Obama Admistration denied CAS to embattled CIA compound during Benghazi Attack.

[Menelik_I]

During the attack to the Benghazi Consulate, which Obama tried to blame on the Innocence of mulsim video and denied that it was a terrorist, a handful CIA operatives disobey orders to "stand down" received from top brass in order to rescue of the personnel from the consulate, escorted them to the CIA annex and then defended it for 4 hours under mortar and heavy automatic fire, during which they were repeatedly denied Close Air Support.

Apparently there were enough American forces in nearby Italian bases to rescues the team and the attack took enough time (+5 hours) and serious enough that Obama should have been in the loop to give a rescue order in case other people were too scared to escalate the situation.

I guess He was too busy golfing to make a gutsie call.

Is Obama responsible ? Discuss.

Fox News has learned from sources who were on the ground in Benghazi that three urgent requests from the CIA annex for military back-up during the attack on the U.S. Consulate and subsequent attack nearly seven hours later were denied by officials in the CIA chain of command — who also told the CIA operators to “stand down” rather than help the ambassador’s team when shots were heard at approximately 9:40 p.m. in Benghazi on Sept. 11.

Former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were part of a small team who were at the CIA annex about a mile from the U.S. Consulate where Ambassador Chris Stevens and his team came under attack. When they heard the shots fired, they radioed to inform their higher-ups to tell them what they were hearing. They were told to “stand down,” according to sources familiar with the exchange. An hour later, they called again to headquarters and were again told to “stand down.”

Woods, Doherty and at least two others ignored those orders and made their way to the Consulate which at that point was on fire. Shots were exchanged. The quick reaction force from the CIA annex evacuated those who remained at the Consulate and Sean Smith, who had been killed in the initial attack. They could not find the ambassador and returned to the CIA annex at about midnight.

At that point, they called again for military support and help because they were taking fire at the CIA safe house, or annex. The request was denied. There were no communications problems at the annex, according those present at the compound. The team was in constant radio contact with their headquarters. In fact, at least one member of the team was on the roof of the annex manning a heavy machine gun when mortars were fired at the CIA compound. The security officer had a laser on the target that was firing and repeatedly requested back-up support from a Specter gunship, which is commonly used by U.S. Special Operations forces to provide support to Special Operations teams on the ground involved in intense firefights. The fighting at the CIA annex went on for more than four hours — enough time for any planes based in Sigonella Air base, just 480 miles away, to arrive. Fox News has also learned that two separate Tier One Special operations forces were told to wait, among them Delta Force operators.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012...k-sources-say/

[Smedley Butler]

All I have to say you and the United States of America knows who is at fault!!!

[mrmouth]

Fox News has learned. Fox News also learned about the twitter messages from the group that claimed responsibility, that didn't exist.

And what the makes you think Obama would have made a call on this? In the unlikely event he was even alerted; he is going to override officers who make these calls for a living? Based on what was known, I likely wouldn't have granted a CAS request, either. And do we even know if that was feasible?

Obviously the US position was to keep, or foster more goodwill with the militias that were tasked with security. It really isn't a whole lot different than any other country that provides that first, and hugely important line of defense. Because Marines or not, they are not going to stop a concerted effort to enter an embassy, let alone this small compound.

[Menelik_I]

And what the makes you think Obama would have made a call on this? In the unlikely event he was even alerted; he is going to override officers?

A 5 hour long attack at an Consulate involving the kidnapping of the Consul himself ... and somehow Obama don't know ? I guess Bush really hated black people for being so in tune with Katrina.

As for overriding Officers, Obama is Commander-in-Chief and so He could override the orders, that wouldn't be something out of the Sci-Fi.

So the whole phone call at 3 am in the morning is just fiction I guess ...

Terrorists?

So now terrorists are responsible for you not rescuing your people or not giving a about them ?

[Sphere]

All I have to say you and the United States of America knows who is at fault!!!

Terrorists?

[Ketnix]

Terrorists?

That and brown people.

More on topic if I can try. Im guessing that the compound is in a pretty heavily built up area, its likely that no one had the nuts to call in CAS on such an urban area. Although collateral damage hasn't stopped us before!

[Sphere]

So now terrorists are responsible for you not rescuing your people or not giving a about them ?

It was either Terrorists or China.

I went with Terrorists.

[Menelik_I]

It was either Terrorists or China.

I went with Terrorists.

The Terrorists also prevented Obama from rescuing the Consulate personnel ?

[Eofor]

lol, "sources".

[Sphere]

The Terrorists also prevented Obama from rescuing the Consulate personnel ?

Nothing prevented Obama from rescuing them.

He wanted them to be killed, and he wanted it to look like it was because of protests against the anti-Muslim film. That way his policy of appeasement in the Muslim world would be justified.

[Modestus]

Not sure if CAS is the solution to everything.

[Gaidin]

Not sure if CAS is the solution to everything.


[IMG]http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk4/modestusphoto/EfDpB.jpg[IMG]

I read somewhere that CAS fixes everything. Even the things it breaks.

[Menelik_I]

Not sure if CAS is the solution to everything.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Apparently the people in the compound had a laser target designation device, and the bombing would sure scare the Jesus out of the terrorists and maybe make them rethink the attack.

Or you telling me that people don't run in terror when they are under bombs ?

[Captain Jin]

Apparently the people in the compound had a laser target designation device, and the bombing would sure scare the Jesus out of the terrorists and maybe make them rethink the attack.

Or you telling me that people don't run in terror when they are under bombs ?

I've seen the Taliban stay and fight despite taking hits from HIMARs.

Anyway, like I said, CAS isn't necessarily the right answer here but I have trouble believing something couldn't have assisted them.

I will say the most troubling thing out of an article that was talking about this is that the CIA team was there attempting to buy back or track down 20,000 MANPADs that got divvied out after the fall of Ghaddafis regime and no one knows where they went... awesome.

Btw this is a MANPAD




...yay.

[Menelik_I]

I've seen the Taliban stay and fight despite taking hits from HIMARs.

Anyway, like I said, CAS isn't necessarily the right answer here but I have trouble believing something couldn't have assisted them.

I will say the most troubling thing out of an article that was talking about this is that the CIA team was there attempting to buy back or track down 20,000 MANPADs that got divvied out after the fall of Ghaddafis regime and no one knows where they went... awesome.

Btw this is a MANPAD




...yay.

I bet the Air Force misses the days when life was more boring.

But if I remember correctly there was a lot of SAM and MANPADS fears during the Libyan war, so that there was a lot of electronic warfare escort during airstrike, I don't remember clearly but it seems strike missions from the British and French were designed to evade such kind of threats.

It would be more dangerous to make a helicopter insertion than making a bomb run with fast jets, but I might need to read some military blogguers on this one to see if CAS wasn't an option.

[Modestus]

Or you telling me that people don't run in terror when they are under bombs ?

I doubt very much if after a strike there would be much running.

You would want to be sure you hit the right target, Mr President we have just blown up our Ambassador.

[Captain Jin]

I think they should have been supported and while maybe not with close air support certainly with a unit like Delta; however I don't see how that is Obama's fault. Probably more like the spineless jellyfish that was next up in the chain of command to frightened to make a decision for fear of his own career. Standard really. It's very easy to deny support when it's not your ass getting lit up. I learned that from experience.

[removeduser_4536284751384]

Well, I still think a Republican president would make the CIA more aggressive in these situations.

[Captain Jin]

Well, I still think a Republican president would make the CIA more aggressive in these situations.

To be honest the Obama administration hasn't really shied away from increasing covert action across the globe. When you think about they stepped up the drone campaign and have also increased activity for special operations and drone strikes in Yemen. Special Operations are also seeing increased activity across North Africa; specifically in the Maghreb. Also consider the SEAL Team Six on The Maersk-Alabama shooting as well as the hostage rescue mission launched into Somalia itself earlier this year, also by SEAL Team Six. As well as Operation Celestial Balance, a raid into Somalia by JSOC personnel to target and kill an Al Qaeda linked leader. On top of that you have all manner of CIA SAD types and possible other JSOC personnel on the deck with forces fighting Al Shabaab and also targeting Al Qaeda operatives for C-130 Specter gunships. And this is just what we know about. Buddies of mine in the embassy in Uganda said there were a number of times where Special Forces types showed up at the embassy for a bit, disappeared a few days, and then showed up again back at the embassy and it was pretty certain they were operating in Somalia.

It's also pretty widely believe by those in the know that Obama administration has been using the CIA and its paramilitary arm, the Special Activities Division extensively. They were thought to be in Libya during the civil war and are thought to be in Syria even now. And he has been using them as targeted killings for certain leaders in Al Qaeda and affiliated networks. And that SAD teams went to Georgia to seek out militants that fled from Afghanistan and Pakistan to take refuge with Chechen separatists in the Pankisi gorge.

So actually, in reality, Obama's administration has been more aggressive with the use of the CIA.

[mrmouth]

This is really the first administration to really take the leash off. Which makes the backhanded nature that some in that community have exhibited towards Obama even more absurd. That is, when you accept that none of it has legs.