There isn't anyone in the USA that is happy about the death of our ambassador. I am sure there are many within the State Department that are angry. I don't blame them, but, report after report including a Blue Ribbon Panel established as an autonomy review of the incident found no wrong doing by anyone.
I don't know what the witnesses will say on Wednesday and I am sure every word will be valued. I look forward to the panel to clear the air on this for the last time. If there will ever be a last time.
The report below found sincere deficiencies in the 'quartering' of our foreign service. Those type of changes to secure them does not happen overnight. There is every reason to believe Ambassador Stevens and his security staff were under funded and under staffed. The complaint is that the State Department needed to 'answer the call' for more security. Quite frankly, that would not have been possible without an occupying force.
There has been an occupying force in Afghanistan and what good has that done?
During post management inspections (click here) conducted in 2012, OIG found that more than half of the posts inspected did not provide a safe area for employees working outside the main office buildings. Inspectors identified 11 posts out of 17 that needed additional safe areas on the compound, including 4 missions rated high or critical for political violence and/or terrorist threat. Inspectors also found that new embassy compounds constructed after the leddah attack did not include remote safe areas. OIG subsequently learned that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) will implement the standards for all new embassy compound projects planned after FY 2012.
There is a law that established the "Accountability Review Board" and it is below. It was established under Title III of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 and modified in 2005. For a law to be in effect since 1986 and actively used all this time, the USA sure hasn't made much progress in establishing secure facilities for our foreign service. That most dramatic example of that is the report above.
(a) In general
I don't know what the witnesses will say on Wednesday and I am sure every word will be valued. I look forward to the panel to clear the air on this for the last time. If there will ever be a last time.
The report below found sincere deficiencies in the 'quartering' of our foreign service. Those type of changes to secure them does not happen overnight. There is every reason to believe Ambassador Stevens and his security staff were under funded and under staffed. The complaint is that the State Department needed to 'answer the call' for more security. Quite frankly, that would not have been possible without an occupying force.
There has been an occupying force in Afghanistan and what good has that done?
During post management inspections (click here) conducted in 2012, OIG found that more than half of the posts inspected did not provide a safe area for employees working outside the main office buildings. Inspectors identified 11 posts out of 17 that needed additional safe areas on the compound, including 4 missions rated high or critical for political violence and/or terrorist threat. Inspectors also found that new embassy compounds constructed after the leddah attack did not include remote safe areas. OIG subsequently learned that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) will implement the standards for all new embassy compound projects planned after FY 2012.
There is a law that established the "Accountability Review Board" and it is below. It was established under Title III of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 and modified in 2005. For a law to be in effect since 1986 and actively used all this time, the USA sure hasn't made much progress in establishing secure facilities for our foreign service. That most dramatic example of that is the report above.
(a) In general
(1) Convening a Board (click here)
Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), in any case of serious injury, loss of life, or significant destruction of property at, or related to, a United States Government mission abroad, and in any case of a serious breach of security involving intelligence activities of a foreign government directed at a United States Government mission abroad, which is covered by the provisions of this chapter (other than a facility or installation subject to the control of a United States area military commander), the Secretary of State shall convene an Accountability Review Board (in this subchapter referred to as the “Board”). The Secretary shall not convene a Board where the Secretary determines that a case clearly involves only causes unrelated to security.
The real question about all this is not whether or not we need boots on the ground or better facilities, it is whether or not we actually belong there. Now, if Congressman Issa wants to stress the need for better facilities before our foreign service is deployed, then the episode in Libya will illustrate that, but, if he plans to play politics with life after neglecting the need for secure facilities then there no need for the hearings on Wednesday.
On 27 Jan 2003, an Accountability Review Board was convened for the Murder of Laurence Foley, USAID Official in Amman, Jordan. Secretary Colin Powell appointed Ambassador Wesley Egan as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Frederick Mecke, Timothy Deerr, George Wachtenheim, Charles S. Phalen, Jr., and by Executive Secretary Howard Perlow.
On 11 Mar 2005, the Accountability Review Board for theDecember 6, 2004 Attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was convened. Secretary Condolezza Rice appointed David C. Fields, a retired U.S. ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Melvin Harrison, John Geoff O’Connell, Carolee Heileman, Robert Benedetti and by the Executive Secretary to the Board, Mark Jackson.|
On 8 December 2005, Secretary Rice convened another Accountability Review Board to Examine the Circumstances of the Death of DS Special Agent Stephen Sullivan and Seven Security Contractors in September 2005 in Iraq. She appointed Edward G. Lanpher, a retired U.S. Ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by M. Bart Flaherty, Frederick Mecke, Mike Absher, Laurie Tracy and Executive Secretary to the Board, Robert A. Bradtke.
On May 2006 an Accountability Review Board To Examine the Circumstances of the Death of David E. Foy and Mr. Iftikhar Ahmed in March 2006, Karachi, Pakistan was convened. Secretary Rice appointed David C. Fields, a retired U.S. Ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Carolee Heileman, William Pope, Melvin Harrison, John Weber and the Executive Secretary to the Board, Hugo Carl Gettinger.
On 14 April 2008, Secretary Rice convened her fourth ARB, this time to Examine the Circumstances of the Death of John M. Granville and Abdelrahman Abees in Khartoum, Sudan in January 2008. She appointed Michael W. Marine, a retired U.S. ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by M. Bart Flaherty, Wayne S. Rychak, Lewis R. Atherton, Michael Pastirik and by Executive Secretary to the Board, Hugo Carl Gettinger.
On 22 October 2010, Secretary Clinton convened the first ARB during her tenure relating to the Death of Three DoD Personnel Assigned to the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Defense Representative Pakistan (ODRP) on February 3, 2010. She appointed Joseph Lake, a retired U.S. ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Robert Bryson, Lewis Atherton, Barbara Martin, Wayne Rychak and by the Executive Secretary to the Board, Linda Hartley.
We can add one more now. When is the US House and the US Senate going to finally realize there are needs within the State Department that continues to be neglected.
The real question about all this is not whether or not we need boots on the ground or better facilities, it is whether or not we actually belong there. Now, if Congressman Issa wants to stress the need for better facilities before our foreign service is deployed, then the episode in Libya will illustrate that, but, if he plans to play politics with life after neglecting the need for secure facilities then there no need for the hearings on Wednesday.
On 27 Jan 2003, an Accountability Review Board was convened for the Murder of Laurence Foley, USAID Official in Amman, Jordan. Secretary Colin Powell appointed Ambassador Wesley Egan as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Frederick Mecke, Timothy Deerr, George Wachtenheim, Charles S. Phalen, Jr., and by Executive Secretary Howard Perlow.
On 11 Mar 2005, the Accountability Review Board for theDecember 6, 2004 Attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was convened. Secretary Condolezza Rice appointed David C. Fields, a retired U.S. ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Melvin Harrison, John Geoff O’Connell, Carolee Heileman, Robert Benedetti and by the Executive Secretary to the Board, Mark Jackson.|
On 8 December 2005, Secretary Rice convened another Accountability Review Board to Examine the Circumstances of the Death of DS Special Agent Stephen Sullivan and Seven Security Contractors in September 2005 in Iraq. She appointed Edward G. Lanpher, a retired U.S. Ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by M. Bart Flaherty, Frederick Mecke, Mike Absher, Laurie Tracy and Executive Secretary to the Board, Robert A. Bradtke.
On May 2006 an Accountability Review Board To Examine the Circumstances of the Death of David E. Foy and Mr. Iftikhar Ahmed in March 2006, Karachi, Pakistan was convened. Secretary Rice appointed David C. Fields, a retired U.S. Ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Carolee Heileman, William Pope, Melvin Harrison, John Weber and the Executive Secretary to the Board, Hugo Carl Gettinger.
On 14 April 2008, Secretary Rice convened her fourth ARB, this time to Examine the Circumstances of the Death of John M. Granville and Abdelrahman Abees in Khartoum, Sudan in January 2008. She appointed Michael W. Marine, a retired U.S. ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by M. Bart Flaherty, Wayne S. Rychak, Lewis R. Atherton, Michael Pastirik and by Executive Secretary to the Board, Hugo Carl Gettinger.
On 22 October 2010, Secretary Clinton convened the first ARB during her tenure relating to the Death of Three DoD Personnel Assigned to the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Defense Representative Pakistan (ODRP) on February 3, 2010. She appointed Joseph Lake, a retired U.S. ambassador, as Chair of the Board. He was assisted by Robert Bryson, Lewis Atherton, Barbara Martin, Wayne Rychak and by the Executive Secretary to the Board, Linda Hartley.
We can add one more now. When is the US House and the US Senate going to finally realize there are needs within the State Department that continues to be neglected.
