From the last link:
Well, nicely done there bbonden. And we are still waiting for the evidence that the documents dumped by the Republicans had “non-sensitive, for public release” on them.
Sorry, I was oblique in saying “speculation.” There is speculation that Stevens was in Benghazi that day meeting Turkish diplomats because the US was running guns from Libya to Syrian rebels, using Turkish ports of call for transit. It is informed speculation, but speculation nonetheless. I’m not sure that is here or there for our discussion, but perhaps we will learn something relevant (e.g., there was concern that the attackers had man-portable AA missiles). I’m not counting on it.
As for increased security pre-attack, I think that there is ample evidence to support the dual ideas that Stevens was very much a man-of-the-people-type ambassador and that he was very concerned about the consulate’s defensibility in the event of attack by precisely the groups that ultimately attacked. It’s a tough balancing act, no doubt.
I’m sure this is meant as sarcasm, but I’m not sure why. I cite relevant news that helps us get to the “‘final’ word on the Benghazi embassy attack.”
Eight weeks after the relevant event, DoD has gone on the record with three separate stories about its non-response in the course of a week.
Certainly, the latest story provides a definitive answer to the question, “why not more”: “we had nothing available.” But query why (a) that was the case, on September 11 and across the highly unstable southern Mediterranean front, (b) why assets weren’t moved into place when the Cairo embassy was breached, and (c) why this version of events - which is straightforward as can be - didn’t come out six weeks ago.
Bottom line, it may change the source and vector of the cock-up, but not the fact that there were one or more major cock-ups along the way. Looks like fingers are pointed at CIA, to me.
If you think that documents were improperly released, provide an argument and/or cite. Or go read them yourself. They aren’t that interesting.
Why after nearly 2 months can you not establish a coherent narrative about this manufactured outrage?
Let’s not be silly here. Libya is a strategically important, oil filled, very rich Islamic country with a history of terrorism. I’ve heard first hand stories from some from some of the first NGO workers on the ground after the revolution, and you can bet that we have had been working very very hard to make sure the organizations and individuals that have interests aligned to ours have everything they need to rise to power during the chaotic transition period, and that the organizations and individuals that work against our needs run into as many roadblocks as we can arrange. I have no doubts we have been working extremely closely in a one-on-one way with individuals that we see as having potential to lead the new Libya. And i can imagine we have been more than willing to bring misfortune on those who we would rather not lead the country.
The CIA activity there is not some backwater listening station. It has almost certainly been a long-establihed, very hands-on down and dirty campaign to shape the future of Libyan political leadership. I agree that when you decide to pay them a visit, you understand that some people may not like that and that you are taking some risks.
As for reinforcement, you realize that bombs aren’t going to work in an urban compound full of Americans? When you fly a bunch of soldiers into another country without going through the legal paperwork for immigration, that is an invasion, and it wouldn’t look well to invade our new ally.
For those who want to talk about the video and its relationship to the Benghazi attack, here is a chronology of some relevant and potentially-relevant dates:
[ul]
[li]June 4, 2012: Abu Yahya al-Libi (al-Qaeda #2) killed in drone strike[/li]
[li]July 2: “Bacile” video posted on youtube[/li]
[li]September 5: Video dubbed into Arabic, retranslated[/li]
[li]September 10: Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda #1, posts call for Muslims, and especially Libyans, to avenge al-Libi[/li]
[li]September 11, around noon eastern time: Ayman al-Zawahiri’s brother Mohamed leads protests at US embassy in Cairo, where protestors storm embassy grounds, remove US flag, raise flag sometimes called “al Qaeda” flag.[/li]
[li]September 11, around 4:00 eastern time: Jihadis linked to al-Qaeda affiliates in Libya, Egypt and Iraq, as well as homegrown militia under active surveillance by the local CIA mission, launch surprise paramilitary attack US consulate in Libya. Per reports, some jihadis mention the video during the attack.[/li][/ul]
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/24/world/benghazi-al-qaeda-in-iraq/index.html
Certainly. Of course, the US makes incursions into friendly territory, both with and without diplomatic sanction (and with and without publicity), on a fairly regular basis. In one recent example, the US not only made a high-profile unsanctioned incursion into Pakistan - we publicized it. And then made movies about it.
Avoidance of the issue is dully noted. And I asked first for your cite that organizations sees as kosher the release of sensitive documents.
Once again: normally the documents that are deemed safe for release are tagged “non-sensitive” and/or “For public release”, as even you pointed out they were branded “sensitive, but unclassified”, yes, not secret, but as I have noticed on many other situations services are aware that if documents are safe to be dumped they will brand them “non-sensitive”.
I’m not sure many people do want to “talk about it”.
My mom (80+) does. Fox&Friends (her only source for news) tells her that it’s bigger than Hurricane Sandy. Because it’s going to bring down Obama any day now…just wait, here it comes…okay, tomorrow, there’ll be a huge uprising against B. Hussein Obama about it.
The rest of us? The sane (well, okay, more well-rounded) ones? We see other bigger news out there. Like storm damage, and thousands of people homeless or without power? Oh, and did you know there’s some kind of contest on Tuesday?
The final word is … Look at the watch…You are getting very sleepy. These are not the droids you were looking for…
I heard Kanye said Hurricane Sandy doesn’t care about white people.
Two non-sequitur, off-topic posts. Awesome, especially the Kanye reference.
Thanks for confirming what so many people suspect about Romney supporters.
so… you’ve got nothing, eh?
Both him and Adaher have been MIA since the election-I wonder why?
“He”
Who? Him?
OK, this is rich. You want to know why assets weren’t moved to Libya in response to an attack that came about because of a protest in Cairo over the video, while steadfastly criticizing Obama for an attack that you maintain had nothing to do with the video. Do you even listen to yourself?
In this post-Bain world the only thing still manufactured in the US is outrage.
He said him when it would have been proper for him to say he when he referred to him.
Whom?
Third base!