Michael McCaul asked Hillary Clinton why Ambassador Stevens was in Benghazi, time ran out VIDEO
Congressman Michael McCaul waited just a bit too long to ask a very important question many Americans are wondering about the Benghazi attack which left Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans dead.
During the testimony on Wednesday, the Texas Republican ask at the very end of his Q&A time: “Why was he in Benghazi on September the 11th?”
Time had expired and he stated he’ll submit the question in writing.
We go now to Mr. McCaul from Texas.
MCCAUL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Welcome, Madam Secretary. Thank you for your service.
Similar to September the 11th, 2001, there were warning signs prior to Benghazi September 11th. There was an April 6th, 2012 crude IED thrown over the wall of the U.S. facility in Benghazi. On May 22nd, 2012, Red Cross building in Benghazi hit by two RPGs. The brigades of the imprisoned Blind Sheikh took responsibility for that attack. On June 6th, 2012, the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was targeted by an IED (inaudible) a big hole in the perimeter wall. Again, the Blind Sheikh brigade taking credit.
And then on August 16th, we have this cable that’s been widely reported — a classified State Department cable warning that the Benghazi consulate could not withstand a coordinated attack. And the regional security officer believed our consulate could not be protected at an emergency meeting less than one month before the attack on 9/11.
A contingency plan was supposedly drafted to move the operations to the CIA annex about a mile away from the compound. This cable is presumed to have been shared by senior staff. It was sent to your office. It was sent to the NSC. And even on September 11th, the day Ambassador Stevens was killed, he personally warned about, quote, “a growing problem with security in Benghazi and growing frustration with security forces and the Libyan police.”
Were you aware of this cable — this August 16th cable?
CLINTON: Congressman, that cable did not come to my attention. I have made it very clear that the security cables did not come to my attention or above the assistant secretary level where the ARB placed responsibility. Where, as I think Ambassador Pickering said, “the rubber hit the road.”
Now, I think…
MCCAUL: Can I ask the question: When — when were you aware of this cable?
CLINTON: After the ARB began to, you know, gather information and material, which, of course, we cooperated with.
MCCAUL: Who within your office — who within your office did see this cable?
CLINTON: I’m not aware of anyone within my office, within the secretary’s office, having seen the cable.
MCCAUL: Within the National Security Council?
CLINTON: I have no information or awareness of anyone in the National Security Council having seen that cable.
MCCAUL: Was this cable a surprise to you?
CLINTON: You know, Congressman, it was very disappointing to me that the ARB Concluded there were inadequacies and problems in the responsiveness of our team here in Washington to the security requests that were made by our team in Libya.
And I was not aware of that going on, it was not brought to my attention, but obviously it’s something we’re fixing and intend to put into place protocols and systems to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
MCCAUL: I certainly hope so. I think when you have a United States ambassador personally warning about the situation over there, sending this cable to your office…
CLINTON: Well if I could — 1.43 million cables a year come to the State Department. They are all addressed to me. They do not all come to me. There are reported through the bureaucracy.
MCCAUL: Well certainly somebody within your office should have seen this cable, is my — in my judgment.
Can I ask one last question?
CLINTON: Also, I just want to clarify. You know, as — with regard to the security requests subsequent to the August 16th cable, our personnel in Libya had not submitted any additional security requests to Washington at the time of the September 11th attack. Now, there was an ongoing dialogue, as you know, between Libya and Washington. I think it is…
MCCAUL: Reclaim my time is very limited — an emergency meeting was held and a cable sent out on August 16th by the ambassador himself. Warning of what could happen. And this meant this cable went unnoticed by your office. That’s the bottom line.
CLINTON: Well the facts — the facts as we have them, Congressman, and I will be happy to have people give you this in detail. The August 16th cable stated the security requests for Benghazi would be forthcoming. The RSO in Benghazi submitted to Tripoli a preliminary list of proposed security recommendations on August 23rd, but no requests were submitted to Washington before the attacks.
Now, this sound — this sounds very complicated and to some extent it is, we’re trying to simplify it and avoid the kind of problems that are identified.
MCCAUL: I hope we can fix that.
One last question. Why was he in Benghazi on September the 11th?
ROYCE: Going to go now to Mr. William…
MCCAUL: I’ll submit that question in writing.
ROYCE: That will be fine.
