CNN
Panetta on U.S. response to Benghazi attack: “This is not 911″
“This is not 911. You cannot just simply call and expect within two minutes to have a team in place. It takes time,” Panetta said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“We deployed,” he said. “We knew there were problems there. We moved forces into place where we could deploy them quickly if we had to. They were ready to go.”
However, he added, by the time officials got the information about the raids on the U.S. compound – which killed four Americans, including Stevens – the distance “made it very difficult to respond quickly.”
“That’s just the nature of dealing with the Middle East,” he said.
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No big deal right Leon? Sh*t happens huh…Gee thanks a lot…
Tim Zank on February 4, 2013 at 8:30 AM
What about seven hours, Leon? Could you have a team in place by then?
Washington Nearsider on February 4, 2013 at 8:30 AM
Who gave the stand-down order?
OldEnglish on February 4, 2013 at 8:37 AM
Yeah, 7 effin hours?
I could damn near drive to Chicago from my place in 7 hours, the U.S. military couldn’t at the minimum send a few Super Hornets over the place at supersonic to break some windows and scare the piss out of everyone? How long does it take to get a fighter jet from Naval Air Station, Sigonella to Benghazi?
You lying obfuscating trash.
Bishop on February 4, 2013 at 8:37 AM
No, it was just a terrorist attack on U.S. soil that killed American citizens. Oh, wait!
RadClown on February 4, 2013 at 8:41 AM
It wasn’t 9-1-1, it was 9-11.
Sekhmet on February 4, 2013 at 8:41 AM
A little over an hour for a Hornet. That’s assuming burner or near burner the whole way, so call it two hours including the stop at the KC.
There aren’t any of those in Sig though.
What WAS there, and on-station was an AC-130. I want to know who ordered the Spectre NOT to engage.
Washington Nearsider on February 4, 2013 at 8:41 AM
Where are the survivors? Why haven’t we heard from them? If this was a Consulate who was the Consul General, or acting Consul General? What sort of consular services were provided there?
claudius on February 4, 2013 at 8:58 AM
A commercial flight from Rome would get there in less than two hours. So, you were at least five hours late.
RadClown on February 4, 2013 at 9:01 AM
IOW, Panetta to US embassy, consulate, and diplomatic personnel…
“You are pretty much on your own. Don’t expect us to show up in time if you are attacked. Yeah, I know you are theoretically standing on sovereign US soil that the US military is supposed to defend, but you can’t count on it so don’t plan on it.”
Nice to know if you are one of the people who might be affected.
farsighted on February 4, 2013 at 9:40 AM
The whole thing was some CIA op that they don’t want anyone to know about, so it gets brushed under the rug.
Nothing to see here.
Neo on February 4, 2013 at 9:46 AM
Yeah, well it ain’t Watergate either, bucko.
How’s about you guys answer some of the questions that have been lingering since the attack?
Unless you’ve got something to hide, that is?
Do they still hang people for treason?
turfmann on February 4, 2013 at 9:49 AM
Kind of reminds you of that old joke: a plane crashes on a river. Which bank of the river do you bury the survivors on?
turfmann on February 4, 2013 at 9:51 AM
How do you know this? I heard there wasn’t one in theater.
But if it was there, where was it operating from?
blink on February 4, 2013 at 11:18 AM
What fighter jets do you think we had in Sig?
blink on February 4, 2013 at 11:18 AM
This might be exaggerated, but it tells a different story.
Again, I think the “response” argument from Republicans damaged the argument that Obama wanted people to think that Libya was a safe, happy place despite the opposite being true.
blink on February 4, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Shameless, unqualified liar and an embarrassment to our nation.
Christien on February 4, 2013 at 11:38 AM
THIS. And we are telling our enemies to have-at. Hillary and Panetta are nothing if not amateurs. They only care about their own lives and jobs.
Christien on February 4, 2013 at 11:41 AM