Fake scandals/Benghazi
"Benghazi" refers to an attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya on 2012-09-11 by a heavily armed group in which four diplomatic mission members died, including ambassador Chris Stevens.
Members of the Republican Party and the political Right in general have repeatedly accused the Obama administration of:
- failing to take adequate precautions before the attack
- acting improperly during the attack
- Myth: Obama issued a "stand-down order" to troops which might have helped turn back the attack.
- orchestrating a cover-up involving these and other questionable actions
Reality
In January 2014, a bipartisan investigation found no evidence of intentional delay or obstruction by US personnel.
In August 2014, a two-year investigation by the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee found that:
- there was "stand down" order
- there was no intimidation of witnesses by superiors
- there was no intelligence failure prior to the attack
Despite this, and with no apparent evidence whatsoever, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has called the HIC investigation "a piece of crap" and Representative John Boehner (R-OH and House Speaker) has vowed to reconvene the investigation in the 114th Congress -- and will presumably keep re-investigating it until it gets the answer he wants or there is a Republican in the White House.
Links
Reference
News
- 2012-09-12 Romney Campaign Attacks Obama Over Mythical Apology to Embassy Attackers "The embassy statement was not a response to the attacks because it was issued several hours before the attacks even occurred." Actual administration response from Hillary Clinton: "I condemn in the strongest terms the attack on our mission in Benghazi today. As we work to secure our personnel and facilities, we have confirmed that one of our State Department officers was killed. We are heartbroken by this terrible loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and those who have suffered in this attack. [...]there is never any justification for violent acts of this kind."
- 2013-11-01 'Benghazi Hoax' Strikes CBS' '60 Minutes': fake witness lies about the incident on national TV
- 2014-01-15 Fox Benghazi Myths Dispelled By New Bipartisan Review: a bipartisan committee investigation "found no evidence of intentional delay or obstruction by the Chief of Base or any other party" or that US personnel, including in the IC (Intelligence Community) or DoD, prevented the mounting of any military relief effort during the attacks.
- 2014-07-10 Yet another setback for Benghazi conspiracy theorists: The testimony of nine military officers undermines the "stand-down orders" theory
- 2014-08-01 House panel: No administration wrongdoing in Benghazi attack: Mike Thompson announces findings; panel votes to declassify the report, but intel agencies will have to approve making it public
- 2014-11-21 House Intelligence Committee's Benghazi Report Torches Conspiracy Theories: report is released
- 2014-11-22 Republicans Finally Admit There Is No Benghazi Scandal
- 2014-11-24 Lindsey Graham Throws A Hissy Fit After Benghazi Report Debunks GOP Conspiracy Theories (Video): Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said: "I’m saying the House Intelligence Committee is doing a lousy job policing their own. I’m saying that anybody who has followed Benghazi at all knows that the CIA deputy director did not come forward to tell Congress what role he played in changing the talking points. And the only way we knew he was involved is when he told a representative at the White House, I’m going to do a hard review of this, a hard rewrite." but offered no evidence to support these claims; John Boehner pledges to "reappoint Representative Trey Gowdy and the Republican members of the House Select Committee to investigate the events in Benghazi in the 114th Congress."