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| Benghazi attack report says security was grossly inadequate | Benghazi attack report says security was grossly inadequate |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Systematic management and leadership failures at the US state department led to "grossly" inadequate security at the embassy in Benghazi, Libya, where the American ambassador was killed along with three others, an independent panel has found. | Systematic management and leadership failures at the US state department led to "grossly" inadequate security at the embassy in Benghazi, Libya, where the American ambassador was killed along with three others, an independent panel has found. |
| The attack on 11 September killed mission head Chris Stevens, information specialist Sean Smith and former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods who were contractors working for the CIA. Stevens's killing was the first of a US ambassador since 1988. | The attack on 11 September killed mission head Chris Stevens, information specialist Sean Smith and former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods who were contractors working for the CIA. Stevens's killing was the first of a US ambassador since 1988. |
| In the immediate aftermath of the attack, administration officials linked the attack to the spreading protests over an anti-Islamic film made in the US that had begun in Cairo, Egypt, earlier that day. Those comments came despite evidence already pointing to a distinct militant attack. The US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, appeared on numerous TV talk shows the Sunday after the attack and used the administration talking points linking it to the film. An ensuing dispute in the heat of the presidential campaign eventually led Rice to withdraw her name from consideration to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state in Barack Obama's second term. | In the immediate aftermath of the attack, administration officials linked the attack to the spreading protests over an anti-Islamic film made in the US that had begun in Cairo, Egypt, earlier that day. Those comments came despite evidence already pointing to a distinct militant attack. The US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, appeared on numerous TV talk shows the Sunday after the attack and used the administration talking points linking it to the film. An ensuing dispute in the heat of the presidential campaign eventually led Rice to withdraw her name from consideration to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state in Barack Obama's second term. |
| The independent panel concluded that "systematic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the state department resulted in a Special Mission security posture that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place". | The independent panel concluded that "systematic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the state department resulted in a Special Mission security posture that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place". |
| The state department sent a classified version of the report to lawmakers on Tuesday and shortly thereafter released an unclassified version. The report made 29 recommendations to improve embassy security, particularly at high threat posts. | The state department sent a classified version of the report to lawmakers on Tuesday and shortly thereafter released an unclassified version. The report made 29 recommendations to improve embassy security, particularly at high threat posts. |
| In an accompanying letter to Congress, Hillary Clinton said she accepted all the recommendations and thanked the board for its "clear-eyed, serious look at serious systemic challenges". | In an accompanying letter to Congress, Hillary Clinton said she accepted all the recommendations and thanked the board for its "clear-eyed, serious look at serious systemic challenges". |
| "We will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security," Clinton wrote, but she stressed that "our diplomats cannot work in bunkers". | "We will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security," Clinton wrote, but she stressed that "our diplomats cannot work in bunkers". |
| "We must accept a level of risk to protect this country we love and to advance our interests and values around the world." | "We must accept a level of risk to protect this country we love and to advance our interests and values around the world." |
| The report singled out the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Bureau of Near East Affairs for criticism, saying there appeared to be a lack of co-operation and confusion over protection at the mission in Benghazi, a city in eastern Libya that was relatively lawless after the revolution that toppled the Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi. | The report singled out the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Bureau of Near East Affairs for criticism, saying there appeared to be a lack of co-operation and confusion over protection at the mission in Benghazi, a city in eastern Libya that was relatively lawless after the revolution that toppled the Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi. |
| Despite those failures, the Accountability Review Board determined that no individual officials ignored or violated their duties and recommended no disciplinary action now. But it also said poor performance by senior managers should be grounds for disciplinary recommendations in the future. | Despite those failures, the Accountability Review Board determined that no individual officials ignored or violated their duties and recommended no disciplinary action now. But it also said poor performance by senior managers should be grounds for disciplinary recommendations in the future. |
| The report appeared to break little new ground about the timeline of the Benghazi attack. But it confirmed that contrary to initial accounts there was no protest outside the consulate and said responsibility for the incident rested entirely with the terrorists who attacked the mission. | The report appeared to break little new ground about the timeline of the Benghazi attack. But it confirmed that contrary to initial accounts there was no protest outside the consulate and said responsibility for the incident rested entirely with the terrorists who attacked the mission. |
| The review board determined that there had been no immediate, specific tactical warning of a potential attack on the 11th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. However the report said there had been several worrisome incidents in the run-up to the attack that should have set off warning bells. | The review board determined that there had been no immediate, specific tactical warning of a potential attack on the 11th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. However the report said there had been several worrisome incidents in the run-up to the attack that should have set off warning bells. |
| While criticising state department management in Washington along with the local militia force and contract guards that the mission depended on for protection, the report said US personnel on the ground in Benghazi "performed with courage and readiness to risk their lives to protect their colleagues in a near-impossible situation". | While criticising state department management in Washington along with the local militia force and contract guards that the mission depended on for protection, the report said US personnel on the ground in Benghazi "performed with courage and readiness to risk their lives to protect their colleagues in a near-impossible situation". |
| It said the response by diplomatic security agents on the scene and CIA operatives at a nearby compound that later came under attack itself had been "timely and appropriate" but absolved the military from any blame. "There was simply not enough time for armed US military assets to have made a difference." | It said the response by diplomatic security agents on the scene and CIA operatives at a nearby compound that later came under attack itself had been "timely and appropriate" but absolved the military from any blame. "There was simply not enough time for armed US military assets to have made a difference." |
| Some of the security challenges were revealed in earlier congressional hearings when several state department officials discussed competing demands for security and cost prohibitions. Clinton said the department had already begun to implement some of the recommendations. They include increasing by several hundred the number of Marine guards stationed at diplomatic missions throughout the world, relying less on local security forces for protection at embassies, consulates and other offices, and increasing hiring and deployment of highly trained diplomatic security agents at at-risk posts. | Some of the security challenges were revealed in earlier congressional hearings when several state department officials discussed competing demands for security and cost prohibitions. Clinton said the department had already begun to implement some of the recommendations. They include increasing by several hundred the number of Marine guards stationed at diplomatic missions throughout the world, relying less on local security forces for protection at embassies, consulates and other offices, and increasing hiring and deployment of highly trained diplomatic security agents at at-risk posts. |
| Members of local Libyan militias provided some security around the consulate but in the attack it became unclear whose side they were on. | Members of local Libyan militias provided some security around the consulate but in the attack it became unclear whose side they were on. |
| The report also called on Congress to fully fund the state department's security initiative, noting that budget constraints in the past had led some management officials to emphasize savings over security despite numerous requests from the Benghazi mission and embassy in Tripoli for enhanced protection. | The report also called on Congress to fully fund the state department's security initiative, noting that budget constraints in the past had led some management officials to emphasize savings over security despite numerous requests from the Benghazi mission and embassy in Tripoli for enhanced protection. |
| It said the number of diplomatic security staff in Benghazi before and on the day of the attack "was inadequate despite repeated requests ... for additional staffing". | It said the number of diplomatic security staff in Benghazi before and on the day of the attack "was inadequate despite repeated requests ... for additional staffing". |
| Congress has denied some funding requests from the state department for more security. | Congress has denied some funding requests from the state department for more security. |
| In her letter to lawmakers Clinton urged Congress to support the department's security requests, noting that "all of us ... have a responsibility to provide the men and women serving this country with the best possible security and support". | In her letter to lawmakers Clinton urged Congress to support the department's security requests, noting that "all of us ... have a responsibility to provide the men and women serving this country with the best possible security and support". |
| Retired ambassador Thomas Pickering and a former joint chiefs of staff chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, led the independent review, studying thousands of pages of cables and other documents, hours of video and intelligence and interviewing more than 100 people, including survivors. They will testify before the House and Senate foreign affairs committees behind closed doors on Wednesday. | Retired ambassador Thomas Pickering and a former joint chiefs of staff chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, led the independent review, studying thousands of pages of cables and other documents, hours of video and intelligence and interviewing more than 100 people, including survivors. They will testify before the House and Senate foreign affairs committees behind closed doors on Wednesday. |
| On Thursday the state department's two deputy secretaries, William Burns and Thomas Nides, will testify in open sessions before the House foreign affairs committee and the Senate foreign relations committee. | On Thursday the state department's two deputy secretaries, William Burns and Thomas Nides, will testify in open sessions before the House foreign affairs committee and the Senate foreign relations committee. |
| Clinton was to have appeared at Thursday's hearing but cancelled after fainting and sustaining a concussion last week while recovering from a stomach virus that dehydrated her. Clinton is under doctors' orders to rest. | Clinton was to have appeared at Thursday's hearing but cancelled after fainting and sustaining a concussion last week while recovering from a stomach virus that dehydrated her. Clinton is under doctors' orders to rest. |
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