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| White House releases Benghazi emails in bid to quell Republican uproar | White House releases Benghazi emails in bid to quell Republican uproar |
| (5 days later) | |
| The White House bowed to Republican pressure on Wednesday to release emails dealing with the aftermath of last year's killings of four Americans, including the US ambassador, in an attack on a diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya. | The White House bowed to Republican pressure on Wednesday to release emails dealing with the aftermath of last year's killings of four Americans, including the US ambassador, in an attack on a diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya. |
| The emails reveal intense negotiations between the White House, the State Department and the CIA over what the government should say about the attack in public. | The emails reveal intense negotiations between the White House, the State Department and the CIA over what the government should say about the attack in public. |
| Republicans have for months been claiming the White House was engaged in a cover-up, downplaying the role of an al-Qaida inspired group in the attack and suggesting instead the attack was mainly the result of a demonstration by a mob against an American-produced anti-Islam film. | Republicans have for months been claiming the White House was engaged in a cover-up, downplaying the role of an al-Qaida inspired group in the attack and suggesting instead the attack was mainly the result of a demonstration by a mob against an American-produced anti-Islam film. |
| The White House claims the 100 pages of released emails vindicates its actions and that there was no cover-up. | The White House claims the 100 pages of released emails vindicates its actions and that there was no cover-up. |
| The emails relate to talking points drawn up by the White House, the State Department and the CIA for use by the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, and by members of Congress for use in media interviews. | The emails relate to talking points drawn up by the White House, the State Department and the CIA for use by the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, and by members of Congress for use in media interviews. |
| One of the original talking points, based on an early memo, says: "We believe, based on currently available information, that the attacks in Benghazi were spontaneously inspired by protests at the US embassy in Cairo and evolved into a direct assault against the US consulate and subsequently the annex." It added that this assessment might yet change. | One of the original talking points, based on an early memo, says: "We believe, based on currently available information, that the attacks in Benghazi were spontaneously inspired by protests at the US embassy in Cairo and evolved into a direct assault against the US consulate and subsequently the annex." It added that this assessment might yet change. |
| The second point is the crucial one. The memo says: "The crowd almost certainly was a mix of individuals from across many sectors of Libyan society. That being said, we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qaida participated in the attack." | The second point is the crucial one. The memo says: "The crowd almost certainly was a mix of individuals from across many sectors of Libyan society. That being said, we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qaida participated in the attack." |
| The series of email exchanges reveal that the vital phrase "with ties to al-Qaida" was later excised. | The series of email exchanges reveal that the vital phrase "with ties to al-Qaida" was later excised. |
| The White House said this was done at the request of the CIA and not the White House and that the emails support this, showing that a CIA analyst said there was no intelligence at that point to support the assertion of al-Qaida involvement. | The White House said this was done at the request of the CIA and not the White House and that the emails support this, showing that a CIA analyst said there was no intelligence at that point to support the assertion of al-Qaida involvement. |
| In an email from the CIA three days after the attack, it noted the reference to al-Qaida, suggesting it was complicit in the deaths of the four Americans, and a CIA analyst says: "Do we know this?" | In an email from the CIA three days after the attack, it noted the reference to al-Qaida, suggesting it was complicit in the deaths of the four Americans, and a CIA analyst says: "Do we know this?" |
| The Obama administration is fighting to dampen three separate scandals – the IRS, the AP phone calls and Benghazi – and hopes the release of the emails will go some way towards placating its critics. | The Obama administration is fighting to dampen three separate scandals – the IRS, the AP phone calls and Benghazi – and hopes the release of the emails will go some way towards placating its critics. |
| But Republicans are almost certain to keep pushing, pressing on the memos as well as issues not dealt with by the memos, such as why ambassador Chris Stevens had gone to such a dangerous place at a sensitive time – the anniversary of 9/11. | But Republicans are almost certain to keep pushing, pressing on the memos as well as issues not dealt with by the memos, such as why ambassador Chris Stevens had gone to such a dangerous place at a sensitive time – the anniversary of 9/11. |
| Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Republican House speaker John Boehner, made it clear that it will not be giving up the fight. "This release is long overdue and there are relevant documents the administration has still refused to produce. We hope, however, that this limited release of documents is a sign of more co-operation to come," Buck said. | Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Republican House speaker John Boehner, made it clear that it will not be giving up the fight. "This release is long overdue and there are relevant documents the administration has still refused to produce. We hope, however, that this limited release of documents is a sign of more co-operation to come," Buck said. |
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