of you knew … but the general public never knew because the MSM failed to do its job.

    It’s not the House alone — the Dem-controlled Senate gummed up the works. And what was Hillary Clinton thinking? Obama, I have no doubt, never heard about 95%, if any, of the UK incidents. I cannot imagine how Hillary didn’t hear about some of the UK assaults.

    The upshot: By the end of this hearing, the GOP wlll get the blame and in the final of the three debates — on foreign policy — Romney will be savaged by the moderator or Obama for failure to fund sufficient protection throught Benghazi. The TIMING couldn’t be worse … the last debate. All we can hope for is that viewership drops precipitously by the third debate.

    P.S. NO, I DO NOT BLAME the GOP … at most, they bear 10-15% of the blame, and that’s in large part due to their valiant efforts to try to cut back on costs. There is plenty of wasted money in the State Depatment — like last night’s State Department to which the media was NOT invited. The Senate Democrats get 35% of the blame because not only did they not pass a budget but they have the ear of the president Hillary gets 25% of the blame but she is fighting a losing battle in probably over 1,000 wars — how many countries are there in the world? But Libya was an exception — a “special needs child,” if you will. And I’ve lost count … they’re ballpark estimates anyway.

    • Hokma

      Budget was not cut by that much and whatever cuts there were is no excuse for what took place. None. It is a hail mary that will land nowhere.

      • randi

        26 days 12 hours 467 minutes 15 seconds till election day. One candidate has been repeatedly saying he would put back the defense cuts. Um..it’s not BO.

    • BronwynsHarbor

      The one hope: Romney is able to pivot and mention the country and several others and then say he will implment improvements in security for all countries around the globe … and then he can turn the tables on Obama, who will not HAVE A CLUE.

      That could be actually a lot of fun, satisfying fun, to watch.

    • stodghie

      i suggest that barack obama better be damn prepared for questions.

  • HELENK2

    the hearing will re air at 9:00PM tonight for those who could not watch this AM

    • Theymustbemorons

      Thanks, I missed a big segment of it. Is this hearing over? Or will there be more to come? I wonder if they will call Hillary Clinton.

    • getfitnow

      Thanks helen. I couldn’t watch earlier. Is that EST?

      • HELENK2

        yes

  • Popsmoke

    First Impression… WTF? This was a total cluster foxtrot from the get go. The RSO and the SST Commander need a good kick in the ass. So the LTC contacted his congressman with his concerns? I find it interesting that McCain did not return his calls. Now there is protocol! The RSO? Which unit did he serve with? Supply? Kennedy? Holy shit is all I can say.. You never remove borrowed assets without having your own all ready in place.
    Finally… This hearing is totally political… I want to see the FBI investigation before I drop the hammer.
    Of course Hillary is responsible for this insane management mess…
    Sad state of affairs…

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      The buck stops with Obama, especially has he trotted out Rice to lie at the UN. And, yes, no pass to Hillary–as she is either involved and at equal fault or she is standing aside and letting this occur on her watch. All three need to explain, accept fault, and resign.

      • Popsmoke

        Grow up Weaver…

    • http://noquarterusa.net Larry Johnson

      You don’t know what you are talking about. RSO and SST Commander did their jobs. Their superiors did not.

      • Popsmoke

        Maybe they did but I was not impressed with their testimony. Though I am sure the executive briefing was more forth coming. However if they felt the way they talked why did they not make an issue of it rather than just pass it up channels? You know do a Larry Johnson and raise all hell on principle. You would have! I know you that well.
        Moreover I will wait the outcome of the investigations before I start hanging anyone.
        Todays hearing was nothing more than political duckspeak.

  • HELENK2

    Mr Norstrom and Mr Wood are not happy with Mrs Lamb and Mr Kennedy. You can see the contempt they have for them. I do not blame them

  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    First one under the bus will be Ms. Lamb.

    I’ve worked for people like this, she deserves every bit of criticism and should be fired. But, the blame cannot stop with her, she surely didn’t do any of this on her own.

    • HELENK2

      did you get the impression from the testimony of Kennedy, that the discussion about the security issues in Libya never went higher than Lamb? That the higher ups did not get involved because it was not brought to their attention??

      • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

        Yep, they are the lambs, pun not intended, being thrown to the wolves and under the bus.

        • TeakWoodKite

          These requests were copied to 16 email addresses. Utter BS it didn’t go higher than just the immediate reports…

      • Retired_from_SPOnaj

        Hmmmm. That sounds familiar. Subordinates not bringing important issues to the attention of their Cabinet secretary. Now where did that happen before in the Obama administration? Fast and what?

        • shelldoll2

          You mean Operation Fast and Pray because You’re on Your own?

          Or maybe Operation Sorry about Your Luck?

          Ooooh I know! Operation Let’s Withdraw extra Protection shortly before 9-11!

          Nah. That’s not it.

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      And second goes to Mr. Kennedy for falling on his sword and accepting his incompetence as a fault and not political pressure.

  • HELENK2

    two more going under the bus. the two names that now Mrs Lamb says had to approve her refusal for more security

    • binky354

      Did she name them, Helen? I had to leave for a couple of hours and I missed it if she did.

      • HELENK2

        yes she did but I do not remember the names. apparently they are right above her and she reports to them

  • akaPatience

    Bronwyn, I suspect Rep. Ryan would welcome discussion of the multi-billion dollar State Dept. budget during the debate tomorrow. The American public probably has no idea how much money is spent for various types of foreign aid, economic development, etc. OVERSEAS. In light of the hard times many here in our own country are suffering, plus the skyrocketing budget deficit, it may not be a discussion that the Obama administration wants to shed too much light on.

    • binky354

      When I hear the tired excuse of budget cuts for the inadquate security, I’d like to suggest that they take what money they need out of the foreign aid that’s provided to the enemy.

      • BronwynsHarbor

        Amen! And it could be a carrot/stick thing … if you provide adequate protection and nobody dies or is injured, you get the aid, MINUS the cost for extra protection (especially in Mid-East/Indonesian,African (Sudan, Uganda, DR Congo, etc.

        • TeakWoodKite

          “one accountant one security expert and an assistant to (shuffle paper)”…
          What is the Barry’s idea of a security team?

      • HoosierinDixie

        Great idea Binky354. What bothers me is how they can even make the excuse of budget cuts for inadequate security and with the other hand claim they had adequate security.

  • Popsmoke

    Who is not getting what warnings? Just based on the link below is enough to leave any SST in North Africa…

    http://soufangroup.com/briefs/details/?Article_Id=402

  • HELENK2

    little bit off topic
    the talking points today seem to be the republican budget cuts. The subject will most likely be brought during the VP debate tomorrow night.
    the moderator of the debate is married to a classmate of backtrack from Harvard. he went to their daughter’s wedding.
    Ryan will need a flack jacket and Biden will have a comfy pillow during the debates

    http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/10/abc-news-scrambles-to-cover-up-barack-obamas-attendance-at-vp-debate-moderators-wedding/

  • HELENK2

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgHEPw9VYA&feature=player_embedded

    only one libyian security guard with Ambassador Stevens at the time of the attack

    • exmaple

      Most reports say there was security hired: a local militia. Therefore I have these questions I hope are asked:

      1. Was this same militia the attackers? I.e., a double-cross.

      2. Did the administration decide not to send real security because they were saving money with a cheaper militia?

      3. Did the administration decide not to send real security because they thought such presence would be too big a “footprint” and insult the locals (not that it really would, by Obams-types might think so)?

      4. Did the administration decide not so send real security because they thought they were “partnering” with the militia? Also, did they think they “understand” the militia.

      5. Was the militia hired “Islamist,” i.e., was it more religious than tribal?

      6. Is the reason the State Rep. would not call the attackers “terrorists” because the attackers were the hired militia, and calling them “terrorists” would only compound the disaster of judgment.

      To get Susan Rice to lie so fast means there were high up decisions.

      My Main Point: ASK ABOUT THE HIRED MILITIA

      • HoosierinDixie

        You have a lot of good questions listed here. At one point Ms. Lamb implied the Libyan rent-a-cops were just as good as the Special Forces security guys. Col. Wood naturally took offense to that assertion and rightly so.

      • TeakWoodKite

        #3 yes.
        #4 only when it came to small arms.
        #6 State Rep. Neville Chamberlin?

  • HELENK2

    http://cnsnews.com/news/article/us-embassy-libya-sought-13000-year-bodyguards-limited-english-gave-preference-citizen

    job description posted for Libyian securty forces/$13,000 yearly. limited english
    preference to family of US citizens and same sex partners.

    Political correctness has gotten crazy.
    I do not care about anyone’s sex life, can they shoot straight, hit what they aim at, and do the job protection.

    • BronwynsHarbor

      The pref. for same sex partners is kind of amusing, but mostly it is wonderful … to each his own … and it says a great deal about the new leadership in Libya.

      Best I recall, the few Libyans I’ve heard on TV speak English quite well …

      Helen, your last sentence goes for the new Libyan leaders as well: “Can they shoot straight,* hit what they aim at, and do the job protection.”

      ——-

      * “Can they shoot straight” — the same goes for their negotiations with Ambassador Stevens and his retinue, and I pray that they are surrounded at all times by a loyal, quick-witted security force.

      “Hit what they aim at” — that too goes for the many goals they have to achieve. Bless them, and good luck.

    • HObama HObamanana

      good comment.

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      Are you sure this is where you read this? I checked the linked government site and didn’t see any preference for same sex partners in the posted job descriptions. That’d not only be offensive discrimination, but illegal.

  • HELENK2
  • HELENK2

    http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/10/did-the-white-
    house-give-classified-briefings-on-libya-to-a-friendly-columnist.php

    did the whitehouse give classified briefings on Libya to a friendly columnist.
    the columnist defended Rice’s comments.

    something to keep an eye on

  • HELENK2
  • HELENK2

    http://nation.foxnews.com/white-house/2012/10/10/wh-press-corps-hammers-carney-over-obamas-benghazi-gate

    white house press corps hammers carney over backtrack’s benghazi gate

  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    This was an incredible hearing today. I missed the last hour of it but wow, this will be topic of the coming debates. Americans died because of incompetence, Obama’s administration is now caught in a deepening lie. Even Bob Bechel on Fox News says the hole they’ve dug is getting too deep.

    • Hokma

      This will certainly come up tomorrow night and I do not think Biden will be able to deal with it well. It will come up again during the townhall debate and of course the final foreign policy debate. Obama is finished.

      What the Iran hostage crisis was to Carter, this is to Obama but worse because Carter did not cover up anything. There is always an October surprise and this tragedy is it.

      Between this scandal and the Obama loon response to the bad debate performance he is done.

      I suspect that Democrat turn out is going to fall dramatically and this election could be a landslide.

      • Retired_from_SPOnaj

        Joe may take his shirt off and try to pick a fight in the debate tomorrow night. But will be fast enough to catch Ryan? We’ll see.

        • shelldoll2

          Good grief did you have to leave an image of Joe Biden with no shirt! Medic!

        • Popsmoke

          It should be a good debate. Both of these guys are on a first name basis and actually like each other. I think it will be a draw..

  • HObama HObamanana

    American troops on the ground in Jordan. An intentional distraction from this mess?

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      How many? I did see any counts offered in the news clips I found on this.

      • HObama HObamanana

        According to this there are only 150 at this point. Their stated mission is to keep an eye on Syria.

  • getfitnow

    Please just take a moment and watch this. It’s a great, must-see professional ad paid for by private citizen Thomas Petterffy:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnX7TNFIELg

    • Retired_from_SPOnaj

      May he never see that day that his new country becomes like his old one.

  • HELENK2

    off topic.
    I was looking for this yesterday. video of Lara Logan’s speech

    http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com/2012/10/cbss-lara-logan-obama-is-lying-to.html

    • HELENK2

      bronwyn
      you might want to watch this

  • HELENK2

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/mother-slain-state-
    dept-official-tired-being-lied-and-stonewalled-obama-administration_654163.html

    mother of state dept official tired of be lied to and stonewalled by backtrack bunch

  • HELENK2

    Iowa Hawk

    The worst thing that will happen to anyone involved in the Benghazi fiasco: they’ll resign to take a teaching job at Harvard.

  • HELENK2

    the hearing is being re aired on c-span if anyone wants to watch it

  • Bill O’Reilly

    So Mr. Johnson what do you think about this WP article.

    “The purpose of the pre-election hearing, presumably, is to embarrass the administration for inadequate diplomatic security. But Issa seems unaware of the irony that diplomatic security is inadequate partly because of budget cuts forced by his fellow Republicans in Congress. For fiscal 2013, the GOP-controlled House proposed spending $1.934 billion for the State Department’s Worldwide Security Protection program — well below the $2.15 billion requested by the Obama administration. House Republicans cut the administration’s request for embassy security funding by $128 million in fiscal 2011 and $331 million in fiscal 2012. (Negotiations with the Democrat-controlled Senate restored about $88 million of the administration’s request.) Last year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Republicans’ proposed cuts to her department would be “detrimental to America’s national security” — a charge Republicans rejected.

    Ryan, Issa and other House Republicans voted for an amendment in 2009 to cut $1.2 billion from State operations, including funds for 300 more diplomatic security positions. Under Ryan’s budget, non-defense discretionary spending, which includes State Department funding, would be slashed nearly 20 percent in 2014, which would translate to more than $400 million in additional cuts to embassy security.”

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-forget-about-big-bird/2012/10/09/5f9a411c-1258-11e2-ba83-a7a396e6b2a7_story.html

    Seems like your GOP party might actually be responsible for the lack of security in Benghazi. Your party cut the funding, which as Hillary Clinton warned, had deadly consequences. With all the budget cuts Ryan wants it seems like their will be less diplomatic security in the future.

    • Retired_from_SPOnaj

      Thanks, I love it when press agents write a story and the papers print it word for word as legitimate news. I used to do a bit of this when I worked for CIA, and even though I was trained to expect and exploit it, I was often surprised at how easily journalists and editors were willing to be compromised. Interesting to see that even though the players change, the basic principles behind co-opting journalists and their editors remain the same.

      • Popsmoke

        Journos and many editors are clueless

      • Bill O’Reilly

        You cannot deal with the facts; ie. the impact of State budget cuts, so you attack the press for revealing the irony of cuts and the GOP trying to make this political. Totally lame.

        • Retired_from_SPOnaj

          Let’s deal with the facts, then. The fact is that when the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Programs of the Diplomatic Security Bureau of the Department of State, Charlene R. Lamb, was asked yesterday during her testimony before Congress whether budget cuts to diplomatic security resulted in the recent problems in Libya, she replied, “No.” If you are calling her a liar, then you are calling the administration that she works for–i.e., the Obama administration–dishonest. Is that your assertion?

    • http://noquarterusa.net Larry Johnson

      You are an ignorant ass. Cutting the State Department budget, which was voted on by a majority of Democrats, does not eliminate the need for the Department to ensure a consulate in a high threat area is protected properly. They can close posts in other areas of the world that are low threat and irrelevant. Curacao, for example.

      • Bill O’Reilly

        So now we have the GOP and yourself concerned about the security of our diplomats. Why weren’t they and you concerned with security when the GOP was cutting the budget? The ex-Ambassador to the Kenya (who was there when it was bombed) said in a recent interview that the biggest problem with providing more security to diplomatic outposts was the lack of funds, which had been further stressed by these GOP pushed through spending cuts at State. Clinton warned about the impact these cuts would have.

  • binky354

    I noted Kucinich (sp) in his speech that our Libyan intervention was “without constitutional authority”! No joke. It was his President that got approval from the UN and ignored Congress. Did anyone hear him object back in that day or call for impeachment?

    • getfitnow

      He certainly objected throughout the Bush administration.

      He’s on his way out, that’s where his “courage” comes from.

  • HELENK2

    http://weaselzippers.us/2012/10/10/dnc-chief-wasserman-schultz-just-because-the-obama-admin-put-out-wrong-
    statements-on-libya-attacks-doesnt-mean-it-was-false-huh/

    sheees back,, dibby debbie spouts nonsense

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      And I was beginning to miss Dear Debbie…

  • HELENK2

    what is this 50 minute benghazi tape that Issa is talking about and who has it,if it is not the FBI??

    I missed that this morning. glad I am watching the rerun

  • Retired_from_SPOnaj

    I’m a bit surprised that no one is praising Susan Rice for her absolute loyalty to the Axelrod Democratic plantation. I mean, she had to know that she was absolutely lying when she did her Sunday talk show tour.
    Susan needs to be rewarded for her performance. Personally, taking a page out of the Al Gore playbook, I believe that an Academy Award for Best Actress is order. She was really into her role.

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      No, she just demonstrated the pure arrogance that is the hallmark of the Obama administration. Instead of award, she deserves jail or at least dismissal in disgrace.

    • binky354

      I absolutely agree about the Academy Award for Susan Rice.

  • binky354

    Trey Goudy, SC, is really laying it on Kennedy. (I’m watching the C-Span re-run.)

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      I’m half-watching this for 2nd time while doing some work. The whole hearing was like this. After having sat in on a lot of hearings over the years, beginning with Iran-Contra as a grad student, the tension and all were remarkable today. That this is not leading all of the news is more evidence that we do not have a real 4th estate in the U.S. today. None.

      • shelldoll2

        Thank you. I’ve never seen better state sponsored media.

        Why isn’t this in the headlines of the major papers no matter their political leanings?

        Why isn’t this the major story on the evening news shows? Or maybe even the only story? They do that at times.

        Pravda would be proud.

        • getfitnow

          Because we have our first young, historic, black POTUS.

          I believe if it had been any other administration, regardless of party, this would be THE news.

          It’s a damn shame.

      • getfitnow

        It is shocking. I saw a comment–a person was on FOX where it was being covered, switched to CNN to check–they were talking about Lance Armstrong/doping.

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      I’m now into new content I missed earlier today. Rep. Rohrabacher gives the air of the grown-ups having arrived and asking a kid what the heck did they think would happen as a result of their action or inaction.

  • shelldoll2

    So the security detail was pulled days before 911 because of money.

    Our country spends billions of dollars on Solyndra and other projects that failed.

    So in other words we are now suddenly too broke to protect an embassy/consulate in one city in one volatile country because the budget was cut too severely.

    So let me get this straight.

    The current Congress is being criticized for cutting a budget that they are also being criticized for not passing.

    So where did our Armed Forces GO? Was the entire Marine Corps gone and there are no Marines trained or available to form a protection force?

    Our Seals all suddenly disappeared as a result of this budget cut?

    We have no Green Berets left as a result of these budget cuts?

    We have no Army Rangers left as the result of this budget cut?

    Surely we have trained troops with experienced leadership that stepped into the breach.

    So I wonder when the DOD and Pentagon shut down?

    Who said no and why? Since we can afford to spend billions then where did the money go?

    When an Ambassador pleads for additional security and we have no money for it at all then why not remove said Ambassador temporarily? We can always send an Ambassador back when the budget fight is done – or not.

    This is where leadership comes in. You get on the phone and invite the leadership of both parties to the WH and find out what the hell is going on.

    This isn’t rocket science. LBJ , JFK, Clinton would have pulled it off.

    Hell, Eisenhower, Reagan and Nixon would have the done the same.

    Carter? Great humanitarian?
    Think so, not sure, like the man.

    But this no money bull when this administration has spent money like water says it can’t protect one US Ambassador because of money?

    I call bull sh*t.

    • binky354

      One of the Congressmen pointed out that over $100,000 had been spent on having one of the embassies go green and had a celebratory shin-dig to celebrate such. Might have been in vienna. Wish I could hold on to names. It’s my darn short term memory!

      • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

        I think this was Trey Goudy and the Rep. just before him.

    • Hokma

      If this is the tactic that Obama is now using to deflect blame NO ONE is going to buy other than their Democrat comrades and those on the far left. They are just piling up more B.S. at a time they should just come clean and try to get it behind them.

  • shelldoll2

    As for the last two years of budget cuts. If they went into law guess who signed them? Obama.

    • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

      This picture from the Washington Timeis fitting for your comment.

      • getfitnow

        Powerful.

  • http://www.projectweavers.com/ Matthew J. Weaver

    The Obama Administration, including Clinton State Department, are, in the words of Nordstrom, the Taliban on the inside. That is a damning conclusion for the lack of support offered our embassy staff.

  • akaPatience

    Let’s not forget what Hillary Clinton said on 9/12/12: “How could this happen? How could this happen in a country we helped liberate? In a city we helped save from destruction?”
    Larry mentioned this remark in his first essay about Benghazi. It speaks volumes. I frankly find it incredible that she would expose her naivete so freely and willingly. And that’s what’s at the heart of all of this – ample security was denied because it was thought Libyan protection would be sufficient, could be relied upon, in spite of recent history, and in spite of many pleas from security professionals and Ambassador Stevens himself.

  • Popsmoke

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NZIFEM43OZ4RR2L3IGG7QMCTDA Nomad

    Trying to find a full transcript of this. Has anyone in intelligence said anything about ever saying they told the whitehouse or state department that was caused by the video?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1147926192 Alex J. Rynkiewicz

    DERELICTION OF DUTY BY OBAMA IN REFUSING HELP TO AMB STEVENS AND THE 3 MARINES WHEN GEN HAM AND ADMRL GAOUETTE WERE GOING TO SEND NAVY PLANES TO BOMB THE TERRORISTS.–OBAMA REFUSED 3 TIMES TO HELP.–TREASONOUS.