Rice: Wish We Were Perfect

[bigtree]

Statement by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, November 27, 2012

Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
Washington, DC
November 27, 2012



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, Acting CIA Director Michael Morell and I met with Senators McCain, Graham, and Ayotte to discuss my September 16th public comments regarding the attack against the U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, and the intelligence assessments that formed the basis for those comments. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss these issues directly and constructively with them.

In the course of the meeting, we explained that the talking points provided by the intelligence community, and the initial assessment upon which they were based, were incorrect in a key respect: there was no protest or demonstration in Benghazi. While we certainly wish that we had had perfect information just days after the terrorist attack, as is often the case, the intelligence assessment has evolved. We stressed that neither I nor anyone else in the Administration intended to mislead the American people at any stage in this process, and the Administration updated Congress and the American people as our assessments evolved.

The Administration remains committed to working closely with Congress as we thoroughly investigate the terrorist attack in Benghazi and bring to justice the terrorists responsible for the tragic deaths of our colleagues, Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods. We also look forward to the findings of the Accountability Review Board and the FBI investigation.


read: http://usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/201072.htm

related:

McCain: Rice admitted she was wrong on Benghazi
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/11/27/mccain_rice_admitted_she_was_wrong_on_benghazi


. . . good thing McCain has never made any false statements to the American people

[Berlum]

1. Republicans: "But we need to go on lying about Benghazi. It's a bogus issue, but it's all we got."

[kelliekat44]

2. +++1,000

[elleng]

3. 'incorrect in a key respect: there was no protest or demonstration in Benghazi.'

and the repugnant repugs are gonna try to spin this line out of this world.

[bigtree]

7. I recall it was the Egyptian media which first reported 'protests' about an 'anti-Muslim' movie

from truthout: http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/17644-benghazi-the-selective-memory-of-republicans-and-the-media

Before the Obama administration had issued any findings whatsoever regarding the potential cause of the attacks, protestors were on international television demonstrating and screaming about this obscure video that practically no one had even heard of before and had been re-released just a few weeks prior. So, when the people on the ground who are actually doing the protesting are telling you that the reason they are protesting is because of some anti-Muslim video, then why would the U.S. Government NOT believe them.

As reporting at the time revealed, it was the protestors themselves who first stated that the reason they were angry and demonstrating was because of the anti-Muslim video (and might I say that the media ran with it) so why is it being conveniently forgotten that the “facts on the ground” (as our military lovers like to say) showed a completely different view of the attacks and the reason behind them than what would later come out?

[blue_heron]

4. True Diplomat

To issue this professional statement, and not stoop to their level, shows that she is a genuine diplomat capable of representing our country and not let those who might want to twist her words draw her into a bar room brawl that does not serve any purpose.

Keep your head high Susan. Make them look like fools.

[elleng]

9. Yes and she's been EXTREMELY open and fair-minded about mccain,

saying she's always respected him!!! (even after she clearly didn' always. Years ago, they had a different kerfuffle.)

[godai]

5. Everyone involved knew on 9/12 that this was a terrorist attack which occurred on 9/11.

I was watching AlJazeera on 9/12 and they had a reporter at the deserted compound. A neighbor indicated that 4 pickup trucks with black flags came and blasted the compound.

I believe there were efforts to spin this past the election, understandably so. But, now the consequences of what was said then remain. Small issue for me but Repubs love this kind of stuff.

[dennis4868]

8. Thank you for that..

FOX News analysis. Too bad the facts dont agree with you but hey, why let that get in your way.

[godai]

11. If I show you the video, will you admit you're wrong?

Or, are you the one running from the facts?

[trumad]

10. I didn't fucking know

and neither the fuck did you

Ugg

[godai]

12. You're not involved. n/t

[trumad]

13. And either are you

[oswaldactedalone]

14. I recall something very similar regarding the possibility

of the attack not being linked to a protest. I recall Richard Engel being interviewed about it within 24 hours of the attack and him saying that evidence on the ground, types of weaponry and shells, didn't match up with a riot gone bad. It looked more like a planned attack to him.

If the reporter on the ground was reporting this, it does call into question why the CIA didn't want the info released. If you buy their justification that the reference to Al-Qaeda was changed because we didn't want them to know we were on to them, then you have your answer.

Personally, I don't think the White House, CIA, or Ms. Rice did anything wrong. This whole thing is about the Repigs trying to score points or trump up something on Obama to keep talk of impeachment going. Ultimately, the result would be to weaken him politically and take legislative advantage as a result.

[Angry Dragon]

6. mccain belongs in prison