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Report: Petraeus to Testify He Believed Libya Attack Was Terror Within 24 Hours, Not Sure Who Finalized Rice ‘Video’ Talking Points

Nov. 16, 2012 8:08am Jonathon M. Seidl

Fox news is reporting that former CIA Director David Petraeus will testify in a closed-door Capital Hill intelligence hearing that he believed the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was a terror attack by an al Qaeda-linked group within 24 hours, not the result of an uprising against an anti-Muslim video. He also will reportedly testify that he’s unsure who gave U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice the talking points that seemed to blame the video — talking points she used on the Sunday talk shows.

Catherine Herridge revealed the information in a TV report on Fox Friday morning. Shortly after, Fox released a text version [Emphasis added]:

Former CIA Director David Petraeus was expected to tell lawmakers in a pair of closed-door hearings Friday morning that he believed the Libya attack was terrorism within the first 24 hours and suspected a regional Al Qaeda affiliate and the militant Ansar al-Sharia were behind it, a source close to Petraeus told Fox News.

Petraeus arrived to meet with House lawmakers early Friday morning. His account would be sure to raise more questions from lawmakers, considering the conflicting narratives that have emerged from the intelligence community and other agencies about the attack. Petraeus himself gave a briefing three days after the attack, according to sources, in which he described it as a protest over an anti-Islam film that spun out of control.

It was similar to the account given on five Sunday shows on Sept. 16 by U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice — and Rice’s defenders have since insisted she was merely basing her statements on the intelligence at the time.

Yet Petraeus, Fox News was told, on Friday was planning to bring with him the original “talking points” prepared by the CIA.

The source said Petraeus “has no idea what was provided” to Rice or who was the author of the talking points she used.

“He had no idea she was going on talk shows” until the White House announced it one or two days before.

“No one could say for sure who finalized those talking points,” Herridge said on TV.

“The intelligence community gives assessments, not talking points,” she noted.

CNN also reported (via Washington Free Beacon) the news, and reporter Barbara Starr adds Petraeus feels there is a lot of “confusion” and “misrepresentation” of what he told Congress in his first briefing:

“[Petraeus] will also say he had his own talking points separate from U.N. ambassador Susan Rice. [Hers] came from somewhere other in the administration than his direct talking points,” Starr Said.

“When he looks at what Susan Rice said,” she added, “here is what Petraeus’s take is, according to my source: Petraeus developed some talking points laying it all out. those talking points as always were approved by the intelligence community. But then he sees Susan Rice make her statements and he sees input from other areas of the administration. Petraeus — it is believed — will tell the committee he is not certain where Susan Rice got all of her information.”

Still, it’s unclear how exactly Petraeus will reconcile his previous testimony with what he’s expected to say.

This story has been updated.

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Comments (56)

jrcess
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 11:06am
Susan Rice is about as smart as a Twinkee. What a dumbass.

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TrueColours
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 11:04am
This testimony was very superficial. Petraeus knows the whole story but has to precariously balance his testimony to protect the CIA’s illegal covert black-ops mission in Bengahzi (including the CIA trained/Saudi funded Al Qaed “linked” fighters who killed Stevens and the others) with walking the political plank (not to mention is family troubles).
Background:
Barry, Hilary and the CIA are running an illegal covert black-ops training, black-ops prison (including torture) and weapons distribution operation out of Benghazi, financed by the Saudi’s. The weapons and trained radical mercenaries are then moved to Syria (or other places as needed) as freedom fighters or Al Qaeda terrorists depending on which story POTUS/CIA need to spin. Stevens was sent by Hilary. Apparently he discovered the illegal covert black-ops program and reported it up to Hilary (his trusted boss); so Barry and Hilary panicked and unleashed their local murderous talent (masquerading in this case as “protesters” gone wild) on him and blamed the “hit” on some bull^^t movie. Meanwhile, Barry and company are back to hyping up the “Al Qaeda is on the rise” narrative. Al Qaeda = bad, but in Syria, Al Qaeda = good-freedom fighters. However, they didn’t plan on the backdraft from military types that include several Generals and an Admiral. Some of whom positioned their assets, on the fateful day/night, to help the Ambassador but were ordered to stand down. Barry had held Petraeus’ aff

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Dismayed Veteran
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:43am
“….it’s unclear how exactly Petraeus will reconcile his previous testimony with what he’s expected to say.”

Maybe he rediscovered Duty, Honor, Country.

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- wordsofwisdom
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 10:19am
  Are we going to learn if he was aware of any help offered to the people asking for support or is he going to duck that question? I want to know if Obama let those people die without trying to save them! The way things are shaping up I think we will never get the truth. It may not matter? The world may fall apart faster then we expected it too & we may be in the end of days like this music video says “The End Times” http://youtu.be/vgDkznPS4zI they could be here now?
  
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Proverbs17-12NLT
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:40am
Even if it was “a crude Video” obama didn’t hold up the oath as President. “He watched my Son Die” “obama Killed my Son”. Time to Impeach this America Hating Muslim

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EM2T93
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:38am
What I’d like to know is why Patraeus is giving two different testimonies. The first referencing the video, now the second stating he knew it was a terrorist attack within 24 hours. Blackmailed by the Obama minions for his affair? Really? Not a good excuse or reason. The four that died, the military, the country, and his wife all deserve for him to sacrifice himself with the truth and to stop covering up his sins and fears he’ll lose his reputation (psshhhtt…ROE is bad enough). This is national security here, most importantly, and we should all be able to trust that he won’t put himself in a situation that compromises us all! And, Gen Allen, charge over Afghanistan, when in the hell did he have time to write 30,000 emails to his nutty mistress? Imagine him sitting over there playing around on email while the troops are fighting and getting killed at the same moment. Sickening…pathetic excuses for leadership. This is not my grandfather’s, uncle’s, or father’s military anymore…speaking to the brass. And, not one of my uncle’s FBI, either. Honor is all but gone in the highest ranks…and that goes for all you alphabet agencies out there, too. Too large a portion of you are busy chasing mistresses and prostitutes, and also eyeballing/listing innocent Americans who dare exercise our First Amendments rights to tell you exactly what we think about it. Go ahead…put me on your list. I could care less. When a mistress emails you, you’ll forget about it any

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- LeFaux Jew
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:46am
  Yeah…disgusting.
  
  Report this comment
terpsez11
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:33am
Let’s ask the questions—

why did Obama bypass Congress to go into Libya?–(I think so the CIA not the DOD was running the ops)

why is the fact that 143 tons of Gold that were stolen along with priceless coins that date back before Alexander the Great—are not discussed as the spoils of war in Libya?-
(obvious–look at German efforts thwarted to repatriate their own Gold—look to Soros and Co,)

why has not anyone asked about General Petraeus’s wife’s 185K job at the FED—who holds the Gold Reserves?—(DUH–the FED is not a Government-it is privately held)

Benghazi and Libya are both about heists —and control —instead we fall into the moralizing narrative about Sex—America has fallen once again for a Pop Culture narrative when real corruption is at arms length —they even tried to condition Americans to send troops to Africa to be used by the Globalists with the Kony 2012 —campaign–Africa is the source of the world’s most rich resource cache—the real race is between China and the Globalists to grab them up

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- LeFaux Jew
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:48am
  They are all dirty…repubs and dems…….progressives are hardly true liberals….its disgusting.
  
  Report this comment
needmoinfo
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:28am
If just one of them had the character to tell the truth. And why not? They are experts at muddying the waters until you can’t prove anything anyway. They made fast and furious go away didn’t they. They made McCain and Romney go away. And our money and jobs and oil and coal industries. Everything is so “prove it”. Since when is being a good lie a get out of trouble free card?

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Fulksie
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:26am
This is strickly to cover the POTUS about lieing. This way the adminstration can say they didnt lie because it took time to disprove the video. We all know the truth and they are changing history. God save us.

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Gonzo
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:12am
Considering the fact that a slim majority of Americans won’t hold Obama responsible for any of his failures, this is all going to blow over no matter who said what.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:25am
  GONZO, Of course you right. If a hundred witnesses put a real life smoking gun in 0bama’s hand to Congress, who would do anything? AG Holder, Bwahahahahahahahahaha! Harry Reid, Bwahahahahahahahaha! 0bama’s ass is covered fifty ways till Sunday by fellow Dem-wits, and not to mention the media. They don’t care if its criminal or not.
  
  Report this comment
TROONORTH
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:10am
And for being a good little liar U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, becomes Secratary of State. You see, do Jug Ears bidding and you will be rewarded.

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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 10:08am
  ShariaLaw dictates women are less than 2nd-class citizens and men can do anything they want any time or place they want to women! They do Not pay attention to what they say but will stone or behead them for glancing at non-familly or talking to anyone but them outside!
  Y’a think the ******* will pay any attention to what SHE/WOMAN says?!
  
  Report this comment
DZ-015
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:58am
Didn’t Obama defend Susan Rice by insisting that she was speaking on the talk shows from a report prepared by “the White House?” How will he now try to avoid responsibility for spreading the cover up lies?

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:20am
  He and the MSM will play their usual Jedi Dem-wit droid mind game. Then people like BARYMETHELIZABETH will spout the same talking points. LOL, and others like OLDPHOTO678 will follow suit too. For some good laughs cut and paste that site name into your search engine. Check out his comments at places like Dropped Sponsors, at stopbeck.com. This guy is a fruity 0bama shill.
  
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- Barbieboop
  Posted on November 17, 2012 at 11:23am
  I’ve got an idea. Why not call Susan Rice into one of those committee meetings and ask who gave her those talking points about the video. That should solve that big mystery.
  
  Report this comment
Apple Bite
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:48am
Look out Patraeus, they’re going to demonize you immediately, say that you’re only lashing out because of your affair has been brought to the public eye. It’s classic Liberalism 101.

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docsmooth
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:48am
Barbara was just reporting crap fed to her from the administration to create more talking point cover an Wolf just goes on without making sense of it. Petraeus knew it was a terrorist attack, but not until after he called it from the video? Really? Thats not what happened and they all know that , except the media covering it and the sheple believing them

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Tri-ox
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:46am
So, I assume that obama, Clinton, Biden, Rice, Jarrett, Carney, et al, are going to be charged with ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ for lying to the American people, Right?

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- underhispinions
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:16am
  Lord are you amusing!
  No,they will all get their nice vacations and rooms at the Waldorf Astoria.They will all get their great health care packages while we get “Obama-care”.They will retire to their mansions while we hit hyper-inflation.They will one day answer to the God they thumb their noses at.
  
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docsmooth
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:44am
why cant these fools get the facts straight

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nzkiwi
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:44am
Does it seem to anybody else that Ms Starr is a little desperate in her assertions?

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eyestoseeearstohear
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:37am
This is USELESS!

The lieing Democrats ARE NOT going to tell the truth. They are going to continue
claiming they DON’T KNOW who told Rice what to say OR who did what or when.

The Republicans would do better to LET ALL THEM STATE THEIR LIES ON RECORD -
THEN – bring them ALL up on Charges of corruption, deception and INCOMPETENCY-
and move to impeach Obama for incompetency, lieing, covering-up, interfering, corruption,
and FAILURE TO EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF HIS OFFICE.

They ARE NOT going to get the real truth –
BUT ANY IDIOT KNOWS THEY FAILED TO DO WHAT WAS NECESSARY…
and because of that, 4 AMERICANS DIED, NEEDLESSLY.

The DEMS are banking on, they won’t be able to PROVE WHO DID WHAT –
BUT – there’s enough evidence to PROVE THAT WHAT WAS DONE, WAS INCOMPETENT…
SO THEY ALL MUST GO!.

Otherwise, they will be chasing air, for YEARS.
And, THE SAME applies to Fast & Furious.

The ONLY WAY the Dems know how to play, IS DIRTY!
They play these ” Shell Games” and then MOVE THE PRIZE if you choose the right shell.

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marybethelizabeth
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:27am
But there were demonstrations in response to the youtube video. The youtube video was played on Middle Eastern television.
There were worldwide demonstrations. Remember?
Other embassies besides the Libyan embassy were attacked.

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- LeFaux Jew
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:34am
  The President knew it was a terrorist attack…not a protest from the video.
  Remember Pretraeus threw Obama under the bus early on when he said the CIA would not let their people die. Which meant it was kicked up to the presidential level.
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:35am
  Keep serving the lies, most are too dumb to remember breakfast. Many will go along with you. As for the rest of us, I am able to remember more the 3 weeks ago. The emails, communications, and timelines do not support your argument. Boots on the ground disagree with you sitting on your couch.
  
  But, keep peddling your trash. History shows that you will win the argument.
  
  Report this comment
- taintso
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:37am
  And most of the rioters didn’t even see the video, they were led to believe it. Get a life
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:38am
  BARYMETHELIZABETH, Reports have said that something like 51 hits total where made on that You Tube video. Yeah, there was a demonstration….in Egypt. Furthermore, those demonstrating were shouting “0bama, 0bama, we are all Osama!” Sounds to me there were more angry that 0bama was patting himself on the back so much that is papa india siera siera echo delta off the demonstrators.
  
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- americansfightingforcommonsense
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:39am
  OBAMA LIED and Four Great Americans DIED!!!
  
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- LeFaux Jew
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:40am
  It could be that because Ambassador Stevens was a homsexual this influenced the terrorist decision on killing him. Or the CIA detention facility that the President allowed; CIA has not had detention authority since Jan. 2009, Executive Order 13491. OOOOPS.
  
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- johnpaulkuchtajr
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:41am
  I know that the Daily Kos-provided talking points won’t mention this; but, if you want a head-full of the straight skinny, google: Sun News, Ottawa, Canada, Brian Lilley report on 9/11 attack in Cairo.
  
  You see, sweetie, the newspapers in Cairo were running advertisements for WEEKS prior to 9/11/12, urging the street urchins of Cairo to turnout in vast numbers at the US Embassy in Cairo for a demonstration on 9/11/12. Who controls the news in Cairo? The Muslim Brotherhood does.
  
  If you watch that report, it also becomes apparent that giant street posters in Cairo heralded the demonstration and urged folks to attend and protest against the US. Spontaneous?
  
  What was the object of the demonstration? THEY WANT THE BLIND SHEIK FREED.
  
  It’s all there, out in the open and the whole explanation can be traced to a premature release of a video that none other than CNN shot the AM of 9/11/12 that CNN hastily tried to squelch.
  
  Was it good for you? Just so-so for me.
  
  Report this comment
- taintso
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:46am
  And the riots were caused by the Muslim Brotherhood wanting to get the embassies to watch it on big screen TV.
  
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- ohiograndma
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:26am
  Yes, the YouTube video was played on television networks in the Mideast, there were other demonstrations. However, all the major players in this debacle KNEW the lead-up to Benghazi – the request for additional security, the abdication of the British Embassy, the previous attacks, etc. And the major players KNEW what was happening in Benghazi the night of 9/11 because they watched it and talked about it in real time. They also KNEW about General Petraes’ affair for months before Benghazi. And…. they KNEW about the upcoming election.
  This is not conspiracy theory. This is flat out facts.
  What the Obama administration is doing here was called Mind F*** 101 when I was in college. Or more appropriate for my age now, is also known as “gaslighting.”
  
  Report this comment
RepubliCorp
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:23am
Obama is still investigating what he did………….

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- poorrichard09
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:32am
  Go ahead, General P-put the whole story out there, for the sake of the 4 dead Americans.
  The regime will destroy you anyway, but the American people deserve the truth (for a change!)
  
  Report this comment
marybethelizabeth
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:22am
The lie Mr. Beck is perpetuating is that special forces were not mobilized while the embassy was under siege. Special forces were mobilized. More than one group.

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- LeFaux Jew
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:29am
  Well if the president can uses teams to invade a sovereign nation and assassinate a bad guy, don’t you think he could have at least allowed the teams to go in a rescue our own?
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:34am
  BARYMETHELIZABETH, So, with your mass of knowledge of what happened that night, just what Special Operators were alerted, then what did they do? Plop their asses on their bags on Green Ramp just to wait for the president to pull his out from his fourth point of contact and make the right decision? Fill us in would you?
  
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- americansfightingforcommonsense
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:36am
  Marybethelizabeth:
  You have NO idea what your talking about. The president and his administration told everyone to “Stand Down”! The two CIA agents/X-Navy Seals went against orders and saved approximately 30 lives and paid their lives for that action. Obama did NOT EVER give the go ahead. He is a coward and a liar!
  
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- Oldphoto678
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:44am
  Just another non-story being pushed by the right wing echo chamber.
  
  Report this comment
bigbear_awake
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:18am
they will ALL PLEAD the 5th Rice all the way up to bho

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bigbear_awake
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:16am
they will ALL PLEAD the 5th from Rice all the way to obh

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:16am
We’ll soon know if Petreaus testifies that he knew within 24 hours that Benghazi was a terrorist attack. If the Democrat members of Congress step out of the meeting castigating and attacking Petraeus we will know then without being told the whole story. They will spend the weekend on the talk shows along with the MSM tearing him down, as well, everything that the administration has on his affair will be released before the hearings resume Monday.

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- marybethelizabeth
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:32am
  This is not news.
  The President said it was a terrorist attack in the remarks he made in the morning after the attacks.
  It was also written into the campaign speeches the next few days that it was a terrorist attack.
  There will be no backstabbing from the Democrats when the General just confirms what the President already said.
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:46am
  BARYMETHELIZABETH, Maybe you should go back and listen to the President’s Rose Garden speech the following day. His only reference to terrorism was generic and seemed focused on 11 September 2001. Followed by day after day of Susan Rice, and Jay Carney swearing that it was not an act of terrorism. Clean the wax from your ears, and knock those eye boogers from your face and actually pay attention to what you can hear and see. Furthermore, you need to stop trying to direct your deceitful lies at me, and for that matter any of our other vets who know how these things are supposed to work.
  
  Report this comment
- LeFaux Jew
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:49am
  Marybeth….not the president did not say that.
  He said “act of terror”, not that it was a terrorist action.
  President is a lawyer…..he made a similar comment as a police officer declaring a suspicious death a homicide (might be crime /murder) until more facts come in then declaring it a murder.
  Your argument is refuted because you would make the president out to make a stupid statement?
  In other words would the president say it is a terrorist action but we are going to wait until all the facts come in before we declare it a terrorist action after he just declared it so?????
  
  Report this comment
Ella
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:15am
blah, blah, blah, blah – liar,liar pants on fire!

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Gonzo
Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:13am
“Check the transcript Candy!”

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:29am
  GONZO, I expect the media to pound salt up his ass with croquet mallets all day, or at least starting during the first break of the hearing. Have checked BSNBC and CNN a number of times this morning. So far, not a peep about the hearings. BSNBC has their buddy Chris Christy on now. GONZ, its not torture, its intelligence gathering.
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 8:55am
  Not sure there is much “intelligence” to gather on MSNBC R.J.. You could probably do better gathering stupidity on there.
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 16, 2012 at 9:01am
  GONZO, LOL, guess that I was in the Army too long after all. Will have to give you that one.
  
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