# Benghazi Committee Report: They Got Nothin' **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 29, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682 "2016-06-29T05:16:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/1 "2016-06-29T05:16:51Z")
[Here’s a CNN link.](http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/28/politics/benghazi-report-hillary-clinton/) (Warning: opens video automatically.) Nothin’. Blames Obama administration for insufficient attention to security (something the State Department asked Congress for help funding, and Congress said no.) A partisan hack-job, and they still couldn’t find anything to pin on Clinton. Say, I have a clever idea: let’s open another Congressional investigation! I’m sure the ninth try will turn up all sorts of dirt! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/2 "2016-06-29T05:58:04Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > A partisan hack-job, and they still couldn’t find anything to pin on Clinton. Somewhere, Ken Starr is laughing. Actually, Starr did find the Lewinsky thing. He investigated the Clintons up and down and all he found was a blowjob and an evasion. So his investigation was successful, by GOP standards, in that it gave a Republican Congress a fig-leaf justification to initiate impeachment proceedings and generally create enough smoke to convince the low-information voters that there must be _something_ burning other than the GOP’s credibility. Starr comes from a time when the GOP could run a _competent_ Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy, when they could at least _play_ at being adults instead of having an orangutan with a comb-over as their public face. They were shits, sure, but they were good at it. They had some competency in their evil machinations. Now they’re just beating their heads against a wall and their front-runner is explicitly posing in front of garbage. They’ve gone from being Emperor Palpatine to being Skeletor. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/3 "2016-06-29T13:02:37Z")
I’d be curious to see the number of Congressional hours spent on this investigation in comparison to the number of Congressional hours spent on the 9/11 investigation, JFK investigation and Watergate investigation. I feel like if you combine the hours of the other three, Benghazi still has 'em beat. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/4 "2016-06-29T13:08:24Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’d be curious to see the number of Congressional hours spent on this investigation in comparison to the number of Congressional hours spent on the 9/11 investigation, JFK investigation and Watergate investigation. I feel like if you combine the hours of the other three, Benghazi still has 'em beat. I’ll try to find the cite (Google fu is weak today and I don’t have time to read through a bunch of articles) I read yesterday but it did state that they have spent more time investigating Benghazi than 9/11. Recockulous. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/5 "2016-06-29T13:19:56Z")
I don’t know if Ken Starr is in position to laugh. After wasting our time investigating Clinton over a blow job, he’s forced out of Baylor for institutional failure in handling sexual assaults. This incident has used more Congressional resources than Pearl Harbor, Watergate, JFK, and 9/11. And they knew full well going in that there was nothing, they merely wanted to smear Hillary. And the right wingers still send out their chain emails because doncha know, these were the four most important and wonderful people in the history of the universe? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/6 "2016-06-29T13:57:23Z")
> **[The Benghazi Investigation Reaches a Dubious Milestone](https://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/01/06/Benghazi-Investigation-Reaches-Dubious-Milestone)** > > Democrats serving on the special committee examining the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, say the panel’s invest But, look, it’s OK because Benghazi… really, if you took Watergate and added Iran-Contra, then multiplied by their impact by 10… [that’s how important Benghazi was to these people](http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/dec/12/rep-king-benghazi-10-times-bigger-watergate-iran-c/#!). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/7 "2016-06-29T14:50:43Z")
[Chris Stevens’ sister: Don’t blame Clinton for Benghazi.](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/chris-stevens-hillary-clinton-benghazi-224928?cmpid=sf) > [@](#): > > “I do not blame Hillary Clinton or Leon Panetta,” Stevens said in an interview published Tuesday with The New Yorker’s Robin Wright, referring to the former secretaries of State and defense, respectively. “They were balancing security efforts at embassies and missions around the world. And their staffs were doing their best to provide what they could with the resources they had. The Benghazi Mission was understaffed. We know that now. But, again, Chris knew that. It wasn’t a secret to him. He decided to take the risk to go there. It is not something they did to him. It is something he took on himself.” > > Instead, Stevens remarked that if any entity had any culpability, it was Congress for the State Department’s budget. > > “Perhaps if Congress had provided a budget to increase security for all missions around the world, then some of the requests for more security in Libya would have been granted,” Stevens told Wright. > > … > > Asked whether she felt her brother’s death had been politicized, Stevens was adamant. > > “Yes! Definitely politicized. Every report I read that mentions him specifically has a political bent, an accusatory bent.” ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/8 "2016-06-29T16:06:20Z")
Going strictly by Foxnew’s coverage of the report yesterday, I came away thinking that Clinton and Obama were the ones who actually initiated the attack. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/9 "2016-06-29T16:10:01Z")
That is to be in the supplement, to be released a week before the election. I can’t believe Fox has spoiled their October surprise moment. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/10 "2016-06-29T18:40:15Z")
The Benghazi investigation has got to be the biggest incident of Republican politicians stepping on their own dicks during this election cycle. I am sometimes tempted to sit out this election then I am reminded of how well Hillary was able to withstand almost a dozen fucking hoursof congressional questioning and it makes me think “well, shit, I want her on my side” (I’m not convinced she is actually on my side or just pretending to be so she can get elected and do favors for moneyed interests) All questions about her competency, health, and determination evaporate. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/11 "2016-06-29T20:39:10Z")
The best evidence for the total partisanship nature of the investigation is the way it was released. Dems on the committee were not asked to sign off on it. They didn’t even get copies until hours after the report was released to the press. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/12 "2016-06-29T20:56:02Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’d be curious to see the number of Congressional hours spent on this investigation in comparison to the number of Congressional hours spent on the 9/11 investigation, JFK investigation and Watergate investigation. I feel like if you combine the hours of the other three, Benghazi still has 'em beat. In contrast, when three hundred Marines died in the barracks bombing in Beirut, in the 1980’s, there was one (1) Congressional hearing, that produced a bipartisan report and recommendations, and the recommendations were implemented. There was still a semblance of sanity in the Republican Party (although Reagan was working hard to erode it.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/13 "2016-06-29T22:01:20Z")
There is only one conclusion that can be drawn from this report: More hearings are needed until _something_ is found. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/14 "2016-06-29T22:37:35Z")
While I think much of the Benghazi scrutiny is politically motivated, I think it has also indirectly achieved a purpose: No future presidential administration, Republican \*or \*Democrat, will dare to not defend an embassy or consulate under attack. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/15 "2016-06-29T22:41:27Z")
I was surprised at the investigation being finished now. I fully expected it to be dragged out into the fall and for them to subpoena Hillary some time in October. Well, I guess they can leave that for the _next_ investigation… ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/16 "2016-06-29T23:12:40Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > The Benghazi investigation has got to be the biggest incident of Republican politicians stepping on their own dicks during this election cycle. > > I am sometimes tempted to sit out this election then I am reminded of how well Hillary was able to withstand almost a dozen fucking hoursof congressional questioning and it makes me think “well, shit, I want her on my side” (I’m not convinced she is actually on my side or just pretending to be so she can get elected and do favors for moneyed interests) > > All questions about her competency, health, and determination evaporate. This election cycle? this is the third election cycle that the GOP has been stepping on their dicks over benghazi. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/17 "2016-06-29T23:36:55Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > While I think much of the Benghazi scrutiny is politically motivated, I think it has also indirectly achieved a purpose: No future presidential administration, Republican \*or \*Democrat, will dare to not defend an embassy or consulate under attack. Defend it with what? Most of the saner voices in this, such as Robert Gates, have spent time pointing out the lack of resources for quick response. Nobody made the decision NOT to defend the consulate; they just didn’t have troops and equipment and, especially, good intelligence as to what was happening and who was on which side. By the time that was sorted out, four were dead and the rest had been evacuated. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/18 "2016-06-29T23:58:55Z")
Shit, all we have to do is re-negotiate our ambassadorial understanding with…well, everybody. They just have to understand that we reserve the right to intrude ourselves militarily if the situation requires. Which requirement, of course, is entirely at our discretion. Scatter a few aircraft carriers, a mobile armored division or two, some Seals around the Mediterranean/Middle East. Then, something like this pops up, we hit the choppers and away we go! Questions about safe landing zones, number, nature and deployment of hostile forces, their armament,etc. will be resolved in transit. What could possibly go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/19 "2016-06-30T03:47:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Shit, all we have to do is re-negotiate our ambassadorial understanding with…well, everybody. They just have to understand that we reserve the right to intrude ourselves militarily if the situation requires. Which requirement, of course, is entirely at our discretion. Scatter a few aircraft carriers, a mobile armored division or two, some Seals around the Mediterranean/Middle East. > > Then, something like this pops up, we hit the choppers and away we go! Questions about safe landing zones, number, nature and deployment of hostile forces, their armament,etc. will be resolved in transit. > > What could possibly go wrong? Nah. All you need are commandos on motorcycles. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682/20 "2016-06-30T04:11:15Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > There is only one conclusion that can be drawn from this report: More hearings are needed until _something_ is found. Good Godzilla, they’ve been so stupid, they can’t even make something up, much less find it. (Oblique reference to George Carlin’s line from his sportscaster: “I call 'em as I see 'em, and if I can’t see 'em, I make 'em up!”) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-committee-report-they-got-nothin/758682.md?page=2)