# Benghazi- give up the faux scandal already. It didn't work. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 12, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825 "2012-11-12T20:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/121 "2012-11-16T22:20:18Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > We sure dodged a bullet when we voted _him_ down. More and more, “people” are starting to say he became irrelevant long ago. One described the whole thing as “old man yelling at clouds” (Simpsons reference). I used to feel some respect for him, but this is so DAMN hypocritical of him. ---
**Author:** ![rooostra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@rooostra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rooostra)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/122 "2012-11-16T23:28:00Z")
It is possible that this is all grandstanding so McCain can get a new flashy committee seat because he is losing his Armed Services Committee seat due to term limits. The only other available seat is the Indian Affairs Committee. However, if there were to be a new Benghazi committee, well holy cow, it looks like McCain would be likely to get the ranking Republican spot. Hmmmmmm. > **[John McCain Makes Very Convenient Proposal On Benghazi](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/john-mccain-benghazi-committee_n_2145457)** > > John McCain Makes Very Convenient Proposal On Benghazi ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/123 "2012-11-16T23:33:55Z")
Also, someone made the point on cable last night that McCain was left holding the bag on Benghazi after Romney lost, and has no other option but to “double-down” on it. I could see him backing off if Romney had won and McCain just letting the idea of a scandal die out. But that isn’t a possibility for him now without looking even more the hypocrite that he already is, given his support for Condi Rice back in, 2005 I believe it was. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/124 "2012-11-17T01:01:47Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Couldn’t be. No fucking way. Not crazy enough, not stupid enough to think they can impeach. Now, I know I’ve said this before, that they are not stupid enough nor crazy enough to try and get away with something like this. And I’ve been occasionally wrong. Frequently. Pretty much every time. Not this time. Nope. Not this time. I’m putting the Benghazigate impeachment vote in the House in either April 2015 (if the GOP goes into the midterms looking like it will retain the House) or in October 2014 (if it doesn’t look that way and they rush it as a Hail Mary pass.) I’d change my prediction based on the time it will take to gather evidence, but evidence doesn’t matter. This is what the Republican Party’s going to try to hang the black guy with (metaphor totally intentional) and by God, they’re gonna run with it. It’s horrible but it’s true. Like watching a car wreck unfold. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/125 "2012-11-17T04:34:08Z")
Love to see it happen in early 2014, followed by a blowout in November that puts the Speaker’s gavel back in Blue hands. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/126 "2012-11-17T09:58:18Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Okay, [al Qaeda-linked](http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/16/politics/benghazi-hearings/index.html?hpt=hp_t1) terrorists. > [@elucidator](#): > > What value of “linked” are we using, here? Takes marching orders from, or knows somebody’s brother in law? This. The connection is tenuous at best, and saying that they were from Al-Qaeda, or taking orders from Al-Qaeda, or had anything more than a barely-present connection to Al Qaeda, would be simply downright false. So… I guess FOX is criticizing the administration for _not_ pushing misinformation? That’s nice… ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/127 "2012-11-17T22:30:29Z")
From the [_New York Times_](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/17/world/africa/benghazi-not-petraeus-affair-is-focus-at-hearings.html): > [@](#): > > Mr. Petraeus, who resigned last week after admitting to an extramarital affair, said the names of groups suspected in the attack — including Al Qaeda’s franchise in North Africa and a local Libyan group, Ansar al-Shariah — were removed from the public explanation of the attack immediately after the assault to avoiding alerting the militants that American intelligence and law enforcement agencies were tracking them, lawmakers said. > > [snip] > > The talking points initially drafted by the C.I.A. attributed the attack to fighters with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the organization’s North Africa franchise, and Ansar al-Shariah, a Libyan group, some of whose members have Al Qaeda ties. This. And as I suspected, the references were removed to avoid tipping them off. And despite what I said earlier, I assume FOX will get around to reporting this eventually. But I’m not holding my breath. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/128 "2012-11-17T23:09:28Z")
Maybe FOX news is doing a patriotic act as they “know” that Al-qaeda only checks FOX news, so FN must continue with the misleading reporting so they will not tip the terrorists… :dubious: 🙂 … Nah, can’t not even say that with a straight face, so pull the other one FOX news, it has bells on it… ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/129 "2012-11-17T23:47:07Z")
[Harry Reid’s letter to John McCain](http://images.politico.com/global/2012/11/121116_benghazi_2.html) (cc: Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, and Kelly Ayotte) A few highlights: > [@](#): > > I refuse to allow the Senate to be used as a venue for baseless partisan attacks… > > I am concerned that a Select Committee, as you propose, would duplicate and, ultimately undermine the numerous investigations into the attack that are already proceeding in the Senate committees of jurisdiction, and may serve to further politicize an issue that has already been manipulated by Members of both the House and Senate in service of partisan agendas… > > For instance, on Wednesday, Senator McCain failed to attend a classified briefing held by the Senate Homeland Security Committee on this very issue… > > In the House of Representatives, Chairman Issa has undertaken a deeply flawed and partisan investigation with a clear intent to politicize this tragedy. While the hearings his committee conducted – by all accounts – shed no new light on the incident in Behghazi, they did succeed in exposing sensitive and potentially classified information, as well as grossly misrepresenting the facts… > > The elections are over; it is time to put an end to the partisan politicization of national security and begin working together to strengthen our efforst to dismantle and destroy the terrorist networks that threaten us… Ouch! ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/130 "2012-11-17T23:48:39Z")
🙂 - to **GIGObuster** To be fair, I’ve been looking at other sites trying to find the same info reported by the Times, but I haven’t found any. The reason I singled out FOX was because they’ve been pushing this “scandal” pretty hard. To mention a reason for the removal of the Al Qaeda references that doesn’t involve nefarious actions from the White House wouldn’t comport with their other reporting. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/131 "2012-11-18T00:22:47Z")
Questions still bothering me… Why was Amb Stevens there? His safest base is the Embassy, in Tripoli. He had to realize he was at risk, so why was he there? Is there a procedure for when someone as important as he puts himself at such risk, a procedure whereby he gets consent? His value as a hostage would be a serious consideration. The length of the attack, several hours, by many estimations (or has that changed?) Against whom? What resistance was mounted against such heavily armed marauders? How long could any such resistance last? What, did they keep firing rockets and mortars for the hell of it? If so, that would underline the suspicion that these were a bunch of “amateurs”, who happened to be heavily armed due to the chaos in Libya. That suspicion is further enhanced by their reported behavior, talking on cell phones about their triumph. Dumb-da-dumb-dumb dumb. Then, there’s the different reasons for intelligence, which may alter how it is perceived and presented. For State, the interest is diplomacy. An embassy is an expression of confidence in an unsettled nation, as well as a means of keeping several eyes on things. And a place for business meetings, with interested parties. CIA’s interests are more “military”. Where their interests diverge, so do their perceptions. i have the unsettled sense that the info suggesting a spontaneous eruption was more from State, and a planned attack more like CIA. I offer that more as a “hunch” than a proposition. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/132 "2012-12-04T13:03:50Z")
This makes me wonder if the Neo-Conservativesreally belive in a Democracy, if they forget the Majority rules in our country. Sounds just like sore losers to me! ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/133 "2012-12-04T17:07:57Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > This makes me wonder if the Neo-Conservativesreally belive in a Democracy, if they forget the Majority rules in our country. Sounds just like sore losers to me! To be fair, it was originally a majority of rich, white men. They won that, so we are not being true to our founding principles by denying them the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/134 "2012-12-04T17:25:18Z")
Give up fake Benghazi outrage? Hell no! Please Senators, proceed. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/135 "2012-12-04T17:41:09Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Give up fake Benghazi outrage? Hell no! Please Senators, proceed. Excuse me, sir, I believe you just dropped your microphone. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/136 "2012-12-04T18:51:09Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > This makes me wonder if the Neo-Conservativesreally belive in a Democracy . . . They really believe in **capitalism;** democracy is a secondary consideration. As we saw when the neocons had their chance to run Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/137 "2014-02-21T07:34:55Z")
Holy faux scandal Batman! Can you believe this shit is still going? [Today’s Fox News front page](http://imgur.com/EQEyEhp). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/138 "2014-02-21T08:17:25Z")
Fox News is doing a story on war profiteers? A _disapproving_ story, are we to understand? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/139 "2014-02-21T10:55:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Fox News is doing a story on war profiteers? A _disapproving_ story, are we to understand? I should think it will be a very _selective_ story. The horrendous Benghazi blunder is well worth rubbing our noses in, however. It killed outright a half million people, displaced millions more, cost the U.S. trillions of dollars and was conducted mainly as an almost-sociopathic experiment. Oh wait. That’s the Iraq blunder. Well … same difference, hunh? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825/140 "2014-02-21T13:06:50Z")
Well, for scandal purposes it _does_ beat “Fast and Furious”. The quality of Washington scandals has declined markedly in recent years. Even the sex scandals aren’t what they used to be. These things cycle though - expect a major revival eventually. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benghazi-give-up-the-faux-scandal-already-it-didnt-work/640825.md?page=8)