Merged State Department admits there was no protest at Benghazi consulate

[A'isha]

Has this thread been informed of the rumor that a Gen. Ham, chief of Africom, wanted to send in the Spec OPs he had lined up but his 2nd in command relieved him of duty? Ham is now suddenly 'retiring'. Seems the army was ready to go in, but the pols said no.

Yes.

EDIT: AFRICOM's response. And I highly recommend reading the LSU fansite thread that started (and is still the sole source for) this whole thing, especially the replies from other posters who describe themselves as serving military personnel.

 

[Bill Thompson]

The State department also says that that Obama and company were watching the events in real time in the Situation Room and listened to Tyrone Woods cry for help.

The State department also says that that Woods rescued 30 staff members defying Obama's orders to stand down and before he rushed back in to try to save Stevens.

Hillary knew it was not about the youtube video against Mohammed but that did not stop her from comforting Charles Woods by saying that the government would find and convict the persons responsible for the anti-Islamic video.

THis clown train needs to be replaced. If we wait for reelection, impeachment will give us a president Biden

 

[Checkmite]

We get it. The State Department is really slow at organizing new Marine detachments for embassies. We got that from the previous post.

No, you didn't get it. The point was that embassies don't just "get" Marines as a matter of course, but only if the specific embassy handles sensitive classified material or documents. The marines don't guard the embassy, they guard the classified material.

You asked, "why wasn't a team of Marines sent to secure the compound"?

The answer is because there was no classified material at that office which needed protecting or destroying.

 

[Checkmite]

The State department also says that that Obama and company were watching the events in real time in the Situation Room and listened to Tyrone Woods cry for help.

The State department also says that that Woods rescued 30 staff members defying Obama's orders to stand down and before he rushed back in to try to save Stevens.

Hillary knew it was not about the youtube video against Mohammed but that did not stop her from comforting Charles Woods by saying that the government would find and convict the persons responsible for the anti-Islamic video.

THis clown train needs to be replaced. If we wait for reelection, impeachment will give us a president Biden

Wrong. Fox's unnamed "sources on the ground" claimed that Woods defied "high-ranking" CIA orders to stand down; which the CIA has stated is untrue. Nobody mentioned Obama giving orders until this post of yours, not even the Fox article. The State Department has not said that Woods defied any orders.

 

[A'isha]

After ten pages of silence since his OP, the originator of the "General Ham was fired because he was going to disobey orders and send special forces troops into Benghazi" rumor just returned to the LSU fansite thread that is the sole source for the right-wing blogosphere's "news" items about it, where he says "[Y]ou are right, I do not know what I am looking at. I do not have a basis for comparison. That is why I listed this as a rumor from the beginning. I am really shocked that this post has been picked up like it did. I thought we would discuss it for part of a day in here and it would be forgotten."

Then, to counteract the posts made by people in the thread who identify as active-duty military personnel that contradict his rumor, he offers this analysis, posted at a blog whose "About" page says

A blog of Lucas. He really want’s the world to understand what the new golden age is and the road that leads to it. Telling of Disclosure, ET’s , The spiritual site of it, and interesting news that passes.

Lucas is since his awakening around 1999 been figuring out what this means and finding his way in the now. He is also experienced UFO siting and has since he was young the gift of connection with the 4th dimension. He sees or hears people who have passed. He also does healings and he is connected strongly with his spacebrothers and sisters ancestors roots. Lately there is also a connection to the 5th dimension. Sometimes beings connect with short messages in his mind and he sees pictures or moving pictures of things happening in front of his third eye. He ones had an experience of what Steve Beckow mentioned as Bi-location. It’s something like being in two places together at the same time. Seeing and hearing in both worlds at ones.

In meeting a lot of lightworkers and being one himself he has been clearly sent the message that communication with others to explain or help them further in the now and awakening is what he has to do.

A lot of interesting people crossed his path. A friend of his Adèle ( a human form angel on this earth), Maarten Horst (a light warrior for disclosure with his own radio show with the name ET First Contact Radio), Steve Beckow, Suzanne Spooner, Tyco Malps, SaLuSa and lots more. He has being taught in the workings of herbs, essential oils and crystals and the healing by LemurianSpirit . He also is a master teacher of magnified healing. He writes and paints as well and gives also readings and healings.

His blogroll includes links to David Icke, Galactic Channelings, The 2012 Scenario, and some site called Ex[periment] Planet Earth - Galactic Soul Fusion.

So, you know, I'm convinced.

 

[theprestige]

No, you didn't get it. The point was that embassies don't just "get" Marines as a matter of course, but only if the specific embassy handles sensitive classified material or documents. The marines don't guard the embassy, they guard the classified material.

You asked, "why wasn't a team of Marines sent to secure the compound"?

The answer is because there was no classified material at that office which needed protecting or destroying.

Fair enough. On the other hand, here's what the State Department has to say about embassy security:

The [Department of State] special agents, also called regional security officers (RSOs) when serving abroad, manage security programs and also provide the first line of defense for our personnel, their families, U.S. diplomatic missions, and national security information...

Often, in times of crisis and political instability, RSOs rely on the U.S. military for assistance. Unified commands have the capability to supply post with combat-equipped troops, e.g., Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Teams (FAST), to augment post security requirements...

In addition to [Security Engineering Officers], RSOs depend upon Marine Security Guards, U.S. Navy Seabees, surveillance detection teams, local guards, cleared American guards, local investigators, host government officials, and other DS elements... These entities play a crucial role in the DS security efforts overseas.

At our highest threat posts, RSOs may often require further security assistance. In those instances, DS dispatches Mobile Security Teams from Washington to conduct training for embassy personnel... These teams also provide emergency security support to overseas posts, including protective security for COMs, surveillance detection operations, and assistance with post evacuations. In cases where the host country is either unable or unwilling to provide necessary security for the conduct of American diplomacy, specially trained DS special agents lead contractor-provided personal protection teams and guard services in areas of ongoing conflict.

Source: http://www.state.gov/m/ds/about/overview/c9004.htm

So. I don't doubt for an instant that if the State Department really wanted to increase security for a really important mission, and the only resource available was a Marine Security Detachment, they'd deploy them without delay, and nobody would bat an eyelash at your Alleged Rule that MSDs only guard classified material.

But, okay, State claims to have a pretty diverse and comprehensive catalog of security resources it can bring to bear on a wide range of situations. It's not like they were caught between "Marines or nothing" and decided to go with nothing.

They had other options. They had access to military assets constituted especially for this kind of scenario. They had access to cleared contractors. They had access to specialized security teams within the State Department itself. They even had access to Marines. So, again, we're back to the question: Did State not think the mission was important? Did they not think it was at risk?

 

[Newtons Bit]

No, you didn't get it. The point was that embassies don't just "get" Marines as a matter of course, but only if the specific embassy handles sensitive classified material or documents. The marines don't guard the embassy, they guard the classified material.

You asked, "why wasn't a team of Marines sent to secure the compound"?

The answer is because there was no classified material at that office which needed protecting or destroying.

A Marine FAST team was deployed to Libya the day after the consulate and annex attack. Now, either new classified information suddenly and miraculously got created overnight that suddenly justified new security or your facts suck.

I'm going with the latter.

 

[Checkmite]

A Marine FAST team was deployed to Libya the day after the consulate and annex attack. Now, either new classified information suddenly and miraculously got created overnight that suddenly justified new security or your facts suck.

I'm going with the latter.

First, and most importantly, +the "FAST" team is not the normal kind of detachment that typically "guards" embassies (that host classified material); the article itself describes them as a kind of emergency team sent in response to incidents like the one which happened. Ostensibly, if such an attack happened to an embassy which already had a small Marine "guard" contingent, a FAST team would be sent to that embassy as well.

Secondly, the article says the team was deployed to Libya; it does not say they were deployed to Benghazi. Obviously they didn't go there, since they never secured the Benghazi office. This suggests (at least to me) that the Benghazi consulate office is not considered especially important to their Libya mission. And why would it be? There are certainly no US diplomatic services there now which need protecting. If the US opens another consulate in Benghazi, it will likely be in some other office building.

 

[Newtons Bit]

First, and most importantly, +the "FAST" team is not the normal kind of detachment that typically "guards" embassies (that host classified material); the article itself describes them as a kind of emergency team sent in response to incidents like the one which happened. Ostensibly, if such an attack happened to an embassy which already had a small Marine "guard" contingent, a FAST team would be sent to that embassy as well.

Secondly, the article says the team was deployed to Libya; it does not say they were deployed to Benghazi. Obviously they didn't go there, since they never secured the Benghazi office. This suggests (at least to me) that the Benghazi consulate office is not considered especially important to their Libya mission. And why would it be? There are certainly no US diplomatic services there now which need protecting. If the US opens another consulate in Benghazi, it will likely be in some other office building.

And yet... they're still Marines.

 

[tyr_13]

And yet... they're still Marines.

He was talking about 'getting Marines' as in 'getting Marines stationed there regularly'. Were you unclear on this?

 

[Newtons Bit]

He was talking about 'getting Marines' as in 'getting Marines stationed there regularly'. Were you unclear on this?

Incorrect. He stated that embassies ONLY get marine guards if they host classified information. That is complete . The Marines have a unit called FAST that they send to embassies (amongst other places) to bolster the protection against attacks. They were deployed multiple times throughout the Arab Spring.

And then, there's the ridiculous comment that the marines only guard the classified material held at an embassy, which is in direct contravention to what the State Department states on their duties.

 

[tyr_13]

Incorrect. He stated that embassies ONLY get marine guards if they host classified information. That is complete . The Marines have a unit called FAST that they send to embassies (amongst other places) to bolster the protection against attacks. They were deployed multiple times throughout the Arab Spring.

And then, there's the ridiculous comment that the marines only guard the classified material held at an embassy, which is in direct contravention to what the State Department states on their duties.

I was under the impression that what was being discussed was a Marine Security Guard detachment. I could be mistaken, or everyone could be talking past each other.

It is a little like someone saying that Marines weren't stationed at the World Trade Center (I have no idea if they were or not, not the point) but that 'they got them and they're Marines'.

I'll restate my other questions more specifically with this team in mind. Were there technical, diplomatic, or mundane reasons why this FAST team was not in Benghazi for the attack? Where were they? Was there good reason to have them elsewhere?

 

[Checkmite]

Incorrect. He stated that embassies ONLY get marine guards if they host classified information. That is complete . The Marines have a unit called FAST that they send to embassies (amongst other places) to bolster the protection against attacks. They were deployed multiple times throughout the Arab Spring.

And then, there's the ridiculous comment that the marines only guard the classified material held at an embassy, which is in direct contravention to what the State Department states on their duties.

I had assumed we were discussing permanent Marine attachments to the embassies, not last-minute temporary response units.

You specifically asked:

Why didn't the compound have a Marine Security Detachment on the premises before the attack?

The answer is, not every embassy has or gets a permanent Marine attachment as a matter of course.

ETA: Questions, since the Benghazi office was just a consulate office, not an embassy compound: even in countries which have Marine Guard Detachments at our US embassies there, do those guards also guard the outlying consulates? Do they accompany the ambassador everywhere he goes? If so, how many?

 

[Newtons Bit]

I had assumed we were discussing permanent Marine attachments to the embassies, not last-minute temporary response units.

You specifically asked:

That's what theprestige said. This was me:

But what part of that explains why a FAST unit (or any other non-marine security unit for that matter) wasn't deployed before the attack?

It would help if you could distinguish between different posters.

 

[Checkmite]

That's what theprestige said. This was me:



It would help if you could distinguish between different posters.

The link you posted describes FAST teams as crisis response teams. The answer to why a FAST team wasn't deployed before the attacks is "because they're FAST teams". From your link:

The Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Teams, under the authority of the US Navy's chief of operations, were formed in 1987 to provide a fast response to security threats after a series of terror attacks in the 1980s and 1970s.

"These companies are called on to protect forces and installations when a heightened security threat requires it," states the unit's website.

Since there was no specific terrorist threat against the Benghazi consulate before the attack, a FAST team was not present.

 

[Newtons Bit]

The link you posted describes FAST teams as crisis response teams. The answer to why a FAST team wasn't deployed before the attacks is "because they're FAST teams". From your link:



Since there was no specific terrorist threat against the Benghazi consulate before the attack, a FAST team was not present.

Still dodging I see. You could at least admit you're attributing someone elses comments to me.

In any event there was plenty of threats against the ambassador prior to the attack. You're dodging, but dodging into fire instead of out of it. Source. Which leads me to ask, again, why was there such a limited security presence (marine or otherwise) protecting the ambassador? As far as I can tell, the ambassador had one(!) former Navy SEAL protecting him.

 

[tyr_13]

Weren't there a lot of threats against a lot of US assets in that region at that time?

 

[Checkmite]

Still dodging I see. You could at least admit you're attributing someone elses comments to me.

In any event there was plenty of threats against the ambassador prior to the attack. You're dodging, but dodging into fire instead of out of it. Source. Which leads me to ask, again, why was there such a limited security presence (marine or otherwise) protecting the ambassador? As far as I can tell, the ambassador had one(!) former Navy SEAL protecting him.

You're continuing to make presumptions about the nature of diplomatic security. Are consulate offices typically protected? Are ambassadors typically protected by a phalanx of troops in these situations, no matter where they go?

It's no question that there was plenty of security at the actual embassy in Tripoli, considering the earlier-posted complaint that forces deployed from there during the attack but "took too long to arrive" in Benghazi.

Perhaps a fair question would be to ask, why did the ambassador decide to leave the security of Tripoli with (allegedly) only a single bodyguard, and travel to an area that in his own diary he called alarmingly dangerous?

 

[Newtons Bit]

Weren't there a lot of threats against a lot of US assets in that region at that time?

Yes. So why wasn't the ambassador's security team strengthened?

 

[Newtons Bit]

Perhaps a fair question would be to ask, why did the ambassador decide to leave the security of Tripoli with (allegedly) only a single bodyguard, and travel to an area that in his own diary he called alarmingly dangerous?

Wow, you've now blamed the victim. Your attempts to defend the Obama administration at all costs have crossed the line into desperation.