UPDATED: Senate report: Benghazi attack could have been prevented

[DonViejo]

Last edited Wed Jan 15, 2014, 06:11 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: Washington Post

A long-delayed Senate intelligence committee report released on Wednesday spreads blame among the State Department and intelligence agencies for not preventing an attack at an outpost in Libya that killed four Americans, including the U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. The report says the State Department failed to increase security at the compound despite warnings, and faults intelligence agencies for not informing the U.S. military about the existence of a secret CIA outpost at the site.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senate-report-attack-on-us-compound-in-benghazi-could-have-been-prevented/2014/01/15/5e197224-7de9-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html

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Senate Report: 15 Libyan Sources For Benghazi Investigation Since Killed

CATHERINE THOMPSON – JANUARY 15, 2014, 11:24 AM EST

A delayed Senate report released Wednesday on the 2012 Benghazi attacks argued an FBI investigation has been weakened by the deaths of a number of cooperating Libyan sources.

The Washington Post highlighted the report's finding that 15 individuals who were "supporting the investigation or otherwise helpful to the United States" have been killed since the attacks. It's unclear if those killings were in any way related to the U.S. investigation, according to the report.

"The FBI's investigation into the individuals responsible for the Benghazi attacks has been hampered by inadequate cooperation and a lack of capacity by foreign governments to hold these perpetrators accountable, making the pursuit of justice for the attacks slow and insufficient," the report read.

The Senate report concluded that the attacks were preventable, faulting the State Department and intelligence agencies for failing to increase security at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi and share information about a secret CIA annex that was also attacked.

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/report_15_killed_benghazi_investigation

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Thanks to everyone that has been adding information to the thread from the report

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UPDATE:

Highlights of Senate’s Benghazi report
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Some main points of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the terrorist assault on the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya:

— Ambassador Chris Stevens, who was among those killed that night, had twice in the weeks before the attacks declined the U.S. military’s offer of a team of special operations forces that had been available to bolster security and provide other help. The State Department had decided not to request an extension of the team’s presence, about a month before the attacks, because officials thought the job could be done by local or department security.

— The report recommends that only in rare cases should a diplomatic facility continue to operate if it falls short of the State Department’s security standards — and in such cases the facility should have the personnel, weapons and fire safety equipment needed to address the threat. The State Department should be ready to evacuate or close diplomatic missions facing the highest threat, the report says.

— The report recommends that the intelligence community expand its work to analyze social media used by extremists, noting that little of that was done before the attacks and it’s possible there were hints in web postings of trouble ahead.

— Operations in Benghazi continued with little change even though the mission crossed some “tripwires” that should have led to reduction in personnel or the suspension of operations. Some nations closed their diplomatic facilities because of worsening security conditions in the summer of 2012. But others stayed, contrary to reports the U.S. was the last country represented there.

— An unarmed U.S. military drone was not delayed when responding to the attack, and it provided important information during the attacks.

more
http://www.salon.com/2014/01/15/highlights_of_senates_benghazi_report/

[JaneyVee]

1. Page 20 of report:

[underpants]

4. Thanks. I am sure that will barely, if at all, get much attention

[JaneyVee]

9. Also this:

[FarPoint]

5. Send it to Rachel Maddows

Or MSNBC.

[underpants]

2. Quick look at this part because the MSM will only mention it once

Six CIA employees responded to the attack on the diplomatic compound, the report says. They neither asked permission to come to the aid of the diplomats nor were told to stand down. The committee found that the military response to the attacks was slow and hindered, but not purposely so.


Hmmm... Six responded and three died, what happened to the other three?

[AtheistCrusader]

14. No, Two died.

Stevens and Smith make up 2 of the 4 that died. Two of the CIA responders died to a mortar on the rooftop. (Doherty and Woods)

Ubben was badly injured, but survived.

[underpants]

18. Ok thanks

I could have sworn that early reports said that a couple of them bailed but I could be remembering that incorrectly.

[AtheistCrusader]

19. This GQ article from november 2012 is still hands down THE BEST piece of journalism on the attack.

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/201211/sean-flynn-j-christopher-stevens-benghazi-libya-ambassador

I've yet to find an error in it, even after all this time.

[gerogie2]

3. This is ridiculus

These people were just casualties in the war with militant Islam. Many Americans have died so far and many more will die. Why is an Ambassador that choose to serve in a dangerous country more important then the tens of thousands of soldiers that have served in Afghanistan and given their lives?

[DonViejo]

7. Because Barack Obama is President. eom

[ewagner]

13. To be more precise:

"Because Barack Obama is the (black) President of the United States"

[DonViejo]

27. Agreed. I just didn't think I needed to be that precise on DU...

or with DU'ers. All of the GOP resistance to him is based on his race.

[former9thward]

28. Was this a Republican report?

[DonViejo]

29. Dems are in the majority in the Senate, it's a bipartisan report. eom

[OnyxCollie]

6. An increased security presence

is not desirable when you are conducting a secret CIA torture/assassination program. It looks conspicuous.

Lindsey Graham noted the need for increased security in 2009.


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 000677
http://wikileaks.org/cable/2009/08/09TRIPOLI677.html#

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND H

E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/19/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS PINR PTER MASS MCAP LY
SUBJECT: CODEL MCCAIN MEETS MUAMMAR AND MUATASSIM AL-QADHAFI

REF: A. TRIPOLI 662; B. TRIPOLI 674; C. STATE 43049; D. TRIPOLI 648

TRIPOLI 00000677 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Joan Polaschik, Charge d'Affaires, U.S. Embassy
Tripoli, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
¶1. (C) CODEL McCain discussed security, counterterrorism, and
civil-nuclear cooperation during August 14 meetings with Libyan
leader Muammar al-Qadhafi and his son, National Security Advisor
Muatassim al-Qadhafi, stressing the need for Libya to fulfill
its WMD-related commitments and to approve a Section 505
end-user agreement in order to move forward on bilateral
military and civil-nuclear engagement. While Muatassim
al-Qadhafi reiterated long-standing Libyan requests for security
assurances from the United States and emphasized Libya's
interest in the purchase of U.S. lethal and non-lethal military
equipment, Muammar al-Qadhafi was notably silent on these
subjects. The elder Qadhafi made a point of expressing his
satisfaction with the improved U.S relationship and his hope
that the relationship would continue to flourish. CODEL
McCain's discussion of the Megrahi case was reported ref A. End
summary.

THE MEETING

¶2. (SBU) CODEL McCain (R-Az), including Senator Joe Lieberman
(I-CT), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Senator Susan Collins
(R-SC) and Senate Armed Services Committee Staffer Richard
Fontaine held back-to-back meetings August 14 with Libyan
National Security Advisor Muatassim al-Qadhafi and Libyan leader
Muammar Al-Qadhafi. Libyan officials NSC Director Dr. Hend
Siala, MFA Department of Americas Secretary Ahmed Fituri and MFA
Office of Americas Director Mohamed Matari also attended the
meetings, as did Charge and Pol/Econ Chief (notetaker).

~snip~

ELDER QADHAFI QUIETLY LISTENS

¶6. (C) Libyan leader Muammar al-Qadhafi, who joined the group in
the same tent in which Muatassim had met the CODEL, likewise
highlighted the strength of the U.S.-Libya relationship.
Qadhafi commented that friendship was better for the people of
both countries and expressed his desire to see the relationship
flourish. He thanked the Senators for their visit and described
America as a race rather than a nationality, explaining that
many Libyans are dual citizens because they were born in the
United States. Senators McCain and Graham conveyed the U.S.
interest in continuing the progress of the bilateral
relationship and pledged to try to resolve the C130 issue with
Congress and Defense Secretary Gates. The Senators expressed
appreciation for Libya's counterterrorism cooperation in the
region. They urged Libya to fulfill the remainder of its WMD
commitments. Senator Graham reiterated the need for improved
U.S. Embassy security and urged Qadhafi to approve the site for
a New Embassy Compound (NEC) as a way to fortify the
relationship. Qadhafi remained quiet throughout the discussion
and did not respond specifically to any of the issues with the
exception of Megrahi (ref A). He indicated that the National
Security Council would be charged with addressing the
security-related issues.

[JDPriestly]

21. But wasn't Stevens in a mere consulate in Benghazi?

Isn't the U.S. Embassy located in Tripoli, Libya? Wasn't it located in Tripoli at the time of the attacks?

[OnyxCollie]

23. Yes, yes, and yes.

Abu Salim prison is in Tripoli, too, where Ibn al-Sheikh al-Libi was found dead.

Maybe the consulate was near another CIA black site?

[Hissyspit]

8. No, duh. All the attacks on embassies during the Bush administration could have been prevented, too.

I could have prevented this callous from forming on the bottom of my foot if I had quit digging at the pine cone thorn that got stuck in it.

Stupid headline.

[onehandle]

10. Does it mention the cuts in security funding that the GOP insisted on? nt

[d_b]

11. lol well no shit

[Demo_Chris]

12. Of course it could have been. Not exactly a revelation. Things happen. nt

[AlbertCat]

15. Benghazi attack could have been prevented

if there hadn't been a compound there in the 1st place.


or

If Abrahamic religions didn't exist

or

If Libya was owned by Disney


I mean, the possibilities are endless!

[leftyohiolib]

16. yea if the gop had given them the money that was asked for

[Beacool]

17. Well, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were also preventable.

[jakeXT]

20. It's not like congress has the power to declare war....... /nt

[DallasNE]

22. Prevented -- Really?

The only way that could have occurred is if we had assets inside the group responsible for the attack that could have then provided an advance notice. But then I'm not sure the report supports the notion that the attack could have been prevented. Sure, in hindsight the State Department could have overridden the Ambassador and provided more security by removing security from some other diplomatic mission -- as Republican budget cuts for embassy security would only allow for a rebalancing of assets -- but when the Ambassador rejected extra security one can understand the State Department honoring his wishes.

[K lib]

24. page 2

here's what the report says on page 2

"Between 1998 (the year of the terrorist attacks against the U.S. Embassies
in Kenya and Tanzania) and 2012, 273 significant attacks were carried out against
U.S. diplomatic facilities and personnel. 1 The need to place personnel in high-risk
locations carries significant vulnerabilities for the United States. The Committee
intends for this report to help increase security and reduce the risks to our
personnel serving overseas and to better explain what happened before, during, and
after the attacks."

[yurbud]

25. all the people crying buckets of tears over this couldn't give a flying fuck that Bush could have

prevented 9/11.

Thousands of Americans died as the result of Bush's inattention (at minimum).

[Ash_F]

26. It could have been prevent by not bombing Libya. /nt