Benghazi Report Faults State Dept. for ‘Systematic Failures,’ Confirms No Protest Before Attack
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.” After more than two months, Libya s investigation into the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi appears in limbo. Key security commanders and witnesses say they were never questioned. No suspects have been named, and gunmen who were seen participating in the assault walk freely in the eastern Libyan city. Hanging over the probe is a fear of reprisals from powerful extremist militiamen. Credit: AP
WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — An independent panel charged with investigating the deadly Sept. 11 attack in Libya that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans has concluded that systematic management and leadership failures at the State Department led to “grossly” inadequate security at the mission in Benghazi. The panel also blamed terrorists entirely for the attack, confirming there were no protests prior to the siege.
“Systematic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the State Department resulted in a Special Mission security posture that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place,” the panel said.
The report singled out the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Bureau of Near East Affairs for criticism, saying there appeared to be a lack of cooperation and confusion over protection at the mission in Benghazi, a city in Eastern Libya that was relatively lawless after the revolution that toppled Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.
Despite those failures, the Accountability Review Board determined that no individual officials ignored or violated their duties and recommended no disciplinary action now. But it also said poor performance by senior managers should be grounds for disciplinary recommendations in the future.
The report appeared to break little new ground about the timeline of the Benghazi attack during which Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens, information specialist Sean Smith and former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods – who were contractors working for the CIA – were killed. Stevens’ slaying was the first of a U.S. ambassador since 1988.
As previously mentioned, the report confirmed that contrary to initial accounts, there was no protest outside the consulate and said responsibility for the incident rested entirely with the terrorists who attacked the mission.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, administration officials linked the attack to the spreading protests over an American-made, anti-Islamic film that had begun in Cairo earlier that day. Those comments came after evidence already pointed to a distinct militant attack. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice appeared on numerous TV talk shows the Sunday after the attack and used the administration talking points linking it to the film. An ensuing brouhaha in the heat of the presidential campaign eventually led her to withdraw her name from consideration to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state in President Barack Obama’s second term.
The review board determined that there had been no immediate, specific tactical warning of a potential attack on the 11th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. However, the report said there had been several worrisome incidents in the run-up to the attack that should have set off warning bells.
While criticizing State Department management in Washington along with the local militia force and contract guards that the mission depended on for protection, the report said U.S. personnel on the ground in Benghazi “performed with courage and readiness to risk their lives to protect their colleagues in a near-impossible situation.”
It said the response by Diplomatic Security agents on the scene and CIA operatives at a nearby compound that later came under attack itself had been “timely and appropriate” but absolved the military from any blame. “There was simply not enough time for armed U.S. military assets to have made a difference.”
The State Department sent a classified version of the report to lawmakers on Tuesday and shortly thereafter released an unclassified version. The report made 29 recommendations to improve embassy security, particularly at high threat posts. In an accompanying letter to Congress, Clinton thanked the board for its “clear-eyed, serious look at serious systemic challenges” and said she accepted all the recommendations.
Some of those challenges were revealed in earlier congressional hearings when several State Department officials discussed competing demands for security and cost prohibitions.
Clinton said the department had already begun to implement some of the recommendations. They include increasing by several hundred the number of Marine guards stationed at diplomatic missions throughout the world, relying less on local security forces for protection at embassies, consulates and other offices, and increasing hiring and deployment of highly trained Diplomatic Security agents at at-risk posts.
Members of local Libyan militias provided some security around the consulate, but in the attack it became unclear whose side they were on.
The report also called on Congress to fully fund the State Department’s security initiative, noting that budget constraints in the past had led some management officials to emphasize savings over security despite numerous requests from the Benghazi mission and embassy in Tripoli for enhanced protection.
“For many years the State Department has been engaged in a struggle to obtain the resources necessary to carry out its work with varying degrees of success,” it said. This has led to efficiencies but also “had the effect of conditioning a few State Department managers to favor restricting the use of resources as a general orientation.”
It said the number of Diplomatic Security staff in Benghazi before and on the day of the attack “was inadequate despite repeated requests … for additional staffing.”
“The solution requires a more serious and sustained commitment from Congress to support State Department needs, which, in total, constitute a small percentage of the full national budget and that spent for national security,” it said. “Congress must do its part to meet this challenge and provide necessary resources.”
Congress has denied some funding requests from the State Department for more security.
In her letter to lawmakers, Clinton urged Congress to support the department’s security requests, noting that “all of us … have a responsibility to provide the men and women serving this country with the best possible security and support.”
Retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering and a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, led the independent review, studying thousands of pages of cables and other documents, hours of video and intelligence and interviewing more than 100 people, including survivors. They will testify before the House and Senate foreign affairs committees behind closed doors on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the State Department’s two deputy secretaries, William Burns and Thomas Nides, will testify in open sessions before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Clinton was to have appeared at Thursday’s hearing but canceled after fainting and sustaining a concussion last week while recovering from a stomach virus that dehydrated her. Clinton is under doctors’ orders to rest.
The Benghazi attack has highlighted the larger question of how U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers can do their jobs in unstable environments, as al-Qaida spreads across Africa, without also expanding their security. Diplomats have said that overreacting to the attack could produce what some are calling a “Benghazi effect” that would wall them off from the people they are supposed to be engaging.
In her letter to lawmakers, Clinton said, “We will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security” but she stressed that “our diplomats cannot work in bunkers.”
“We must accept a level of risk to protect this country we love and to advance our interests and values around the world,” she said.
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Comments (68)
perry1980
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 10:22amHillary Clinton should be immediately dismissed for her lies and failure to protect our people.
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naughtycal
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 1:13pmHillary Clinton should be charged for her lies and placed in prison
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Bohump
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 1:35pmCoverup, … Coverup, …Coverup, … and…. COVERUP !
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TRUMPETCALL
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 3:49pm–
This whole story – along with the truth of what actually happened – is being buried by more Anti-Gun hysteria.
Never let a crisis go to waste, right??
How morbid.
–
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pavepaws
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 8:43pm“………………no protests prior to the siege”. So, who lied?
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toto
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 9:24pmDo not trust one thing coming out of this administration. Do not believe America’s best interests are any part of this administration. They are professional liars and now, I believe they are traitorous as well. Subpoena all involved people, appoint a special prosecutor and inform the American people that they have been betrayed big time. The lies are just so pervasive.
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oldincarolina
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 10:07amThis report was a waste of money . The entire world already knew these facts Obama’s coverup has been uncovered.Heads should roll .
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Jim in Houston
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 9:20amTell me once more why Hillary is qualified to run for president.
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zapparules
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 10:22amTell me again why George W Bush was qualified
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CALLMEMSGT
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 10:45am@zappa- Bush was a US Citizen.
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Heffe44
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 11:36amso is Hilary… what’s your point.
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MIBUGNU2
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 11:56amCuz’ she will continue to give out “Bama FO’s”
and all the Bullshi* Lies won’t stop !!
Report this comment
paprtowl
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 8:13amstill does’t explain the mystery of the cross border authority . the pres. m i a .
paprtowl
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 8:51ammissing in action or muslim in action
Report this comment
blackfeather
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 6:54am…we all know if you give it enough stall time, no one will even remember this damned incident…especially the “useful idiots” that voted for these clowns.
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MIBUGNU2
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:19pmThese Clowns don’t want to know, as long as they
ALL get their FREE SHI* !! these people are
DISGUSTING..
Bama,”Time Man of the Year”, what a F’N JOKE !!!!
only plan he has had in 4 years….”Tax The RICH”
this BOZO is a “One Trick Phony” …
Report this comment
Acena
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 2:04amThere was no money in the state department coffers because they spent millions on art work to decorate embassies .
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DarkJello
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 3:34amThey invent the flimsiest of excuses. Gooberment creativity is tanking like the economy.
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RadioPatriot
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 1:34amSome things just never change…
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/the-fix-is-in-hillarys-benghazi-cover-up-like-vince-foster-death-investigat
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jman-6
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:26amDon’t be fooled by this BS!! The State Dept. is the scapegoat for the CIA! It wasn’t a ‘consulate or diplomatic mission’ it was a CIA safe house used for gun runnin! Russia n Iran were fixing to expose this to the world were behind it the reason they attacked was to get their spies back we kidnapped first! The reason we didn’t try to save anyone is it was a set-up so if we did try a rescue our guys would’ve been ambushed n lost more SpecOps!! This would’ve got max exposure of our involvement in gun running and training rebels bound for Syria!! How much corruption are we gonna take fellow Patriots?
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Chet Hempstead
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 2:17amEven if all of all that is true, so what? We should be doing whatever we can to support Syrian rebels. Assad is the worst dictator in the region. It’s unfortunate that this particular operation went south, but these things happen. At least we were trying to do the right thing.
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nzkiwi
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:18amThe question is simple, and so far without any answer.
Who gave the “stand down” order, and why?
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:26amThe ‘stand down’ order came either directly from Obama, or someone who gave the order under his name by usurping the authority only the President has.
I have been wondering for some time if Obama has become little more than a figurehead for his cabinet to do as they please. By his choice or due to his narcissism and insanity growing by the day.
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jman-6
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:27amIt was a set-up!!
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:27amThe one thing that keeps coming back to me is the admin of Woodrow Wilson, and the time he suffered a stroke. No one outside his inner cabinet really knew what had happened, and when I think back to the way Obama was with the first presidential debate before the elections – I honestly wonder if something has happened to him.
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nzkiwi
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 5:11am@ Snow
I agree that we know that it must have been Mr Obama because that’s the way things work.
What is needed is formal confirmation of that fact.
If Mrs Clinton gives the expected answer, she brings down the government. If she lies, and is found out (and she knows that the truth will likely come out), then her career is over and she is disgraced. She is in a no-win situation.
Hence the headache…
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drenfroe
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:02amWe all knew nothing would be done about this anymore than anything is being done about the breaks with constitution or breaks with the Bill of Rights.
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jessieH
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:29pmOsama Obama & Hillary Clinton are guilty of murder of four Americans. The rest of the administration is guilty of a cover-up. All are impeachable offenses. Maybe even High Treason. So, who do we hang, first?
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Chet Hempstead
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:24amNobody has committed an impeachable offense. Failure to do something that you think should have been done is not a crime. Neither is a coverup of something that wasn’t illegal in the first place.
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thegreatcarnac
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:51pmI know what happened. Obama made a deal with the Muslim Brotherhood and other terrorists for them to attack our ambassador at the consulate in Benghazi. He wanted them to kidnap the ambassador and some of his staff. He wanted all to go smoothly. Then, to help him get re-elected he would make a deal and threaten his’ buddies’ and they would act afraid and let the Americans go after a few days. Obama would look like a hero. This was his October surprise. This why he ordered the military to stand down even though they could prevent this event. To obama’s chagrin, two brave SEALS defied that order and went to the rescue. Their bravery messed things up for Obama. The terrorists felt double crossed and killed the ambassador. Obama is trying to play cover-up. He is worried.
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zapparules
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 10:25amWow – you must read some really exciting bedtime stories
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MIBUGNU2
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:36pm# 1 responsibility of Government..Security of ALL Americans.
Not handing out Bama Phones and Campaigning………….
I say, GROSS negligence and incompetence of everyone in
this POS Administration….OBAMA and CLINTON must be
held RESPONSIBLE..No EXCUSES….This is BS !!!!!
Report this comment
ranepowel
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:00pmThey already decided no one would be fired or disciplined. It was in the article you JUST READ. Move on.
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Walkabout
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:31pm“gunmen who were seen participating in the assault walk freely in the eastern Libyan city.”
Because Obama is da man, the fearless leader!
/sarc off
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deltaecho
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:29pmhttp://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hillary+clinton
Bookmark it – and give it a thumbs up every day through 2016.
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Walkabout
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:34pmWill do
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AbrahamsSheepdog
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:08pmOur media are possessed by a strange agenda. Film making as a whole really.
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MIBUGNU2
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:28pmThe day this happened, obama was more concerned about
his re-election then the Four Americans KILLED.. He kissed
off the whole thing and flew to Las Vegas for a Fundraised..
This guy is one SICK puppy !!! NO Leadership here.
Report this comment
denkat56
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:00pmWe already knew this. How is it that Obama and Clinton can get away with all these lies. And not be held accountable.
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MIBUGNU2
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:18pm# 1 responsibility of Government..Security of ALL Americans.
I say, GROSS negligence and incompetence of everyone in
this POS Administration….OBAMA and CLINTON must be
held RESPONSIBLE..No EXCUSES….
Report this comment
UNALIEN
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:58pmOur government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.
- Justice Louis D. Brandeis
Report this comment
DadRocked
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:56pm“New Benghazi Report Faults State Deptartment for Security Failures, Confirms No Protest Before Attack” ?
How about THE report of: Why were they in a HOT zone? What was behind the presence there?
Or are they still studying it?
Report this comment
banjarmon
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:52pmRoast Hillary!!! Make it so she can’t run in 2016!!!!
Report this comment
The-Monk
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:58pmIf she really has a stomach flu she’s running right now…..
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The-Monk
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:51pmI guess that an NPBA will be a new code name at the State Dept.
Unless it already is….
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ihveit
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:57pmimpeachment would be nice.. along with a bout of waterboarding to learn how much of our secrets that bum has given away..
this may help>
Docket Text: SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED: Barack Hussein Obama served on 12/18/2012, answer due 1/8/2013. (Taitz, Orly)
duly summoned along with the SOS of california and a bunch of other people.. they have till the 8 th of jan to respond… more info can be found at orlytaitz.com
WHY THE HELL HASNT THE MEDIA PICKED UP ON THIS YET????/
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TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:50pmHillary and the State Department just have more suggestions for the “round file”… file-13.
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Chromo200
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:45pmUntil the MSM gets on board in the investigation, and Congress gets the necessary Rocky Mountain Oysters to start impeachment procedures, forget it .. nothing will be done, and Benghazi will be history by March 2013.
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donkeykong
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 2:07amChromo-
Hate to spoil it for you, but WE will NEVER have
the media on our side – period. Only once our
2nd amendment rights are gone, and the Govt.
goes after their 1st amendment rights, will they
suddenly call out to us to help – but it will be too
late by then. Study history, Germany, 1925-1940.
Report this comment
possom
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:43pmHell I’m a minimum wage earning yutz in IL and I knew that an hr after it happened! The real question is how much more are we going to take from these lie’in, thiev’in, corrupt commie progressive politician’s?
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Tri-ox
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:43pm“CONFIRMS NO PROTEST BEFORE ATTACK”
Okay, so, this is more confirmation that Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice, Jay Carney, obama, et al, LIED to the American people about the events leading up to the Benghazi attack – When will they be held accountable?
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Walkabout
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:34pmJay Carney = Jay Carnival
It is about how seriously he treats his job.
Jay’s next gig should be as the “Mouth of Sauron”
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Chet Hempstead
Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:27amFor what? Lying is free speech. As long as they aren’t under oath, they can lie to the public about anything they damn well please.
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