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Subscribe to RSSDuring a top secret briefing, lawmakers said David Petraeus made it clear the CIA believed terrorists -- not protestors -- were responsible for the deadly assault in Benghazi. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
Updated 3:00 pm ET -- Former CIA Director David Petraeus testified Friday before congressional intelligence panels telling members that he had believed from the outset that the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi was an act of terrorists.
NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell reported that members of the Senate Intelligence Committee said after hearing from Petraeus that Obama administration officials made a decision to hold back as classified information an explicit depiction of Benghazi incident as an act of terrorists -- therefore that description did not make it into the “talking points” that the administration prepared for officials when they went on TV talk shows and spoke to reporters.
Instead, the initial talking points focused on spontaneous reactions to an anti-Islamic video as a spark for the attack. Five days after attack, the administration dispatched U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to speak on the Sunday news shows to offer a preliminary explanation of the attack, which she attributed to an anti-Islamic video that was circulated on YouTube.
In the attack Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans – Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods and Sean Smith – were killed.
Keeping as classified the determination that the Benghazi attack was the work of terrorists may have been done in order to help pursue those very same terrorists.
“There might have been two tracks happening all along: the public statements that were reflecting part of what they may have known” and the classified information that terrorists had been the ones attacking the consulate. “The real question is if they knew it was terrorism all along – was there too much suggestion that a video or demonstrations may have been involved?” said O’Donnell.
House Intelligence Committee member Peter King, R-N.Y., told reporters Friday after Petraeus testified that the initial “talking points” from the Obama administration to prepare officials for what they should say publicly in the first days after the attack had been changed to delete references to any al Qaida involvement in the event.
Rep. Peter King said he was "satisfied" with Gen. Petraeus' testimony at the Senate hearings on Benghazi, though the former-CIA director gave, to King, a "different impression this time around."
King said he and his colleagues now needed to hear testimony from officials in the State Department, the Defense Department “and also people at the White House – to see if anyone at the White House changed the talking points.”
King told reporters after Petraeus testified that “his testimony today was that from the start (immediately after Sept. 11) he had told us that this was a terrorist attack, that terrorism was involved from the start.”
But King said that he himself “had a very different recollection" of what Petraeus had told the panel in the initial aftermath of the attack.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein comments following closed door hearings of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees regarding an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya.
"The clear impression that we (members of the House Intelligence Committee) were given (in the initial days after the attack) was that the overwhelming amount of evidence was that it arose out of a spontaneous demonstration and it was not a terrorist attack,” King said.
Rep. C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger of Maryland, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts after hearing from Petraeus that “I can’t agree that there was entirely an intelligence failure” in the days leading up to the attack.
The Daily Rundown panel, which includes former DCCC spokesman Doug Thornell, The New York Times' Jackie Calmes and Roll Call's David Drucker talk about the latest in the hearings on Benghazi.
He said, “The intelligence community did put people in the area of Benghazi and in Libya generally. It was a hot spot, it was an area where you had to be on high alert – they did not pick up the actual attack itself. So we’re evaluating whether or not it was or was not an intelligence failure.”
Another House Intelligence Committee member, Rep. Tom Rooney, R–Fla., told MSNBC’s Roberts that he’d learned from the Petraeus testimony how inadequate the protection at the consulate was on Sept 11.
“We had less than a handful of security there for the ambassador,” Rooney said. “First of all, I don’t know why the ambassador was there on 9/11 to begin with, but that’s a whole other story. Second we were relying really on local Libyan militia who – if there was anything coordinated about the two attacks, at the compound and at the annex, it is that there was a coordinated absence by the people who were supposed to be protecting us.” He said the Libyan militia “were nowhere to be found” when the assault occurred.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., says Gen. Petraeus' briefing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, concerning he Sept 11, 2012, attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was "comprehensive" and "added to our ability to make judgments about what is clearly a failure of intelligence."
Rooney added that President Barack Obama has said “he did everything he could” to protect the consulate. “He may have done everything he could, but it wasn’t enough because our people are dead.”
The investigation into the Benghazi events has become a major focus for members of Congress returning to the Capitol after last week’s elections. The episode has political implications not only for Obama but for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who may run for president in 2016.
Petraeus resigned one week ago after the revelation of his adulterous affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell.
Rice told NBC’s David Gregory on Meet the Press Sept. 16 that “putting together the best information that we have available to us today – our current assessment is that what happened in Benghazi was, in fact, initially a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired hours before in Cairo – almost a copycat of the demonstrations against our facility in Cairo, which were prompted, of course, by the video.”
She added that in Benghazi “opportunistic extremist elements came to the consulate as this was unfolding. They came with heavy weapons, which, unfortunately, are readily available in post-revolutionary Libya, and that escalated into a much more violent episode.”
Rice is said to be in the running to be Obama’s nominee to be secretary of state once Clinton departs.
ISAF via Reuters file
Meet the people who have been pulled into the scandal that caused Gen. David Petraeus to resign.
But Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and other Republican senators have made clear they will use any means they can to block her nomination if Obama does select her.
“I don’t trust her,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said of Rice, calling her “more a political operative than she is anything else when it comes to Benghazi.”
Obama defended Rice Wednesday, saying she had “represented the United States and our interests in the United Nations with skill and professionalism and toughness and grace… Should I choose, if I think that she would be the best person to serve America in the capacity of the State Department, then I will nominate her.”
McCain on Wednesday introduced a resolution to create a special eight-member select Senate committee to examine the attack on the consulate. But McCain’s proposal got a mostly chilly reception Wednesday from Chambliss and other senators.
NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice recaps the causes and effects of recent violence against Americans in the Middle East.
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See, this is why the Clintons should never have gotten into bed with Obama-Shama-Lama-Ding-Dong.
Not only, did his people call Bill a racist down in North and South Carolina during the 2008 primary season.
But, Bill holds Obama's hand on almost every plank of his foreign policy platform.
In short, (...and I don't give a flip how may idiots voted for him, Hitler was elected too) Obama can't get out of his own way.
Now, he's going to blow this back on Hillary, instead of just standing up like a man and telling the truth. It will kill her chances of becoming President, after all that the Clintons did for him over the course of this last year
Worse yet, four people are dead because of Obama's incompetence, and he still refses to take responsibility for his own actions. Nobody can order troops in and oprder troops out, but the Presdeint. He could have stopped tgis thing. But, he didn't.
Period.
As for Patreaus; at least he picked a good lookin' mack-mamma to get jiggy with. ;-)
To Eric-913730: Dude (or dudette) you must lay off of smoking Obarry's pole! Leave that to Me-Me-Me-shell & Nancy Pelosi! WOW......You are one major league dumb phuque!
Concern about you citizen,
Romnesia is a serious and debilitating illness, seek help while you still can, lucky for you we have Obama Care
McCain is a tired and tiring person. He should go back to counting his (wife's) houses and stop all the nonsense about Ms. Susan Rice. And Lindsay Graham, his sidekick, should just get lost.
i want to know WHY we are still talking about this.. there were many many other attacks that whole week ALL OVER THE WORLD... it happens all the time.. how the hell are our intelligence guys supposed to know EVERYTHING.. no one knows EvERYTHING.. only GOD... now shut the hell up congress.. stop wasting our time AND OUR MONEY and get back to fricken work doing something about this mess our economy is in because you can't stop bickering
barbara...you folks said the economy was fine during the election season...what fiscal cliff? Who cares...remember..now the economys in the toilet?..Unfortunately the economy sucks and has..intelligence is a reflection of the administration..and obama thinks hes god..but that still under investigation..go get some hormone therapy
McCain and another REP women skipped the meeting yesterday so tehy could be on FOX to complain about not knowing enough.
Yes...lets' embrace the minorities and continue the handouts they like and elect the idiots they like because the economy doesn't matter aymore..only the free stuff matters and we don't care if the country turns into sh--..the only thing that matters is the minorities getting what they want and all of us that have WORKED all our lifes can come up with the money to pay for it because it's wrong that we have worked all those years and now we're gonna pay for it!!!!
I feel sorry for all the Repugnants and Tampon Baggers that are brainwashed by almighty FauX News, that type of entertainment was never intended for genetically inferior humans that consider themselves to be a Repugnant or Tampon Bagger
Sounds like the it was a spontaneous reaction to the video, at least at first.
It's interesting how a president can refer to the White House in an answer as if he is not accountable and somehow not the resident of the White House.
Two questions on the same subject asked directly to the President were not answered in either case. (Once in the town hall debate and the other in his press conference this week)
1. "Who was it that denied enhanced security, and why?"
2. "On 9-11, did you issue any orders to protect their lives?”
"...Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) acknowledged on Wednesday that House Republicans had consciously voted to reduce the funds allocated to the State Department for embassy security since winning the majority in 2010..."
phil, the 400mil reduction that you are talking about was out of the 2Bil increase the State Department requested. So the State Department wanted a 10% increase in their annual budget over the year before and the House only gave them a 7.5% increase. A 7% increase year over year is not a reduction… the State Departments budget was still increased from the last fiscal year. Embassy security and upgrades is one small line in a very large (19Bil+) State Department budget. As a side note without the Democrat’s support the continuing resolution to fund the State Department would never have passed… only 35 Democrats voted against it.
December 16, 2011 Roll call number 941 in the House
On Agreeing to the Conference Report: H R 2055 (Sec. 7087)
Making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and for other purposes:
Ayes: 296 (Democrat: 149; Republican: 147)
Nays: 121 (Democrat: 35; Republican: 86)
http://www.opencongress.org/vote/2011/h/941
EMBASSY SECURITY, CONSTRUCTION, AND MAINTENANCE H.R. 2055:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h2055/text?version=enr&nid=t0:enr:3962
I doesn't matter what he says. If he testifies that the response was handled appropriately, the Republicans will just say he's lying. They still can't get over the fact that THEY LOST the election.
Yes we lost the election but honestly, things would be the same no matter who won. The dems would just start acting like the repubs.
There were plenty of questions about this incident BEFORE the election.
OVYGirl - the girl who said veterans should be able to go to college with the GI bill - you should off yourself in disgrace - you made the headlines about a month ago and went into hiding - Maybe you are Michelle Obama
Hey Irish21, you can put your shine kit and caddy shoes away, Romney lost.
McCain seems to be the catalyst causing more trouble for the US right now than the terrorists themselves.
Seems to me he's still pouting from four years ago.
He needs to find a nice retirement home someplace.
Can you say Alzheimer’s.
Arnold offner...you should pay more attention to idiots like Rice who go on t.v. to lie for Obama....she is a liar and a fool to help Obama..look what he did to General P.
First, Obama violated the U.S. Constitution by waging war on Libya without provocation and without the permission of our elected officials. Then he aided Libyan "rebels" who were caught on video waving al-Qaeda flags and chanting al-Qaeda fight songs.
Next, Obama brags that he's brought peace and freedom to the world, ignoring warnings and requests for increased security.
Then he blames the 9/11 attack on our Benghazi embassy on protesters upset about some anti-Islamic Youtube video, hiding the reports that this was a well-armed, well-planned terrorist attack... possibly al-Qaeda.
Then when General Petreaus of the CIA finds out the truth on the eve of the election, Obama tries to ruin him with a sex scandal that has been known about internally for months.
These are impeachable, treasonous offenses.
You're repeating yourself.
Michael, you really need to get back on your meds before you hurt yourself.
I wouldn't hurt anyone who don't enjoy it, darlin. Call me!
You enjoy hurting yourself, Mikie? Wow, you are sicker than it first seemed.
Try it.
Obama is your president now, quit your whining and belly aching, we don't need any crybabies in our country, so pull up your diapers, put that pacifier in your mouth and wipe those tears away on your blankie, if you don't like it self deport yourself, because that secede notion not gonna work......
One thing is certain. We will NEVER know the truth.
So will the Republicans spend all their time on Benghazi and ignore the fiscal cliff?
No, That's a 2fer that the Muslim is responsible for. Either or.
I guess it depends on the impeachment scheduling as far as prioritizing goes. Gotta cut off the head of the snake first in my opinion.
So you're saying Republicans don't care about the country (fiscal cliff) but care more about something that happened in the past and cannot be changed.
In both the last two sessions of Congress, Obama requested funds for increased security for foreign diplomats, and both times the Republicans refused. The blood is on the GOP's hands.
Try to spin it anyway you like. That's all liberals do, blame it on someone else. Sorry, but the fiscal cliff, economy, Libya, Israel, Muslim Brotherhood, and all the other fine messes we are in are the President's. Own it!
zzzzz. Obama said 'act of terror' the very next day in the rose garden. The attack was both spontaneous and an act of terror, not either or.
McCain canceled yet another security briefing on Benghazi yesterday in order to go on tv and demand more info on Benghazi.
Transparent BS politics. MOVE ON.
Can we get the impeachment done before the Jan 20 swear-in date?
Please explain why you think he can be impeached.
Treason, look it up
Repugnants and Tampon Baggers so much fun the laughs they provide us with
"...Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) acknowledged on Wednesday that House Republicans had consciously voted to reduce the funds allocated to the State Department for embassy security since winning the majority in 2010..."
As stated, he violated the U.S. Constitution by waging war on a non-aggressor without Congressional permission. He gave material aid and comfort to the enemy, al-Qaeda- in both Libya and Syria. Then he lied about the Benghazi attack and used Eric Holder to launch a smear campaign to discredit Petreaus. Plus he's just a godless commie pig. Don't wanna forget that one.
Why didn't the House republicans fund the extra security?
Where? How? You need to explain yourself more fully on how Obama committed treason. Do you just pull $hit out of the air for conversational purposes or are you really so daft as to believe the crap you spew?
michael Elohim So many lies from you and you claim to not be a Republican. What are you then?
McCain is a disgrace. He should apologize to the President and then resign his Senate seat. He's not worthy to be dogcatcher in Bisbee.
I do not know where some of the people get your information but if you have ever been in the military service, there are some things you can not discuss due to the security of the country, base, or person of interest. All people say is this and that and do not understand how sensitive this incident could be. Everyone saying this and that before the investigation is still on going. Their are people here listen to the media and usually do not know their butt from their hands. Before you really can comment on something you do not know nothing about, it is good to wait for the investigation report is out. I do not care on which party affilation you are, stop taking everything you hear running with before the truth is out.
Thank you... finally. I've made that point before. Not only do you have to deal with an investigation on foreign soil, but you also have to deal with an unstable government, various groups with different agendas, juggling diplomacy with various parties (covert and non), and so on. Things are not black or white - most often they are grey with all variations in between. I suspect there is much information we do not know for good reason, which is also why Gen. Petraeus is testifying behind closed doors. I also know there may be things we will never know until they are de-classified down the road.
This is not to absolve anyone for doing a poor job - but I don't know all facts, I wasn't there and no one has shared intelligence with me, so I can't speculate on anything - including whether a poor job was indeed done.
Republicans just can't believe that THEY LOST!!! What a bunch of cry babies.
Shouldn't you be getting a fetus sucked outta you somewhere? They're free now
You should have heard the liberals in 2004 when George W. Bush was re-elected
Actually, dinsmo, I'm pro-life. Worked for Ohio Right to Life for six years. Organized and protested at Planned Parenthood a number of times. You are just a typical Neo-con who shoots off their mouth without knowing facts.
Hey, Marcus, good to see you again. When did they release you from the psych ward?
The day after you got out, missed you at dinner that night. Get your meds before check out?
It was really a melt-down in 2000 with Al Gore...you should have seen it
Why are you so pleased to have a President that lies to the American people? That is what Dictators do dum dum
Two questions on the same subject asked directly to the President were not answered in either case. (Once in the town hall debate and the other in his press conference this week)
1. "Who was it that denied enhanced security, and why?"
2. "On 9-11, did you issue any orders to protect their lives?”
1. The Republicans.
2. Yes.
"...Chaffetz said. "Look we have to make priorities and choices in this country. We have…15,000 contractors in Iraq. We have more than 6,000 contractors, a private army there, for President Obama, in Baghdad. And we're talking about can we get two dozen or so people into Libya to help protect our forces. When you're in tough economic times, you have to make difficult choices. You have to prioritize things..."
Golfsleft - Barack? is that you?
Thought not. Nice cover though
OVU DUMMYGIRL: People died because of his decisions and it has nothing to do with the election...if you had lost a relative in Libya maybe you wouldn't be kissing Obamas' rear and not listening to the facts. You are going to find out in a short while what a mess your hero has made and will make of our country...but I guess the only thing important to idiots like you are abortions and gay rights....what a pathetic fool.
OMG mcbeef, by your name you must work at McDonalds, What a Pathetic Fool
People died because the republicans in the House had to "prioritize things"...
How so Phil? Do tell, so I can break down your argument and show you how you're wrong
"...Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) acknowledged on Wednesday that House Republicans had consciously voted to reduce the funds allocated to the State Department for embassy security since winning the majority in 2010..."
"...Chaffetz said. "Look we have to make priorities and choices in this country. We have…15,000 contractors in Iraq. We have more than 6,000 contractors, a private army there, for President Obama, in Baghdad. And we're talking about can we get two dozen or so people into Libya to help protect our forces. When you're in tough economic times, you have to make difficult choices. You have to prioritize things..."
Sure, the republicans did finally, after all the years of Dems pushing for reduced military spending, decided to be fiscally responsible, and reduce spending for embassys and consulates, however, you fail to mention that funding remained at previous levels through Sept 30, after the attack in Benghazi. You also fail to mention that Mrs Lamb clearly stated that Financing, personel and assests were not an issue in any way shape or form in these issue. Lastly, you fail to mention that there are failsafes in this area, which include funding and personel from the state department and the marines, which would cover any shortfalls by the reduced funding directly to the embassys and consulates. But I guess none of that really fits your argument, so I can see why you don't mention it.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you guys bragging about how we're done with Iraq? Why have so many people there, if we're "done" with it. His point is clear, if we are done in Iraq, then pull the people out, and put the resources where they are needed.
People died because the Libyan ambassador disregarded instructions to NOT travel to Behghazi on or around the 9/11 anniversary date. His travel plans were not secure and the focus moved from the Tripoli embassy to the scantily fortified consulate office in Benghazi. Ambassador Christopher Stevens cannot escape culpability in contributing heavily to the target site selected. But Chris is very, very dead ~ and the pound of flesh is to be extracted from the living and for highly partisan purposes. King's incessant ramblings confirms that as do those of McCain, Graham, and a handful of others super zealots whose bitterness taints their reasoning.
Bottom line: House republicans cut the funding for added security then denied the request for more security 3 times...
If they really want answers, they need to look in the mirror
Looks like you can't read. That funding was cut, but wouldn't have affected anyone until sept 30.2012, after the Benghazi attack. Again you also ignore the failsafes, which will keep any real lack of resources from actually happening. Apparently democrats like to blindly throw money at things and clean your hands of it. You apparently don't understand that there are better, smarter ways to spend a dollar.
You also ignore that while you claim Republicans cut funding, you selectively leave out that democrats did too. A vote of 147 Republicans, and 149 Democrats passed that vote.
Sen. McCain, will you be attending today's meeting oooor looking for another news-media camera?
Come on, people. King could write the script for Petraeus' testimony and when delivered he would disagree with what he wrote for Petraeus to say. King bombed out on the "Fast and Furious" inquiry and every other anti-Obama pursuit he has initiated or played in and hopes to restore some credibility through the Benghazi obsession. He doesn't realize that he is being made to look the fool ~ even by members of his own party. Much the same can be said of McCain, Graham, and their new company punch Ayotte, on the other end of the Capitol hallway.
Once upon a time there was a place you Neo-cons would have been welcome. Too bad for you Germany lost the war.
Once upon a time there was a place you Liberals would be welcome. Oh wait, there still is... North Korea, Vietnam, China, Cuba... Hell...
Hey girlie, If your going to quote history, at least know what your talking about, The Nazi party were Socialists. The National Socialist German Workers' Party, commonly known in English as the Nazi party Read a book.
Nick,
You're a home schooled genius, right! Do you know the difference between socialism and fascism? Between dictatorship and communism? To call the Nazis socialists is equivalent to calling Sarah Palin Albert Einstein.
Since you're so up on history, answer one simple question: Why would the socialists in Germany wage war on the socialists in Russia? After all, according to your history research the Nazis were socialists just like the Russians, right?
You, Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman must have attended the same school--Dumbass U.....
To all you right wing bottom feeders. Four Americans die in Benghazi--tragic event. Thousand of Americans died in 9/11. Thousand more died in Iraq. Thousand more are dying in Afghanistan. BUT! No outcry from you bottom feeders on any of those deaths! Why is that!? Could it be because none of those despicable events can be tied to Obama, now could it?
You people are so pathetically predictable is not even funny. What happened to all the hoopla about the economy? About Jobs? About the deficit? Could it be that the main reason the economy isn't moving as fast as it could be because the Tea Party republicans are getting in the way? So, you pathetic bottom feeders need to stir up anything that will give you some sense of existence and continue to try to find enough smoke to blame on Obama.
GIVE IT UP! None of your crap worked during the election and it won't work now. The republicans lost the White house; they lost seats in the Senate; they lost seats in the House. THEY LOST PERIOD! Get over it! For once, use what little gray matter is still between your ears and concentrate on moving this country forward. The Benghazi affair will be resolved. And just like Fast-n-Furious, the truth will come out. Nothing regarding Benghazi will hurt Obama, no matter how much you bottom feeders keep stirring the feces.
I realize it sucks eating crow, but give it a good chew, swallow and move on. It will do wonders for your nervous system.......
Confused and inchoerent. Here is the Answer to your question. The Russians signed a pact thinking thru socialism communissm would be the result. Russia was not socialist dummy. Germany on the other hand felt differently. You see if you were not German and did not have blue eyes and blond hair you did not make the cut. Exactly like the formation of the healthcare plan and the takeover of the labor unions. Your too stupid to see the similarities of the attempted Govt takeover by socialist ideas. Google Russia they will describe COMMUNISM to your dumbazz.........AND YOU VOTE??????