SF in Tripoli "not told to stand down'

Badger52 · 06-13-2013, 05:52

Quote:

Associated Press, Published: June 12

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday that four members of Army special forces in Tripoli were never told to stand down after last year’s deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, disputing a former top diplomat’s claim that the unit might have helped Americans under siege.

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey said timing and the need for the unit to help with casualties from Benghazi resulted in orders for the special forces to remain in Tripoli. Four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, died in two separate attacks several hours apart on the night of Sept. 11.

Grrrrr.

Was in my Early Bird; here's the Washington Post link.

Edited to add: CJCS opening his mouth about much of anything these days is bad for the digestion. Another area where the trust-ship has sailed.

**Pete** · 06-13-2013, 06:41

So they wanted to go help - Were not told to stand down - but were just told to stay in place.

Maybe the difference splits too many hairs for me.

tonyz · 06-13-2013, 06:50

IMO, there far too many weasel-like responses from current "leadership" - no matter the scandal de jour - to inspire confidence in said "leadership."

<rant off>

Paslode · 06-13-2013, 07:07

Seems like every time I read about Dempsey he is pressing politically correctness or political expedience.....he comes off as a stooge. Makes me wonder what the NSA has on him...

The Benghazi story has changed more times than I can count, the only thing that hasn't changed is the fact the Administration tried to blame the cause and deaths on a trailer for an unknown movie called Innocence of Muslims by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.

PedOncoDoc · 06-13-2013, 07:16

Why don't they have that team come in and testify on the subject?

If the administration did nothing wrong they have nothing to hide, right?

sinjefe · 06-13-2013, 07:18

Not told to stand down, just told to stay? Talk about quibbling. I guess helping with the dead was more important than trying make them not dead.

ddoering · 06-13-2013, 07:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinjefe

Not told to stand down, just told to stay? Talk about quibbling. I guess helping with the dead was more important than trying make them not dead.

I guess the General is already looking towards his next job after retirement.

echoes · 06-13-2013, 08:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by PedOncoDoc

Why don't they have that team come in and testify on the subject?

If the administration did nothing wrong they have nothing to hide, right?

Exactly...however, "They" are called Quiet Professionals for a reason.

And this administration is so cowardly, so f--ked up the ass, that they would never admit anything, but rather try and blame Our Best and Bravest! Rediculous.

No dice!

Holly

p.s....Am sure this is being logged and transferred to my account in Utah.

Badger52 · 06-13-2013, 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by echoes

p.s....Am sure this is being logged and transferred to my account in Utah.

Holly be sure & let us know when the SS and the IRS stop by (I'm not sure if they'll share rental vans.)

UWOA (RIP) · 06-13-2013, 11:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinjefe

Not told to stand down, just told to stay? Talk about quibbling. I guess helping with the dead was more important than trying make them not dead.

Just another chapter in "Self-Destruction". Too bad today we don't have another Cincinnatus to chronicle the failure of military leadership on the altar of self-promotion and career advancement. While "Self-Destruction" was an expose of the Vietnam conflict leadership, it seems we are repeating some of the same errors ... and writing new paradigms as well.

I'm beginning to think that academies like West Point (well known for the WPPA or West Point Protective Association) are an anachronism of a young democracy with limited intellectual havens for the repository of military knowledge. Now they inculcate a pseudo-culture of privilege and "best" practices that inspires cronyism and expediency. Perhaps we'd be better off relying on the other two (larger) legs of the officer procurement cycle -- ROTC and OCS. The result would be more truly representative of the excellence produced by this great country.

Today military professionals draw information and experience from a wide array of sources and institutions. I question the need for academies that self-promote and assure that their graduates receive primary consideration for the upper echelons of leadership. It is a Kentucky marriage that insures that the officer corps will rot from within.

And yes, I was ROTC until I was drafted during Vietnam and went to OCS.

End of rant.