Ex-CIA official: GOP distorted agency analysis of Benghazi

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former CIA deputy director says Republicans repeatedly distorted the agency's analysis of the Benghazi attack in 2012 that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans. He also says U.S. intelligence agencies failed to recognize that al-Qaida would rapidly regain strength after the killing of Osama bin Laden.

In his new book, Michael Morell dismissed the notion that CIA officers and the military "were ordered to stand down" and not come to the aid of their comrades in Benghazi, The New York Times reported. Morell also says there is no evidence the Central Intelligence Agency had conspired with the White House to spin the Benghazi story to protect then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

But he also wrote that the White House embellished some of the talking points provided by the CIA about the Benghazi attack, which killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in September 2012.

Morrell also wrote that U.S. intelligence agencies failed to recognize that the al-Qaida terrorist network would rapidly retain strength in the Mideast after bin Laden was killed in 2011. The CIA told policymakers that the Arab Spring movement would "damage al-Qaida by undermining the group's narrative," Morell wrote.

FULL short breaking story at link.


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/08d8f46988c24938be65ba0f44e1b021/ex-cia-official-says-gop-politicized-benghazi

[leftofcool]

1. You mean, there was never a there there?

I am so shocked!

[joshdawg]

2. The GOTP distorted anything?!

I'm shocked! SHOCKED, I tell ya!

[City Lights]

3. Distortion is what they do best. nt

[truthisfreedom]

4. Impossible! Impossible I tell you!

The goop has a distinguished history of never ever ever being wrong, even in the face of the facts!

[Iliyah]

5. And GOPers will still ride that horse until the end of times

[Mr.Bill]

6. No problem.

They have simply moved on to distorting the facts about Hillary's emails and the Clinton Foundation.

I'm surprised they have moved so slowly to attack Bernie Sanders. I figured by now they would be saying he is a secret communist agent sent here to destroy the country.

[jwirr]

8. They do not think he can win.

[Iliyah]

9. GOPers are betting on internal division.

[Mr.Bill]

10. That's not surprising

since it's working so well for their party.

[Mr.Bill]

11. That will change

as soon as he starts going up in the polls. And both Iowa and New Hampshire are states where he could make a good showing.

[jwirr]

7. Gop politics consists of - phishing, distorting, and endless lies. There is nothing else to them.

[samsingh]

12. shouldn't there be a penalty for doing this? isn't this a waste of

resources that could help us in other places?

isn't this bordering on being enemies of the state?

[cosmicone]

13. What has the world come to? Now even the GOP has started distorting!!

[Baitball Blogger]

14. hee-hee.

I guess Benghazi doesn't have the legs the right-wingers were hoping for.

[DefenseLawyer]

15. I think he's forgetting just one thing...

Benghazi!

[IkeRepublican]

16. Time to break out the Richard Clarke whipping post

If this gains any traction, they'll pull another one of those.

Damned repukes are running with the discredit "Hillary book" irrelevant of being found as bunk.

That's what they do. GOP base will never get enough of it.

[mountain grammy]

17. Well, I'm sure the GOP will apologize for wasting taxpayer's time and money..

I'm waitng...