On September 11, 2012, I woke up to the news of an attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other members of the diplomatic team were killed. For the entire next week, the Obama administration took the stance that this was a reaction to an anti-Muslim film trailer on youtube. Immediately, I questioned this. I woke up and noticed it was September 11th. (I’m sure they did too.)I also heard reports that the weapons in the attack were rocket propelled grenades. (Do you happen to have one of those lying around in your basement? How quickly could you get your hands on one in a “spontaneous attack?”) I thought that this had to be a planned terror attack. I also thought that leadership either at the State Department on in the White House conspired to hide this truth from the American people.
When leaders conspire to keep the truth from their followers, it is usually about maintaining power or increasing influence? Were power and influence the motive for this administration and the Hillary Clinton led State Department? Power is defined as the capacity to produce effects on others (House, 1984), or the potential to influence others (Bass, 1990, as cited in Classnotes.) Power isn’t something that a leader inherently has, but is something that the leader is given by the followers. If the President or the State Department felt like they were in danger of losing power, they might try to make the attack look less serious than it was. Further, the President, and the Secretary of State had “expert power.” They have been given authority, and they know more about geopolitics than the average person. This gives them credibility to act and exert their influence.
Influence is defined as “a change in a target agent’s attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors as a result of influence tactics.” (Classnotes) The State Department tried to change our opinions about terror in the Middle East and in this specific attack. They did this by citing an incendiary video, that was extremely insulting to Muslims. This emotional appeal was designed to distract us from the truth about what really happened in Benghazi. This appeal was an aspect of social proof. We act as a herd sometimes and follow others. (Classnotes) If other people believe that the attacks are just mobs attacking us because of a video, than the must be true. (No one would lie, right?) And, it’s also a function of liking. (Classnotes) President Obama is very likeable. Hillary Clinton is also very likeable. We admire them, and we trust them. (They wouldn’t lie to us, right?)
As evidence of the cover up, I submit the following timeline of events:
Months before the attack on the consulate, Ambassador Chris Stevens feared for his life. He wrote in his journal that he was part of an Al Qaeda hit list. (A report by CNN’s Anderson Cooper can be found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/post/cnn-vs-the-state-department-a-long-story/2012/09/23/36f4d9dc-051c-11e2-8102-ebee9c66e190_blog.html
Note that the state department was outraged the CNN released this information. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/24/cnn-journal-libya In fact, Hillary Clinton denounced CNN for reporting the journal’s contents. (Wemple 2012)
Sept. 11th – President Obama knew about the Benghazi Consulate terror attacks 90 minutes after they began. The ambassador’s body is dragged through the streets.
Further, FOX News Special Report stated that President knew about the attacks three hour after they occurred, but went to bed without knowing the status of the ambassador and our other lost men. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/09/obama-knew-about-benghazi-terror-attacks-three-hours-after-they-began-went-to-bed-video/s after they began.
Sept. 12th One day after the attack, Referencing the video, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said this in response to the attack: “The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind.”
The President then stated that as a nation of many faiths, we rejected the message on the video.
The video of the President’s remarks can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nu6VZ9DeVc&feature=player_embedded
Note at this point, internally, the state department has listed this as terrorism internally, however the White House and the State Department will continue to classify this as a response to a video.
Press Secretary Jay Carney said,“There is no question that in the region, including in Cairo, there were demonstrations reacting to the release of that video.”
On Sept. 15th Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice went on five Sunday morning talk shows and said that a “hateful video” triggered a “spontaneous protest . . . outside of our consulate in Benghazi” that “spun from there into something much, much more violent…we do not have information at present that leads us to conclude that this was premeditated or preplanned.” (Noble 2012)
On Sept. 17th – state department official still says it’s not terror.
Sept 18. President Obama goes on Letterman . When the talk show host asks him what happened, the President replies that a “video was released.” It was “offensive, and..so it caused great offense.” (Noble 2012)
At this point, almost a week after the attack, the extremist video (not poor security, not the buildup of strength of terror groups) is still being blamed for the attack.
Sept. 24th – The FBI still isn’t on the ground investigating the attacks in Benghazi. (Noble 2012)
Sept. 25th – In his remarks to the UN, President Obama said, “That is what we saw play out the last two weeks, as a crude and disgusting video sparked outrage throughout the Muslim world. I have made it clear that the United States government had nothing to do with this video, and I believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity,” (Noble 2012)
Oct. 9th – President Obama told a crowd at a fundraiser that “Al Qaeda is on its heels.” He said this without acknowledging the attack on Benghazi, or on three other embassy attacks last month in Yemen, Tunisia, and Egypt. (Noble 2012)
Today, October 11th – Eric Nordstrom, a high level security official testified that he asked for more security in Libya and was turned away. Video of testimony can be viewed here: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/live-video-house-committee-hearing-investigating-attack-in-benghazi/
So, the questions are: Who is responsible for the death of the Americans? A state department agent who denied Eric Nordstrom’s request for more security? Hillary Clinton for pulling out two other security groups? Perhaps, more importantly, how come the Libyan president knew more than the US President? Why was the state department angry at CNN for doing their jobs? Why did the administration go on the record of saying bad video, instead of terror, when they knew otherwise? Why did they continue with that story the entire week? Were they hoping that the public would lose interest?
Today, Hillary Clinton hosted a conference call saying, “it wasn’t the state department.”
So, if not then who? Political pundits have speculated that the current administration has to push forth the idea the al Qaeda is on its last legs, despite evidence to the contrary. Could the cover up have been authorized to elevate President .Obama’s foreign policy record? The administration has to account for what they knew and when they knew it.
I’m not saying the President Obama authorized the cover up. (Maybe he really thought it was a video in the days following.) But someone at the White House or the State Department knew that the tape story was inaccurate, but made the decision to put Susan Rice on television and make her the fall guy. They did this a week after they internally classified this as a planned terror attack.
Four people are dead. Four people are dead despite requests for security. Four people are dead, and blaming on a video cheapens their sacrifice to the nation. Four people are dead and someone high up covered up the why. The President, the Administration, the State Department work for us-worked for the four people who died. We deserve answers.
Here’s a video of the time line?? http://www.independentsentinel.com/2012/09/timeline-of-the-libyan-mission-attack/
After watching this, tell me what you think? Where was the security? Where is the leader taking responsibility? Was power or influence the cause of the cover up?
References:
Halper, Daniel. (9 October 2012) Obama Defiantly Declares, ‘Al Qaeda Is on Its Heels,’ even after successful terror attacks. The Weekly Standard. Retrieved from http://www.weeklystandard.com/keyword/Osama-bin-Laden
Noble, Sara (29 September 2012) Timeline of the Libyan Attacks. The Independent Sentinel. Retrieved from http://www.independentsentinel.com/2012/09/timeline-of-the-libyan-mission-attack/
Redmond, B. (2012). Leadership and followership. In Lesson 1: Introduction to leadership (section 7). https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa12/psych485/001/content/07_lesson/01_page.html
Unknown Author. (23 September 2012). Terrorists Continue Targeting America Due to Obama’s Weakness – White House, Media Lie to Hide Incompetence. Retrieved from http://usbacklash.org/terrorists-continue-targeting-america-due-to-obamas-weakness-white-house-media-lie-to-hide-incompetence/
Wemple, Erik (23 September 2012) CNN vs. The State Department, A Long Story. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/post/cnn-vs-the-state-department-a-long-story/2012/09/23/36f4d9dc-051c-11e2-8102-ebee9c66e190_blog.html