“I don’t see how you could have anybody better qualified”

Benghazi:

1. The State Department had to issue a waiver for the consulate in Benghazi because security failed to meet its own basic security standards and those set forth in Federal law.

2. The Benghazi consulate had been bombed twice in the 5 months leading up to 09.11.12.

3. Specific threats had been made against the ambassador, the consulate, and other assets in Benghazi.

4. Increasing threats to and attacks on the Libyan nationals hired to provide security at the U.S. missions in Tripoli and Benghazi had been made during the 6 months prior to the attack.

5. On 10 June 2012, an assassination attempt had been made on the British ambassador, which led to the entire mission being abandoned.

6. Diplomatic cables warned of security concerns in Benghazi and flatly said the consulate could not withstand a coordinated attack.

7. The Red Cross had been attacked in May and al Qaeda had left threats there on the day of the attack mentioning the American consulate.

8. On 22 June 2012, Ambassador Stevens warned State that extremist groups were carrying out terrorists attacks, making threats against Western targets, and he believed that he was a target.

9. On 9 July 2012, Stevens requested State provide at least 13 more security personnel.

10. On 21 July 2012, the private security contractor, Nordstrom, warned State to be on high alert for terrorist activity. State refused to renew Nordstrom’s contract on 5 Aug and replaced it with a Welsh group, Blue Mountain, which had little knowledge of the conditions in Libya and hired inexperienced locals for $4 an hour.

11. On 2 August 2012, Stevens sent an urgent cable to Clinton requesting a “protective detail bodyguard.”

12. On 16 August 2012, the consulate security team leaves while sending a message directly to Clinton of the dire security situation.

13. On 8 September 2012, Libyan officials in Benghazi warned both Ambassador Stevens and Secretary Clinton of a pending attack on the consulate.

14. 4 hours before he was killed, Stevens cabled Washington. He told Hillary’s office that there were at least 10 al Qaeda groups openly training in Benghazi and he/and the consulate were operating under extremis conditions.

15. It was the 11th anniversary of the original 9/11.

Resist We Much on November 15, 2012 at 10:01 PM