Here’s a Recap of the House Investigation into the Benghazi Consulate Attack

A vehicle and the surrounding area are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi late on September 11, 2012. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)
Roughly a month after U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed on September 11th in an assault on the American Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is meeting to determine the exact security situation leading up to the attack.
Immediately after the tragedy, the administration blamed a YouTube video for what they described as a “spontaneous assault.” Soon after, however, it was admitted that the assault was a pre-planned terrorist attack. Now, it is unclear whether the White House denied extra security requested by the diplomats in Libya.
CNN summarized:
At Wednesday’s hearing, Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy will provide the first direct rebuttal of allegations by Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-California, and others that the State Department denied requests for additional security in Libya.
Others scheduled to testify include Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Programs Charlene Lamb; Regional Security Officer Eric Nordstrom, who was stationed in Libya before the attacks; and Lt. Col. Andrew Wood, a Utah National Guardsman who was leading a security team in Libya until August.
Issa’s committee had asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to take part, and she sent Kennedy and Lamb to appear. [Emphasis added]

Lt. Col. Andrew Wood of the Utah National Guard, Eric Nordstrom, Regional Security Officer at the U.S. Department of State, Charlene R. Lamb, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Programs at the U.S. Department of State, and Ambassador Patrick Kennedy, Under Secretary for Management at the U.S. Department of State, testify on Capitol Hill on October 10, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)
Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Cali.) began by honoring the Americans killed in Libya, detailing the families they leave behind and their contributions to the country. In the end, he explained, they want to determine what went wrong prevent such attacks from ever happening again, and where our preparations failed in Libya.
Specifically, the committee hopes to determine whether or not “repeated” requests for increased security ahead of the attack were denied by Washington, as has been reported. Issa added that sources have said Washington hoped to “normalize” the area, so they may have even told the diplomats to stop asking.
“The history of these panels is that they get results, and that they pull no punches,” he warned, but spoke respectfully of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her cooperation with the investigation.
Here is a clip of his opening remarks:
Soon after, Rep. Jason Chaffetz gave a scathing review of the security situation in Libya, and the previous attacks that we pretended “didn’t happen.” During his recent trip to Libya, he added that no one mentioned a YouTube video.
Witness Lt. Col. Andrew Wood testified not long after to provide “ground truth information” about the situation in Libya, adding that his statements do not represent the Department of Defense or any other government agency.
Wood said he traveled to Benghazi on several occasions, and spoke frequently with Ambassador Stevens in his professional capacity. He then described the situation after the revolution in Libya, saying it was volatile and “targeted attacks against Westerners were on the increase.” He added that Stevens’ running habits and route were posted on Facebook over the summer, but his efforts to get the security detail extended were in vain.
Here is video of his testimony:
Former Regional Security Officer (RSO) Eric Nordstrom served in Tripoli until July, and said he had never seen an attack of such “ferocity” previously in Libya. While it is vital to keep Americans overseas safe, he added that “the answer cannot be to operate from a bunker.” Nordstrom also said they implemented a number of changes after seeing how attacks were on the rise, like reviewing and practicing emergency preparedness drills, and reiterating their request for armed host-nation security force, but they also made several requests for an extension of the Department of Defense support team, or a sort of “bodyguard unit.”
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Programs Charlene Lamb then began her testimony with a description of the actual building in Benghazi, and the physical alterations they made to make it safer. She then delved into a description of what happened on September 11, and how the previously-made changes were utilized. As Lamb delved into specific information, Chaffetz interrupted with the concern that she was getting into classified information. He also strongly objected to a large photo she was showing.
“I was told while I was in Libya I could not, and should not, ever show what you’re showing here today,” Chaffetz said, but the State Department official insisted the information was acceptable. Congressman Cummings added: “You can Google this.”
Here is video of the exchange:
After Chairman Issa concluded that, whether or not something is commercially available, it would be unwise to point out such information in the current forum, Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy began speaking. Sent by Hillary Clinton, he cautioned that the picture is still “incomplete” and the answers will therefore be “incomplete.” He added that the administration is simply giving the best information they have as they acquire it, defending Ambassador Rice’s assertion that the attack was a “spontaneous” response to a Youtube video. He also said the September 11 attack was “unprecedented.”
When Chairman Issa asked for unclassified information that was apparently supposed to be circulated, Kennedy said he would provide it after for security purposes. Issa said he wanted it now, as was previously understood, regardless of whether it was “embarrassing.” Issa then proceeded to circulate a number of the documents himself, saying a whistleblower provided them in real time. He also delivered a stern lecture to Kennedy about the folly of claiming something is essentially classified when, he says, it is not.
Here is a clip:
Issa once again tangled with Ms. Lamb, who was also sent by Hillary Clinton, over whether the diplomatic outpost in Libya requested increased security.
“Yesterday you told us under penalty of perjury,” he remarked, that it wasn’t a “request.” Identifying a July 9 cable, Issa pointed to the word “request.” He asked whether “request” indeed means “request.”
Lamb was also asked why, after describing the rockets and overwhelming force that toppled the consulate’s defenses almost immediately, she never refers to it as a “terrorist” attack. In her response, she claimed she was refraining from “any judgements.”
Congresswoman Eleanor Norton (D-DC) then cited the Director of National Security to clarify how Ambassador Rice came to her conclusion that the “disturbance” (her word) in Benghazi was the spontaneous result of an offensive movie trailer. She also asked Kennedy how the diplomats in Cairo reacted to Mitt Romney’s criticism of their preemptive apology. He said he wasn’t sure, but that he knows they are opposed to terrorism.
Issa then skeptically asked whether one statement was the basis for their premise for at least five days after the attack, and that they had no information to the contrary? They claim they didn’t.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) then attempted to elicit more information on who exactly makes the decision about whether requests for increased security are granted, but got few clear answers. He did, however, learn that Ms. Lamb hasn’t actually been to Libya, though she claims to know that the consulate was adequately secured.
Here is video:
Rep. Dennis Kucinich then asked whether any of the witnesses knew how many American missiles are unaccounted for since our intervention in Libya, and while no one knew exactly, Lt. Col. Wood said the rough approximation is between ten and twenty thousand. He also said al-Qaeda is growing stronger every day, and that they’re certainly more established than we are in the region.
Rep. Chaffetz then gave a cutting analysis of what had happened so far, expressing frustration that the State Department officials were squabbling over whether there were five or two officials in Libya, when Americans are dead and the experts who have actually been to Libya didn’t get the assistance they requested.
Here is video of Chaffetz’s remarks:
Rep. James Lankford (R-OK) then systematically went over Ms. Lamb’s communication with the diplomats in Libya during the attack, which she said in her statement happened nearly in real time. His point of contention, he says, is that five days later the State Department was still allegedly unaware of what happened– that it was a coordinated, overwhelming terrorist attack, and not a protest. Kennedy stepped in to say there were “multiple reports” identifying the attack as a protest.
Rep. Issa then expressed his desire to have a 50-minute videotape of the attack before the press obtains it, saying they should have had it already.
Soon after, Lt. Col. Wood said, based on his knowledge of the area, he was not not surprised by the Benghazi attack.
“We were the last flag flying,” he remarked. “It was just a matter of time.”
This is a breaking story. Updates will be added.
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Comments (85)
BellaMia7
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 2:29pmI’d like to meet the people who vote for some of these dishwater Democrats. And Ms Lamb is either totally incompetent OR she’s being selected to take the fall for Hillary.
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kryptonite
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:37pmLamb and Kennedy are lying through their teeth. Yeah, right, they were “assessing the situation,” the situation being RPGs raining in. The place was ablaze, and they were still “assessing the situation” as they fled for their lives. Stevens vanished like the hapless subject in a magician’s act gone wrong. He literally went up in smoke, but do not despair, because 8-10 hrs. later there he was again. Alas, he was dead, but they were STILL “assessing the situation.” Hey, I find the “invisible” part of the act very interesting. Can you comment on that, you Occupied WH regurgitators?
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starman70
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:53pmWell, the whole gang is lying, from the POTUS on down.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:21pmYeah, It seems Hillary works the same way Holder and Oblameus do. Send a peon to take the fall for you. I guess it’s just a matter of time before Oblameus issues another EO to keep us from the truth and keep his dyed-in-the-wool marxists safe.
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AvengerK
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 5:19pmoh come on..as if the Clintons don’t know about creating fall guys?
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Kregneva
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 5:35pmActually I am glad the Government is getting smaller and we ought to just go and shut down the entire State and Agriculture and Commerce. When you try to adjust their budget, it just leads to problems like this. Shut them down and they don’t need fancy security that we have to pay through the nose for.
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StarkeRaving
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 7:23pmincompetent is the right word. I thought she was close to tears during some of the questions.
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laserblast92
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 2:20pmI smell an Executive Order coming real soon after this hearing….
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Diane TX
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 2:01pmHilary didn’t want to send more security because of the “normalization” thingy, but those there got pay raises because of the “increase danger”. Hilary should resign or be fired!
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kryptonite
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 2:30pmYeah, but that was not really her decision to make. It’s the Hussein doctrine: peace through A&A (appeasement and apology). It failed with Carter, and it has failed again with Hussein — two Islamist sympathizers who have helped the cause of Jihad. I bet Hussein is getting campaign contributions from them like in 2008.
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MAULEMALL
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 4:22pmThey work for notmonica clinton…
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StarkeRaving
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 7:19pmActually I think she and her boss should be tried for murder.
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BellaMia7
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:59pmWow, they turned them down for keeping their security, or getting more, but THEN increased their “Danger Pay”. It was acknowledgement that the DANGER had gone up.
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floridareader
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:56pmI just love this Obama-Clinton-Rice-Carney debacle!!!
It’s outrageous one American ambassador and three more Americans had to die because of the Obama administration incompetence.
Rush Limbaugh dedicated his whole program today to this subject and the card-castle is falling piece by piece.
I say I love this debacle because it’s happening right on time: short time before election day, days before VP debate and second presidential debate.
This is one of those occasions when we can truly say “the truth will set you free”.
And Obama and his cronies are getting trapped in the own net of lies.
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Zcat
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:45pmI”ve been watching on the oversight comnitee.org website. I’m glas to see The Blaze has this up and steaming.
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BellaMia7
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:44pmAmbassador Kennedy just blatantly lied. All the professional knew that “protesters” don’t turn up with heavy weapons and surge a compound. C’mon. Democrats are insulting our intelligence.
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loveliberty83
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:39pmhow could our president go to vegas , when a man has been killed in such a horrible way this man has no conscious
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Diane TX
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:44pmI agree. That was a stupid thing for Obama to do, but then, Obama doesn’t concern himself with the Duties of his position.
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Zcat
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:46pmHe osean’t give a rip about these people are our military.
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Kregneva
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 6:00pmJust remember, they are only government employees, not makers or job creators. It’s just a shame they were killed – no Americans should ever be murdered for any reason. It should be illegal.
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StarkeRaving
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 7:39pmFund raising and campaigning were more important to him than doing his job. It’s why the empty chair in the Oval Office is sad rather than funny.
Gee this committee thought getting to the truth of why these Americans died was more important than their own campaigns. Makes one wonder. And Clinton was too busy to attend or was she too afraid.
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woodyee
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:35pmAndrew Wood just testified that there was never enough security at Benghazi, despite the repeated requests. Rice has thrown Hillary under the bus, saying there was never any intel assigning the “video” as the reason for the attack. Also, there NEVER were any protests at Benghazi prior to the attack. Various personnel now claiming that the attack WAS preplanned; various news outlets feeling “disappointed” at being misinformed by the administration.
Hillary has called for an emergency WH meeting THIS AFTERNOON regarding the truths being revealed at the hearing. The Fit has hit the Shan.
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kryptonite
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 2:11pmThere were no riots, per se; there were rumors of riots. IMO, that’s why Stevens rushed to the Consulate. Were there a few people gathering around the premises? Who knows.
To me it looks like Lamb is the chosen scapegoat. The Clinton hag is in hiding.
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S-O-B-E-R
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 5:56pmThis lie is falling apart for sure, but I can’t help but thinking that if they back off from the meme that a video was to blame, they can release the “I killed Bin Laden All By Myself” movie two days before the election without having to justify why that’s different…
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VoxPopuli911
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:28pmAmbassador dies, Obama lies.
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Bonnieblue2A
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:55pmThe foundation of Obama’s entire administration is built on lies. It is time to try this POTUS for TREASON.
Whose arms were used in these attacks? Were they US arms via the Obama administration?
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Individualism
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:19pmInside Job by goverment, every 9/11 this happens and its goverments reminder to citizenry the boogeyman muslim is out to get you and our skinhead thugs will protect you. Goverment denied security and knew about this long time ago kind of like they did with 9/11.
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woodyee
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:38pmPlease, for your own good, stop displaying your ignorance. Go listen to your own station – CNN, MSNBC, what-have-you; testimony at the hearing has already revealed the administration lied about the cause of the attack.
Fortunate for individualism, when one decides to bury their head between their cheeks, no one is compelled to follow. Follow me?
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Diane TX
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:41pmWhile Van Jones would agree with you (inside job) on the original 09/11, I’m going to take a guess and say that he wouldn’t agree with you about 09/11/2012.
The danger from radical Islamics is real and not some boogeyman. The death of Osama Bin Laden did little to change that, despite Obama’s claims otherwise.
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13th Imam
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:53pmHey Stunad
3rd grade English
G O V E R N M E N T You really are a B U F F O O N
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Fubared
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:25pmWindy
Choom on along man. Don’t you ever get tired of listening to your own bs?
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A.Yeshuratnam
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:18pmPresident Magarief of Libya has confirmed that deadly attack on US Consulate was ‘pre-planned act of terrorism,’ not reaction over film.
Islamist protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy in Egypt’s capital Tuesday, destroyed the American flag, and replaced it with a black Islamist flag similar to the one used byAl-Qaeda — all on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In Cairo, mobs of angry protesters invaded the U.S. Embassy compound, and at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, attackers killed four Americans, including the ambassador.The Cairo mob lowered U.S. flags and hoisted a black Islamic flag instead. How did the U.S. embassy respond? By apologizing to the rioters for hurting “their religious feelings“: The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims.”
And again, it was only after the speech of Obama at the UN, “The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam” that Nakola, the film maker was arrested. .
So, on the 11th anniversary of 9/11, rioting Egyptians stormed the American embassy, destroyed American flag, and hoisted the Islamist flag — and Obama administration’s U.S. embassy apologizes for hurting their feelings?
If this shocks you, you are not alone. Many Americans expressed their outrage on Twitter and other social mediums
.
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Geo_Kat
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:17pmThe more I watch this the more I like Chairman Darrell Issa. He’s not allowing any BS on this important issue!
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PapaJohannesPatriot
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:15pmThe Obama administration had to find a way to get rid of the ambassador. Reducing security was all it took for Muslim terrorists to do the job for the administration. Further details will be discovered.
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SeekerEmerald
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:22pmI’m not disagreeing, just asking:
Is there a theory as to why he wanted to get rid of the Ambassador? I don’t recall seeing one, or is this something that is coming out now?
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Copper Catfish
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 3:45pmI’ve had a gut-level feeling this was a hit job on Ambassador Stevens, also.
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SeekerEmerald
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:14pm“the answer cannot be to operate from a bunker.”
So, to Eric Nordstrom, it’s either operate from a bunker, or have no dedicated security detail. I guess since he puts it this way, there must be no other choice. Either bunker, or next-to-nothing.
Again with the false dichotomies…
Reminds me of the liberal response to any proposed cut in a budget, that’s always criticised as move to destroy the entire apparatus.
It goes like this: “We’d like to cut federal subsidies to schools by 1%.” Response: “Oh, so you want to eliminate every school in the country and make education illegal???”
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Bonnieblue2A
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:09pmRep. Chaffetz’s opening remarks addressing moral imperative to investigate security failures in Bengazi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlV_0__jJt0
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Mr_Shy
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:09pmHow many Watergate-esque things can this putrid administration go through and not be kicked to the curb??? Well, we’ll all be doing that come November!!
Obama, shaken not stirred…. SPEW ALERT… watch it / share it / repost it…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=riwR7e-YuIA
- Shy & Romney / 2013
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StandUnited2Win
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:57pmThe sheep of the brain-dead left only know what they are told. This administration is just the lead mouse in a maze looking for cheese. They have learned that if they provide the cheese, the liberal progressive left will follow the path provided. They think that enough Americans are now programed to do and believe what they are told. How dare you question the Massa! Stand UP! Shout it on the roof tops! “ The Emperor has no clothes!” You Mr. President are a disgusting liar. (I include you entire administration as well) Your efforts to blame this mess on a video simply to further your efforts to limit free speech will not work. There are still enough of us that are awake, we see through your simple “Jedi” mind tricks. Just because you say it doesn’t make it true. Senators take note, DO NOT go along with ANY effort to limit free speech via US law or UN laws or you will pay a heavy price!
There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily. *George Washington*
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red_white_blue2
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:44pmGee Hilary, u got some splannnnnin’ to do!
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Glynrd Skynrd
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:56pmSo far all D’s on the investigating committee have laid the blame on R’s in Congress for cutting some funding… Issa informed that 1 more D than R’s voted for the cuts.
What did that have to do with it? Why didn’t Obama toss some money in that direction if his Admin had herd of the security request? That’s what he did w/ Lockheed Martin and other defense contractors when he told them not to issue layoff notices to employees & that “HE” would pick up the tab for severance costs. The dude could have came up w/ the money (if it served his purposes or equated to a vote)…
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Diane TX
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:38pmIncredible! The Dems are trying to put the blame on the House Republicans – saying that “while the House Republicans increased overall military budgets, they decreased the budget for the State Dept.
Oh wait, Issa just shot that down with – “I want to note that the budget for the State Dept. was a bi-partisan effort, with one more Democrat voting for it than Republicans. Ha-ha!
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RuthAnn
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:11pmI find it disgusting they tried to make this political. That would not have even enter my mind! I, as well as I am sure most people want the truth, no matter where it leads. This should not have happened. I wonder what or why Issa wasn’t given that map? Was it classified or not?
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Diane TX
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:23pmThe “blame” lies with the policies of the Obama Admin. Hilary was on the TV earlier today, stating that the US was trying to normalize the situation in Libya. This has nothing to do with House Republicans. It was the bad judgement and policies of the Obama Admin. and HIS State Dept., led by Hilary Clinton.
Obama, failure on both domestic and foreign policies.
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Ironeagle
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:35pmOK, lets use a more accurate term: illegal criminal alien invanders
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Peter21
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:33pmI got this email from a long time friend, I want to know if anyone can verify the veracity of what is reported.
Very disturbing and explicits pictures that have not been shown in the US.
The American Ambassador in Libya was sexually raped before being killed, the American press has not said anything yet.
The news has jumped in some Lebanese ultra left blogs. The perpetrators of the massacre at the American Embassy in Libya savagely tortured the American Ambassador, Chris Stevens, violated sexually, before killing him. They then had a festive dance of death, swinging the corpse from one side to another.
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lynda1276
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:02pmYes, i heard this happened to him. Remember how Hillary tried to cover it up by saying they were actually carrying him to the hospital- BS!!
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BellaMia7
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 1:28pmWe’re leaning that the compound was attacked and set on fire. Amb. Stephens retreated to a “safe room.” Problem it wasn’t a formal safe room with it’s own ventilation system. Unlikely that he was sodomized before he died, if he was. most likely it was after they dragged his body from the building.
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Bonnieblue2A
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 2:06pmIt was all over the US news in the week immedately following Ambassador Steven’s death. IIRC, it was here on The Blaze as well.
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Nanner-SW
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 9:04pmThis is second hand knowledge, but i trust it. A friend of my mothers, a gentleman i worked for, has a friend stationed overseas. That persons job is to prepare bodies of the deceased before transporting them across for burial. That person told him that he was sodomized (his insides were tore up in that way). Like i said this is second hand knowledge, not that i would put a name out there anyway. I don’t want this person getting into trouble.
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Ironeagle
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:31pmHopefully this won’t turn into a congressional fluster cuck.
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vtxphantom
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:30pmThe bulls eye belongs on the back of Hillary Clinton. She has committed malfeasance of office
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Herrmadl
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:15pmIt was a terrorist attack plan and simple it doesn’t take anyone special to figure this out, it was done on 911, they had ammunition with them it was not random. I was not caused by a video, it was planned months in advance, It spread throuw that country and other countries like wild fire! They ask for help and was refused help PRIOR to the incident. Honestly I fell it is our govenrments fault. What good does it do to report possible attachs if they are just going to blow them off ! This is not being taken seriously. Why are we giving them money we don’t have to give ?
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jrcess
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:31pmObama needs to be impeached for dereliction of duty and Hillary for treason. EOM
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Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 12:32pmAnd the president is focused on Big Birds job….he forgot about 23 million who don’t have jobs due to his lack of leadership to handle the economy. So he failed on Libya…..what would anyone expect from a community organizer….
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