An article on American Thinker by By Jonathon Moseley. This article is absolutely clear on the issue. We had forces that could have responded to Banghazi and in time to save lives. Every senior military leader knows this as well as does thousands of service members. The Politicians lied. Obama, Panetta, Dempsey, etc., THEY ALL LIED.
Elite U.S. troops were completely capable of saving Ambassador Chris Stevens during the Benghazi Consulate attacks on September 11, 2012. Elements of the highly specialized Combatant Commanders In-Extremis (CIF) units are always on alert, on forward deployment, ready to respond. Their job description is to hit the ground in 3 to 5 hours. CIF elements are ready to engage in active combat anywhere in their region, 3 to 5 hours after the call.
Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense at the time, either misled the U.S. Congress or was incompetent. Panetta testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 7, 2013 that the U.S. military could not have responded in less than 9 to 12 hours.
Obama's first secretary of defense, Robert Gates, told CBS's Face the Nation on May 12, 2013 that "[w]e don't have a ready force standing by" in that region.
But we absolutely do "have a ready force standing by" to reach any trouble spot in a few hours. Insider reports previously revealed that CIF elements were training in Croatia and could have been in Benghazi in three and a half hours.
Although rotating out of the United States, some CIF elements are always forward-deployed within each military command region, always on stand-by. Their training includes expertise within each local region. Some of each region's unit is always ready. They don't need to pack. Being ready to go -- immediately -- is their job description. It's the reason they exist.
The U.S. military has developed a range of capabilities, from CIF teams to the Navy SEALs, to Rangers, to Green Berets. But now many in the special forces/special operators community feel betrayed. Commanders in Extremis units are so highly trained and expert that even elite Green Berets wash out of the highly demanding CIF training in large numbers.
Standard military doctrine is to activate all such resources immediately, even if they are ultimately not used. Military's plans require getting such teams in the air and on the way, not waiting to see if they will be needed.
So Panetta's and Gates's statements to the public violate standard military protocol. Leon Panetta telegraphed to our enemies an image of incompetence of U.S. forces. Panetta's testimony was an insult to the U.S. military. Elite forces go through constant, grueling training to be able to do what Panetta and Gates say they cannot do. One of the purposes of "special operators" is deterrence. Panetta and Gates undermined that deterrence.
The U.S. military perfected capabilities after the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, the 2008 U.S. Embassy bombing in Yemen, and similar events. Gates emphasized the need for planning; Commanders in Extremis forces plan constantly for all contingencies.
CIF units answer directly to the general for each regional command to eliminate delay. Therefore, if AFRICOM -- the U.S. military's regional command for matters involving Africa -- had actually wanted to rescue Ambassador Stevens -- and the classified secrets in the Consulate -- the AFRICOM general would have communicated directly with the CIF team on forward deployment in the region.
Panetta testified that the U.S. military could not react because they didn't know the situation on the ground in Benghazi. In fact, two unmanned drones were overhead, sending real-time video, including infrared and night-vision cameras, back to the national command authority. Everyone but Panetta seems to know how dumb Panetta's statement was.
Panetta testified that we should not send in aircraft without knowing what is happening on the ground. Au contraire. You send in the correct aircraft to find out what is going on. It's called reconnaissance. The U.S. Air Force has been conducting reconnaissance since World War I (then as part of the U.S. Army). Unless maybe our leaders don't want to know.
In fact, it is reported that CIF elements assigned to AFRICOM were already mobilizing and preparing to respond in Southern Europe. But they were ordered to stand down. It is believed they were mobilizing at a U.S./NATO air base in Sigonella, Italy, near Naples.
Sigonella air base is only 475 miles from Benghazi. Fighter jets from Sigonella could have been above Benghazi in 20 minutes from takeoff at the F-16's maximum speed of 1,500 miles per hour. Transports and gunships could have reached the Consulate in 90 minutes from take-off.
F-16s can carry fuel for a flight of 2,000 nautical miles. So the 475-mile flight from Sigonella would have left enough fuel for an hour of operations over the Consulate in Benghazi plus a flight to Andravida Air Base in Greece, only 405 miles away, to land and refuel. Greece is a NATO partner. Later waves could have refueled first in Andravida, 405 miles away.
Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and its battle group were within range to assist the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. Rear Admiral Charles Gaouette was relieved of command and flown back to the States on undisclosed allegations of inappropriate judgment, as reported in the military's Stripes magazine. It is widely believed within the U.S. military that Admiral Gaouette was mobilizing a response to come to the aid of Ambassador Stevens but was ordered to stand down. The allegation of "inappropriate judgment" was that Admiral Gaoutte insisted on mounting a rescue, leading to sharp words being exchanged.
Gregory Hicks, Deputy Chief of Mission in Libya, immediately tasked his embassy defense attaché with calling for help from the U.S. military. According to Hicks's testimony on May 8, AFRICOM told the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli that the U.S. airbase in Aviano, Italy could have F-16s over Benghazi in 2-3 hours but that there were no aerial tankers in the area to refuel the F-16s.
That excuse rings false. Throughout Europe, U.S.-compatible standard refueling tankers are always available. That's why they exist. NATO exists so that all NATO countries will come to the aid of any of their fellows when
Furthermore, why Aviano? Sigonella was roughly half the distance. Sigonella's F-16s could have reached Benghazi in 20 minutes from wheels up, conducted action above the Consulate, and returned to Italy or Greece with fuel to spare. Remember: a "spotter" from the Benghazi CIA annex was on the roof of the Consulate, "laser designating" the attackers' mortar team and reporting by radio.
Gates also commented that U.S. F-16s could not have simply buzzed the Benghazi Consulate to scare away the attackers because of the risk of anti-aircraft missiles. Hogwash. For months the year before the U.S. Air Force and NATO jets had strafed and bombed the Libyan military and decimated its anti-aircraft weaponry. And since when are members of the U.S. military afraid to come to the defense of civilians because someone might hurt them?
Even liberal columnist Maureen Dowd commented: "The defense secretary at the time, Leon Panetta, insisted, 'We quickly responded.' But they responded that they would not respond." Dowd sums it up: "All the factions wove their own mythologies at the expense of our deepest national mythology: that if there is anything, no matter how unlikely or difficult, that we can do to try to save the lives of Americans who have volunteered for dangerous assignments, we must do it."
Cowboys and the Tea Party political movement have a lot on common. Both believe in individual responsibility; judging a man by his actions not words; and, both are disgusted with government intrusions into our lives and particularly our God given rights.
Showing posts with label Ambassador Stevens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ambassador Stevens. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
What Difference Does It Make?
"What Difference Does It Make?", the statement that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton so infamously made during her appearance before Congress on what hapended in Benghazi.
So now that question can be answered, at least in part due to the testimony from three State Department employees this past week in front of Congress. And despite Democrat Congress members attempts to make this look like a political witch hunt, the truth is starting to emerge,....and it paints a very bad picture, criminally negligent and incredibly incompetent to be sure, of the Obama Administration including the President, Secretaries of State and Defense and through misfeasance, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and elements the military chain of command.
We now know that the CIA issued warnings of an impending attack months before it happended. We know that despite repeated requests by Ambassador Stevens for additional security measures and personnel, Hillary Clinton approved and/or ordered a REDUCTION of 20+ State Department security personnel in Libya.
We know that someone in the Military Chain of Command ordered the four Special Forces (Green Berets) personnel in Tripoli NOT to respond. This is one of many incidents where the military misfeasance comes in. These four soldiers had the means and capability to make a difference, requested repeatedly to go to the aid of the Benghazi consulate, but were ordered to stand down - the big question is where that order originated from.
We also now know that the initial assault on the Benghazi consulate by 60 some odd terrorists was initially repelled by six Americans, until the terrorists brought mortar rounds onto the consulate and the resulting fires, toxic smoke and casualties took it's toll on the defenders.
We know that as the attack unfolded Deputy Ambassador Hicks reported several times to the State Department National Operations Center as well as spoke to the loathsome Hillary Clinton about the terrorist attack and there can be no denial,...THERE CAN BE NO DENIAL, that anyone thought the events in Benghazi starting on September 11th, 2012, were anything but a deliberate and well planned terrorist attack.
We know that the CIA Talking Points provided to the State Department were revised 12 times, removing any mention that the Al Qaeda-affiliated group Ansar al-Sharia terrorist organization conducted the attack as well as references to CIA warnings about terrorist threats in Benghazi in the months preceding the attack. We know that Hilliary Clinton's spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, was the evil hench wrench in this whole deal and could not have accomplished this without full approval by her direct boss, that wrinkled old hag, Hillary Clinton.
We know that the final edited talking points came out of a White House meetings just prior to UN Ambassador Rice's first of five talk shows on the Sunday following the attacks. Rice's appearance on five,...count them, FIVE talk shows show just how desperate the Adminstration was at weaving this lie about a video causing a popular riot. Note to the low order American voter,.....popular demonstrations turned riots don't usually come with AK-47 armed 60 Muslim terrorists, nor mortars and rocker propelled grenades.
Obama cannot deny that he knew from the get go it was a terrorist attack and secondly he cannot deny that he approved this massive lie to the American people with the assumption that he thought the truth would hurt his re-lection chance.
And the motive for General Petraeus, then head of the CIA ,who at first backed up Obama's assertions that the final edited talking points were the truth? Privately he was angry about the radically changed talking points, but now it is he time for him to separate himself from the liars and regain some degree of honor. It is a pretty good asumption that someone threatened disclosure of his affair, which made him play ball. He is another one violating their oath.
There should be massive resignations across the board. President Obama, Press Secretary Carney or whatever that ass clown's name is,.......and practically the entire upper management of the State department needs to go. Hillary Clinton should be charged for lying to Congress. And once this is accomplished we need to clean house on the military side and fire anyone who disapproved the response of any military assets np matter if they were 2 hours or 9 hours away. The facts show that Americans were still under fire at least 8 hours after the initial attack. Plus, the lack of a response emboldened all terrorists the world over.
So now that question can be answered, at least in part due to the testimony from three State Department employees this past week in front of Congress. And despite Democrat Congress members attempts to make this look like a political witch hunt, the truth is starting to emerge,....and it paints a very bad picture, criminally negligent and incredibly incompetent to be sure, of the Obama Administration including the President, Secretaries of State and Defense and through misfeasance, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and elements the military chain of command.
We now know that the CIA issued warnings of an impending attack months before it happended. We know that despite repeated requests by Ambassador Stevens for additional security measures and personnel, Hillary Clinton approved and/or ordered a REDUCTION of 20+ State Department security personnel in Libya.
We know that someone in the Military Chain of Command ordered the four Special Forces (Green Berets) personnel in Tripoli NOT to respond. This is one of many incidents where the military misfeasance comes in. These four soldiers had the means and capability to make a difference, requested repeatedly to go to the aid of the Benghazi consulate, but were ordered to stand down - the big question is where that order originated from.
We also now know that the initial assault on the Benghazi consulate by 60 some odd terrorists was initially repelled by six Americans, until the terrorists brought mortar rounds onto the consulate and the resulting fires, toxic smoke and casualties took it's toll on the defenders.
We know that as the attack unfolded Deputy Ambassador Hicks reported several times to the State Department National Operations Center as well as spoke to the loathsome Hillary Clinton about the terrorist attack and there can be no denial,...THERE CAN BE NO DENIAL, that anyone thought the events in Benghazi starting on September 11th, 2012, were anything but a deliberate and well planned terrorist attack.
We know that the CIA Talking Points provided to the State Department were revised 12 times, removing any mention that the Al Qaeda-affiliated group Ansar al-Sharia terrorist organization conducted the attack as well as references to CIA warnings about terrorist threats in Benghazi in the months preceding the attack. We know that Hilliary Clinton's spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, was the evil hench wrench in this whole deal and could not have accomplished this without full approval by her direct boss, that wrinkled old hag, Hillary Clinton.
We know that the final edited talking points came out of a White House meetings just prior to UN Ambassador Rice's first of five talk shows on the Sunday following the attacks. Rice's appearance on five,...count them, FIVE talk shows show just how desperate the Adminstration was at weaving this lie about a video causing a popular riot. Note to the low order American voter,.....popular demonstrations turned riots don't usually come with AK-47 armed 60 Muslim terrorists, nor mortars and rocker propelled grenades.
Obama cannot deny that he knew from the get go it was a terrorist attack and secondly he cannot deny that he approved this massive lie to the American people with the assumption that he thought the truth would hurt his re-lection chance.
And the motive for General Petraeus, then head of the CIA ,who at first backed up Obama's assertions that the final edited talking points were the truth? Privately he was angry about the radically changed talking points, but now it is he time for him to separate himself from the liars and regain some degree of honor. It is a pretty good asumption that someone threatened disclosure of his affair, which made him play ball. He is another one violating their oath.
There should be massive resignations across the board. President Obama, Press Secretary Carney or whatever that ass clown's name is,.......and practically the entire upper management of the State department needs to go. Hillary Clinton should be charged for lying to Congress. And once this is accomplished we need to clean house on the military side and fire anyone who disapproved the response of any military assets np matter if they were 2 hours or 9 hours away. The facts show that Americans were still under fire at least 8 hours after the initial attack. Plus, the lack of a response emboldened all terrorists the world over.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Administration Lies in the Aftermath of Libyan Terrorist Attacks -
Obama, Secretary of State Hilliary Clinton and U.N. Ambassador (and major butt clown) Susan Rice decried the video and bashed it as the cause of protests. Which they called spontaneous popular protests
Following protets in Cairo, on September 11th, Islamist militants, later determined to be Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), using automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, stormed a lightly defended United States diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, killing the American ambassador and three members of his staff. Not only did they kill these Americans but Ambassador Stevens was sodomized and hs body drug through the streets while these scum bags took cell phone pictures of this horrendous act.
All three Muslim apologists, Obama, Clinton and Rice, blamed the film and denied any terrorist link to the Bengazi attack and murders.
They continued for five days to deny any terrorist link, until the facts came out that there were no riots or demonstrations in Bengazi and these facts were backed up by an analysis from the temporary Libyan Government stating that the attack was carried out by two 10 man squads of AQIM.
Even the most liberal among you must be concerned at a President, who after having one of his Ambassador killed in a terrible manner, tries to blame free speech in the U.S. and minimizes the involvement of radical Islamist and Terrorists.
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