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White House releases Benghazi 'talking points' emails | White House releases Benghazi 'talking points' emails |
(35 minutes later) | |
The White House has released about 100 pages of emails related to the attack on a US mission in Benghazi, Libya, on 11 September last year. | The White House has released about 100 pages of emails related to the attack on a US mission in Benghazi, Libya, on 11 September last year. |
The correspondence shows conversations the administration had in preparing to discuss the attacks publicly. | The correspondence shows conversations the administration had in preparing to discuss the attacks publicly. |
The assault killed four Americans, including the US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. | The assault killed four Americans, including the US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. |
Republicans have alleged the White House sought to play down terrorism ahead of the presidential election. | Republicans have alleged the White House sought to play down terrorism ahead of the presidential election. |
The Obama administration released the emails on Wednesday afternoon in an attempt quell criticism of its handling of the crisis. | |
Until now, the White House had declined to make the documents public, instead letting congressional investigators review them without making copies. | Until now, the White House had declined to make the documents public, instead letting congressional investigators review them without making copies. |
The emails include conversations between members of multiple agencies, including the CIA, state department and the FBI. | The emails include conversations between members of multiple agencies, including the CIA, state department and the FBI. |
The correspondence appears to show that the CIA took the lead in developing the talking points and in omitting key information about possible extremist involvement in the attack. | The correspondence appears to show that the CIA took the lead in developing the talking points and in omitting key information about possible extremist involvement in the attack. |
References to al-Qaeda and Libya-based Islamic extremists were removed from the talking points after CIA officials questioned current intelligence on who was responsible for the US deaths. | References to al-Qaeda and Libya-based Islamic extremists were removed from the talking points after CIA officials questioned current intelligence on who was responsible for the US deaths. |
State department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland also expressed reservations, saying "the line of 'knowing' there were extremists among the demonstrators will come back to us at podium". | State department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland also expressed reservations, saying "the line of 'knowing' there were extremists among the demonstrators will come back to us at podium". |
Five days after the attack, UN ambassador Susan Rice used the talking points in a controversial appearance on Sunday morning talk shows when she framed the assault as springing from a spontaneous protest over an anti-Islamic video. | Five days after the attack, UN ambassador Susan Rice used the talking points in a controversial appearance on Sunday morning talk shows when she framed the assault as springing from a spontaneous protest over an anti-Islamic video. |