That shifting Benghazi story
The Washington Post slavishly recounts the excuses offered to Congress by Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. in regards to the time frame that was eaten up by this administration arriving at the truth with the American people in regards to that terrorist attack on the consulate in Benghazi;
Shawn Turner, a spokesman for Clapper, said U.S. agencies have altered their assessments based on intelligence that has emerged through an ongoing investigation.
“In the immediate aftermath, there was information that led us to assess that the attack began spontaneously following protests earlier that day at our embassy in Cairo,” Turner said. That information was conveyed to administration officials as well as members of Congress.
Well, you know, I’d probably swallow that it was an ongoing investigation of muddy circumstances, if I didn’t already know that not one US investigator has been on the scene to date. Not because they’re incompetent, but because the circumstances in the neighborhood remain dangerous. But, I’m curious as to how “intelligence…emerged” when there were no US investigators from whom to extract an assessment. And so, what intelligence could have emerged which shifted the assessment of the administration that they didn’t already have from the Libyan government in the first few hours after the attack?
But analysts have since “revised our initial assessments to reflect new information indicating that it was a deliberate and organized terrorist attack carried out by extremists,” Turner said. “Some of those involved were linked to groups affiliated with, or sympathetic to al-Qaeda.”
Yeah, that’s what the Libyans said initially. I guess the Administration was afraid to admit that actual terrorist attack had happened during their watch. Like they’ve done with almost every terrorist attack against the US since 2009.
Category: Terror War
Everyone watching and hearing about the attacks upon our embassies and assorted personnel knew instantly that each and every one of them were acts of terrorism. Either that or acts of war.
Doesn’t matter who initiated them, how long they were planned, or even if they were coordinated events.
But once again we see a group of incompentants arguing over semantics instead of solving the problem. Yeah – that’s an effective tactic. Never mind that whoever it is is overrunning the country while you fight over which subset of scumbags knew what when.
Here’s a clue: fingerpointing just makes you look stupid when you should instead be defending the wall. Doesn’t really matter in the short term who is trying to scale that wall. Defend it first. (An discontinuing the financial support of those scaling the wall would be a pretty good idea while you are at it.)
At least they didn’t say it was “workplace violence.” I’m surprised they even said it was murder. They could have said that the Ambassador got caught in a gang fight. You know, wrong place, wrong time. But, if they say it is spontaneous, they could justify that he did not have his Marine bodyguards with him.
Recall that Gen Clapper was the one that testified on the Hill that the Muslim Bro’s were largely secular. Even though Moooslim is part of their official title.
IMO, Clapper is either voluntarily covering for his boss – or he was ordered to do so. Multiple sources reported 2 or 3 days ago that the US Intel community knew within 24 hours that this was a terrorist act.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/27/us-officials-knew-libya-attack-was-terrorism-within-24-hours-sources-confirm/
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/fbi_still_not_allowed_in_us_embassy_5YwX4HbNjQkTPb8vmvJfEK
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/26/u-s-officials-knew-libya-attacks-were-work-of-al-qaeda-affiliates.html
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/09/26/bombshell-us-knew-stevens-assassination-was-work-of-terrorists-within-24-hours-of-attack/
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2012/09/26/bombshell_report_us_knew_benghazi_raid_was_a_terrorist_attack_within_24_hours
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/report-u-s-officials-knew-libya-assault-was-a-terror-attack-within-24-hours/
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/09/27/Video-Proof-Obama-Knew-Libya-Was-Terror-Attack-Within-24-Hours
But as usual, the Obama-kowtowing MSM largely ignored this.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ryan-robertson/2012/09/26/morning-news-ignore-new-evidence-suspected-terrorist-activity-libya-
This whole charade has been sickening. I can’t even bring myself to comment beyond that.
24 hours is a lot of time to get prepped for something to happen. I guess golf and David Letterman was too important.
Jason, the articles said it was 24 hours afterwards that the US Intel Community had determined it was a terrorist attack. Not 24 hours before.
But as I recall, it was 2 days afterwards that the Obama administration started trying to blame this on a film. That means the Obama Administration knew, or should have known, from the beginning that the film was and excuse rather than a cause.
Why they weren’t expecting a terrorist attack somewhere on a 9/11 anniversary – and therefore been generally better prepared for trouble everywhere in the Islamic world – is a different question. Common sense should have told them the chances of something happening that day were much greater than the norm.
Congress is going to get serious and demand answers – starting 13 Nov, y’know after the election, our overworked elected officials will be on recess (Aren’t they always on recess? Maybe it just seems that way).
Oops my bad…I guess I should read a bit more before I condemn. I figured anyone with half a brain had it figured out within five seconds.
@8 – Devtun, Congress has been demanding answers for over a week.
Don’t you guys know that if you whooped it up over OBL’s death and said terrorism is so over, you can’t go back on that and say, wait! wait a minute! I misspoke myself! Don’t you guys know that? (sarc)
This is getting nastier and nastier every minute. (gleeful smile)
Anybody with half a brain and who is not in the tank for obama knew it was a terrorist attack. Just check Jonn’s piece and the comments to it here at TAH on the day after (or was it the same day). As I recall, he pointed out, sarcastically, that the attacks and the date were just coincidental. Next thing you know, the administration ran the video propoganda up the falg pole and the maindream media saluted. Clinton, Rice, Marty Dempsey, and the idiot WH spokesman all pointed and said, “No, don’t look over there. Look over here!”
Flag pole. In context, a better typo would have been fag pole.
@11
The big problem is the alphabet soup networks, Jon Stewart, Colbert Report, and late night comedians will not – no way in hell hammer the dear leader for this fiasco. Fox News only accounts for 20% of the viewing audience. Too many people are in blissful ignorance – more aware that the NFL referee strike is over than the implosion of Barry’s foreign policy.
Oh yeah keep the topic on Romney’s 47% video, his tax returns, his evil doings at Bain Capital, Seamus the dog, he wants to throw grandma onto the streets blah blah blah…
I meant “any fiascos” by Obama admin.
NYT turning on Barry?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/us/politics/shifting-reports-on-libya-killings-may-cost-obama.html
The NYT is just displaying its displeasure b/c it ran with the initial, fanciful account that was first dished up. The left, as you know, jumped at the plate and ate heartily. They then hit all the blogs and media to regurgitate their meal. Days later, Obama Fool Food, Inc. changed the menu and the customers became unhappy. Nonetheless, they’ll faithfully return to the trough.
The really big news of the day–really BIG news?
LSU 7 – Towson 3
Egg on their face? Lefties need to quit worshipping the empty suit & chair – he only cares about Dems and liberals for what they can do for BO. Think BO gave a sh8t about any Dem congressman or Senators up for reelection? BO only cares for BO. Dems need to take heed Gov Sununu’s observation of BO as “lazy and disengaged”, I think many Dems feel this way about BO, but won’t admit it. The last few weeks should have Dems enraged with this buffoonish WH.
@17
AirCav, I think Moabama would agree.
Now Towson leads.
Guys-other Presidents have what are essentially fan clubs. Obama has a cult. Lefties have been waiting a long time for a President they could claim as their own, they have a lot invested in Obama and they will do anything they can to try and help him succeed.
Halftime: LSU 17 Towson 9…LSU 0-6 1st downs. Jebeebus!
Towson has drive, determination, a game plan, and the personnel to make it work. Come to think of it, these are all of the things obama lacks.
2-17 AirCav Towson doubtlessly has all of those things, but in the end LSU will wear them down if for no other reason than FBS teams have more scholarships for football than FCS teams (love to see Towson pull the upset, I’m an App St. alum and beating Michigan did wonders for our program, but usually the bigger programs are able pull it out in the second half due to greater depth).
Of course if you want to extend the analogy regarding depth and an unfair advantage Obama can count on the votes of entire cemeteries throughout the greater Chicago area (to say nothing of the votes of the unionized government employees nationwide).
Don’t forget The New Black Panthers will be deployed to swing state polling centers to, y’know, ensure no hanky panky is going on like too many people clinging to guns and religion showing up to vote. Whats to fear? TNBP has AG Holder to protect them.
That means the Obama Administration knew, or should have known, from the beginning that the film was and excuse rather than a cause.
And yet as late as Wed/Thurs (?) that Obama himself, and by extension the administration, were sitting at the UN STILL sticking to the “video bad, make Muslims angry, break shit and kill ‘Muricans” bullshit.
IOW, not only is he stuck on stupid, he’s either so insulated from reality or thinks we’re so fucking stupid/gullible that we’ll continue to eat his shit with a spoon and ask for seconds. Then again, why not both?
It is both. Detached, lazy and GAF attitude.
Sorry I had to go back and refresh my memory. That was the day that our “good friends” DUI Dude and Ex Pat came here and collectively showed there fucktarded nature.
Clapper wasn’t aware of the bombings in London. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTry_MiFA2Q
The competence of the alleged “Professionals” and that most of the rest of the POTUS’s inner circle aren’t, by law, allowed to get access to sensitive information (joining communist organizations is still a bad thing), and that whenever sensitive information is given to the White House it ends up on Al Jazeera within minutes, and that the POTUS does not receive his Intel briefings, I’m beginning to think BenghaziGate is the highwater mark for this administration.
It’s only taken them 12? 13 days for them to sort out what disinterested observers knew within an hour of the first report.