Report: Systemic failures led to Benghazi attacks
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A bipartisan Senate report on the attacks on the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, paints a picture of systemic failure of security for U.S. diplomats overseas that led to the deaths of the ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.
The intelligence community didn't send enough warnings, the State Department didn't take the warnings it did get seriously enough, and the military was caught flat-footed when called on to rescue those in need, according to a long-delayed Senate Intelligence Committee report released Wednesday.
U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, information technology specialist Sean Smith and CIA security contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty died in the attacks that took place Sept. 11-12, 2012.
The report goes so far as to say the attacks could have been prevented if the State Department had accepted security on offer from the military or had closed the Benghazi facility until it could have been better secured.
The report for the first time points specifically to Stevens for twice refusing the U.S. military's offer to keep a special operations team there that was providing extra security in the weeks before the attacks.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BENGHAZI_ATTACK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-01-16-03-12-54
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Republicans slashed diplomatic security budget, still trying to cut more
May 09, 2013
As part of the Republican majority that has controlled the House the last two years, Mr. Issa joined in cutting nearly a half-billion dollars from the State Department’s two main security accounts. One covers things like security staffing, including local guards, armored vehicles and security technology; the other, embassy construction and upgrades. In 2011 and 2012, President Obama sought a total of $5 billion, and the House approved $4.5 billion.
Utah teabagging Rep. Jason Chaffetz has been a leading proponent of Benghazi conspiracy theories, yet even he isn't shy to proclaim his votes against diplomatic security:
O’BRIEN: Is it true that you voted to cut the funding for embassy security?
CHAFFETZ: Absolutely. Look, we have to make priorities and choices in this country.
Their priorities have consequences. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton (among others) had long warned Republicans that they were weakening national security by cutting, well, security. Back in February of 2011:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emerged from a meeting with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) sharply critical of proposed Republican cuts to the State Department budget, warning they “will be detrimental to America’s national security."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/09/1208061/-Republicans-slashed-diplomatic-security-budget-still-trying-to-cut-more
She WARNED them (House Republicans). They didn't listen. They must be held accountable.
