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Obama Was Absent During Benghazi Attack — Shocking Truths Emerge At Second Senate Libya Hearing

Feb. 7, 2013 3:00pm Mytheos Holt

The Benghazi scandal has been treated by critics of the Obama administration as an example of extreme administrative malfeasance up to this point. Given the swift appearance of a photo showing President Obama seemingly embroiled in discussing matters with his advisers on national security after the attack, such an interpretation is not at all surprising.

But what if it’s wrong? What if the problem on the night of Benghazi was not extreme incompetence, but simply extreme negligence? What if, in fact, the people treated as the two most relevant actors in this drama — President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton — weren’t made aware and didn’t do anything about it?

That is the interpretation that has emerged from a series of shocking admissions by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday. Each of these admissions — breathlessly reported by the Weekly Standard and CNSNews — paints a picture of a White House that was perilously disengaged from the crisis as it was happening in real time.

First, there was the bombshell that not only was President Obama not involved in the process except for a single phone call, but he was absent entirely from the White House during the attack. Video (all videos courtesy of the Weekly Standard) and reporting follows:

From CNS:

Panetta and Dempsey had a pre-scheduled meeting with Obama at 5:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Sept. 11. The meeting lasted about thirty minutes. After it was over, they did not hear from Obama again or anybody else at the White House.

“Did you have any further communications with him that night?” Ayotte asked Panetta.

“No,” said Panetta.

“Did you have any other further communications? Did he ever call you that night to say how are things going, what’s going on, where’s the consulate?” asked Ayotte.

“No,” said Panetta. “But we were aware as we were getting information about what was taking place there, particularly when we got information that the ambassador, his life had been lost, we were aware that that information went to the White House.”

“Did you communicate with anyone else at the White House that night?” asked Ayotte.

“No,” said Panetta.

“No one else called you to say: How are things going?” asked Ayotte.

“No,” said Panetta.

Barely twenty minutes later, under questioning from South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, General Dempsey and Defense Secretary Panetta admitted that military assets had not been used at all in the attack. Why? Watch and read on:

The Weekly Standard:

“Was any DoD asset–aircraft or individual soldier–ever sent or put in motion to help these people before the attack was over?” asked Republican senator Lindsey Graham. “My question is did anybody leave any base anywhere to go to the aid of the people under attack in Benghazi, Libya, before the attack ended?”

“No,” Panetta responded. “Because the attack ended before they could get off the ground.”

“Okay, and we didn’t know how long it would last,” Graham added.

Ten minutes later, Dempsey admitted to being shocked that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hadn’t known about the diplomatic cable from Ambassador Chris Stevens pleading for help prior to the attacks, once more under questioning from Graham:

And speaking of Clinton, after another 30 minutes, another bombshell emerged: Secretary of Clinton hadn’t corresponded with the military or Department of Defense at all about the Benghazi attacks. In fact, neither Dempsey nor Panetta had any conversations with Clinton.

The Weekly Standard:

Republican Ted Cruz asked both Leon Panetta and Martin Dempsey, “In between 9:42 p.m., Benghazi time, when the first attacks started, and 5:15 am, when Mr. Doherty and Mr. Woods lost their lives, what converations did either of you have with Secretary Clinton?”

“We did not have any conversations with Secretary Clinton,” Panetta responded.

“And General Dempsey, the same is true for you?” Cruz asked. Dempsey confirmed this.

Given these revelations, one wonders in what possible context the previously photographed meeting between President Obama and his advisers on national security could have taken place. Or, if that meeting did concern Benghazi, why the President showed such little interest in responding to the crisis in real time.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (264)

barber2
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:32pm
Where was obama ? Remember Clint and the Empty Chair !?

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agsb2
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:31pm
This fact for both Clinton and Obama comes as no surprise. How else could Obama say it was all caused by a film that 12 people saw and 6 were in Washington DC.

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noslave
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:28pm
IF IT HAD BEEN HIS IMAGINARY SON??he would have done something?but they were just white guys?so he went back to sleep??

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Gargent_Furball
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:28pm
From Clinton to Rumsfeld, I have heard enough Lies. I say we string em up for lying.

anyone caught in a deliberate lie , will suffer just like the general in Germany said. Dey Vill Be Schot.

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barber2
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:26pm
Remember Obama was doing what he loves to do best : campaigning for the presidency…..

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AmericaMustBeFree
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:22pm
He lies.. you ever notice when people liethey don’tlook at you.. Panetta looked down more than he looked at the person asking him questions. Seriously, lets hook these people up to lie detector tests. I bet everyone of them are found to be lying!

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HeftyJo
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:19pm
But but but, Obama gave a speech about the attack. What else do you want from him? We should simply be happy we got treated to the sound of his voice.

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LeadNotFollow
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:17pm
Obama may have been in his prayer room, kneeling on his prayer mat, facing Mecca.

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48Straights
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:14pm
Why is TheBlaze posting a news story, I come here for entertainment, not news. Come on Blaze!

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BannedByHuffpo
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:13pm
Courtmartial BHO for “Dereliction of Duty”.

This should have been front page news BEFORE the election. It would have affected the outcome.

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Salamander
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:05pm
I have a design for a weapons platform that can loiter 50 miles away and drop whatever ordnance is desired by the folks on the ground! Advanced logistics keeps track of the off-load and schedules backup/resupply well in advance of exhaustion! Anybody interested? Anybody home?? This system would make a World of difference in Mali, too! And, it would allow us to ‘project’ power far beyond our present capabilities! Glenn–this one might make it in the American Dream Labs! I call it ‘The Peacemaker’, and it’s a gas–or at least a lot of hot air!!

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Salamander
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:00pm
Did anyone find a semen-stained dress?

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nysteve
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:33pm
We must impeach this president immediately if not sooner.

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Really2012
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:30pm
Obama and Clinton both think this is quite a game, until someone dies, and they don’t have answers that measure up…

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United_Ignited
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:28pm
Hmmmm, didn’t Obama release a photo of him in the “War Room” from that night?

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VRW Conspirator
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:19pm
I CALL BULLS@!T

Panetta and Dempsey claim that NO military assets were instructed to the area because the attack was over before they took off…Well then STUPIDS…that means you directed the assets there but they got there too late…so you DID send assets…

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/09/world/africa/libya-benghazi-timeline/index.html

Here is the proof..from the DoD OFFICIAL TIMELINE on the CNN website…there are a MILITARY drone sent within 17 minutes, during the first attack and before the Ambassador was killed. The drone does not arrive for 70 minutes.

They also state that the Gen. and Panetta discussed the situation with Obama in the pre-scheduled 5pm meeting, 11pm Benghazi time.

One hour later, by 6pm, Panetta has ordered ground troops deployed…they arrive 90 minutes later at the airfield in Benghazi, 7:30pm in DC, 1:30am Benghazi. They do not arrive at the CIA Annex for nearly 2.5 hours. So again, they DID send in military assets to the area during the attack because the attack on the CIA Annex did not start until 11:30pm, 5:15 am Benghazi time.

Evacuation orders are given at 6am Benghazi, 12am DC

Now Gen Ham has said that it would have only taken him 3-4 hours to have a AC-130 overhead and raining fire down on the enemy, F-16′s could have been there about the same time. 8 hours after the first attack, 2 SEALs died, why did they not have air cover? They were calling in the grids! LIARS!!

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hctulc
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:19pm
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

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nonofmybiznez
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:17pm
Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith and Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone S. Woods
were just bumps in the road for Obama. He treated their deaths like any other war-time deaths…just numbers. He was and is detached emotionally from any responsibility.

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DZ-015
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:09pm
Barry, where were you when the ship hit the sand?

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LolaB
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:01pm
Look how these two look at each other as to make sure they get their stories straight…unbelievable!!!!!

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LolaB
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:00pm
Obama was out having a good old time with one of his male friends.

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Vickie Dhaene
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 4:58pm
Obama needs to be charged with dereliction of duty. Who gave the order to stand down?!
IMPEACH, IMPRISON, EXECUTE FOR TREASON.

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- Small World
  Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:25pm
  Amen & Dittos !
  
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tommytruck
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 4:57pm
Isn’t the penalty for corruption in a government official death, in Singapore?

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TheIggies
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 4:50pm
Why isn’t this the top story on CNN right now?? Oh, right. No one cares. Get over it. Four measly dead Americans.

24 more than that died thanks to a lack of gun control in Newton, and most of them were children.

Quit crying over spilt milk.

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- nonofmybiznez
  Posted on February 7, 2013 at 5:22pm
  They won’t care until it comes to their house. People are too detached from reality. They won’t see the train coming in time to get off the tracks.
  
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tom comella
Posted on February 7, 2013 at 4:46pm
Will the American people ever wake up to the degree of incompetence and stupidity of the batch of fakes phonies and frauds currently running this nation? Or is it already too late?

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- Salamander
  Posted on February 7, 2013 at 6:09pm
  Somebody is financing the politics of failure in our political system! The Democrats have fallen for it, hook, line and sinker! The Republicans couldn’t beat their way out of a wet paper bag, much less, take the courageous actions necessary to save our country! How about, for starters, a 30% haircut, once every 10 years for EVERY AGENCY IN OUR GOVERNMENT! That’s right! Let the agencies figure out how to cut the dead wood and refine their mission to keep the important stuff and eliminate the ‘nice to haves’, once every 10 years! A lottery would make it a ‘surprise’. Maybe they could help one another learn how to react to REALITY! We the People have just such a haircut about once every 10 years, but government grows and grows, like some funky fungus!
  
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