Not only are there now names with faces, there is bragging rights about underground contacts that are more valuable than walls. Those contacts are now compromised. Good work, Chairman Issa.
11:00 a.m. EST (click here)
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hear testimony from three witness Wednesday morning.
The hearing, led by Republican Chairman Darrell Issa, is titled “Benghazi: Exposing Failure and Recognizing Courage.” It begins at 11:30 a.m. EST. The three witnesses who will appear are:
Mark Thompson, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State
Gregory Hicks, Foreign Service Officer and former Deputy Chief of Mission/Chargé d’Affairs in Libya, U.S. Department of State
Eric Nordstrom, Diplomatic Security Officer and former Regional Security Officer in Libya, U.S. Department of State
11:00 a.m. EST (click here)
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hear testimony from three witness Wednesday morning.
The hearing, led by Republican Chairman Darrell Issa, is titled “Benghazi: Exposing Failure and Recognizing Courage.” It begins at 11:30 a.m. EST. The three witnesses who will appear are:
Mark Thompson, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State
Gregory Hicks, Foreign Service Officer and former Deputy Chief of Mission/Chargé d’Affairs in Libya, U.S. Department of State
Eric Nordstrom, Diplomatic Security Officer and former Regional Security Officer in Libya, U.S. Department of State
The availability of military to any mission in Libya was a KNOWN commodity. This is not new. The entire mission knew there was no military support in Libya. That was known before September 11, 2012. This should not have been a surprise to anyone, especially a Regional Security Officer.
Basically, the assessment of the RSOs was more a dreamscape then a reality. So much of foreign service relies on the host government there is no way there was known capacity at the time of the Ambassador's stay in Libya. The USA does not deploy military assets to every nation where missions exist. Libya was a known dangerous nation with a high level of instability. The capacity to respond to an attack was already known.
The RSOs are sincerely upset over the outcome and I don't doubt there are many regrets, but, at the same time what was humanly possible to protect the Ambassador and his staff? Everything that was possible was being done. Short of an invasion into the country there was no way of absolutely securing the protections of the mission outside of Tripoli.
The testimonies today may compromise the careers of these people so the GOP can benefit their vicious political arguments. I feel back for those testifying today. I don't believe they thought this through.
We know as a nation, even with a deployment of military assets as in Afghanistan securing personnel of any variety is extremely difficult. The GOP should recall the explosions surrounding Cheney's visit to Afghanistan, if they can't or won't recall any of the others. The ability to 'guarantee' is not a part of the reality of foreign service outside of Hollywood.
Representative Gowdy, from the 4th Congressional District in South Carolina, is well invested as a political symbiote uninterested in the truth so much as semantics.
Basically, the assessment of the RSOs was more a dreamscape then a reality. So much of foreign service relies on the host government there is no way there was known capacity at the time of the Ambassador's stay in Libya. The USA does not deploy military assets to every nation where missions exist. Libya was a known dangerous nation with a high level of instability. The capacity to respond to an attack was already known.
The RSOs are sincerely upset over the outcome and I don't doubt there are many regrets, but, at the same time what was humanly possible to protect the Ambassador and his staff? Everything that was possible was being done. Short of an invasion into the country there was no way of absolutely securing the protections of the mission outside of Tripoli.
The testimonies today may compromise the careers of these people so the GOP can benefit their vicious political arguments. I feel back for those testifying today. I don't believe they thought this through.
We know as a nation, even with a deployment of military assets as in Afghanistan securing personnel of any variety is extremely difficult. The GOP should recall the explosions surrounding Cheney's visit to Afghanistan, if they can't or won't recall any of the others. The ability to 'guarantee' is not a part of the reality of foreign service outside of Hollywood.
Representative Gowdy, from the 4th Congressional District in South Carolina, is well invested as a political symbiote uninterested in the truth so much as semantics.
Speaker Boner, "I don't think we have gotten to the bottom...." He should take pride in knowing I sincerely believe we have gotten to the bottom of the GOP barrel.
Gowen, "How did they know they could not have made it there?..."
For real? That is one bright man and FOX News interviewer. I think that question could have been met with a question by the FOX Blond Bombshell, "Do you know anything about ground speed, sir?"
The House Speaker is turning loose the power of elected office for a witch hunt based on populism. That is not competent practice.
Well, there is a good call by Issa, "Can we please see any documents at or before the testimony that is not already in the record." Ya think?
This may be just a personal favorite, although it seems to be a issue of procedure with Representative Cummings, "I would have preferred the documents have been submitted yesterday."
1:08 pm
Rep. Jason Chaffetz asks Hicks where the special forces stand down order came from. Hicks says he believes the order came from AFRICOM (United States Africa Command)
Rep. Norton established with Mr. Thompson no one was playing politics with any counter-terrorism measure in regard to Benghazi.
There are very sound reasons why AFRICOM would have any deployment from Tripoli to Benghazi stand down. If this was a larger plot and there was an attack on the Tripoli mission any deployment would leave the primary consulate short staffed with a very good chance any deployment would be killed on their way to Benghazi. The criticism is 'after the fact' knowing NOW this was an isolated incident.
Republican Rep. James Lankford asks the witnesses whether the security provided to the diplomatic facilities in Libya prior to the attack was adequate. They answer that it wasn’t.
Therefore what? Monies were suppose to be used from a closed facility in Iraq on the Benghazi mission. Okay, but, it was also stated that was under process. So, I am back to therefore what?
Mr. Thompson is at the hearing to state he didn't obstruct any information he may have for his country. He wasn't asked to testify. Fine. Thank you for that.
No one, I recall, was actually questioning the dedication of the foreign service, were they? I know no one in the administration every stated doubt to the dedication and loyalty of the members of the foreign service. You mean to tell me the GOP harassed these people enough to have them believe they were actually discrediting their capacity and willingness to be a part of a testimony? That is an ethics violation by the House leadership.
Rep. Jordan reiterated praise of Mr. Hicks by the administration and all of a sudden Beth Jones was offended by the criticism of Ambassador Rice. Even after Beth Jones stated, "I don't know" Mr. Hicks wasn't satisfied. Well, I suppose very member of the foreign service should have apologies from Ambassador Rice personally.
Okay,then. Ambassador Rice now knows her words offended at least Mr. Hicks. I suppose she could issue an apology if that were to prove prudent. Maybe in his Christmas Card.
Sorry, but, these hearings are Palace Intrigue and has no relevance to national security.
Hicks says Amb. Stevens went to Benghazi to convert it into a permanent diplomatic post at the request of Sec. Clinton. Clinton wanted a report on the political and security environment there before September 30, Hicks says.
That testimony contradicts the facts. We know there were explosions near the mission in Tripoli and Ambassdor Stevens stated it might be safer for him in Benghazi. It would seem as though Mr. Hicks is not appraised to all the details of the movement of Ambassador Stevens at the time he moved to Benghazi.
Ambassador Stevens may have been asked to submit an assessment about a Benghazi facility, but, in that there is no understanding the ambassador did not have control over his activities within the country.
Representative Clay is correct there were recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Panel to prevent these events in the future. Seeking to make those recommendations a matter of malpractice of the Secretary of State after the fact is abuse of power and here again unethical practice of the power of the House Seat.
This is a waste of my time and the time and money of the American people. Symbiotes rule, ya know?
