Clinton testifying re Benghazi

[flyboy56]

This is a fools errant. Nothing of substance will come from her testifying.

Just a bunch of grandstanding.

The truth is out there. But we had no business being in that god-forsaken country. When others pulled out, we should have pulled out.

I especially enjoyed listening to Clinton mentioning all of the embassies that had been attacked in the past, and then saying we should focus on how to keep this from happening again. Maybe if she had studied the previous reports after each one of the attacks she might have learned something that she could have applied to her security policies. It seems Madame Albright also refused to add security after it was requested and then that same embassy requesting the security was attacked. Yes, Madame Secretary, in hind sight...

[workerbee]

Go see for yourself.

Busy... Besides that what you gov workers are for.

[flyboy56]

He has only been here since Nov 2012 with 2,625 post. He has been busy posting. Now that could drive you crazy.

Bean counter.

[ms maggie]

OK, tell me who specifically denied the request for extending the DOD security team several months before the attack? If she had answered that question we should all know the answer.

Guessing you have never been in a leadership position. She says she is ultimately responsible. So she is to blame.

Are you expecting her to specifically point the finger at one person? Again, anyone who is a successful leader realizes you don't throw subordinates under the bus like that. Doubt if it was a "one person" decision in any event.

[johnpolitics]

Hillary killed. She was probably mad about the look Bill gave Kelly Clarkson Monday.

[Spot72]

Let's look at this from a historical perspective. On February 14, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Republicans’ proposed cuts to her department would be "detrimental to America’s national security" — a charge Republicans rejected.
House Republicans cut the administration’s request for embassy security funding by $128 million in fiscal 2011 and $331 million in fiscal 2012.

Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was a personal friend of Secretary Clinton. The truth seems to be that he was at the consulate in Benghazi and was warned not to be there. The embassy in Libya is in Tripoli, not Benghazi, and there seems to be agreement that Benghazi was a CIA operation. For the GOP to continue on this failed witch-hunt is shameful. Let's continue to look at history,

There were twelve terrorist attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities abroad during George W. Bush’s tenure — the most of any president in history, including in:

2002: US Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan: 12 killed, 51 injured.
2002: US Consulate in Calcutta, India, 5 killed.
2002: US Consular office in Denpasar, Indonesia.
2003: US Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan
2004: US Consulate in Uzbekistan: 2 killed, at least 9 injured.
2004: US Consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia: 9 killed.
2006: US Embassy in Karachi, Pakistan, 2 killed
2006: US Embassy in Syria: 4 killed, 5 wounded.
2007: US Embassy in Athens, Greece.
2008: US embassy in Serbia.
2008: US Ebassy in Yemen: 16 killed.
2008: US Consulate in Istanbul,Turkey: 6 killed.

Earlier today you saw that on one side of the room, serious Senators asking serious questions about how to improve embassy security, what resources are needed, practical, serious, probing. On the other side of the room, the appropriately named Flake and others keep asking about talking points for a TV show. In the meantime, the hearing makes clear that the House Republicans blocked funding for improved security as recently as this month.

McCain, Rand Paul and others continue to insist that there was some kind of conspiracy to cover up a security failure. But both President Obama and Secretary Clinton accepted responsibility from the beginning. By contrast, GW Bush and his neocon policy team NEVER accepted responsibility for their mistake in starting the Iraq war - despite the loss of thousands of lives and the waste of a trillion dollars. When they say that they're not satisfied by the Administration's answers what are they looking for exactly? For President Obama and Clinton to say "We were incompetent, we had terrible judgment, we lied to cover up, we are guilty and ashamed and will immediately resign from our positions and never appear in public again?" Constructive, forward looking suggestions from the right wing would be helpful. Do they have any, besides giving the DOD a blank check at the expense of all domestic programs, bombing Iran and seeing military intervention - or the threat of it - as the best way for America to further its interests worldwide?

[Spot72]

The Repubs want to hurt Hillary's reputation just in case she decides to run in 2016 but they're making themselves look bad in the process...

This is 100% a political witch hunt by a party on the decline looking for a scandal to distract America from what an abject failure they have been as legislators. The truth is even perfect procedures and processes don't guarantee perfect outcomes. Security for the ambassador and others at the consulate could have indeed been "perfect," but an unforeseen attack might still have resulted in the deaths of Americans, despite our government's best efforts at security.

We need to understand and appreciate that members of our Foreign Service often put themselves in harm's way to do the very work we send them to do on our behalf. We can choose to isolate ourselves from this dangerous world we live in, or we can engage that world through dedicated men and women like Chris Stevens. He and his colleagues knew the risks, and were willing to accept those risks to be the face of the United States in a frequently hostile world.

McCain, Flake, Rubio, Paul, Johnson, and others on the right dishonor the service of our diplomatic corps when they preen before the cameras, rather than participating constructively in how to improve the way our diplomats go about their very important, and frequently very dangerous, business.

[flyboy56]

Guessing you have never been in a leadership position. She says she is ultimately responsible. So she is to blame.

Are you expecting her to specifically point the finger at one person? Again, anyone who is a successful leader realizes you don't throw subordinates under the bus like that. Doubt if it was a "one person" decision in any event.

You can't spend 20 years in the military and sit at the bottom of the rung. I know exactly what it means to take full responsibility for my decisions. And if you knew anything about aviation you would know it is a very stressful and at times unforgiven field. People die when mechanics fail to do the job properly. And it was my responsibility to make sure they did the job right the first time. And I always knew which jobs were more critical prompting more attention. You would think Libya was high on Clinton's priorities considering..., yet to hear her speak, all of the embassies rated the same attention. That's what aviators say is a failure of "attention to detail." Sometimes you only get one shot, so you better make it a good one.

[Spot72]

This is a fools errant. Nothing of substance will come from her testifying.

Your right, the right does not have anything of substance against the Administration. Were there mistakes made? Sure! But the right fails trying to elevate these mistakes into some sort of scandal, which just doesn't compute. Keep trying, republicans. Perhaps one day, you'll find a scandal you can exploit. But not today! Republicans have repeatedly tried to make this into an election year political football and they have failed. The "losers" of the election thought that this would give them tread way, so they attempted to beat this story like a dead horse.

The Secretary of State has publicly taken personal responsibility for this failure. The corrective actions are being implemented. There is nothing more to see or to do here. There are no more scapegoats to be found. Secretary Clinton is departing from office soon. Now that the Republicans have gotten their last bit of political mileage out of this, this incident will be removed from their talking points. I believe the majority of the public are sad for the loss of life in Libya, but to make something out of all this instead of working to put our country together for good instead of tearing it apart for bad is not in anyone's best interest.

[Creekman]

He has only been here since Nov 2012 with 2,625 post. He has been busy posting. Now that could drive you crazy.

Flyboy is a name change artist!

[songfourone]

Brings back bad memories, eh?

You could say I was a Nurse Ratched

[flyboy56]

Your right, the right does not have anything of substance against the Administration. Were there mistakes made? Sure! But the right fails trying to elevate these mistakes into some sort of scandal, which just doesn't compute. Keep trying, republicans. Perhaps one day, you'll find a scandal you can exploit. But not today! Republicans have repeatedly tried to make this into an election year political football and they have failed. The "losers" of the election thought that this would give them tread way, so they attempted to beat this story like a dead horse.

The Secretary of State has publicly taken personal responsibility for this failure. The corrective actions are being implemented. There is nothing more to see or to do here. There are no more scapegoats to be found. Secretary Clinton is departing from office soon. Now that the Republicans have gotten their last bit of political mileage out of this, this incident will be removed from their talking points. I believe the majority of the public are sad for the loss of life in Libya, but to make something out of all this instead of working to put our country together for good instead of tearing it apart for bad is not in anyone's best interest.

Ms. Lamb testified she watched the event take place in real time during the October Congressional Hearing. This is on record. Clinton casually laughed it off saying Ms. Lamb may have been confused and that she was referring to being on a secure conference call with embassy personnel in Tripoli. Really, Lamb was confused about whether it was a live video feed and a telephone call?! Someone pinch me please!

[flyboy56]

You could say I was a Nurse Ratched

Doing the thorezine shuffle still?

[songfourone]

Doing the thorezine shuffle still?

That would be the Stelazine shuffle, and the Thorazine two step, and dont forget Vitamin H(aldol). I was the giver as opposed to the taker.

[flyboy56]

That would be the Stelazine shuffle, and the Thorazine two step, and dont forget Vitamin H(aldol). I was the giver as opposed to the taker.

You worked at a nut house?

[llubon]

Flyboy is a name change artist!

Most have notice.



The Republicans didn't just go crazy, its been happening for awhile. Its also one reason I left.
I should note, not all went crazy. There are still some who are honest and respectful.

[songfourone]

You worked at a nut house?

I worked at a psychiatric hospital on their admission unit, pediatrics, a grant for infection control/diseases, 30 years of nursing, it wasn't a job it was an adventure

[flyboy56]

I worked at a psychiatric hospital on their admission unit, pediatrics, a grant for infection control/diseases, 30 years of nursing, it wasn't a job it was an adventure

Well I sincerely applaud your service.

[llubon]

I worked at a psychiatric hospital on their admission unit, pediatrics, a grant for infection control/diseases, 30 years of nursing, it wasn't a job it was an adventure

Thank you for your service songfourone. I see you could have some valuable insight on a few subjects in this forum.

[Calamari]

Watching Clinton smack down the conspiracy crackpots has been hilarious.