Unfolding Benghazi Disaster Destroying American Confidence

American Thinker

By Elise Cooper

If you are an American warrior, not only do you have to worry about the enemy, but you also need to wonder if the American government will have your back. As more and more details come out about the Benghazi attack, it becomes clear that the president and his advisers had ample notice and time to send in reinforcements. The statement, by the founders of Special Operations Speaks PAC, summarized the feelings of many in the military: “When Obama called the SEALs, they got bin Laden. When the SEALs called Obama, they got denied.” American Thinker interviewed some former American warriors to get their opinions on what transpired.

Slain U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, and the security officers there repeatedly reported the intensifying lawlessness and violence in eastern Libya as reasons why more security was requested. It is obvious that the Obama administration was aware of the threat months ago and should have heeded the warnings by putting measures in place. Michael Hayden, the former CIA director, told American Thinker, “Even though the ‘fog of war’ may have prevented them from knowing what to do during the attack, they should not have been caught off-guard completely, given the deteriorating security. A fundamental question is, what was the plan for security, since an attack like this was always possible? Everyone knew this was a very dangerous place and getting worse. There was no lack of evidence of the threat.”

Why did this administration watch passively for seven hours and make no attempt to put people in position to respond to the consulate attack once it began? All interviewed agree with a former CIA operative who said that some sort of help should have been sent. “During a sense of urgency, we should do anything humanely possible to help. Not doing anything is not the way it goes. There should always be an understanding to try to save the lives of Americans when attacked.”

Former army veteran and captain in the National Guard Pete Hegseth, who heads Concerned Veterans for America, does not give any credence to the “fog of war” excuse being used by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. He cites all the factors that should have shown this administration what was happening in real time: an aerial drone providing surveillance, a real-time video, mortars being fired, and e-mail requests being sent out. He believes that “the reality is there was no appetite for anyone to be sent there. The job of any commander, including the commander-in-chief, is to cut through uncertainty. In this situation, we had people on the ground relaying what was happening, so how much uncertainty could there have been? We needed a decisive leader who understood his priorities. It is shameful we did not do everything we could have to rescue them. This is no surprise, since President Obama doesn’t sit down to get many intelligence briefings.” Hegseth went on to say that those serving overseas in dangerous places would wonder if this administration puts American lives first.

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