US Ambassador to Libya and 3 staff members killed

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

So Chinese manufacturing processes are good for something after all?

[steve58]

Ex-Navy Seals weren't part of ambassador's security detail but rose to occasion, officials now confirm

The two former Navy SEALs killed in last week's attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi were not part of Ambassador Chris Stevens' official security detail but took up arms in an effort to protect the facility when it was overrun by insurgents, U.S. officials tell the Washington Guardian.

The officials provided the information to the Washington Guardian, saying they feared the Obama administration's scant description of the episode left a misimpression that the two ex-Navy SEALs might have been responsible for the ambassador's personal safety or become separated from him.

"Woods and Doherty weren't part of the detail, nor were they personally responsible for the ambassador's security, but they stepped into the breach when the attacks occurred and their actions saved others lives -- and they shouldn't be lumped in with the security detail," one senior official said, speaking only on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the State Department.

[LongBlade]

God bless those guys. They gave the last full measure.

[steve58]

^Amen to that...

[OJsDad]

Does anyone know where this whole thing stands.  I'm hearing that a US General is retiring because he wanted to send in a rapid response team in, and was ready to ignore DC when he was relieved.  There's also a report floating about that there were warnings given by people in Libya of al-Qaida groupls gathering around Benghazi. 

Are these just rumors, or is there validity to these reports?  Am I correct in understanding that everthing that happened took place over an 8hr period.

[LongBlade]

Does anyone know where this whole thing stands.  I'm hearing that a US General is retiring because he wanted to send in a rapid response team in, and was ready to ignore DC when he was relieved.  There's also a report floating about that there were warnings given by people in Libya of al-Qaida groupls gathering around Benghazi. 

Are these just rumors, or is there validity to these reports?  Am I correct in understanding that everthing that happened took place over an 8hr period.

No.

There are clear inconsistencies between reports uncovered and statements out of the administration.

However no one has been able to obtain a full disclosure of who-knew-what-when.

The good news? The truth will come out. Just don't expect it before the election next week. Take from that what you will. Both sides will read into it whatever they want.

[OJsDad]

Does anyone know where this whole thing stands.  I'm hearing that a US General is retiring because he wanted to send in a rapid response team in, and was ready to ignore DC when he was relieved.  There's also a report floating about that there were warnings given by people in Libya of al-Qaida groupls gathering around Benghazi. 

Are these just rumors, or is there validity to these reports?  Am I correct in understanding that everthing that happened took place over an 8hr period.

No.

There are clear inconsistencies between reports uncovered and statements out of the administration.

However no one has been able to obtain a full disclosure of who-knew-what-when.

The good news? The truth will come out. Just don't expect it before the election next week. Take from that what you will. Both sides will read into it whatever they want.

Wasn't trying to tie it into the election, just trying to see if anyone can shed some light on it.

[LongBlade]

Wasn't trying to tie it into the election, just trying to see if anyone can shed some light on it.

The best I can tell is that news of this was at a very high level almost immediately. A decision was made not to send help. Right, wrong, indifferent - we don't know who made the call or why. It should not be difficult to determine what happened internally, but for some reason, it is.

[bayonetbrant]

I'm hearing that a US General is retiring because he wanted to send in a rapid response team in, and was ready to ignore DC when he was relieved. 

That one's crap - it's people who don't like the President trying to draw conclusions that don't exist.  If they were firing the guy b/c of a disagreement like that, he would be relieved, not having a successor nominated that's at least a year from Senate confirmation.

I think the real reason that Rodriguez was already nominated as Ham's replacement is that he's rotating out of Afghanistan soon and they need somewhere to put him, and no other billets are close to open.  Ham isn't one of the bright shining stars who is going anywhere else, so why not retire him a year early?

[LongBlade]

Wasn't trying to tie it into the election, just trying to see if anyone can shed some light on it.

The latest from this evening.

Clearly *someone* knew there was a problem in Libya. The question is why no one did anything.

The U.S. mission in Benghazi, at an "emergency meeting" less than a month before the Sept. 11 attack, drafted a contingency plan to suspend operations as security deteriorated -- and in the near-term, recommended that consulate operations be moved to the CIA annex about a mile away, according to a classified cable reviewed by Fox News.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/02/exclusive-classified-cable-shows-benghazi-consulate-considered-suspending

[Longdan]

I am coming in on page 11 so forgive me if I missed something here.
They just had a civil war there.  The place was unstable as a chainsaw
juggler with alzheimers in a burning house of cards.  The country was
full of armed crazy people who had just killed their long term dicatator
like a dog in the street.  Long known for their cosmopolitain world view
and love of USA! USA! these people, congenitally crazy by our standards,
who are taught since birth that Israel the puppetmaster of USA! is behind
every problem, decided to have a riot.  They checked their "Reasons to Have
a Riot List" and came up with "#7632 - Rumour of Blasphemy in movie."
Then they went on a rampage surprising everyone and attacked the local
American presence. ....  I think we have been here before.
Everything else seems like icing on the crap cake.
cheers

[LongBlade]

I am coming in on page 11 so forgive me if I missed something here.
They just had a civil war there.  The place was unstable as a chainsaw
juggler with alzheimers in a burning house of cards.  The country was
full of armed crazy people who had just killed their long term dicatator
like a dog in the street.  Long known for their cosmopolitain world view
and love of USA! USA! these people, congenitally crazy by our standards,
who are taught since birth that Israel the puppetmaster of USA! is behind
every problem, decided to have a riot.  They checked their "Reasons to Have
a Riot List" and came up with "#7632 - Rumour of Blasphemy in movie."
Then they went on a rampage surprising everyone and attacked the local
American presence. ....  I think we have been here before.
Everything else seems like icing on the crap cake.
cheers

Actually, the video feeds from the Libyan consulate show definitively that there was no riot. It was a quiet night until the consulate was attacked. The last visitor to the consulate was the Turkish ambassador, who had dinner with our ambassador. The two of them then walked to the gate talking as they went.

Worse, at least one of the Libyan guards in the consulate grounds was actively taking pictures. The staff there speculated that he was casing the place for an attack. They were probably right.

[LongBlade]

Hey, LongDan. This seems to be a pretty good summary of the facts in an impartial way. Probably worth looking at if your news sources haven't been reliable.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/nov/03/benghazi-questions-fuel-fierce-partisan-debate/?breakingnews

[Longdan]

Thanks.  I had not read all that in such a succint presentation.
But my basic point was what US facility in this part of the world
should not be considered in fairly serious danger?
Volatile countries with lots of armed persons who seek violent solutions
to bad hair days.  Emotional maturity is a concept up there with quantum physics.
Although this appears like it could have a more organised origin.
It is not as if the local gendarmes would note and report anything suspicious.

[LongBlade]

Thanks.  I had not read all that in such a succint presentation.

You're welcome. This thread actually tracks a number of the issues fairly well. I'd recommend you start on the first page and read through it. It may prove...enlightening.

But my basic point was what US facility in this part of the world
should not be considered in fairly serious danger?

This is exactly the point we were discussint here: Ambassador Stevens had been asking in increasing frequency and alarm for *more* protection at the embassy and consulate.

He was consistently denied those requests.

In fact, in August, a spec ops team being used to protect our diplomats was withdrawn from Tripoli. The facts that are emerging are...tragic.

It's a shame most media outlets have ignored this issue. There are many inconsistencies between what the administration said, and the facts being uncovered by journalists. It's weird more outlets aren't covering this as it's a big story.