The House hearing is still going on?
Wow.
The entire area was under investigation to the security needs for the security information for the Benghazi compound. Ambassador Stevens was given a due date of September 30th to complete the needed information. We know for a fact the CIA was involved in the area. The security picture to the Benghazi compound was not known on September 11, 2012. That is not an excuse, it was a fact.
The reason no deployments were made was because of the UNKNOWNS. The USA doesn't send in assets to be slaughtered. They send in assets based on what it knows. To realize the volatility occurring in Benghazi and to send more personnel would have been imprudent and it saved lives. That is a fact. Lives were saved and the losses minimized because additional personnel were not sent. It is a cruel truth no one wants to state. It is that cruel truth we all have to live with. It is that cruel truth being exploited by political interests.
Chris Stevens and the other three died because they were going to be casualties. The USA had no options to realistically stop that. It is a magnificent country, but, it also has voids of authority and this is one of them.
Every person in this nation apologizes to the families and friends of the people lost. It was a horrible set of circumstances. I wish Ambassador Stevens had not felt so strongly about the greater potential for safety in Benghazi. We, as a nation, can ask the foreign service to take every precaution possible before they venture forth into unknown capacity of the elusive relationships they hope to build between countries, but, the facts are very different than wishes when these wonderfully talented people carry out their responsibility.
To be very frank, FOX News promulgated this entire impetus to hearings by victimizing families. Now, if one wants to state the use of innocent people as human shields as despicable, we can start with the use of these families by FOX News.
Literally, I remember an interview between a woman at FOX and Darryl Issa regarding the importance of the families and he actually relinquished to her understanding and said 'Of course, we can have hearing to clear up the understanding of the cause of these murderers.' That is when all this disaster of seeking detail beyond detail began. It has nothing to do with USA policy or competency. There is no micromanaging an Ambassador or his activities by anyone. The State Department Personnel are wonderfully qualified people and don't need micromanaging. That is understood in the job description.
So, for the families at the hearing today, FOX News needs to apologize to them for creating circumstances none bargained for after the deaths of their loved ones. The deaths were horrible, unexpected and a heartache to this nation. Chris Stevens was more valuable to the USA than anyone can say. He is no longer there. That is a loss the USA cannot repeat and that is why the Blue Ribbon Panel was convened. The Blue Ribbon Panel was not about making people feel good about their losses, it was to protect the people of our State Department who protect this country and promote policy of peace and democracy.
I apologize to the families. My heart aches, too. It was horrible and there is no taking it back. I wish we all could turn back the clocks, but, we can't. Chris Stevens and all those that died at the hand of extremists in Libya will never be forgotten and I take solace in knowing the government took these losses with brevity and honored them with facts and intention to change a wayward set of circumstances to prevent such tragedies again.
The government needs to value their foreign service enough to provide funding for all the recommendations made and to provide the fortresses needed for embassies globally.
I wish all peace.
Wow.
The entire area was under investigation to the security needs for the security information for the Benghazi compound. Ambassador Stevens was given a due date of September 30th to complete the needed information. We know for a fact the CIA was involved in the area. The security picture to the Benghazi compound was not known on September 11, 2012. That is not an excuse, it was a fact.
The reason no deployments were made was because of the UNKNOWNS. The USA doesn't send in assets to be slaughtered. They send in assets based on what it knows. To realize the volatility occurring in Benghazi and to send more personnel would have been imprudent and it saved lives. That is a fact. Lives were saved and the losses minimized because additional personnel were not sent. It is a cruel truth no one wants to state. It is that cruel truth we all have to live with. It is that cruel truth being exploited by political interests.
Chris Stevens and the other three died because they were going to be casualties. The USA had no options to realistically stop that. It is a magnificent country, but, it also has voids of authority and this is one of them.
Every person in this nation apologizes to the families and friends of the people lost. It was a horrible set of circumstances. I wish Ambassador Stevens had not felt so strongly about the greater potential for safety in Benghazi. We, as a nation, can ask the foreign service to take every precaution possible before they venture forth into unknown capacity of the elusive relationships they hope to build between countries, but, the facts are very different than wishes when these wonderfully talented people carry out their responsibility.
To be very frank, FOX News promulgated this entire impetus to hearings by victimizing families. Now, if one wants to state the use of innocent people as human shields as despicable, we can start with the use of these families by FOX News.
Literally, I remember an interview between a woman at FOX and Darryl Issa regarding the importance of the families and he actually relinquished to her understanding and said 'Of course, we can have hearing to clear up the understanding of the cause of these murderers.' That is when all this disaster of seeking detail beyond detail began. It has nothing to do with USA policy or competency. There is no micromanaging an Ambassador or his activities by anyone. The State Department Personnel are wonderfully qualified people and don't need micromanaging. That is understood in the job description.
So, for the families at the hearing today, FOX News needs to apologize to them for creating circumstances none bargained for after the deaths of their loved ones. The deaths were horrible, unexpected and a heartache to this nation. Chris Stevens was more valuable to the USA than anyone can say. He is no longer there. That is a loss the USA cannot repeat and that is why the Blue Ribbon Panel was convened. The Blue Ribbon Panel was not about making people feel good about their losses, it was to protect the people of our State Department who protect this country and promote policy of peace and democracy.
I apologize to the families. My heart aches, too. It was horrible and there is no taking it back. I wish we all could turn back the clocks, but, we can't. Chris Stevens and all those that died at the hand of extremists in Libya will never be forgotten and I take solace in knowing the government took these losses with brevity and honored them with facts and intention to change a wayward set of circumstances to prevent such tragedies again.
The government needs to value their foreign service enough to provide funding for all the recommendations made and to provide the fortresses needed for embassies globally.
I wish all peace.
