Benghazi: Military Commanders Face Questioning - The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation

by Helle Dale

June 25, 2013 at 4:35 pm

The laundry room at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. (Photo: MCT/Newscom)

On Wednesday at 9 a.m., Members of Congress will once more try to pry answers from U.S. military leaders regarding the disastrous absence of military response to the terrorist attack on Benghazi.

The hearing will be held behind closed doors by the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. The hearing has the potential to find answers to some of the most troubling questions regarding Benghazi.

Witnesses will be retired General Carter Ham (commander of Africa Command at the time of the Benghazi attack on September 11, 2012), Lieutenant Colonel Steve "Hoot" Gibson, and Rear Admiral Brian Losey.

Gibson is the focus of much controversy. He was the Army officer who, while in command of a small group of special operators, received "stand down" orders as he was trying to move from Tripoli to Benghazi to come to the aid of the U.S. personnel under attack, according to the emotional testimony of Gregory Hicks, deputy chief of mission in Tripoli. The stand down orders, which deeply frustrated Gibson, is said to have been issued by Losey, the former special operations commander for Africa.

However, General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in testimony in May denied that any orders to stand down had been given. Hearing from Gibson will be crucial for the committee's investigation.

Armed Services Committee members should ask a number of specific questions:

Who gave the orders for Gibson's team to move, and why were those orders countermanded? Stopping a rescue mission is far more decisive than allowing it to go forward. There must have been a reason.
Why was the Commanders in Extremis Force, of which Losey was in charge, not available for the emergency in Benghazi—which was precisely the kind of situation it was intended for? The team made it only as far as Sigonella airbase in Italy.
Why weren't more robust contingency plans in place given the threat in the area of Benghazi?
Was shrinking readiness and capabilities a factor in leaving us with a military that is too stretched to adequately respond to high-risk threats?

The committee hearing has the potential to find answers to some of the most troubling questions regarding Benghazi. Members should keep digging until we get to the bottom of what went wrong.

Posted inProtect America [slideshow_deploy]

Benghazi: Military Commanders Face Questioning - The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation
http://blog.heritage.org/2013/06/25/benghazi-military-commanders-face-questioning/

John Hames

Superbowl anti-gun ad, hope it backfires on them

PAT DOLLARD YOUNG AMERICANS 11 Hours Ago Bloomberg to Air Gun Control Ad During Superbowl Feb 2, 2013Toro520 Via The Associated Press: NEW YORK (Associated Press) – A gun control group founded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is airing a Super Bowl advertisement calling for background checks. The 30-second spot by Mayors Against Illegal Guns will air in the Washington area during the game between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. The ad calls on lawmakers to pass rules requiring background checks on guns. It is narrated by children, with “America the Beautiful” playing in the background. It includes decades-old footage of National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre saying the gun lobby group approves of the checks. LaPierre recently testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that the NRA no longer supports background checks for all gun sales. A Bloomsberg spokesman would say only that the ad cost in the six-figure range....

PM Briefing: Rolling Stone Editor Torches His Liberal Colleagues: ‘The American Left Has Lost Its Mind’

Rolling Stone Editor Torches His Liberal Colleagues: ‘The American Left Has Lost Its Mind’ Rolling Stone Editor Torches His Liberal Colleagues: ‘The American Left Has Lost Its Mind’ READ STORY ADVERTISEMENT South Philly Men Teach Leftwing Scum That Bothering Neighborhoods Where They Aren’t Welcome Is a Dumb Move READ STORY Fulton County DA Tells CNN He’s Considering Murder Charges Against Atlanta PD Officer READ STORY Jonathan Pie Might Not Be A Household Name In America, But His Take On Social Unrest Proves He Should Be READ STORY ...

Your NRA-ILA Daily Alert

Catch up with the daily NRA-ILA Alert! view the web version of this email DAILY ALERT FOR Wednesday, September 2, 2020 THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON August Shatters Another Gun Sales Record August 2020 saw more gun sales than any other August on record as Americans continue to rush to gun stores at a record pace. A Washington Free Beacon analysis of FBI data released on Tuesday found a 57 percent increase in sales compared to August 2019. There were at least 1.6 million sales in August 2020. BREITBART Alleged Armed Robber Shot Dead by Car Wash Customer An alleged armed robber in Roseville, Michigan, was shot dead by a car wash customer around 7 p.m. on Tuesday night. FOX NEWS Wi...

Search This Blog