AFRICOM Commander GEN Carter Ham relieved of duty for wanting to help our Ambassador to Libya.
The information I heard today was that General
[Carter] Ham as head of Africom received the same e-mails the White
House received requesting help/support as the attack was taking place. General Ham immediately had a rapid response unit ready and communicated to the Pentagon that he had a unit ready.General Ham then received the order to stand down. His response was to screw it, he was going to help anyhow.
Within 30 seconds to a minute after making the move to respond, his
second in command apprehended General Ham and told him that he was now
relieved of his command.The story continues that now General Rodiguez would take General Ham’s place as the head of Africom.
Sure enough Obama nominated Gen. David Rodriguez to replace Gen. Carter Ham as commander of U.S. Africa Command.
The Stars and Stripes reported:
President Barack Obama will nominate Army Gen. David Rodriguez to succeed Gen. Carter Ham as commander of U.S. Africa Command
and Marine Lt. Gen. John Paxton to succeed Gen. Joseph Dunford as
assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta
announced Thursday.
We have our chance to relieve Obama from duty in November.
Top Opinion
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schjaz 2012/10/28 16:03:25
+8I heard they were told 3 times to stand down. And NOW the skinny is that this adminstration is blaming the Seals for stepping out of their positions and going into defense mode to save people. Apparently they weren't suppose to fight back. Ty Woods had laser painted the mortars. All the military had to do was fly over and shoot them. They let those ppl die.
Why aren't those responsible for the deaths of these four Americans, arrested and executed? If it wasn't for the two Navy Seals, and the other American who refused to stand down, there would have been more than 4 dead Americans, there would have been 34 or more dead Americans. Why did Obama and his cronies sit and watch these men die? Because they disobeyed the POS and in his egotistical mind demanded that they pay the price for it. .
Is it any wonder that many Veterans as well as many active members of our Armed Forces distrust the so-called "Commander-in-Chief? We need a new President and a new Commander-in-Chief, one that believes in America and her people serving...
&
Why aren't those responsible for the deaths of these four Americans, arrested and executed? If it wasn't for the two Navy Seals, and the other American who refused to stand down, there would have been more than 4 dead Americans, there would have been 34 or more dead Americans. Why did Obama and his cronies sit and watch these men die? Because they disobeyed the POS and in his egotistical mind demanded that they pay the price for it. .
Is it any wonder that many Veterans as well as many active members of our Armed Forces distrust the so-called "Commander-in-Chief? We need a new President and a new Commander-in-Chief, one that believes in America and her people serving her. God Bless The United States of America and vote to keep her safe...
Romney and Ryan..R&R; on November 6, 2012 and help save our nation and the men and women in our Armed Forces.
I just want to say...pay attention to the details of what is coming out from whistle blowers. CIA, Africom Generals, SEDEF, State Department...etc. Just out today...General Ham, Africom OIC was fired immediately by Obama (thru Panetta, the SECDEF) for telling the huddle in the situation room via sattelite, during the seven hour attacks; Obama, Panetta, and Biden (who lied directly during the VP Debate saying, "We did not know....") to FOAD (___k off and die), That he (Gen. Ham), was going to help out inspite of orders which he considered to be illegal orders, "To stand down" from POTUS (Obama).
The sobering message Obama got just before the first debate was very likely one that said, "The jigs up! FOX News is all overe the cover-up story and it can not possibly succeed. And this explains his preoccupation with something other than the debate. Addmittedly speculation on my part. And yes...I am a vet. (Vietnam), fighter pilot, test pilot, and carreer AF guy... so do the usual Lib (idiot) thing to discredit and demogogue me.
(Great post)
"It is highly unusual for the Navy to replace a carrier strike group commander during its deployment."
http://www.stripes.com/news/n...
QUOTE]
(CBS News) On the night of the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, a team of American military commandos was sent from Europe to an airfield at Sigonella, in Sicily, Italy, putting them at least an hour's flight away from Benghazi, CBS News has learned.
The team, known as the Commander's In-extremis Force, was designed specifically for quick reaction to unforeseen emergencies. But U.S. officials say it did not arrive in Sicily until after the attack was over.
Even if the team had been ready in time, confusion about what was happening on the ground in Benghazi -- and State Department concerns about violating Libyan sovereignty -- made a military rescue mission impractical, the officials say.
That confusion can be read in State Department cables from the day of the attack. At 4:05 p.m. ET, a cable warned the consulate was under attack. Forty-nine minutes later, another cable reported that the firing had stopped and the compound had been cleared.
In fact, the U.S. ambassador and one other State Department employee were dead and the attack was far from over.
Seven hours later, another cable reported that a Benghazi shelte...
QUOTE]
(CBS News) On the night of the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, a team of American military commandos was sent from Europe to an airfield at Sigonella, in Sicily, Italy, putting them at least an hour's flight away from Benghazi, CBS News has learned.
The team, known as the Commander's In-extremis Force, was designed specifically for quick reaction to unforeseen emergencies. But U.S. officials say it did not arrive in Sicily until after the attack was over.
Even if the team had been ready in time, confusion about what was happening on the ground in Benghazi -- and State Department concerns about violating Libyan sovereignty -- made a military rescue mission impractical, the officials say.
That confusion can be read in State Department cables from the day of the attack. At 4:05 p.m. ET, a cable warned the consulate was under attack. Forty-nine minutes later, another cable reported that the firing had stopped and the compound had been cleared.
In fact, the U.S. ambassador and one other State Department employee were dead and the attack was far from over.
Seven hours later, another cable reported that a Benghazi shelter location was also under attack by mortar fire -- a reference to a safe house about a mile from the consulate, where approximately 30 Americans had taken cover. Daylight revealed the safe house had taken a direct hit, killing two more Americans.
[END QUOTE http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-1... ]
The CBS News report about the quick reaction force was confirmed by the Associated Press:
[QUOTE]
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military did not quickly intervene during the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya last month because military leaders did not have adequate intelligence information and felt they should not put American forces at risk, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday.
In his most extensive comments to date on the unfolding controversy surrounding the attack in Benghazi, Panetta said U.S. forces were on heightened alert because of the anniversary of 9/11 and prepared to respond. But, he said, the attack happened over a few hours and was over before the U.S. had the chance to know what was really occurring.
"(The) basic principle is that you don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on; without having some real-time information about what's taking place," Panetta told Pentagon reporters. "And as a result of not having that kind of information, the commander who was on the ground in that area, Gen. Ham, Gen. Dempsey and I felt very strongly that we could not put forces at risk in that situation."
-----
As the events were unfolding, the Pentagon began to move special operations forces from Europe to Sigonella Naval Air Station in Sicily. U.S. aircraft routinely fly in and out of Sigonella and there are also fighter jets based in Aviano, Italy. But while the U.S. military was at a heightened state of alert because of 9/11, there were no American forces poised and ready to move immediately into Benghazi when the attack began.
Also, the Pentagon would not send forces or aircraft into Libya — a sovereign country — without a request from the State Department and the knowledge or consent of the host nation.
-----
Military officials have noted that there had been no specific intelligence pointing to a possible attack in Libya, and that there were protests and other unrest in various locations around the Middle East and Africa.
Asked whether the military was on alert in that area because of 9/11, Dempsey added, "Yeah, and let me point out, it was — it was 9/11 everywhere in the world."
[END QUOTE http://news.yahoo.com/panetta... ]
The same Associated Press article on the quick reaction force is posted on hundreds of websites, including ARMYTIMES.COM ( http://www.armytimes.com/news... ), ABC News ( http://abcnews.go.com/Politic... ), and hundreds of other websites!
Further, the myth that the CIA denied backup has also been debunked:
[QUOTE]
CIA Denies Calling Off Backup in Benghazi
Reuters
Oct 26, 2012
In response to a Fox News story claiming CIA operatives in Benghazi were prevented from aiding U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens during his time of need, the CIA says it never instructed any of its personnel from helping the four Americans who died on Sept. 11. In an e-mailed statement, CIA spokeswoman Jennifer Youngblood says "no one at any level in the CIA" told operatives at a local CIA annex in Benghazi not to help Amb. Stevens:
"We can say with confidence that the Agency reacted quickly to aid our colleagues during that terrible evening in Benghazi. Moreover, no one at any level in the CIA told anybody not to help those in need; claims to the contrary are simply inaccurate. In fact, it is important to remember how many lives were saved by courageous Americans who put their own safety at risk that night—and that some of those selfless Americans gave their lives in the effort to rescue their comrades."
The blanket statement is in response to a range of allegations brought up by Fox News's national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin. Among the allegations, Griffin said "sources who were on the ground in Benghazi" said CIA operatives about a mile away from Amb. Stevens' compound were told twice to "stand down" after hearing gunshots during the night of the assault. (The gunshots were heard at approximately 9:40 p.m.) Additionally, Griffin's report says that former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods disobeyed orders to "stand down" and rushed to the U.S. compound housing Amb. Stevens alongside at least two other personnel. After receiving fire from militants near the compound, the team reportedly evacuated everyone they could find and returned to the CIA annex to call for more backup. "At that point, they called again for military support and help because they were taking fire at the CIA safe house, or annex. The request was denied," reported Griffin. There are a number of details in Griffin's story that will likely raise more questions, such as an extended account of a security officer manning a "heavy machine gun" on the roof of the CIA annex who couldn't receive assistance from higher ups. For now, the CIA isn't saying no one was ever prevented from assisting the U.S. compound but it is vowing that the agency itself never played a role in denying those requests.
[END QUOTE http://www.theatlanticwire.co... ]
Perhaps if you relied on reputable news sources rather than virtual tabloids, you would have more accurate information. This Sodaheadline deserves to be entered into the Sodaheadline Hall of Shame!
"The first duty of a man is the seeking after and the investigation of truth." - Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)
Let me educate you, American Embassies are considered to be American soil. So they were attacking us. All Obama and his cowardly administration should have done was sent in a AC-130, these heavily armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated with sophisticated sensor, navigation and fire control systems to provide surgical firepower or area saturation during extended periods, at night and in adverse weather. Just one burst from that thing would of had them running the other way and could have saved a lot of American lives. Plus, they could have taken out those mortars that they had target lasers on. Makes you wonder what was the real reason for not sending help. You liberals are brain dead, why don't you become a true American that cares more for this country than your own selfish agendas.
[QUOTE]
Available online at: http://www.usni.org/resources...
Close air support, or CAS as it is known, is an aerial attack mission flown against enemy ground forces that are close enough to friendly forces to require detailed coordination before commencing the attack. When supporting the fluid, violent world of ground combat, the flier must confirm the target with some on-site observer or risk shooting the wrong people. Though noncombatants and other friendly groups aren't usually included in the official definition of "enemy," they face the same risk if they're in the battle area.
[END QUOTE http://www.au.af.mil/au/aul/b... ]
Further, there were no other American forces available:
[QUOTE]
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military did not quickly intervene during the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya last month because military leaders did not have adequate intelligence information and felt they should not put American forces at risk, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday.
In his most extensive comments to date on the unfolding controversy surrounding the attack in Benghazi, Panetta said U.S. forces were on heightened alert b...
[QUOTE]
Available online at: http://www.usni.org/resources...
Close air support, or CAS as it is known, is an aerial attack mission flown against enemy ground forces that are close enough to friendly forces to require detailed coordination before commencing the attack. When supporting the fluid, violent world of ground combat, the flier must confirm the target with some on-site observer or risk shooting the wrong people. Though noncombatants and other friendly groups aren't usually included in the official definition of "enemy," they face the same risk if they're in the battle area.
[END QUOTE http://www.au.af.mil/au/aul/b... ]
Further, there were no other American forces available:
[QUOTE]
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military did not quickly intervene during the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya last month because military leaders did not have adequate intelligence information and felt they should not put American forces at risk, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday.
In his most extensive comments to date on the unfolding controversy surrounding the attack in Benghazi, Panetta said U.S. forces were on heightened alert because of the anniversary of 9/11 and prepared to respond. But, he said, the attack happened over a few hours and was over before the U.S. had the chance to know what was really occurring.
"(The) basic principle is that you don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on; without having some real-time information about what's taking place," Panetta told Pentagon reporters. "And as a result of not having that kind of information, the commander who was on the ground in that area, Gen. Ham, Gen. Dempsey and I felt very strongly that we could not put forces at risk in that situation."
-----
As the events were unfolding, the Pentagon began to move special operations forces from Europe to Sigonella Naval Air Station in Sicily. U.S. aircraft routinely fly in and out of Sigonella and there are also fighter jets based in Aviano, Italy. But while the U.S. military was at a heightened state of alert because of 9/11, there were no American forces poised and ready to move immediately into Benghazi when the attack began.
Also, the Pentagon would not send forces or aircraft into Libya — a sovereign country — without a request from the State Department and the knowledge or consent of the host nation.
-----
Military officials have noted that there had been no specific intelligence pointing to a possible attack in Libya, and that there were protests and other unrest in various locations around the Middle East and Africa.
Asked whether the military was on alert in that area because of 9/11, Dempsey added, "Yeah, and let me point out, it was — it was 9/11 everywhere in the world."
[END QUOTE http://news.yahoo.com/panetta... ]
For those with reading comprehension problems, let me reiterate: "But while the U.S. military was at a heightened state of alert because of 9/11, there were no American forces poised and ready to move immediately into Benghazi when the attack began."
The same Associated Press article on the quick reaction force is posted on hundreds of websites, including ARMYTIMES.COM ( http://www.armytimes.com/news... ), ABC News ( http://abcnews.go.com/Politic... ), and hundreds of other websites!
"The first duty of a man is the seeking after and the investigation of truth." - Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)
I don't care what you were. There's times when you have to do what you have to do when you do what you gotta do. Those Seals had laser's on the targets, when a crowd of people moving into the Embassy with a terrorist attack, they sure wouldn't be friendlies. One blast from those guns they would have run. If the Seals were talking to those telling them to stand down, then they could have set up communication to the plane. That is no excuse. I sure don't agree with you when they were begging for help and had to die knowing no help was coming. Makes me sick even to think what those guys went through.
They knew there was big trouble there, even before the attack. Things should have already been ready for any Embassy in the region to be rescued if need be, and they weren't. Obama and his White House did nothing and now trying to cover it all up. We need people in the Chain of Command that knows how to stand up and take responsibility and know what the heck they are doing. I'm sick of Obama letting the Muslims walk all over us, he said if the winds changed he would back the Muslims, and he is.
A plane is not forces, but a FORCE. PERIOD.
The pilots will take orders if given, but they didn't give one to a AC-130, who could have handled the job until they wanted to put boots on the ground, if at all.
BTW: "Forces" is plural of "force." "No American forces" means "NO American forces"!
Capisce?
I will stop, well never did, depending on anything you say.
No kidding Sherlock,,,,, but the AC-130 is not boots on the ground, they are a force and a deterrent weapon. You better quit, cause I'm showing more INTELLIGENCE THAN YOU>>>>>>&g...
Capisce?
If you dispute this claim, then please provide PROOF! The burden of proof is always upon those making claims.
"The U.S. military was at a heightened state of alert, because of 911" Then he says, "There were no American forces poised and ready to move immediately into Benghazi when the attack began."
This is where they failed big time. Why put them on alert if not ready to move as in your words.....? Such stupidity.
You haven't seen or read it yet? Sorry you have no comprehension