CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack, sources say

[bengalrick]

I just don't know what to say at this point... Call it Monday morning quarterbacking I guess, but I don't see how we had enough forces VERY near by and couldn't save these lives.

[url="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/"]http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/[/url]

[i][b][size=5]CIA operators were denied request for help during Benghazi attack, sources say[/size][/b][/i]

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[i][size=4]Fox News has learned from sources who were on the ground in Benghazi that an urgent request from the CIA annex for military back-up during the attack on the U.S. Consulate and subsequent attack several hours later was denied by U.S. officials -- who also told the CIA operators twice to "stand down" rather than help the ambassador's team when shots were heard at approximately 9:40 p.m. in Benghazi on Sept. 11. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]Former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods was part of a small team who was at the CIA annex about a mile from the U.S. Consulate where Ambassador Chris Stevens and his team came under attack. When he and others heard the shots fired, they informed their higher-ups at the annex to tell them what they were hearing and requested permission to go to the consulate and help out. They were told to "stand down," according to sources familiar with the exchange. Soon after, they were again told to "stand down." [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]Woods and at least two others ignored those orders and made their way to the Consulate which at that point was on fire. Shots were exchanged. The quick reaction force from the CIA annex evacuated those who remained at the Consulate and Sean Smith, who had been killed in the initial attack. They could not find the ambassador and returned to the CIA annex at about midnight. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]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. There were no communications problems at the annex, according those present at the compound. The team was in constant radio contact with their headquarters. In fact, at least one member of the team was on the roof of the annex manning a heavy machine gun when mortars were fired at the CIA compound. 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. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]A Special Operations team, or CIF which stands for Commanders in Extremis Force, operating in Central Europe had been moved to Sigonella, Italy, but they too were told to stand down. A second force that specializes in counterterrorism rescues was on hand at Sigonella, according to senior military and intelligence sources. According to those sources, they could have flown to Benghazi in less than two hours. They were the same distance to Benghazi as those that were sent from Tripoli. Specter gunships are commonly used by the Special Operations community to provide close air support. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]According to sources on the ground during the attack, the special operator on the roof of the CIA annex had visual contact and a laser pointing at the Libyan mortar team that was targeting the CIA annex. The operators were calling in coordinates of where the Libyan forces were firing from. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters at the Pentagon on Thursday that there was not a clear enough picture of what was occurring on the ground in Benghazi to send help. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]"There's a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking going on here," Panetta said Thursday. "But the basic principle here ... is that you don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on." [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]U.S. officials argue that there was a period of several hours when the fighting stopped before the mortars were fired at the annex, leading officials to believe the attack was over. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]Fox News has learned that there were two military surveillance drones redirected to Benghazi shortly after the attack on the Consulate began. They were already in the vicinity. The second surveillance craft was sent to relieve the first drone, perhaps due to fuel issues. Both were capable of sending real time visuals back to U.S. officials in Washington, D.C. Any U.S. official or agency with the proper clearance, including the White House Situation Room, State Department, CIA, Pentagon and others, could call up that video in real time on their computers. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]Tyrone Woods was later joined at the scene by fellow former Navy SEAL Glen Doherty, who was sent in from Tripoli as part of a Global Response Staff or GRS that provides security to CIA case officers and provides countersurveillance and surveillance protection. They were killed by a mortar shell at 4 a.m. Libyan time, nearly seven hours after the attack on the Consulate began -- a window that represented more than enough time for the U.S. military to send back-up from nearby bases in Europe, according to sources familiar with Special Operations. Four mortars were fired at the annex. The first one struck outside the annex. Three more hit the annex. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=arial, sans-serif][size=3][background=transparent]
[i][size=4]A motorcade of dozens of Libyan vehicles, some mounted with 50 caliber machine guns, belonging to the February 17th Brigades, a Libyan militia which is friendly to the U.S., finally showed up at the CIA annex at approximately 3 a.m. An American Quick Reaction Force sent from Tripoli had arrived at the Benghazi airport at 2 a.m. (four hours after the initial attack on the Consulate) and was delayed for 45 minutes at the airport because they could not at first get transportation, allegedly due to confusion among Libyan militias who were supposed to escort them to the annex, according to Benghazi sources. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]The American special operators, Woods, Doherty and at least two others were part of the Global Response Staff, a CIA element, based at the CIA annex and were protecting CIA operators who were part of a mission to track and repurchase arms in Benghazi that had proliferated in the wake of Muammar Qaddafi's fall. Part of their mission was to find the more than 20,000 missing MANPADS, or shoulder-held missiles capable of bringing down a commercial aircraft. According to a source on the ground at the time of the attack, the team inside the CIA annex had captured three Libyan attackers and was forced to hand them over to the Libyans. U.S. officials do not know what happened to those three attackers and whether they were released by the Libyan forces. [/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]
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[i][size=4]Fox News has also learned that Stevens was in Benghazi that day to be present at the opening of an English-language school being started by the Libyan farmer who helped save an American pilot who had been shot down by pro-Qaddafi forces during the initial war to overthrow the regime. That farmer saved the life of the American pilot and the Ambassador wanted to be present to launch the Libyan rescuer's new school.[/size][/i][/background][/size][/font][/color]


[i][size=4][color=#000000][font=arial, sans-serif]Read more: [url="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/#ixzz2AQSy8GYy"]http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/#ixzz2AQSy8GYy[/url][/font][/color][/size][/i]

[alwaysabengal]

All I needed to read was "Fox News has learned from sources". Typical political move for them.

[bengalrick]

wow really? Should I do the same for those that I think are biased?

[alwaysabengal]

If thats the way you see it, sure.

[bengalrick]

lol ok... When CBS posts a story, I will read it and decide if it makes sense... Its called using logic and reasoning.

Now if sites like MotherJones.com or GlennBeck.com post stuff, I avoid those.

[Lewdog]

FoxNews never gets anything right. Haven't you figured that out by now?

So since the attack on the consulate, there has been news that the head guy there had been asking for weeks to get more security. Then there was news that the U.S. contracts out the responsibility of guarding the Consulate to a British firm then subcontracts it out to local men, who have absolutely no training. The news breaks that Hillary knew about this and the impending threat that was given in advance of it actually happening. Then Obama comes out and said it was his fault not Hillary's. Then a report comes out that the head guy at the consulate was a sympathizer with rebels and that was why he died. Now this story comes out saying the CIA offered to help ans turned down? This sounds like a bunch of monkeys fucking footballs. What's next?

[bengalrick]

I am not joking, I have lost track of what the 'official' story is. It is breathtaking how messed up all of this has became.

It isn't usually the act that gets politicians in trouble, it is the cover up...

[Lewdog]

[quote name='bengalrick' timestamp='1351275200' post='1174769']
I am not joking, I have lost track of what the 'official' story is. It is breathtaking how messed up all of this has became.

It isn't usually the act that gets politicians in trouble, it is the cover up...
[/quote]

I tried to recap it as best as I could, is there anything else I missed? I'm surprised they didn't try to blame it on the dog that some soldier raised money to bring home.

[|kennethmw|]

[quote name='bengalrick' timestamp='1351274464' post='1174762']
wow really? Should I do the same for those that I think are biased?
[/quote]

If you think that makes sense, I don't see why not. However, my criteria for "news sources" is whether they've gone to court to get support for lying to the public or not.

[Lewdog]

[quote name='kennethmw' timestamp='1351278616' post='1174793']
If you think that makes sense, I don't see why not. However, my criteria for "news sources" is whether they've gone to court to get support for lying to the public or not.
[/quote]

You won't read this because you have me on ignore, but at some point in time, every big shot news agency has been sued at one time or another.

[|kennethmw|]

Condoleeza Rice.

http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/10/25/1089691/condi-rice-pours-cold-water-libya/

[bengalrick]

[quote name='kennethmw' timestamp='1351285440' post='1174826']
Condoleeza Rice.

[url="http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/10/25/1089691/condi-rice-pours-cold-water-libya/"]http://thinkprogress...ld-water-libya/[/url]
[/quote]

Interesting... As the previous Sec of State, her opinion certainly matters. I still have a hard time ignoring all of this but def interesting. I can understand that we don't want to send a bunch of soldiers into a fire storm but we had predator drones watching the whole thing, it took literally hours for all of this to unfold, and we had soldiers ready and willing to go...

[b]I guess fox news is ok if it fits your own opinion though or is it the fact that thinkprogess.com posting it on their website overrides the evil network and makes it ok?[/b]

[Lewdog]

[quote name='bengalrick' timestamp='1351286369' post='1174829']
Interesting... As the previous Sec of State, her opinion certainly matters. I still have a hard time ignoring all of this but def interesting. I can understand that we don't want to send a bunch of soldiers into a fire storm but we had predator drones watching the whole thing, it took literally hours for all of this to unfold, and we had soldiers ready and willing to go...

[b]I guess fox news is ok if it fits your own opinion though or is it the fact that thinkprogess.com posting it on their website overrides the evil network and makes it ok?[/b]
[/quote]

If the government will send blackhawk helicopters, and then send a shit load of soldiers on a rescue mission and destroy the helicopters, why would they not do something for a consulate? An attack on a consulate isn't treated the same as an actually attack on the U.S., but everything inside those gates is consider part of the U.S.A.

[|kennethmw|]

[quote name='bengalrick' timestamp='1351286369' post='1174829']
Interesting... As the previous Sec of State, her opinion certainly matters. I still have a hard time ignoring all of this but def interesting. I can understand that we don't want to send a bunch of soldiers into a fire storm but we had predator drones watching the whole thing, it took literally hours for all of this to unfold, and we had soldiers ready and willing to go...

[b]I guess fox news is ok if it fits your own opinion though or is it the fact that thinkprogess.com posting it on their website overrides the evil network and makes it ok?[/b]
[/quote]

Think Progress! But remember, even a broken clock is right twice a day!

[|Lucid|]

[quote name='bengalrick' timestamp='1351286369' post='1174829']
Interesting... As the previous Sec of State, her opinion certainly matters. I still have a hard time ignoring all of this but def interesting. I can understand that we don't want to send a bunch of soldiers into a fire storm but we had predator drones watching the whole thing, it took literally hours for all of this to unfold, and we had soldiers ready and willing to go...

[b]I guess fox news is ok if it fits your own opinion though or is it the fact that thinkprogess.com posting it on their website overrides the evil network and makes it ok?[/b]
[/quote]

I think the difference that matters to me is FOX news cites "unnamed sources who were familiar with the incident", whereas this report is a video someone speaking on the record.

[|Bunghole|]

Okay. This "news" is certainly troubling. It sounds like the Obama administration watched these people die in real time in the Situation Room if this Fox report can be believed **eats huge chunks of salt**

So: are any [i]other[/i] news organizations reporting something similar to this? That's the million dollar question, isn't it?

[bengalrick]

Fair enough Lucid... You make a good point. But it does answer some questions and could at least partly be confirmed...


But I know, every good lie has some truth to it so I guess we'll just have to wait and let history write this narrative.

Bung, I hope this can be confirmed or denied in the coming days...

[bengalrick]

The fact that Tyrone Woods was indeed stationed miles away from the attack but was one of those killed has to ring of some truth.

His father speaks out here:
[url="http://www.ibtimes.com/father-tyrone-woods-former-navy-seal-murdered-libya-us-consulate-attack-reacts-new-information-i-do"]http://www.ibtimes.com/father-tyrone-woods-former-navy-seal-murdered-libya-us-consulate-attack-reacts-new-information-i-do[/url]

[i][color=#555555][font=CharisSILRegular, Georgia,]“This news that he disobeyed his orders does not surprise me. My son was an American hero, and he had the moral strength to do what was right … even if it would have professionally cost him his job, even if it would have cost him his life.”[/font][/color][/i]

[i][color=#555555][font=CharisSILRegular, Georgia,]“The reason I’m speaking out right now is that after the facts came out that the White House [...] watched my son and denied his pleas for help, my son violated his orders to protect the lives of at least 30 people,” he said, adding, “He risked his life to be a hero; I wish the leadership in the White House had the same level of moral courage that my son displayed.”[/font][/color][/i]

[|Lucid|]

Angry words of a grieving father reacting to these reports doesn't validate them. Is the charge here that the administration wanted them to die? Or didn't give a shit? I really find that hard to believe.. I couldn't stand W, but I didn't believe it when people were saying he didn't care about the black people killed in Katrina either. Something tells me that Condoleeza has a more realistic view of this.

[|Lucid|]

I have been scanning the various news sites and no one is running this story except right wing mouth pieces.. It may be true, but that is a little red flag.

[Lewdog]

I think just the fact a report was leaked claiming the Ambassador that was killed, was sympathetic to the rebels. That in my mind is a play by the higher ups in Washington to try and deflect some of the blame. We all know that there are going to be sometimes when the government is willing to sacrifice a few in order to save many. Nothing made that more obvious than during 9/11 when the government gave permission to shoot down the plane that ended up crashing in PA. There is no way, they were going to allow that plane to get anywhere close to NY or DC. Once the planes crashed into the WTC they knew this was some kind of terrorist attack and there would be no other way to save 1,000's of lives than to shoot it down.

[|Lucid|]

It's a little fishy that right wing media outlets are releasing this breaking story with no named sources less than 2 weeks before the election and no "center line" outlets are running it.. If the President was watching Americans get murdered via drone, had plenty of time to save them and did nothing, it would be huge news.. Why is no one else reporting this?

[Lewdog]

Is the NY Post a biased paper? Here is a link to an article that says drone were flying over head while the attack happened.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/us_watched_as_terror_raged_AypAEEA9OK23rPf7Z5BHWO

[bengalrick]

[quote name='Lucid' timestamp='1351293711' post='1174859']
It's a little fishy that right wing media outlets are releasing this breaking story with no named sources less than 2 weeks before the election and no "center line" outlets are running it.. If the President was watching Americans get murdered via drone, had plenty of time to save them and did nothing, it would be huge news.. Why is no one else reporting this?
[/quote]

I thought it was somewhat common knowledge that there were drones watching this, with live feeds to the situation room in the White House.

[url="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57540712/military-response-to-benghazi-attack-questioned/"]http://www.cbsnews.c...ack-questioned/[/url]

[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][i]Two and a half hours after the attack began, an unarmed predator drone was diverted from a surveillance mission over another part of Libya to the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. [/i][color=#000000][i]That, plus a second unarmed drone dispatched four hours and 15 minutes later, were the only U.S. military forces sent to the scene of the attack. Commandos were dispatched from Europe to an air field in Sigonella, Sicily, but by the time they got there the attack in Benghazi was over.[/i][/color][/font][/size]

[color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][url="http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2012/10/25/benghazi-obamas-actions-amount-to-a-shameful-dereliction-of-duty/"]http://www.forbes.co...iction-of-duty/[/url][/font][/color]

[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][background=transparent][i]Based on documents released by the House Oversight Committee, the day of the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, September 11, the White House situation room starts receiving emails at about 1 pm that the mission is under hostile surveillance. [b]The only response was that the Pentagon sends a drone armed with a video camera so that everyone in [url="http://www.forbes.com/places/dc/washington/"]Washington[/url] can see what transpires in real time, as it happens, at the White House, at the State Department, at the Pentagon, at the CIA.[/b][/i][/background]
[background=transparent][i]The drone documents no crowds protesting any video. But at 4 pm Washington receives an email from the Benghazi mission that it is under military style attack. Subject: “U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi Under Attack.” The email states,[/i][/background][/font][/size]
[indent=1]
[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#2F3236][background=transparent][i]“The Regional [url="http://www.forbes.com/security/"]Security[/url] Officer reports the diplomatic mission is under attack. Embassy Tripoli reports approximately 20 armed people fired shots; explosions have been heard as well. Ambassador Stevens, who is currently in Benghazi, and four COM personnel are in the compound safe haven. The 17[sup]th[/sup] of February militia is providing security support.”[/i][/background][/color][/font][/size][/indent]

[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][background=transparent][i][b]The attack was then fed to all of them, the White House, the Pentagon, the State Dept., the CIA, through live video feed. [/b] A later email that day reported, “Ansar al-Sharia Claims Responsibility for Benghazi Attack.” The feed showed no protest of any supposedly offensive You Tube video.[/i][/background][/font][/size]

[bengalrick]

[quote name='Lucid' timestamp='1351292972' post='1174855']
Angry words of a grieving father reacting to these reports doesn't validate them. Is the charge here that the administration wanted them to die? Or didn't give a shit? I really find that hard to believe.. I couldn't stand W, but I didn't believe it when people were saying he didn't care about the black people killed in Katrina either. Something tells me that Condoleeza has a more realistic view of this.
[/quote]

I don't think Obama didn't care or anything like that. I am not questioning his morality here, but I am certainly questioning his decision making while it happened and the fact that it seems like he is trying to cover it up.