I can't begin to imagine the feelings of the families of the four dead Americans.
It's horrible enough that they have to deal with the deaths of their loved ones.
But when you realize their feelings must be compounded by the fact that their own government - the government they died in the service of - did nothing to come to their aid, it's simply horrific.
Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three men died needlessly. This is bigger than Watergate ever was.
Annette
2012/10/28 02:22:54
By Bob Owens - October 26, 2012
The
security officer had a laser on the target that was firing and
repeatedly requested back-up support from a Specter gunship, which is
commonly used by U.S. Special Operations forces to provide support to
Special Operations teams on the ground involved in intense firefights.
The fighting at the CIA annex went on for more than four hours — enough
time for any planes based in Sigonella Air base, just 480 miles away, to
arrive. Fox News has also learned that two separate Tier One Special
operations forces were told to wait, among them Delta Force operators.
security officer had a laser on the target that was firing and
repeatedly requested back-up support from a Specter gunship, which is
commonly used by U.S. Special Operations forces to provide support to
Special Operations teams on the ground involved in intense firefights.
The fighting at the CIA annex went on for more than four hours — enough
time for any planes based in Sigonella Air base, just 480 miles away, to
arrive. Fox News has also learned that two separate Tier One Special
operations forces were told to wait, among them Delta Force operators.
There were two AC-130Us deployed to Libya in March as part of Operation Unified Protector.
The
AC-130U is a very effective third-generation fire-support aircraft,
capable of continuous and extremely accurate fire onto multiple targets.
It has been used numerous times in Iraq and Afghanistan to save
pinned-down allied forces, and has even been credited with the surrender
of the Taliban city of Kunduz.
It
was purpose-built for a select number of specific mission types,
including point-defense against enemy attack. It was literally built for
the kind of mission it could have engaged in over Benghazi, if the
administration had let it fire. As the excerpt above clearly shows, we
had assets on the ground “painting” the targets with the laser.
An
AC-130U flies in a counter-clockwise “pivot turn” around the target,
with the weapons all aimed out the left side of the aircraft.
There
are two state-of-the-art fire-control systems (FCSs) in a AC-130U,
using television sensors,infrared sensors, and synthetic aperture strike
radar. These fire control systems can see through the dark of night,
clouds, and smoke.
The
two FCSs on the AC-130U control a 25mm Gatling gun for area
suppression, a precision 40mm cannon, and a 105mm cannon which can
engage hard targets.
What
this means is that we have the forces in the air and on the ground to
have stopped the attack at any point, eliminating the terrorists and
saving American lives.
Update (Bryan): Here is an AC-130 engaging in a live fire exercise. The crackling sound you hear is its extreme rate of fire.
Update: BlackFive confirmed with a retired Delta operator: The fact that ground personnel were painting the target says there was a Spectre on station.
Having
spent a good bit of time nursing a GLD (ground Laser Designator) in
several garden spots around the world, something from the report jumped
out at me.One of the former SEALs was
actively painting the target. That means that Specter WAS ON STATION!
Probably an AC130U. A ground laser designator is not a briefing pointer
laser. You do not “paint” a target until the weapons system/designator
is synched; which means that the AC130 was on station.Only
two places could have called off the attack at that point; the WH
situation command (based on POTUS direction) or AFRICOM commander based
on information directly from the target area.If
the AC130 never left Sigonella (as Penetta [sic] says) that means that
the Predator that was filming the whole thing was armed.If
that SEAL was actively “painting” a target; something was on station to
engage! And the decision to stand down goes directly to POTUS!
Top Opinion
-
RJ~PWCM~JLA 2012/10/28 02:57:51
The FBI did a half day tour of the site, they call it an investigation, but it was a tour. No interviews, collection of evidence, just a tour.
The White house Secret Service Supervisor, the Situation Room Secret Service Agent commits suicide at his home. All cause he got caught cheating on his loving wife (cheating on her for 7 years)
State department leaks e-mails. No subpoenas, no whistle blowers, just good old leaks. Leaks from anonymous sources, un-named officials and the janitor. Same people that told us about Youtube.
All 30 CIA agents from Benghazi have been dispersed to parts unknown. Maybe Black site prisons, maybe unforeseen helicopter crashes, I'd be scared if I were them.
Watergate never got anyone killed, Benghazi gate did, AND it caused rioting all over the muslim world AFTER obamas people brought a certain video to light.
It was a the MENTION of the video that upset all the other muslims. So, technically, he is responsible for a LOT of mayhem in a lot of nations.
Try a few of these on for size and then come back and tell me what he REALLY said to the Muslims - http://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Or this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?...
And this: Muslim children taught to hate
And don't forget this one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?...
"You can run, but you will only die tired"
.
Here is a beautiful example of LEFT THINKING. Mr. Romney has NOT been in any public office since . 2006. Mr. Romney PRIVATE CITIZEN, has not voted in CONGRESS or been in ANY PUBLIC office for six years. SIX YEARS. No policy making, NO voting, other then a private citizen’s vote.
/
But, you, like obama, want to ‘blame’ Mr. Romney for something? He does not have ANY POWER or AUTHORITY, at this point he is a PRIVATE CITIZEN, till you ,,,,,,,,,,,make him the POTUS. Think about that please, then get back to me. What do you think he can do?
When Mr. Romney DOES speak up, you, the left and the left media and obama, attack him for it! It is that CRAZY LEFT THINKING. ,,,,,,hell if you do,,,,,,,hell if you don’t. It is a no win situation for the RIGHT THINKING PEOPLE, dealing with the crazy left.
or this: http://www.norcalblogs.com/po...
My, my, what a tangled web we weave, huh?
True, at Watertgate no lives were lost, but the faith of the nation in its' highest office was shaken like no other incident in our history. Not Presidents' assassinations, not banana diplomacy, or the Cuban Missle crisis, or Viet Nam. Cuban missle crisis was a perceived outside threat from Russia. Viet Nam, while wholly misguided, was built upon the fallacy of falling dominos, and a Communist threat.
I am in no way diminishing the tragedy for America, or the families of those involved, but I don't see how an overseas tragedy that cost four lives (how many lives did WMD's in Iraq cost? Afghanistan? Somali pirates?) can be bigger than an event that shook America, and its' faith in the Presidency to the core. Yes, the Benghazi attack was a tragedy, but basically it was a personal tragedy for those directly involved.
Was it an intelligence failure? Perhaps, but consider how much 'white noise' there is out there that the intelligence community has to sift through. How much of that 'intelligence' is real, how much is fantasy, how much is a misdirection ploy by the other side. In dealing with the geopolitical makeup of the world, especially the Middle East, it's best to e...
True, at Watertgate no lives were lost, but the faith of the nation in its' highest office was shaken like no other incident in our history. Not Presidents' assassinations, not banana diplomacy, or the Cuban Missle crisis, or Viet Nam. Cuban missle crisis was a perceived outside threat from Russia. Viet Nam, while wholly misguided, was built upon the fallacy of falling dominos, and a Communist threat.
I am in no way diminishing the tragedy for America, or the families of those involved, but I don't see how an overseas tragedy that cost four lives (how many lives did WMD's in Iraq cost? Afghanistan? Somali pirates?) can be bigger than an event that shook America, and its' faith in the Presidency to the core. Yes, the Benghazi attack was a tragedy, but basically it was a personal tragedy for those directly involved.
Was it an intelligence failure? Perhaps, but consider how much 'white noise' there is out there that the intelligence community has to sift through. How much of that 'intelligence' is real, how much is fantasy, how much is a misdirection ploy by the other side. In dealing with the geopolitical makeup of the world, especially the Middle East, it's best to err on the side of caution. Are you willing to risk global war to save four lives? I'd have to think long and hard before I'd order in the troops.
All types of available military countermeasures were undoubtedly in place; but we're not talking Grenada here, we're talking about a very fragile, volatile region with three times our population, probably every bit as much wealth as the USA; and a TON of antipathy for us already. Personally I'm not ready to call in gunships, at night, where there's more potential for collateral damage to civilians than likelihood of taking out enemy combatants.
Watergate shook our faith in our executive branch, and caused a President to resign in disgrace. Your ire over the Benghazi tragedy is no reason to alienate the rest of the Muslim world, or possibly provoke war.
http://www.norcalblogs.com/po...
Now think again VERY, VERY hard about this not being bigger than Watergate! We have a lying, cheating, murderous thief and traitor in the White House, and you think this isn't as big as Watergate. I remember that scandal well. And this trumps it in spades!
Your remarks are not only callous they are cruel despite your disclaimer to the contrary! How dare you say this was just a "personal tragedy for those directly involved."
This was a small problem possibly due to "white noise"? You're below dispicible!
Immediately post-Benghazi the Obama administration appeared to be creating plausible deniability for any possible foreknowledge. Immediately post-Watergate, instead of trying to distsance himself from the break in, Nixon asked, how can I profit from this? No doubt every President we've ever had has misspoken, lied, stretched the truth, or practiced political deception, but Obama never said, "If the President does it, it's not illegal." Nixon did.
I will always consider an attack on the Constitution and my rights, as a bigger deal than an attack on an American outpost in the Middle East.
PS At what point does allowing 4 American citizens to be murdered in cold blood when help is available NOT constitute an attack against the Constitution? Have you forgotten the Oath of Office the usurper made, or is that not important?
At this time I'm reminded of that old adage: When you argue with a moron they will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience. Having said that, I concede this argument to you!
Thanks for your concession which was for nothing - Moron - good name if you like wearing it - enjoy it - try it no in different colors while you're at it. You still have no concept of history!
My response is NOT dictated by a dislike/hatred of any particular politician, but by, I suspect, a better understanding of the world geopolitical scene than yours!
The original contention was that this failure was a bigger deal than Watergate, I don't accept that supposition. My mind has been corrupted by free thinking.
One does not allow their citizens to be slaughtered trying to stand on the flimsy excuse of not wanting to rile the enemy, unless that person is FOR the enemy in the first place.
You also fail to take into account that the president is a Muslim and is sympathetic to them; my goodness, handing over 400 tons of weaponry to them is being their enemy??? Where is your brain? Oh, excuse me, stand up and look behind you and you might find it.