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Former SEAL: Time to ‘Name Names and Hold People Accountable’

Mar. 13, 2013 12:38pm
Brandon Webb is a former U.S. Navy SEAL with combat deployments to southwest Asia, including Iraq and Afghanistan. His proudest accomplishment in the U.S.  […]
Brandon Webb is a former U.S. Navy SEAL with combat deployments to southwest Asia, including Iraq and Afghanistan. His proudest accomplishment in the U.S. Military was his role as Course Manager for the US Navy SEAL Sniper program. This is arguably one of the most difficult sniper courses in the world. Webb has received numerous distinguished service awards throughout his career, including the Presidential Unit Citation (personally awarded to him by President George W. Bush) awarded to his SEAL platoon after their Sept 11th, 2001 deployment to Afghanistan. After the Navy, he worked in Iraq in support of U.S. Intelligence interests as a private contractor, then left to focus on business and writing. He was formerly a contributing editor for Military.com, and currently the Editor-in-Chief of SOFREP.com. SOFREP (Special Ops Situation Report) is the #1 Internet site for timely and accurate information regarding the Special Operations and Intelligence communities. Brandon is regularly featured in the international media as a subject matter expert. He has appeared on ABC News, CNN, MSNBC, FOX, BBC, Newsmax, The Blaze, SIRIUS radio, The New York Times and more. Brandon is a New York Times best selling author with several non-fiction titles completed with his first novel in the works. His last book, The Red Circle, was a New York Times best seller and his last e-book, No Easy Op, was an Amazon best seller. No Easy Op was featured exclusively in the New York Times for it breaking analysis of the controversial book No Easy Day. He is an avid surfer, skier, member of the legendary Windansea surf club, and private (instrument rated) pilot. When he’s not flying his Yak 52 you’ll find him on the ground in La Jolla, CA or Lake Tahoe, NV.
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Former SEAL: Benghazi Investigation Highlights Need to Reexamine Americas Foreign Policy Strategy

FILE – On this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012 file photo, a man looks at documents at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, after an attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. The graffiti reads, “no God but God,” ” God is great,” and “Muhammad is the Prophet.”  (Credit: AP)

The September 11th, 2012 attacks on the State Department compound in Benghazi, Libya is important, and should be studied because in the big picture it represents a failed foreign policy that spans across both Bush and Obama Presidencies.

America does not have a clear strategic objective when it comes to foreign diplomacy, and in fact our current foreign affairs are rife with hypocrisy. Two clear examples of this that we are supposedly in a “War on Terror,” yet we clandestinely support terrorists like MEK in Iran, and weapons transfers into Syria. The latter is sure to put weapons into Syria freedom fighters, some who are engaged under the al Qaeda flag.  How long will it take for those weapons to be pointed back at US Special Ops forces?

In Libya, Gaddafi was known to be cooperating with the United States behind closed doors. One minute he’s a covert friend, and declared an enemy the next.

“Who in the current administration turned Gaddafi from green to red?”, a senior State Department official said to me. This question and many others still need to be asked.

What message do we send to emerging leaders looking for allies if we continue with our hypocrisy abroad? One minute America is your friend and the next we’re cheering from the sidelines, as your dead body is drug through the streets of Misrata.

The cloudy foreign policy strategy needs to be replaced with one that is clear, and holds firm to the values of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Benghazi is important because it demonstrates all that is wrong in Washington. New leadership is needed because the current usual suspects of the State Department are getting really good at avoiding responsibility and dodging consequence.

The game of political music chairs, and finger pointing by career politicians and agency bureaucrats needs to end. Exemplary leadership has become a thing of the past, and needs to become a thing of the future.

As Jack Murphy and I point out in our e-book, Benghazi: The Definitive Report, we seek to name names and hold people accountable.  We continue to do so, and it has become apparent in our investigation is that the attack, and results achieved, was a result of the following:

  • An ambiguous foreign policy with no clear direction
  • Former Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, John Brennan, conducting unilateral actions with regards to JSOC strikes against militia members. He is also tied to weapons transfers out of Libya, and we are learning that this may have included the use of Proxy Private Military Companies like MVM, and other.
  • A lack of de-confliction between Military, Agency (State, and CIA), and PMC groups with regards to covert actions on the ground in Libya.
  • Incompetent senior State Department leadership who enforced a policy of normalization and reduced security posture in the face of a rising threat level. Benghazi and Tripoli were both classified Critical/High threat by the State’s internal threat assessment document known as the SETL.

A name that has become synonymous with ineptness in many of my conversations with State Department officials is Patrick Kennedy. His is a name we should remember. Kennedy is the current Under Secretary of Management or “M” for the agency, also known to insiders as “Black Dragons.” It is well known inside the State Department that a Black Dragon is one of the most powerful positions inside the department.

Ironically Kennedy was one of the key State Department officials trying to explain away unheeded security requests leading up to the 1998 Embassy bombings in Africa. Ambassador Bushnell sent requests for a year straight at her post in Kenya leading up to the attacks. The lack of security contributed to the deaths of 218 people, including 12 Americans when three, near simultaneous, embassy bombs were detonated in Tanzania, Kenya and Nairobi, August 7th, 1998.

It appears that Kennedy has become somewhat of an expert at explaining away incompetence, and sidestepping responsibility in order to maintain his personal standing within the Department of State.

Officials Jack and I have spoken to inside State tell us that press leaks stating that individuals had been separated or resigned from the Department as a result of Benghazi could have only come from Kennedy. The press later learned this was not the case. As far as we know today, everyone associated with Benghazi remains gainfully employed by the Department of State. This seems like the wrong message to send Foreign Service personnel but appears aligned with Kennedy’s leadership style.

One of the key elements associated with Benghazi is a State Department document called the SETL (Security, Environment, Threat, List), This document is used to determine threat levels at foreign facilities and what level of security is allocated. The four levels are Critical, High, Medium, and Low. Why wasn’t this document discussed or brought up during testimony by Congress or Kennedy? “Out of 264 countries only 14 are ranked critical/high threat, and Tripoli and Benghazi are both on that list.”, a senior State Department official told us.

We also know that Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was keenly aware of the threat level in Libya. His very last journal entry according to a source inside the State Department, hauntingly states, “Never ending security threats…” Interestingly enough, we have just learned that the Embassy in Tripoli was abandoned when Benghazi came under attack. Embassy staff retreated to a more secure CIA facility in nearby. While their comrades and Ambassador were fighting for their lives in Benghazi, leadership at the Embassy in Tripoli were running to save their own lives.

What more information do we need to arrive at the conclusion that someone in the State Department was not doing their job? It’s clear to me that all roads lead to Kennedy.

Members of the House and Senate need to reflect on that fact that America’s current foreign policy is like a rudderless super tanker steaming dangerously towards the next collision in the night. This has to change or we will continue to see less and less American diplomatic influence in the World, and more hatred towards the United States. The current lack of strategy is stoking the fires of radicalism towards the US and its allies. We need to hold firm to our constitutional values, and not ignore them when it’s convenient.

It’s time for change, and a foreign policy strategy that makes sense, one that every American citizen can understand. The plan must also include a focus on terrorism prevention. Too long we’ve been in a game of whack-a-mole with regards to killing terrorists. It’s a game with no end unless we affect change within the social and political environments of the World that breed the terrorists of tomorrow. Ignore this and we will continue to prune the tree of radicalism without killing it at its core.

We need to continue to put pressure on Washington to hold those responsible for Benghazi accountable. Carrying on like business as usual will only lead to September 11th part two, coming to a city near you. I don’t know about you but I’d rather not see that episode.

 

Brandon Webb is a former Navy SEAL, Editor of SOFREP.com and author of the New Times Best Seller, Benghazi: The Definitive Report

 

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Comments (24)

  • arkay
    Posted on March 15, 2013 at 12:18pm

    Benghazi continues to be a disgusting display of the hypocrisy of not only Obama’s clan, but of our own elected congressional members. their failure to open this can of worms and expose all the miscreants in the administration and congessional offices is indicative of their own ambitions. Our representatives are supposed to be ‘working’ for us, not their own glory and pensions…..except for a few, veery few, they should all be replaced….the entire state dept should be disbanded and beun anew…..it’s sad that we, the folks who support America are helpless to do anything ……

    Report this comment

    arkay  
  • Arc
    Posted on March 15, 2013 at 6:02am

    How’s this for a wild-azz theory.

    The State Dept, along with assistance from some reportedly RELIABLE contacts in Benghazi, were attempting to arm a faction that would assist the Syrian rebels. Suppose they were DUPED by the so-called loyals in Benghazi and were supplying weapons to an arm of Al Qaeda and as soon as the weapons were issued, that’s when the consulate was attacked.

    If Ambassador Stevens was the Libyan ambassador, why was he in Benghazi when Tripoli had also received threats? Precisely what was the threat condition in Tripoli and Benghazi?

    Since all the employees have been SEQUESTERED and are not available for interview, why not.? Was the SOS responsible for sending Stevens to Benghazi?

    Appears that COMPLICITY has many arms.

    Just a thought.

    Report this comment

    Arc  
  • BookMDanno
    Posted on March 15, 2013 at 3:09am

    Next to slavery, this HAS to be the most sickening moment in American history. We corrected the slavery issue, but America looks like it was flushed down the rabbit hole of Benghazi with lead weights.And the people don’t care. And the mass media–with few notable exceptions–is ignoring it. Idiots like David Gregory cry, “Where’s the cover-up?” but there IS no cover up, merely the open and unapologetic destruction of America aided and abetted by a complicit news media with so much invested in getting this loser elected, they don’ t dare report the truth now.

    Report this comment

    BookMDanno  
  • Melvin Spittle
    Posted on March 14, 2013 at 7:17pm

    Democrats do not, and are not expected to, eat their own. Only Republicans eat their own due to their sense of accountability. Democrats have no sense of accountability and give as a dumfounded look when accountability is demanded because they have no concept of the term.

    Report this comment

    Melvin Spittle  
  • KathyinMaine
    Posted on March 14, 2013 at 6:27pm

    I wonder if we will ever know the truth? I doubt it. We have been lied to, over and over and over again. What kind of president and state dept lets their men just DIE without sending help? They are despicable pos …..every ONE of them. They will NEVER take responsibility, because you have to have HONOR to do that. His FAKE “I take responsibility” was the worst lie I ever heard. This president and his ilk have just destroyed America’s reputation in the world.
    Meanwhile, MY SON, one among many of our HONORABLE SOLDIERS, are fighting the war on terror every DAY. I know for sure THEY WILL NOT LEAVE ONE BEHIND!! Here is a video he recently posted, straight from a battlefield in Afghanistan!! HOOAH!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu_J7pXfS7w

    Report this comment

    KathyinMaine  
  • Catking
    Posted on March 14, 2013 at 5:48pm

    Based on the past decade and present this country does not have acceptable foreign policy standards and/or goals. Our foreign policy should be based on strategic interests and trade – nothing more. That said this country should reduce dependence on foreign oil, at least ME oil and take advantage of the oil and gas exploration here at home not to mention the keystone pipeline (we should make sure at least 50% of the oil from the keystone pipeline remain here to be sold). When we involve ourselves in wars (i.e., Libya and Syria) in the Mideast it seems like we just make things worse for ourselves without any beneficial gain (strategically speaking).

    Report this comment

    Catking  
  • Bamagal0007
    Posted on March 14, 2013 at 11:21am

    “What difference does it make?” says Hillary.

    Masterful job on the coverup from the Obama admin. Funny how different it would have been if a repub had been in the WH.

    Report this comment

    Bamagal0007  
  • vahunters
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 9:19pm

    Imagine a Kennedy in a high level position at DOS with lifetime appointment? Wow, I’m shocked.
    Hmmm…. and Kissinger and Brezinski wallowing around still spouting how and what America’s foreign policy should and will be and that we had all better accept a new world order.
    Perhaps Alex Jones is not batshat crazy as his detractors would have us believe and the Bilderbergs, Council on Foreign relations, IMF, Trilateral commission and other elitist entities may just dictate and run the US foreign policies. I believe they do and we were sold out long ago. Its now a manage by manufactured crisis and they then implement sweeping solutions.
    How is it that we accept being told we must hand over our rights for the safety while our politicians are arming the supposed enemy-Al Qaeda in Syria, Libya and Egypt?
    Why were US service members killed in Afghainstan recently after Karzai accused the US or collaborating with the Taliban?
    Please explain why all the SEALs were riding on junky old helicopter and then shot down with an rpg a couple weeks after Bin Laden was supposedly killed?
    Perhaps our Libya Ambassador knew too much about the weapon running and wanted out?
    The govt is designing a new crisis that will create nation wide food shortages, starvation, pandemics, no jobs, no power and they will say that to fix it and make it stop you must surrender your rights and freedoms. Welcome to the new world order.

    Report this comment

    vahunters  
  • Secret Squirrel
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 8:43pm

    Nobody is going to “name names” because the worthless media will protect
    those who are guilty, and rant against those who seek the truth.

    Report this comment

    Secret Squirrel  
    • vahunters
      Posted on March 13, 2013 at 9:25pm

      Gaddafi was sitting on huge quantities on gold , silver. How was it that before the “rebels” had even overthrown Gaddafi they had created a Central Bank. This was nothing but a huge bank robbery by global players.
      The question is where is the gold and who has control over the oil?

      Report this comment

      vahunters  
  • zoro51
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 6:13pm

    obama LIED our people DIED the LEFT has blood on thier hands as OBAMA WATCHED then went to vegas to FUND RAISE instead of dealing wiht the crisis n SENDING IN HELP no OBAMA chose to LIE to america n the world THEN CHAIRMAN OBAMA said at the UN do not blaspheme the prophet spoken like a MUSLUM not a american… so OBAMA is responsible a well as others… IMPEACH OBAMA N THE LEFT the u tube video was a LIE used for MURDERING MUSLUMS TERRORISTS agenda… there IS no prohpet hes DEAD MOVE ON… ISLAM is a MAN MADE CULT OF HATE N DEATH the man was a FALSE PROPHET period whose encased in a giant black box whom all murdering muslums worship as well as thier STONE IDOL ALLAH in the giuse of BAAL… make NO mistake.. ISLAM IS A MAN MADE CULT OF HATE N DEATH.. whose prophet was false

    Report this comment

    zoro51  
  • Philip Branton
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 4:13pm

    Mr. Webb may highlight Mr. Kennedy in this article; but as any good Seal would do upon review of “The Art of War”, anyone would recognize the consequences of someone going to another country and saying “We came, We Saw….and HE DIED”…!!~ Lets hope the everyone realizes what the chain of events will be if anyone like that is ever elected President..!! A clear violator of the tenets of WAR FARE..!!

    Report this comment

    Philip Branton  
  • paprtowl
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:45pm

    it is apparent to me that obama is not capable of handling the responsibilities of office of the POTUS. he has not protected this country (borders) or citizens (benghazi). prepare for 3 1/2 more years.

    Report this comment

    paprtowl  
  • GONE_SOVEREIGN
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:40pm

    I blame the choom in the BH. He needs impeached, tried for treason and hung.

    Report this comment

    GONE_SOVEREIGN  
  • progressiveslayer
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:32pm

    A well written article and he’s correct,anyone associated with the debacle in Libya needs to be held accountable.Since Barry is our fraud president the buck stops with him,cough cough so he should be impeached for his failures in this incident,tried and convicted in the senate and thrown out of office and hopefully into prison for life. Brennan escaped unscathed and is now the head of CIA so,he was running guns illegally and he gets promoted? It’s all a bunch of BS from the get go and nobody’s going to go down for it.

    Report this comment

    progressiveslayer  
    • HI_Don
      Posted on March 13, 2013 at 5:13pm

      To me it is simple. Hillary said she was responsible, but Obama did not take any action against her incompentency, nor did he take action against Susan Rice, nor Petraous. He held no one accountable. Thus that make him accountable and he endorses their actions. As the leader and top of the chain of both the failure to protect, the failure to rescue, and the failure to investigate – The President is at fault and should be held accountable / charged with incompetence and possibly criminal negligence. At this stage he can not then retract into blaming others since he has done nothing to show he would do so without his own **** being on the line. He owns this – lock stock and barrel.

      Report this comment

      HI_Don  
    • BookMDanno
      Posted on March 15, 2013 at 3:11am

      ProgressiveSlayer: You think a Democrat Senate is going to convict Barry?

      Report this comment

      BookMDanno  
  • no1hd
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:31pm

    It’s coming, once they get rid of the likes of McCain and Graham and their buds..Where did Issa go.

    Report this comment

    no1hd  
  • JohnQTaxpayer
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:28pm

    The truth will never be known, only the lies to protect the guilty

    We live in dangerous times

    To our oppressors aka Politicians and Governments
    Now as you urinate on the small remaining flame of the torch of freedom, lit by our forefathers, “we the people” do hold you accountable, for you had many other nobler choices, you chose to enslave the people.

    “We the people” will come for you, just as others have come for their destroyers in the past, and you will pay for your deception, corruption, treachery, abuse, thievery and incompetence.

    I do not stand alone; you forget, I am “We the people”

    Report this comment

    JohnQTaxpayer  
    • Mil Mom
      Posted on March 14, 2013 at 1:06am

      @JohnQTaxpayer
      Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:28pm

      The truth will never be known, only the lies to protect the guilty

      We live in dangerous times

      To our oppressors aka Politicians and Governments
      Now as you urinate on the small remaining flame of the torch of freedom, lit by our forefathers, “we the people” do hold you accountable, for you had many other nobler choices, you chose to enslave the people.

      “We the people” will come for you, just as others have come for their destroyers in the past, and you will pay for your deception, corruption, treachery, abuse, thievery and incompetence.

      I do not stand alone; you forget, I am “We the people
      ***
      Well said, and from someone who grew up on a farm with Electric fences, may I warn those who are urinating on the flame of freedom with a personal story. My older brother was a practical joker who loved to play tricks on city cousins with the electric fence. He got them to aim their BB guns there by grabbing it between clicks. Any farm kid knows the electricity zaps in spurts. When they’d all figure this out, he talked a couple boys into standing back and urinating on it. ELECTRICITY FOLLOWS WATER AND SHOCKS A LOT THE GUY AT THE END OF “THAT GUN”! Warning to all, we’ve now ELECTRIFIED THE FLAME OF FREEDOM!!! BE CAREFUL IF YOU THINK YOU CAN URINATE ON IT! MIGHT BE A PAINFUL REALITY !!!!

      Report this comment

      Mil Mom  
  • johnpaulkuchtajr
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:23pm

    Hey Brandon,

    I admire your courage for speaking out; but, what about the military oath never to obey an illegal order?

    What the hell was everybody thinking the night of 9/11/12? The alarm call went out from the Benghazi annex on the secure State Department network. That means that every swinging dock from the Middle East to Europe to the White House knew exactly what was happening. We had men under attack and the order went out to “stand down.” Well, I’m sorry, but bullshot! Woods and Doherty mocked the entire US military with their response to save lives.

    If there was anybody in the chain-of-command who had a set of bolls, those four men would most certainly have been rescued. There are indications that at least two field commanders tried “something,” but, were unsuccessful, obviously. Are those big pensions worth the dishonor? I guess they must be.

    What are we to expect from our Sewer Rat-in-Chief? More than what we got that night.

    What are we to expect from our military leaders? More than what we got that night.

    “Remember Benghazi and ALL the Traitors!”

    Report this comment

    johnpaulkuchtajr  
    • nonofmybiznez
      Posted on March 13, 2013 at 4:24pm

      The traitors are thick. Even those who took action were relieved of their duties. There is something sinister at work here. Only the truth can stand the light of day. Let no man threaten to reveal the truth hoping that the guilty will reveal it. Do not threaten or you may find yourself six feet under. If you want the truth to come out, someone with knowledge and proof has to speak loudly to the media (Fox not MSM). They are afraid. We should all be afraid.

      Report this comment

      nonofmybiznez  
  • Uechi
    Posted on March 13, 2013 at 3:19pm

    Good luck getting any information let alone the truth from the Marxist in the White House and his henchmen.

    Report this comment

    Uechi  

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