GOOD MORNING WORLD
I have to become political again in my blog this morning much to the chagrin of some of my readers. I have watched this sorrow in Libya unfold these past 18 says, three days shy of three weeks. I have SAID a number of times that we are being governed by the Keystone Kops. These last 18 days are a real example of the scattered activity the Kops used to show except this is not funny.
On September 11, 2012 our embassy in Libya was attacked. Where were the news agencies? Some of them reported the disturbance and the attacks due to the anti-Islamic video. One news agency went where few reporters go anymore. FOX News Brett Baier on Special report took the time on 9-12 to give his viewers a timeline of events so that there might be some clarity in the confusion. He started with the attack on the United States Embassy in Libya on 9-11 and brought it forward to noon on 9-12 and to what he and his team of reporters knew up to the 6PM report of news. It was real news in the way Cronkite or Huntley/ Brinkley/Peter Jennings would have reported.
9-11 -He had the full quote on the screen for us to read of the statement put out at 6AM Tuesday
9-11 (noon Cairo time) that condemned the protests in Egypt due to the video. This was followed by pictures of the protestors tearing down the American flag and putting up the AlQaeda black flag. He reported that the protesters were heard chanting “We are all Osama.” He reported that at 5PM on Tuesday the attack on Benghazi was reported with the thought that one was dead and one wounded. He showed the tweets from the US Embassy in Egypt.
9-12 – At 5:30AM on 9-12 the news of Chris Stevens’s death was known.
At 9:57 Hillary says, “…this was an attack by a small and savage group…”
At 10:42 in the Rose Garden the President says, “The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack.” “…will increase security and bring to justice…”
In the reporting on “Special Report” Brett Baier spoke of the Romney statement and the Obama Campaign’s response. He reported that President Obama spoke with 60 minutes that afternoon and flew to Vegas for a pre-scheduled event.
On this same report on 9-12 Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House select Committee on Intelligence and himself a former FBI agent said, “It was a coordinated military style commando type raid that had both direct fire and indirect fire, military movements involved in it – this was a well planned well targeted event no doubt about it.”
The reports on the 9-12 “Special Report’ show went on to speak about Ambassador Stevens being carried to a hospital and dying from smoke inhalation. It reported that no Marines were guarding the US Consulate Headquarters. It showed reporters peppering Romney with questions about his statement. It told us that the Pentagon had sent forces to Libya and ships were on the way.
“Special Report” has kept on the story often coming out with information not reported any place else. Catherine Herridge has kept on the story for the last 18 days bringing information out that is real news even before the White House says anything. When they do it has usually confirmed what Catherine Herridge has already reported.
Last night Brett Baier gave another time line beginning on:
August 2012. At that time an unclassified report was filed. It was called “Al Qaeda in Libya – A Profile”.
Sept. 5-6 – The Democrat Convention focus was Osama is dead and GM is alive.
Sept. 10th – A video surfaces of Al Qaeda’s Amir and Spiritual Leader asking for Jihadists to avenge the death of a Libyan Terrorist who was killed in a drone attack in June
Sept. 11th – Expected protest erupt in Cairo after the anti-Islam video is played. I detailed the events of this day first in this post.
Sept. 12th – also previously written. The horror was the announcement of the deaths of 4 American citizens.
When going through this timeline last night Brett Baier said that according to sources the US Intelligence communities know knew this was an attack and listed it internally to unlock resources. It was believed it was Al Qaeda or Al Qaeda linked groups. This report has since been confirmed by FOX News.
Sept 12 – Obama makes an announcement, sits down with ’60 Minutes” and goes to Vegas
Sept 12th – CBS to their credit also covers news that puts the fact that this was an attack out in the open.
Sept 13th – State Dept. says security was okay
Sept 13th -Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State disavows the video
Sept 14th – Ambassador Chris Stevens and the other three courageous men return to America
Sept 14th – Sen. John McCain calls it terror
I must add a personal note here on Sept 14th we went to see the movie ‘2016’ and the last few frames showed the Middle East in flames. We came home and saw the same thing on our own television as reported from the Middle Eat that day.
Sept 16th – Susan Rice our Ambassador to the UN goes on 5 Sunday Talk shows to say it was not terrorist involvement it was due to a video.
Sept 17th – State Dept says we have to wait to label this.
Sept 18th – On the David Letterman Show President Obama says it is not war and blames the video
Sept 19th – Matthew Olsen the head of the NationalCounterterrorismCenter said on Capital Hill, “Yes, it was a terrorist attack.”
Sept. 20th – Jay Carney says via phone that it was self-evident that it was a terror attack
My investigative add:
On Sept 20th/21st multiple news agencies online reported that the August 2012 report said, “The report details Al Qaeda plans for Libya, including growth of a clandestine terrorist network that has attempted to hide it’s presence. The U. S. Military has concluded that Al Qaeda is in the final phase of a three step process for developing a full-blown Al Qaeda affiliate.” It showed Al Qaeda was currently in an expansion phase.
Brett Baier continued:
Sept 20th – President Obama told Univision ‘still under investigation’
Sept 21th – Hillary Clinton says, “What happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack.”
Sept 24th – On The View President Obama said, “…still doing an investigation, there is no doubt the kind of weapons that were used ah thth the ongoing assault that it wasn’t just a mob action.”
Sept 25th – Obama at the UN still references the video
Sept 25th – Hillary Clinton says, Al Qaeda … and other groups have launched attacks and kidnappings from Northern Mali into neighboring countries, now with a larger safe haven and increased freedom to maneuver terrorist are seeking to extend to increase their reach and their networks in multiple directions.”
Sept 27th – Leo Panetta, Secretary of Defense finally says “terror attack”
Brett Baier concluded with the fact that the FBI still is not in Benghazi. He also noted that Hillary Clinton’s statement on the 25th was just what had been in the report (I included it above 9-20/21) issued in August 2012. Then as he does each night he ended his program with the words – ‘fair balanced and unafraid.’
I wan to note before I conclude that in the meantime of all these days of our government acting like the Keystone Kops that CNN has been to Libya and at the scene and retrieved Ambassador Chris Stevens Diary.
I’ll leave all this information for you sadly not completed totally this morning. Too much to review and post. I read lots of news and do view other stations other than FOX. In this case they were one of the few to keep their eyes on the ball and keep us informed. Perhaps their news people really are Fair and Balanced.
…..ONWARD TO MORE MISADVENTURE…
ktsquared 