[spence]

Originally Posted by detbuch

One of the few things actually confirmed in the investigations to which you like to refer, is State Dept., headed by H. Clinton, incompetence. In this article and those investigations, there is certainly no confirmation that the attack was not planned. The Obama admin. now classifies it as an ORGANIZED terrorist attack. There is such a thing as spontaneous organization in nature and to some degree in human affairs. But the implementation of it, once it occurs, requires some discussion, bargaining, and planning. There is certainly a strong implication of planning when a human activity is referred to as organized.

Sure the State department made mistakes, nobody is discounting that, but they were described as systemic mistakes. Did Clinton create any entirely new system when she became Secretary? Did Clinton direct any structural changes that complicated the interdepartmental communication?

The findings were that nobody was derelict in their duty...

Also, yes, it's not been "proven" it wasn't planned in advance but there's significant evidence that it also wasn't and our intelligence agencies have at times believed the video was a motivator.

Well, you make claims for which there is ZERO evidence.

Like what?

And no-one, except God and Spence always gets it right.

God is certainly wrong on occasion.

And what is your proof, again, that the video was the motivation for the attack

I've never claimed there is "proof" but there is substantial evidence that it could have been, evidence that was accepted by government analysts and relayed to the Administration.

The Senate investigation said that the attack didn't require significant amounts of preplanning. And much of al Qaeda hit and run attacks are sloppy and minimalist in planning. And none of that leads in the direction that there was no planning. Quite the contrary, when the totality of what is known, or testified to, is summed up, the notion that the attack was purely spontaneous is ridiculous.

You're contradicting yourself in this paragraph.

Additionally, It's not hard to believe that well armed and experienced militants couldn't get this attack together in a few hours.

So, in the broader picture, "What difference does it make" if the video had anything to do with the attack or not? The video was not necessary. It may have made it more convenient as a motive to stir up others to do damage to U.S. interests and to help, even in a little way, to eventually bring down the U.S. backed Libyan govt. Do you doubt that without the video, there would have been an attack?

There certainly could have been an attack in the future, but without the video scandal and a chance to derail a presidential campaign this entire story becomes far less substantial. If the video was a motivator, even if just influencing the timing or providing encouragement then a lot of the Administration criticism is baseless.

This by the way, is exactly what the ARB, Senate Intel and House Intel reports suggest.

And what about the even broader picture, the attempt to have a low profile of American power and influence as a matter of good will so as to pump up the Libyan govt's. feeling of control? Thus not providing more security (even though the CIA increased its security in the annex) which would be a visible presence of American power, control and interference.

The initial low profile in Benghazi was the desire of Amb. Stevens, not directed by the State Department. The failure to adequately increase security to match the threat environment has been studied and changes made to improve the process.

Why doesn't this have to mean there was a scandal? Oh yes, Clinton.

And the further failure of policy in supporting the overthrow of Ghaddafi leading to the predicted instability and violence, a repeat of Bush's so-called failure in Iraq?

If you were holding Bush to the same standard as you're holding Clinton he would have been invalid for a second term...or worse.

And unlike Bush, in Libya the United Nations had legal authority.

And oh, by the way, why are you so comfortable with the idea of Hillary telling a parent of one of those killed in the attack that she promised to prosecute the video maker, even though his video was not illegal. That sounds psychopathic or sociopathic to me as defined in psychology: "Both types of personality have a pervasive pattern of disregard for the safety and rights of others. Deceit and manipulation are central features to both types of personality."

First off, this was not a public statement so I don't know what she really said. Secondly, on the day (Sept 14) she allegedly said that the CIA analysts were pointing to the video as a key motivator for the attack.

If that was the case one would assume the DOJ would be looking for any legal justification to go after the film maker, which they found, and he was arrested...

Shame on the woman for trying to console a grieving parent.