| Hillary Falls On The Benhazi Sword |
| Oct-16-2012 |
| Keywords: clinton, takes, responsibility, benghazi, state department |
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton takes the fall for the administration's confused understanding of the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya that claimed the lives of four U.S. citizens.
On the eve to tonight's debate, Clinton in an interview from Peru Monday night took responsibility for the security lapses at our consulate in Benghazi.
"I'm in charge of the State Department's 60,000-plus people all over the world (at) 275 posts. The president and the vice-president wouldn't be knowledgeable about specific decisions that are made by security professionals. They're the ones who weigh all of the threats and the risks and the needs and make a considered decision."
Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans died in the assault on the consulate in Benghazi. Administration officials initially suggested that the attack was "spontaneous" violence that grew out of protests over an anti-Islam film, rather than a premeditated attack.
Regarding the idea that the attacks were born out of "spontaneous" protests, an assertion the administration made for nearly 11 days following the attack, Clinton,attributed the administration's shifting story to "the confusion you get in any type of combat situation."
"Remember, this was an attack that went on for hours," Clinton said in an interview with Fox News during a trip to Peru. "There had to be a lot of sorting out. ... Everyone said, here's what we know, subject to change."
The Obama administration and in particular the State Department are facing mounting questions as to why requests for increased consulate security were not authorized.
""The decisions about security are made by security professionals. But we're going to review everything to be sure we're doing what needs to be done in an increasingly risky environment," Clinton said.
Clinton also addressed questions regarding a June explosion at the consulate in Benghazi that some feel should have raised security concerns.
"I can't speak to who knew what," she said. "We knew there were security breaches and problems throughout Libya. That's something that came about as the aftermath of the revolution to topple Qaddafi, with so many militias formed, so many weapons loose. ... It was taken into account by security professionals as they made their assessments."
Three Republican senators said Clinton's claim was "a laudable gesture," but they put the responsibility for the Benghazi attack and what they called "an escalating pattern of attacks this year in Benghazi" squarely on President Obama and his national security team.
"If the president was truly not aware of this rising threat level in Benghazi, then we have lost confidence in his national security team, whose responsibility it is to keep the president informed. But if the president was aware of these earlier attacks in Benghazi prior to the events of Sept. 11, 2012, then he bears full responsibility for any security failures that occurred," Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire said in a statement released late Monday.
It is unclear as to how Clinton's claim of responsibility will shield the President from future criticism, but it is a safe bet the terrorist attack will come up in the presidential debate. |
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Posted by Lou Dobbs Staff at 6:00 PM Email to a friend |
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