The NY Post story outlines what I have been hearing this morning from former CIA operatives and former intelligence officers. There were assets available that could have been deployed to help those under siege in the Benghazi consulate. The Obama administration knew virtually immediately what was happening but chose to do nothing. Instead, they sat back, made some popcorn and watched.
The United States had an unmanned Predator drone over its consulate in Benghazi during the attack that slaughtered four Americans — which should have led to a quicker military response, it was revealed yesterday.
“They stood, and they watched, and our people died,” former CIA commander Gary Berntsen told CBS News.
The network reported that the drone and other reconnaissance aircraft observed the final hours of the hours-long siege on Sept. 11 — obtaining information that should have spurred swift action.
But as Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three colleagues were killed by terrorists armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, Defense Department officials were too slow to send in the troops, Berntsen said.
“They made zero adjustments in this. You find a way to make this happen,” he fumed.
“There isn’t a plan for every single engagement. Sometimes you have to be able to make adjustments.”
The Pentagon said it moved a team of special operators from Central Europe to Sigonella, Italy — about an hour flight from Libya — but gave no other details.
Fighter jets and Specter AC-130 gunships — which could have been used to help disperse the bloodthirsty mob — were also stationed at three nearby bases, sources told the network.
When the attack began, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta “looked at available options, and the ones we exercised had our military forces arrive in less than 24 hours, well ahead of timelines laid out in established policies,” a White House official told the network.
Even as the administration continues to vow that the perpetrators will be brought to justice, the man identified by witnesses as a ringleader in the attack continues to walk the streets of Libya without fear of arrest.
Ahmad Abu Khattala has admitted being at the consulate during the horrific attack but has yet to be questioned by any Libyan authorities.
Abu Khattala spoke to a New York Times reporter Thursday from a hotel patio as he sipped a strawberry frappe and mocked the US and Libyan governments.
“These reports say that no one knows where I am and that I am hiding,” he boasted. “But here I am in the open, sitting in a hotel with you. I’m even going to pick up my sister’s kids from school soon.”
Lax security at the consulate was an open secret.
Ambassador Chris Stevens repeatedly requested increased security and was ignored, most likely because of politics.
One signed by Stevens and titled “LIBYA’S FRAGILE SECURITY DETERIORIATES AS TRIBAL RIVALRIES, POWER PLAYS AND EXTREMISM INTENSIFY,” dated June 25, 2012, assess the increase in violence. ”From April to June, Libya also witnesses an increase in attacks targeting international organizations and foreign interests,” Stevens wrote, describing attacks on a United Nations official in Benghazi, International Committee for the Red Cross buildings in Benghazi and Misrata, and IED at the mission in Benghazi, and RPG fired at the British Ambassador’s convoy, and an attack on the consulate of Tunisia.
A Libyan government national security official told Stevens “that the attacks were the work of extremists who are opposed to western influence in Libya. A number of local contacts agreed, noting that Islamic extremism appears to be on the rise in eastern Libya and that the Al-Qaeda flag has been spotted several times flying over government buildings and training facilities in Derna,” a village to the east in Benghazi. Other contacts disagreed with that assessment, however.
Another cable from Stevens, titled “The Guns of August; security in eastern Libya” and dated August 8, 2012, states “Since the eve of the (July) elections, Benghazi has moved from trepidation to euphoria and back as a series of violent incidents has dominated the political landscape during the
Ramadan holiday.” Stevens describes the incidents as “organized, but this is not an organized campaign.” The Supreme Security Council, the interim security force, he says, “has not coalesced into a stabilizing force and provides little deterrence.”
Stevens wrote that the people of Benghazi want a security apparatus but “inherently fear abuse by the same authorities. This debate, playing out daily in Benghazi, has created the security vacuum that a diverse group of independent actors are exploiting for their own purposes.”
A cable signed by Stevens on the day of his murder, September 11, described a meeting with the Acting Principal Officer of the Supreme Security Council in Benghazi, commander Fawzi Younis, who “expressed growing frustration with police and security forces (who were too weak to keep the country secure)…”
The documents also included an “ACTION MEMO” for Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy dated December 27, 2011, and written by US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman. With the subject line: “Future of Operations in Benghazi, Libya,” the memo states: “With the full complement of five Special Agents, our permanent presence would include eight U.S. direct hire employees.”
This would seem to suggest that Undersecretary Kennedy had approved a plan for five permanent security agents in Benghazi, but that never happened. It should be noted that there were ultimately a total of five Diplomatic Security Agents in Benghazi that night since there were two stationed at the Benghazi compound, and three escorted Ambassador Chris Stevens to the compound.
It is utterly appalling and Obama has some explaining to do. Thus far, all he's done is lie.
As a side note, I find it rather amusing that John Kerry takes exception to the release of these cables and emails:
Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) criticized House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R- Calif.) for releasing 166 pages of “sensitive but unclassified” State Department cables that contained the names of Libyans working within the United States.
“This is irresponsible and inexcusable, and perhaps worst of all it was entirely avoidable,” Kerry said. “It is profoundly against America's interests in a difficult region.”
The Obama administration has also criticized Issa for leaking the documents, which relate to the September attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and four others.
Administration officials told Foreign Policy magazine the leak, along with Issa's failure to redact the names of Libyan civilians and local leaders mentioned in the cables, could have “unintended consequences.”
“This does damage to the individuals because they are named, danger to security cooperation because these are militias and groups that we work with and that is now well known, and danger to the investigation, because these people could help us down the road,” an administration official said.
It's difficult to understand Kerry's outrage given the bang-up job the Obama administration did to secure the site in the aftermath of the attacks:
More than three weeks after attacks in this city killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans, sensitive documents remained only loosely secured in the remains of the U.S. mission here on Wednesday, offering visitors easy access to delicate details about American operations in Libya.
Documents detailing weapons collection efforts, emergency evacuation protocols, the full internal itinerary of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens’s trip and the personnel records of Libyans who were contracted to secure the mission were among the items scattered across the floors of the looted compound when a Washington Post reporter and a translator visited Wednesday.
Why is Kerry upset that Americans might learn as much as Al Qaida already knows?
It must be of great comfort to the families of those lost in Benghazi that Valerie Jarrett has better security on vacation than those in the Benghazi consulate had under fire.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.
Obama has surrounded himself with men who act like he’s taught them to act.
And Obama’s example of how to act in a crisis is to DITHER.
So, who can be surprised when his Administration is filled with others who now dither, too?
I know I’m not surprised.
Consider the source. The once venerable New York Post has long since become one of Rupert Murdoch’s right-wing propaganda rags. It hasn’t make money for years, and is rumored to be losing as much as $70 million per year. It’s purpose? Refer to the above front page story.
The CIA, military, State Dept and admin screwed up beyond a doubt.
But “made some popcorn and watched” Cheap, hyperbolic yellow journalism, and quite unhelpful. Oh wait… that’s what so many want here, right? Hateful posts that do nothing but draw hateful comments.
Count me as a political waif. Lately the right is as disturbingly bent and embarrassing as the left.
@Nan G. Barry hasn’t taught anybody to act. This comes naturally to these losers. I’ve got $100 that Barry didn’t interrupt his beauty sleep for something so trivial as this. Valerie Jarrett has control of Barry, she tells him when to talk and when to STFU.
@MataHarley, Moochelle won’t allow popcorn in the White House. As stated nobody in the WH lost a minute of sleep over the deaths.
@Greg:
Unfortunately for you, Greggie, CBS is reporting the same thing. Guess you think they are some rightwing media outlet now, right?
The fact of the matter is that no matter how much you want to try to ignore the complete failure that is the Administration when it comes to Benghazi, it ain’t gonna go away. The Sigonella NAS is less than 400 miles from Benghazi, and one fighter jet could have crossed the Mediterranean Sea in less than an hour. Instead, Charlene Lamb testified that they watched as the Benghazi consulate was over run with jihadists. Are you going to tell me that our consulate in Libya is being overrun, and the President didn’t know anything about it? For six hours he didn’t know?
Remember how you on the left were absolutely apoplectic over the Bush “7 minutes?” Well, now that has come back to bite you leftwingers in the ass only it’s not 7 minutes, it’s six HOURS.
@UpChuck.Liberals:
The attack on the Benghazi consulate started around 3:40 p.m. D.C. time. It lasted six hours, until 9:30 p.m. D.C. time. It has been reported that before the assault ended, Obama went to bed. He was not advised that Ambassador Stevens was dead until he woke up the next morning. Guess he thought his puppet master, Valerie Jarrett, had it under control, and after all, he had to get his sleep. He had to go to Vegas, baby, Vegas the next day.
@Greg: Greg, the way you blame everyone but 0-blama who IS responsible is both stupid and disgusting. Your credibility is less than ZERO!! You are so spun up you can’t even use what small pea brain you have. Look at the facts and reality vs 0-blama’s rhetoric and acknowledge the failure. Geeez you so in the bag that you stink!!
From the CBS report:
Pertinent facts:
1: The drone to provide the so called “popcorn entertainment” did not arrive until hours after the attack began. Per this source, it was too late to prevent the deaths, even if you did get back up there within an hour.
2: If the last of the four, attempting to hold the Islamists at bay, didn’t die until more than six hours into the battle, the battle lasted more than six hours.
3: Apparently the O’admin has no problems invading Pakistan sovereign territory without consulting the authorities for a stealth raid, but they won’t do the same when Americans are under attack.
As I said… this admin and sundry agencies screwed up badly. From ignoring needed security on forwards. But the “popcorn” crap is just that…. crap. They didn’t sit back and do nothing. But they sure didn’t do enough before, during or after.
Well, maybe someone would like to tell us inquiring minds exactly WHAT the administration did to help our stranded FSO that was being slaughtered in Benghazi?
Rest assured, there will most likely be some sort of a retaliatory strike prior to November 6th.
Love the photo of Senator Kerry. The visible scar on the forehead, did he get that in Vietnam?
@Nan G: Complicitity or dithering?? Dithering or complaisant? We need to get more accurate in assessing our gov’m’t
@MataHarley: So — what were they munching?
@retire05, #5:
CBS has reported that a Predator drone was dispatched Benghazi. It arrived hours after the attack had begun.
Was it armed, or equipped only for surveillance?
Assuming that it was armed, what would you have done? Launched a Hellfire missile at anything moving?
@another vet: Yesss — politics – demo style — seem to require it
@Tom in CA: Nah — he was probably in the back seat with Mary Jo
@Greg: sounds good
@Greg:
Well, let me see, Greggie; we can get a drone over Benghazi but not rapid response teams? Oh, gee, I guess neither Hillary or Barack knew that there was no way to get troops in to protect the Ambassador if things went to hell, as Ambassador Stevens had warned MANY times? Well, how about beefing up security forces, not using the Libyans, but Americans, to protect our ambassador?
Oh, and in case you want to tell us again, for the umteenth time, how the Republicans cut the [non-existing, Constitutionally mandated] budget and that is why there was no money for additional security, although you ignore when you are told that Charlene Lamb testified that the budget was NOT an issue, the SST team that was pulled out of Benghazi in August? Ooooops, they were paid by the DoD.
Fold your tent, Greggie. Your job of trying to keep Obama looking good has been as miserable a failure as the man you support.
Dr. John, I really don’t think Obama was eating popcorn. But I wouldn’t rule out wagyu steaks.
Obama’s Admin couldn’t admit to the reality prior to, during and following the Benghazi attack, and it sounded idiotic blaming a video. There’s been enough push-back from the security community laying out events surrounding the planning of the attack, calls for help from the Ambassador, and we’ve heard of the deaf ears in the Admin. Still, the Obama White House continues to stonewall, but everyone, including its supporters, knows full well that it is obfuscating.
The MSM is having great difficulty facing the answer because is would mean admitting to the failure of the Obama Administration policy in the Middle East.
Libya was going to be the flagship of Obama’s approach to the ME. That war was his leading from behind strategy to depose Muammar Qaddafi, replace Qaddafi with a democratically elected government, and presto, the Middle East would love Obama and Obama’s America and there would be rapprochement with the Muslim world.
The thinking must have been, . . . . things were working out so well with the Administration’s slush-puppy approach to Egypt with the Muslim Brotherhood, they would obviously work out even better in Libya. Kid gloves always work well with fanatics apparently. It is a pathetic reality that even though those fanatics only represent a small percentage of the ME population, they influence the whole of Egypt, and the whole of Libya, etc., . . . . . through fear. The intelligence community knew this, but the W.H.? Not so much. It didn’t fit the progressive strategy.
Obama chose to ignore that half of Libya is mastered by extremists who loose ties to al-Qaeda, or are AQ-wanna-be’s and who are well armed. The other half of Libya is being mis-governed by a supposedly elected but powerless and gutless government – with no particular interest in being told what to do by Obama. And they won’t be stopped from sending arms to their fundamentalist buddies in Syria.
What else could go wrong?
A narcissist appearing in front of wealthy check writers wants to look as good as possible. The proper amount of sleep is imperative for looking your best; consequently this talk of eating popcorn and Wagyu steak in bed while wearing pajamas is wild speculation. Obama wants to look his best, a few bumps in the road are only problematic if you let them bother you.
A military response to save lives might have meant missing his fund raiser in Vegas and we know how our president likes to bask in adulation. Besides, there was always the chance that the ambassador and his staff could have survived or been captured. Why risk messing with your image and letting the whole world know you have almost completed the conversion of the Middle East to Radical Fundamentalist Islam. Finally, the Middle East can stone women at will and shoot little girls in the head if they seek an education. Yes, Obama should be viewed as a pretty special guy by Muslims, but they act like they can’t stand him. Like the old Mennonite expression, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” That phrase describes the Obama presidency.
@Skookum:
Remember the last debate, Skook? Remember how incensed Obama got when he thought Romney was calling him down on Benghazi? Remember Obama’s indignation over even being questioned about it? Remember how Obama said the first thing he did when he learned about Benghazi was to order stepped up security at all our missions in the region? Tell me, what good did that do as Benghazi was being attacked? But why the anger, why the indignation in Obama? He just lost four American foreign service personnel on his watch. Did you see any sorrow, any expression of remorse, or was his answers to Romney just more of the same “me, my, I”? Did he even mention the names of all four who died? How hard is it to remember just four names who gave their lives for this nation?
Perhaps it is not possible for a malignant narcisisst to have emotions, just ambitions. But I don’t want a cold fish for a president, and that is exactly what Obama is.
I entirely approve of Obama’s expression of indignation. So did most independent voters, if the CNN real-time response graph was any indication.
Maybe Mr. Romney should try making similar insinuations tomorrow night, just to see what happens.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Obama had a copy of the drone video made for him so he could watch it in private and root for HIS side.
@MataHarley:
A woman once watched John Kruk, still as an active player, light up a cigarette. She admonished him for it, saying athletes shouldn’t smoke cigarettes. He said “I ain’t an athlete, lady, I’m a baseball ballplayer.”
@MataHarley:
That’s exactly what it says in this post. They watched them die.
I doubt you can prove they weren’t eating popcorn.
@Greg:
Of course you do. Most left wingers are abysmally ignorant of the events of Benghazi, let alone the blizzard of contradictions that followed.
@Greg: @Greg: I’m an independent voter, and I did not approve. Obama and Crowley were ready for the Benghazi point to come up, and had their rebuttals ready like a jack-in-the-box.
While I don’t endorse right-wing media bias any more than left-wing media bias, I gotta say that we all deserve much more information and consolation on this from the President than he’s given.
Regardless of what you’d like to believe, and if you happen to be working for the Obama campaign, independent voters are moving towards Romney. It’s doubtful that some snarky, rude comments from Obama (possibly backed by the moderator) are going to do any good this late in the election.
@MataHarley:
Mata, you might want to pay a little heed to the words of a former CIA commander, who just might even know a little more about this than either of us.
Count me as one who believes Berntsen is in a position to make such a comment.
@MataHarley:
yes they sat back and did nothing. there were other vidoe feeds of the attack.
@retire05: As Mata’s report of the CBS story, it’s not exactly the same as the New York Daily Post. The New York Daily Post is not just a right-wing rag, it’s on a par with the National Enquirer. The difference between it and CBS is the way a story is reported—which makes all the difference between the facts and a fiction based on facts.
Republicans voted down more funds for U.S. embassy protection, and more early protection was requested for the Tripoli embassy but not for the one in Benghazi. The House hearings on the Benghazi incident is beginning to show more credence for the anti-muslim film as a mitigating circumstance—as opposed to ultra-right-wing critics who are black-and-white (an all or nothing attitude) in their views and like to find Obama at fault in every instance.
@DrJohn:
No, no, no, Dr. John. Even though we know that Charlene Lamb admitted those at State watched the Benghazi attack in “near” real time, even though we know there was, initially, constant communication coming from Benghazi, even though we know there was no attempt to rescue the besieged Americans in Benghazi, we are to assume the Administration did something.
Obama stated at the last [set-up] debate, that upon hearing of Benghazi, he immediately ordered that security be beefed up in all the U.S. missions in the region. And we are to assume that helped Ambassador Stevens how? No fighter jets sent to Benghazi from the relatively close Sigonella, Sicily NAS which is actually closer than Tripoli; no rapid response Special Forces teams; nothing. Yet we are being given a minute by minute action report by the State Department that now claims to know that Ambassador Stevens was pronounced dead at a Benghazi hospital less than four hours after the over six hour long siege lasted, and while some American personnel were still fighting for their lives. And the Administration did nothing.
Time after time we have seen what weak-kneed Democrat administrations have wrought. Jimmy Carter gave us modern day Iran. Clinton signed the E.O. that disarmed soldiers while on base, not even allowing them to carry their side arms. The result of that action was “work place violence” at Fort Hood that took the lives of 14 Americans, some of them battle hardened soldiers. Kumbaya. According to this administration, just because a Muslim enters an Army base, shouts “Allah Akbar” multiple times and starts killing Americans, it is not terrorism, it is work place violence.
So exactly what did the Administration do during the long six hours that FSOs in Libya were fighting for their lives? What action was taken to rescue them? What actions were taken to dispurse the attackers? Did the President get on the phone with the leadership of Libya informing them we would be in their air space? Did he feel the need to get permission for that although he didn’t feel the need to get permission to fly Libyan air space when his goal was to oust Gadaffi?
Yet, there are some that think “eating popcorn” is too strong an admonition. Frankly, it don’t think it is severe enough.
The more they speak, the more they dig a hole.
Big question number 2: According to CBS, the option they chose was to send in military in less than 24 hours (and that this was simply too late to save everybody,…but well within guidelines).
Where were the military when for days after this attack CNN reporters were wandering through the compound taking pictures and reporting that nobody was there? According to their last story…the “investigation” was turned over to FBI who took days (if not a week or more) to finally get on scene. As was reported by CNN on the ground/scene, by that time, much of what was strewn about had been looted or taken.
Forget the initial battle. Why was this compound not surrounded by marines and heavy weapons a day after this happened? Two days after this happened? Why is it STILL not surrounded and protected by military?
@Liberal1 (Objectivity):
Republicans voted down more funds for the U.S. embassy protection, and more early protection was requested for the Tripoli embassy but not the one in Benghazi. The House hearings on the Benghazi incident is beginning to show more credence for the anti-muslim fim as a mitigating circumstance–as opposed to ultra-right-wing critics who are black-and-whate (an all or nothing attitude) in their views and like to find Obama at fault in every instance.
While you do very well parroting left wing talking points, along with your compadre, Greg, you are as painfully uninformed as Greg is. Unfortunately for you, there is NO budget to have cut. For three years, Harry Reid and his band of criminals, have thwarted the very Constitution that mandates Congress pass a budget every year. Any funds we are spending now are stop-gap funds designed to keep the government running in spite of Reid failing his Constitutional duty.
You obviously did not watch the Congressional hearings on Benghazi. Even Ambassador Kennedy, and Charlene Lamb, did not try to push the meme that the terrorist attack (not an “incident” as you want to call it) was due to a little know, barely viewed anti-Mohammed YouTube movie. When asked why the story that the Benghazi attack was due to a movie was put out, Ambassador Kennedy responded that that was NEVER the position of the State Department and the Congressional committee would have to ask others (meaning the Administration) about that. Even the excuse that the Cairo protests were due to that movie have fallen apart with the interview, done by Nic Robertson of CNN, of Ayman al Zawahri’s brother and the brother of the Blind Sheikh done on the very day of the protests in Cairo.
Now, I know your handlers have told you to push the meme that it was evil Republican budget cuts that prevented the security that Ambassador Stevens had requested, not just for Tripoli, but especially Benghazi, as shown in his cables to State, and you are supposed to ignore that when asked if the lack of security was due to budget issues Charlene Lamb said emphatically “NO”, but that whole fairy tale is put to rest when it was learned that the SST team that was pulled from Benghazi in August was NOT paid by State, but by the DoD. Oooops.
That is the problem with you on the left. You rely on talking points put out by the DNC or the administration, and you don’t bother to research any of them for the truth factor. Useful idiots, all of you.
Not quite, drj. What Gary Berntsen said, as you yourself quoted, was “They stood, and they watched, and our people died”. He did not say they got a vicarious thrill, watching a massive death scene, eating popcorn. Your portrayal and insinuation is worthy of an Obama’esque community organizing award, save for you riling up the opposite political side instead.
I plainly stated above, they did not do enough before (security), during or after. But they were not doing “nothing”. They were doing the wrong things, in my opinion… attempting to get permission to enter Libya being my main objection. However what the drone observed was, per the accounts, providing a video feed that was too late to save the Ambassador.
Speaking of what they were watching, FOX News… you trust them, right?… puts a perspective on what the drone was broadcasting. So far, it sounds like most of you think everyone was “munching on popcorn”, enjoying some Steven Seagal or Rambo type scene. FOX says that is far from the case.
Based on FOX News brief reconstruction, what the predator drone would be observing, arriving hours after the attack began, was mostly a building on fire and probably some movement outside of the consulate compound.
I don’t like this POTUS. I believe him to be inept and dangerous. However I also find it abhorrent for amateur community organizers of the so called conservative variety to fire up the hate by portraying the POTUS as some heartless guy, sitting around relishing the deaths of Americans while eating popcorn. There is a vast difference between being incompetent, and downright gleefully sadistic.
Cheap shot, and pure amateur hour unworthy of consumption. Unfortunately, most around here, with the usual cheerleaders, need to lavish the vitriol they say the left does at the drop of a hat. The constant insults that fly at Larry, Rich and Greg show that the so called conservatives have turned the tables on who is less tolerant.
No moral kudos to you and chums, drj. I watched you all feast on an old time conservative commenter here, Patricia… merely because she said your hateful post commentary simply was not helpful (on your other worthless drivel about Crowley and her appearance). Small wonder so many of our past community members, like Patricia, don’t bother to come around much anymore. This stuff lowers FA to nothing more than the ying to HuffPo’s yang.
Liberal: objectivity.
Don’t want to take this too far OT, but here’s the 2nd grade version for you:
When someone makes 10 dollars an hour. And they ask for 18. And you end up giving them 15 dollars an hour instead. That’s not a “pay cut”. That’s a raise.
Beyond that, it’s already part of the record/testimony that money wasn’t the issue…or at least had nothing to do with the reason they denied security requests at Benghazi.
@MataHarley:
Care to remind me of what I said to her? Remind me of how I insulted her personally again. TIA
@MataHarley:
Again, could you be so kind as to remind me how I insult them?
@MataHarley:
Maybe you have a point. Obama reportedly went to bed before learning Stevens’ fate. Maybe he was too tired from the Jay Z bash to eat the popcorn.
@DrJohn, #27:
We’re not looking at a random sampling, are we? Those appearing in your YouTube video don’t represent most of those who are left of center. They represent those whose responses were carefully selected by Revealing Politics to sell the idea they’re pushing.
Most of those on the left are smart enough to recognize a deliberately skewed presentation when they see one. How are things over on your side? Do most people still believe that Romney’s positions of the day are his true positions?
@drjohn:
Well, I guess sitting in the Situation Room, which has the ability to watch/listen to the feed from state during the Benghazi attack, would have been inconvenient to have Obama in his pajamas. The golf clothes he wore to the bin Laden killing was much more appropriate.
Oh, wait, the attack started at 3:40 p.m. D.C. time. Surely Obama would have still be dressed in his day clothes then. Unfortunately, when the President of the United States goes to bed, not yet knowing the status of his FSO in Libya, he most certainly deserves the label of “heartless” as that is the only way you can explain those actions on his part. And when you stand in front of the family, and compadres, of 13 Americans who are dead because of a blatant terrorist attack and you refer to the terrorist as a “gunman”, and if he was talking about one of his Chicago homie gangbangers, that too is “heartless. When you deny Purple Hearts to those who were killed in an act of war against the U.S. because it was on U.S. soil, that is “heartless.”
Do I think Obama relished the deaths of those Americans? No, but only because they are “bumps in the road” to his re-election. I don’t think he thinks much about them except in how it reflects on his campaign to have the stupid people give him another four years. It was clear a long time ago that Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. has no problem throwing those who have supported him under the bus from his own grandmother to Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr. Loyalty is not part of his m.o.
Dr. J, Mata may have been referring to me. I’ve gone easy on Larry for a while now, but as far as greg and rich, they deserve every bit of grief they have gotten.
I have also never claimed to be tolerant, but now try to limit my fire breathing to those that deserve it.
@Hard Right:
Perhaps, HR, but the “you all” was aimed at me. Now I would like some evidence of that.
@Greg: I dunno, Greg
http://cfif.org/v/index.php/commentary/54-state-of-affairs/1357-pew-research-republicans-more-knowledgeable-than-democrats
So Greg, when was the last time I used expletives on you personally?
@retire05:
Don’t tell Mata, but neither do I. It’s called sarcasm.
The truth is, I don’t think he gives a sh*t. He doesn’t like people.
http://nymag.com/news/politics/elections-2012/bill-hillary-clinton-2012-10/index2.html
And I still believe he’s a sociopath.
Sheesh!
I had thought the figure of speech of ”eating popcorn” was well enough known by now.
It isn’t literal!
A figure of speech may LOOK literal, as in a metaphore.
But it can also be a simile which uses ”like” or ”as.”
It simply means someone watched rather than getting up and doing something else.
“Eating popcorn,” is a figure of speech for watching interestedly.
Lots of times I have said to my hubby, ”I’ll get the popcorn,” before something good to watch is on TV.
And neither of us ever eats the stuff!
Don’t even like it.
When people in a position to DO SOMETHING stood down for HOURS while a drone showed them everything that was happening in the Benghazi compound, they, in effect, sat down with a bowl of popcorn.
Help was only 1 hour away, if they had picked up the phone.
I doubt it would have made Obama’s narrative look worse had we sent in our soldiers.
His narrative sucks now.
@Nan G:
How many times have you heard someone say “Grab the popcorn. This is gonna get good.”? It doesn’t mean that you should run right out and get some JiffyPop. It simply means the issue is about to get interesting.
One other thing (and YOU can correct me if I am wrong), I think the entire Benghazi attack ran live on Al Jazeera. If so, we already know that Hillary has stated that Hillary stated back in March, 2011, that Al Jazeera was “real news.” But I guess we are to think that our State Department/intel doesn’t monitor Al Jazeera? We know there were photo-reporters filming the Benghazi attack in real time.
The bottom line is this administration knew from the minute the attack began. For six hours, our FSOs were under attack, and nothing was done. Nothing. No air support, no boots on the ground. Nada. And now the administration is trying to weasel out of being held responsible by blaming it on a stupid video, and locking up an American citizen, now being held without bond.
@drjohn:
Read the clinical description of malignant narcisissm and you have a description of Obama.
@retire05: You mean like this?
@Liberal1 (Objectivity): It was 0-blama and his administration who labeled what happened as caused by a spontaneous demonstration and not terrorism. They where black and white on this one. They tried to cover up the reality and have since tried to back out of what they said and did. America is smarter than they are on this one.