White House Spokesman Jay Carney later specified that the criticism of the administration's handling of the Benghazi attacks was one of those "phony scandals". [38] Within months of the start of the Libyan revolution in February 2011, the CIA had begun building a covert presence in Benghazi. By the end of 2012, Eric J. Boswell, the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, resigned under pressure, while three others were suspended. [242] However, the 2014 final report by the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee found that during the days immediately following the attack there was confusion among intelligence analysts as to the origin of the attack, leading to an initial assessment that it was the spontaneous outcome from a protest. Also on September 20, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a classified briefing to U.S. [5] [6] Stevens is the first U.S. ambassador killed in an attack since Adolph Dubs was killed in 1979. The crowd almost certainly was a mix of individuals from across many sectors of Libyan society. Anybody who tells you that what happened to our ambassador and our consulate in Libya was as a result of a protest over an offensive movie, you should ask them why they think that. Rice and Sen. McCain", Leila Fadel, "Consulate Attack Preplanned, Libya's President Says", "Protesting Libyans storm militant compound in backlash against armed groups", "Libyan protesters force Islamist militia out of Benghazi", "UPDATE 3-Libyan Islamist militia swept out of Benghazi bases", "Libya orders militias to operate under government control or disband", "Libyan troops raid rogue brigade's base", "Libya's army evicts unauthorized militias", "Hundreds of Libyans hand over their weapons", "Libyan militias amass weapons as rivalries surface", "President Obama Discusses the Attack in Benghazi, Libya", "Remarks by the President on the Death of U.S. Embassy Staff in Libya", "US Marine anti-terrorism team heads to Libya: official", "Marine anti-terrorism team dispatched to Libya after diplomats killed", "U.S. launching apparent terrorist hunt in Libya", "Obama vows to track down ambassador's killers", "Remarks on the Deaths of American Personnel in Benghazi, Libya", "Years of warning about embassy security preceded Libya attack", "U.S. vows to hunt down perpetrators of Benghazi attack", "U.S. struggles to determine whether Libya attack was planned", "Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 9/14/2012", "Explanation for Benghazi Attack Under Scrutiny", "Ambassador Susan Rice: Libya Attack Not Premeditated", "Ambassador Rice spends Sunday reinforcing White House position that Middle East violence was 'spontaneous', "Transcripts, State of the Union with Candy Crowley, interview with Susan Rice", "September 16: Benjamin Netanyahu, Susan Rice, Keith Ellison, Peter King, Bob Woodward, Jeffrey Goldberg", "Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 9/18/2012", "Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Miami, FL, 9/20/2012", "As Carney labels Libya strike terrorism, Obama continues to incorrectly cite anti-Islam film", "Obama's Responses To Libya Questions At Univision Forum Contradicted By Reports Of The Attack", "Obama pressed on failures at Univision forum", "Obama defends embassy security during Univision town hall", "Univision's Town Hall Meeting With President Obama", "Republican senators decry 'useless, worthless' Clinton briefing on Libya attack", "Senate GOP furious newspaper got better briefing on Libya", "Anti-film ads in Pakistan feature Obama, Clinton", "Transcript: President Obama Talks to the U.N. about Mideast Peace, Iran", "Remarks by the President to the UN General Assembly", "Transcript: Obama address to U.N. General Assembly", Clinton Suggests Link to Qaeda Offshoot in Deadly Libya Attack, "Statement by the Director of Public Affairs for the Director of National Intelligence, Shawn Turner, on the intelligence related to the terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya", "Producer of anti-Islam film arrested, ordered held without bail", "State of the Union with Candy Crowley, Interview with John McCain; Interview with David Axelrod; Interview with Martin O'Malley, Roy Blunt", "FBI came to Benghazi and left in past 24 hours", "Whistle-blower: Botched talking points hurt FBI probe of Benghazi attack", "U.S. to Help Create an Elite Libyan Force to Combat Islamic Extremists", "CNN Fact Check: A day after Libya attack, Obama described it as 'acts of terror', "The truth about what Candy Crowley said", "Obama's claim he called Benghazi an 'act of terrorism', "Issa's Benghazi document dump exposes several Libyans working with the U.S.", "Interview with Senator McCain re Benghazi", "Hillary Clinton Benghazi Testimony Postponed After Secretary Of State Sustains Concussion", "Rep. Allen West accuses Hillary Clinton of faking concussion to avoid Benghazi testimony", "In Context: Hillary Clinton's 'What difference does it make' comment", "Hunter wants Congressional medal awarded to slain Benghazi SEALs", "H.R.1186 To posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to each of Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods in recognition of their contributions to the Nation", "After Benghazi, Marines approved for crisis response force", "Spain authorizes U.S. rapid reaction force in south", "Sources: 15 days after Benghazi attack, FBI still investigating from afar", "Congressman: Consulate attack in Libya was coordinated", "Intelligence chairman doubts Libya attack linked to video", "The Benghazi Transcripts: US military woefully unprepared for attack, documents show", "Romney Campaign, Media Collude in Unprecedented Politicization of Benghazi Attack", "White House: GOP Focus On Benghazi Tied To Mitt Romney", "Ambassador's dad says son's death in Libya shouldn't be politicized", "Gates: Some Benghazi critics have "cartoonish" view of military capability", "President Obama Dismisses Benghazi Criticism as 'Sideshow', "Obama calls Benghazi controversy a 'sideshow', "Carney Identifies Which Scandals Obama Thinks Are Phony: Benghazi And IRS", "Investigative Report on the Terrorist Attacks on U.S. Facilities in Benghazi, Libya, September 1112, 2012", "The House Intelligence Committee's report on Benghazi (op-ed)", "Navy SEALs secret medals reveal heroism during past 15 years", "Delta Force Marine awarded Navy Cross for fight at CIA annex in Benghazi", "2 US commandos involved in Benghazi rescue to be privately honored for bravery", "Libyan tied to Benghazi attack sentenced to 19 and a half years", "Study: Media accepted Obama version of Benghazi attack", "White House told of militant claim two hours after Libya attack: emails", "E-Mails Offer Glimpse at What U.S. [16][17][163] The militia compounds and many weapons were handed over to Libya's national army[17] in what "appeared to be part of a coordinated sweep of militia bases by police, government troops and activists" following the earlier demonstrations. [257] None of the other Benghazi investigations identified wrongdoing by any individuals. The government formed a "National Mobile Force" for the purpose of evicting illegal militias. (Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife) Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared on five major interview shows to discuss the attacks. April 27, 2011 / 4:03 PM / CBS/AP. For all these crimes, there have been no real investigations, no known arrests (except of one man, who managed to break out of prison in May 2013), and no known prosecutions. And the growing impunity only fuels the violence. The . GOP legislators also took issue with delays in the investigation, which CNN attributed to "bureaucratic infighting" between the FBI, Justice, and State. "[135] The Innocence of Muslims video triggered dozens of protests from northwest Africa to southeast Asia, including violent protests at American embassies in Tunis, Khartoum, Cairo, Sana and Jakarta. The four men were killed on Sept. 11, 2012, when a coalition of extremists attacked U.S. facilities in Benghazi. Friday is not only a day for solemn memorials for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks but it's also the somber anniversary of the Benghazi attack that killed four Americans. [48], In January 2014, the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence cast doubt on this alleged United States involvement and reported that "All CIA activities in Benghazi were legal and authorized. The U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack. The National also reported arms being hoarded in Misrata, despite simultaneous reporting by other outlets that militias were surrendering in Misrata.[171]. "[156] Another poll in Eastern Libya, taken in 2011, reported that the population was at the same time both deeply religious conservative Muslims and very pro-American, with 90% of respondents reporting favorable views of the United States. [259] No further public investigations have been conducted since. Their words were subtitled in Urdu. It also reaffirmed "the depth of relationship between the peoples of Libya and the U.S., which grew closer with the positions taken by the U.S. government in support of the revolution of February 17". [5] [6] Stevens is the first U.S. ambassador killed in an attack since Adolph Dubs was killed in 1979. [146] In July 2014 he was found dead in Libya. On July 26, 2013, prominent political activist Abdelsalam Elmessmary, who had denounced the murders and criticized Islamist groups three days earlier during a TV appearance, was killed while walking home. These teams were sent to Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy as a staging point on the night of the attack but did not deploy to Benghazi. WASHINGTON The death toll in Libya after more than two months of violence could reach as high as 30,000, an Obama administration official said Wednesday . Share this via Printer. In my three years in Libya, this is one of my most depressing duties. Share this via LinkedIn At the same time, a JSOC operator was using a hand-held device displaying images from a Predator drone above, which had been sent by the DOD's US Africa Command after request. It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, Senator. Four Americans died in the 2012 Benghazi attack: Ambassador Chris Stevens, Information Officer Sean Smith, [1] and two CIA operatives, [2] Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, [3] [4] both former Navy SEALs. "[204], On September 26, Clinton acknowledged a possible link between Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Benghazi attack.[205]. On September 16, the U.S. [141] He received financing from the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, petitioned Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri to establish a new Al-Qaeda affiliate he called al-Qaeda in Egypt,[140][141] and was subsequently detained by Egyptian authorities in December 2012. The security guards briefly detained the man before releasing him. One Libyan guard who was wounded in the attack was quoted as saying "there wasn't a single ant outside [before the attack]. Using these talking points as a guide, Rice stated: Based on the best information we have to date, what our assessment is as of the present is in fact what began spontaneously in Benghazi as a reaction to what had transpired some hours earlier in Cairo where, of course, as you know, there was a violent protest outside of our embassysparked by this hateful video. [89][verification needed], However, through September 14, CIA analysts made a contradictory assessment, stating "We believe based on currently available information that the attacks in Benghazi were spontaneously inspired by the protests at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and evolved into a direct assault against the U.S. Consulate and subsequently its annex. [82] Three agents returned to the main building in an armored vehicle, searched the building and found Smith's body, but not Stevens. [31][32][33][34][35] Surplus funds originally dedicated for use in Iran for fiscal year 2012 were to be redirected and obligated for use in Benghazi: an action that had to be completed before the end of the fiscal yearSeptember 30, 2012. What difference, at this point, does it make?! "[191], For actions in Benghazi during the attack, a Marine was awarded the Navy Cross, and a Soldier was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; their names have been held in secret. In the aftermath of the attacks, Republicans criticized the Obama administration and its then-secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is expected to run for president in 2016. The number of unlawful killings has been steadily increasing, and has now reached an average of one murder a day. Miftah Bouzeid, the editor-in-chief of Burniq newspaper known for his vocal opposition to Islamist militias, became the latest high-profile victim when he was shot dead on May 26. [170] The campaign has been less successful in other areas, such as the remote Nafusa Mountains, inhabited by the Nafusi-speaking Berber minority, where the Emirati news agency The National reported on September 23 that arms were being hoarded. The US ambassador to Libya dies after militiamen attack the consulate in Benghazi in protest at a US-made film said to insult the Prophet Muhammad. [232][233] Romney was accused by the Obama campaign of trying to exploit the attacks for political gain, leading the father of Ambassador Stevens to call for both campaigns to avoid making it a campaign issue. [173], After the attack, Obama ordered that security be increased at all such facilities worldwide. This nostalgic thinking is not unique, and could derail Libya's progress. Two former Navy SEALs who were among four Americans killed last week in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, died after rushing to the aid of their colleagues, according to sources . Magariaf, Amb. Share this via Reddit Instead of patting a weak government on the back, concerned countries should focus on Libya's fragmented justice and security sector. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. Two British protection officers were injured in the attack when their convoy was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade 300 meters from their consulate office. [38] In addition, it has been reported that in the summer of 2012, American Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) missions had begun to target Libyan militias linked to the Al-Qaeda network of Yasin al-Suri. ", "Remarks at Reception Marking Eid ul-Fitr", "Clinton: Libya Attacks By A 'Savage Group,' Not Libyan Government Or Its People", "Opinion Briefing: Libyans Eye New Relations With the West", "Eastern Libya poll indicates political Islam will closely follow democracy", "Survey of Public Opinion in Eastern Libya", Bob Schieffer, ""Face the Nation" transcripts, September 16, 2012: Libyan Pres. Libyans walk on the grounds of the gutted U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, after an attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. In February on 1942, the deportation of the Jews of Cyrenaica/Benghazi to the Giado concentration camp as part of the Final Solution for the Jews of Libya began, setting off "dealing", first . 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