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2012-09-29 Africa North
Top intelligence official backtracks on Libya story
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Posted by Steve White 2012-09-29 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ]  Top

#1 Another facet of the Washington Blame Game: Congress is responsible.
Posted by Pappy 2012-09-29 00:20||   2012-09-29 00:20|| Front Page Top

#2 "Since 2010, Congress cut $296 million from the State Department’s spending request for embassy security and construction"

The job of an executive is to prioritize expenditures when faced with the reality of limited funds. The current Administration is by no means the first to fail at that. But I'm sure the diplomatic lunches were accompaied by Camus wines or the like.
Posted by Glenmore 2012-09-29 00:44||   2012-09-29 00:44|| Front Page Top

#3 I recently read an article that they spent almost 1 billion dollars rehabbing a mosque in Saudi Arabia in addition to other mosque projects (USAID through the State Dept.). I think that could have been used for security and have a lot left over for a party....
Posted by tipover 2012-09-29 01:42||   2012-09-29 01:42|| Front Page Top

#4 ...and when the current administration is running up one trillion dollar annual deficits, it's clear where their priorities are, or rather, aren't.
Posted by Raj 2012-09-29 01:42||   2012-09-29 01:42|| Front Page Top

#5 Does anything think Ambassador Stevens, his consolute staff, or clandestine service personnel operating in the region failed to send a FLASH cable, or pick up an INMARSAT phone and immediately call Tripoli and or Washington when all of this started to go down?

Does any think that neighboring foreign missions and intelligence services did not report on what was taking place minute by minute?

Does anything think that National Intelligence Collection assets of the United States were caught totally unawares throughout the days leading up to, and following the initiation of this disaster?

No, no one should assume any of the above.
Posted by Besoeker 2012-09-29 07:42||   2012-09-29 07:42|| Front Page Top

#6 The Africa and Middle East RED LINE- wonder what would happen if a bunch of plans from the late 90's appeared with drawings from before events in Africa and the Levant and Balkans with dates etc! No Go they were told time is wasting kids!
Posted by Angiting Snore1647 2012-09-29 07:51||   2012-09-29 07:51|| Front Page Top

#7 Agreed, Besoeker, one should not assume those - which leaves us with the question of WHY have we been asked to believe such a bald-faced lie? I suppose it could be ascribed to stupidity of the liars or perceived stupidity of the lie-ees, but could there possibly be a REASON? (In 2001 Saddam's behavior was convincing that he had WMD but it may mainly have been an act because he was more afraid of Iran than the US (or they may be in Syria now, but that's a different theory.)) I know one is not supposed to ascribe to malice that which is as easily due to stupidity, but I still have concerns there is more than incompetence in play here, I just haven't come up with what it could be.
Posted by Glenmore 2012-09-29 07:53||   2012-09-29 07:53|| Front Page Top

#8 I generally default to what is not being said, or who is not discussing the issue.

Anyone hear anything from the dozens of personnel, walking wounded, or anyone else who got out of Benghazi prior to, during, or after the assault on the consulate? Any comments or questions from the families of the dead and wounded? No final head count? No medical reporting from Landstuhl Army Hospital? No harrowing details, no statements, no reporting, no questions, no WTF moments, no issues?

The cone of silence? Strange, very strange.
Posted by Besoeker 2012-09-29 08:17||   2012-09-29 08:17|| Front Page Top

#9 because "I singlehandedly killed Osama" sounds a little hollow - as not just a lie, but boasting that got people killed?
Posted by Frank G 2012-09-29 09:23||   2012-09-29 09:23|| Front Page Top

#10 .In 2001 Saddam's behavior was convincing that he had WMD..

Cause he did.
Posted by Procopius2k 2012-09-29 09:40||   2012-09-29 09:40|| Front Page Top

#11 Pro, well, yeah, but not nearly in the quantity and quality we had believed (though those MAY be in Syria.)
Posted by Glenmore 2012-09-29 10:06||   2012-09-29 10:06|| Front Page Top

#12 The cone of silence? Strange, very strange.

The transmitters may be there but the receivers appear to be curiously silent.
Posted by Pappy 2012-09-29 11:02||   2012-09-29 11:02|| Front Page Top

#13 Clap on! Clap off! The Clapper!
Posted by M. Murcek 2012-09-29 13:23||   2012-09-29 13:23|| Front Page Top

#14 And could that moron Brennan please be ordered to spend the rest of his life in the street somewhere with all those moderate islamists he believes in?
Posted by M. Murcek 2012-09-29 13:25||   2012-09-29 13:25|| Front Page Top

#15 WHY have we been asked to believe such a bald-faced lie?

Because experience taught them it'll work?
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2012-09-29 15:34||   2012-09-29 15:34|| Front Page Top

#16 I generally default to what is not being said, or who is not discussing the issue.

Remember the first words after the attack: "Sensitive documents are missing from the consulate", "Lists of Libyans working with Americans", "This is a serious blow to US intelligence efforts in the region".

Replace 'consulate' with 'AGI' or "P-3'.

Most surprise attacks occur due to the target's arrogance, ignorance, or having placed trust in someone/something that betrays the target.If intelligence officials dissemble, it too is due to the officals' arrogance, ignorance, or their having placed trust in someone/something that betrayed them.
Posted by Pappy 2012-09-29 18:41||   2012-09-29 18:41|| Front Page Top

#17 Does Dempsey drool and pant in anticipation of his next marching orders, or just duck, cover and cower under his desk?
Posted by canalzone 2012-09-29 22:55||   2012-09-29 22:55|| Front Page Top

22:55 canalzone
21:52 trailing wife
21:10 Sherry
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19:18 Perfesser
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