#1 It's interesting to note that the old Benghazi-Turkey ratline is still in operation.
The day he died US ambassador Stevens met with a Turkish diplomat in Benghazi, and the meeting dealt with the shipment of Libyan arms from Benghazi to Turkish ports. Stevens had not visited Benghazi since his large security team was pulled from Libya a month before. Why he would appear in Benghazi on the anniversary of 9/11/2001 still remains an "unofficial" mystery. The State Department had sent out security warnings and thus it was logical that something quite important compelled Stevens to leave Tripoli. The Ambassador's schedule in Benghazi had only one significant event -- his meeting with the Turkish diplomat, Consul Ali Sait Akin -- a more senior government official than the posting to Benghazi would indicate. Arming the Syrians was important.
While the US long ago pulled out of Benghazi, the Turks have not, and dollars to donuts the Libyan operation is being run out of the Turkish consulate in that city. |