If there are any of you who are undecided yet in this election cycle, I hope the tipping point for you will be the tragedy at Benghazi, and how the Administration has handled its response, or lack of, to questions that are now pouring in from both the liberal and conservative media.
The anguish that the families of the victims are going through is unimaginable as more leaks about the debacle are coming forth. The preposterous statement by the Administration that the tragedy was caused by a YouTube video, including repeated statements to that effect by the President before the United Nations, the Secretary of State, and the US Ambassador to the United Nations on five network news shows, has been fully debunked, as documented evidence has shown that the attack was premeditated and the State Dept. knew that fact two hours after the attack had begun.
More importantly, both the US regional security team in Libya and the Ambassador himself in several cables to the State Dept, in the months leading up to September 11, as well as the day itself, expressed concern about a pending attack and lack of security.
Yet, these repeated requests for additional security were denied by the State Dept, despite several attacks by leading up to September 11:
- June 6: IED thrown at US Consulate in Benghazi
- June 11: British ambassador’s motorcade attacked by RPG, with two people injured; shortly after, British government shuts their Embassy
- June 18: Gunmen attack the Tunisian Consulate and burn the Tunisian flag
- August 5: International Red Cross building is struck by an RPG; IRC removes its personnel and leaves Libya
Since that deadly attack, further evidence has been forthcoming that two unarmed US drones were relaying real time information of the attack back to Washington. Questions have been repeatedly raised as to why no help was sent, despite three reported requests for assistance by former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods, who was killed in the attack, and that Special Operations forces were two hours away. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has stated, “you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s on, without having some real time information about what’s taking place.” Excuse me, but isn’t that why we have Special Operations forces and Delta Forces, one of which was in Europe, reportedly two hours away? Isn’t this type of rescue operation their specialty? Isn’t part of their creed, “leave no man behind?”
There has been rampant speculation about what the Secretaries of State and Defense, the President, and his national security team knew and when did they know it. That is not the point of this post here. Four people died, two of them in defending US soil in a foreign land. No help was sent to them during the more than 7 hour fight. Explanations as to what happened, when, and how have been changing repeatedly from the Administration. And now, there is only silence. Everything has been put on hold until after the election. Except for the families.
If you were at Andrews Air Force Base awaiting the return of your son’s remains from Benghazi, and the Vice President said to you and your family, “did your son always have balls the size of cue balls?”, ask yourself, does this man deserve to be returned to the Office of the Vice Presidency of the United States. The first American ambassador killed in over 30 years, with three other dead Americans, the Consulate still smoldering, and the President flies off to Las Vegas for a campaign fundraiser. During 2011 and the first half of 2012, the President’s attendance at daily intelligence briefings was at 38%. Should this man be returned to the Office of the Presidency of the United States.
Presently, we’re witnessing an unmitigated disaster in disaster preparedness and emergency response in New York and New Jersey. Imagine the note-taking and analysis being done of the situation by Iran, Hezbollah, al-Quaeda, et al. The next Benghazi may not be overseas.
Benghazi matters. It matters to you, to your family, your friends and your country. Remember 9/11. Both of them.
An-opinionatedwoman 