by Aaron Klein
APPENDIX C: RESPONSE TO HARD CHOICES BY HILLARY CLINTON
1. Hillary Clinton, Hard Choices, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2014), Kindle edition, chap. 17.
2. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. “What They Said, Before and After the Attack in Libya,” New York Times, September 12, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/12/us/politics/libya-statements.html?_r=0.
6. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. “Transcript: Whistle-blower’s account of Sept. 11 Libya terror attack,” Fox News, May 8, 2013, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/08/transcript-whistle-blower-account-sept-11-libya-terror-attack/.
10. Catherine Herridge, “Report sheds light on ex-CIA deputy director’s role in Benghazi talking points,” Fox News, February 4, 2014, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/02/04/report-sheds-light-on-ex-cia-director-role-in-benghazi-talking-points/.
11. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
12. Ibid., chap. 17.
13. Kimberly Dozier, “CIA Benghazi team clash led to ‘stand down’ report,” Associated Press, December 14, 2013, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/cia-benghazi-team-clash-led-stand-down-report.
14. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
15. Eli Lake, “CIA Contractor Testimony Could Undermine Obama on Benghazi,” Daily Beast, November 6, 2013, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/06/cia-contractor-testimony-could-undermine-obama-on-benghazi.html.
16. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
17. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence “Review of the terrorist attacks on U.S. Facilities in Benghazi, Libya;” January 15, 2014 http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2014_rpt/benghazi.pdf.
18. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
19. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence “Review of the terrorist attacks on U.S. Facilities in Benghazi, Libya;”
20. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
21. Ibid.
22. United States House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, “Benghazi Attacks: Investigative Update: Interim Report on the Accountability Review Board” (September 16, 2013), http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Report-for-Members-final.pdf,
23. Full text, Majority Staff Report, House Foreign Affairs Committee, “Benghazi: Where is the State Department Accountability?” Available at http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/sites/republicans.foreignaffairs.house.gov/files/HFAC%20Majority%20Staff%20Report%20on%20Benghazi.pdf.
24. Clinton, Hard Choices, chap. 17.
25. Ibid.
INDEX
A
Abdel Rahman, Abdallah, 75, 126, 152
Abdel-Rahman, Omar, 73–76, 126, 152
Accountability Review Board (State Department), 2, 14, 59
report on the 9/11/12 attacks. See ARB report
Agenzia Fides, 145
Afghanistan, 24, 50
AFRICOM, 3, 37, 38–40, 132, 162n6
Agence France-Press, 66
Agincourt Solutions, 125
airliners, worldwide threat to, 140–42
air support for Benghazi, xi, xiii, 35, 45–47, 52, 155
al-Bajadin, Abdallah Dhu, 55
Al Entisar (Libyan vessel), 30
Algeria, xv, 52, 76, 80, 135, 140–42
Algerian involvement in Benghazi? 69
al-Hasidi, Abdel-Hakim, 24
al-Libi, Abu Yahya, 76, 79–80, 86, 143
al-Libi, Abu Anas, 85–91
al-Libi, Nabih, 88
Al-Nas (satellite station), 74
al-Qaeda, xii, xv, 9, 10, 19, 22, 24, 29, 33, 49, 52, 54, 55, 56, 69, 70, 72, 73, 76, 79–82, 83, 86, 87–88, 94, 100, 101, 108–9, 111, 113, 115, 120–24, 135, 136, 138, 140–43, 145, 149
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. See AQAP
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. See AQIM
“Al-Qaida in Libya: A Profile” (Library of Congress report warning of Qumu’s activities), 71–73
Al Rai (Kuwaiti newspaper), 74
al-Zawahiri, Ayman, 79–80, 143
al-Zawahiri, Mohammed, 79
American embassy. See U.S. embassy
Ansar al-Mujahideen Network, 55
Ansar al-Sharia, 9–10, 49, 63, 64, 68, 70–72, 79, 86, 87, 94, 101, 109, 117, 122, 123–24, 128, 141–42, 150
AQAP, 79–80, 142–44
AQIM, 52, 79, 83, 122, 140, 141–42
anti-Islam film, x, xv, 9, 21, 70, 75, 107–8, 115–16, 120, 125–29, 148–49, 152
Arab Spring, 23, 25, 96, 98, 101
ARB report, xi–xii, 2, 7, 8, 9, 11–12, 14, 16–18, 37, 43–47, 54, 56–63, 65, 76, 77, 96, 97, 118, 124–26, 130, 131, 151, 153–54, 156
arms to jihadists, 102–6, 136–37, 157
ARSO
defined, 16, 57
ARSO 1, 8, 11, 17, 57, 59
ARSOs 2–4, 8, 16–17, 59
Aspen Institute, 41
Aspen Security Forum, 39
Assad, Bashar al-, 21, 25, 48, 81, 82, 136, 137, 145, 154
Associated Press (AP), 43–44, 65–66, 88, 127–29
Attkisson, Sharyl, 52, 111
Aviationist (magazine), 13–14
Ayotte, Kelly, 110–11
B
Baier, Bret, 27–28, 49
Batchelor, John, 86
Beacon Global Strategies, 98, 112, 170n16
Belmokhtar, Mokhtar, 142
Benghazi
facility not set up for protection, 6–7
guard towers denied at, 6, 8, 13, 94, 96
Hillary Clinton’s role in, 93–106
lies and misleading claims concerning attacks in, 148–57
one-of-a-kind facility at, 5–6
real reason suspects weren’t captured, 85–92
Senate report on, 2–3, 4, 5–6, 10, 11, 18–19, 47, 66–68, 78, 124
why no air support? 45–47
Benghazi Hoax, The (Brock and Rabin-Havt), 129–34
Benghazi Medical Center (BMC), 59–60, 62–63, 65, 67, 68, 156
bin Laden, Osama, 34, 71
Blue Mountain, 8–9, 10, 64, 65
Bosnia, 38
Boston Marathon bombing, xv, 135, 142–44
Boswell, Eric, 97
Brennan, Margaret, 111
Brennon, John, 112
Broadwell, Paula, 31–32
Brock, David, 129–34
Bultrowicz, Scott, 97
C
CBS News, 52, 111–12
Central Intelligence Agency. See CIA
Chemical Weapons Convention, 138
Christians, Islamist persecution of, xv, 23, 135, 144–46
Christmas Day (2009) bomb plot, 144
CIA, x, xi, 4, 11, 19, 25, 31–32, 42–45, 66, 104, 110, 111, 113, 133, 136, 149, 154, 155, 156. See also Morell, Mike; Petraeus, David
CIA annex, ix, xv, 1, 3–4, 14, 19, 21, 26, 40–41, 43–44, 46, 50, 56, 61–62, 67, 68, 78, 81, 83, 95, 105, 110, 117, 125, 128, 135, 137, 143, 150, 155, 156
“secret prison” allegations, 31–32
time of initial and second wave of attacks, xi
Clapper, James, 110, 111
Clinton, Hillary, xiv, xvi, 6, 22, 27, 50, 82, 112, 116, 130, 133, 142, 149, 151, 157
central, unreported role in Benghazi, 93–106
CNN, 6, 15, 19, 28, 75, 76, 80, 85, 87, 88, 89–90, 126, 142, 143, 152
C-110 (EUCOM CIF), 3, 27, 37–39, 131, 132, 155
“consulate” (versus special mission), xii, 1–2, 119, 151
Coptic Christians, 145
Cordell, Jenny, 2
Croatia, 3, 26–27, 37–41, 104, 155, 156
D
Daily Beast, 64–65, 124
Davies, Dylan, 64–65
DC-3 (aircraft), 13–15, 96
Defense Department, 14, 19, 96
Dempsey, Martin, 36–40, 131–32, 155–56
diGenova, Joseph, 46
Divigil, Kim (U. of Denver
), 31
Dozier, Kimberly, 43
Drudge Report, 31
Druze, extremist organizations’ persecution of, 23
E
Egypt, xv, 73, 75, 77–79, 82, 124, 128, 138, 152
Egyptian participation in Benghazi, 69, 73, 74–75, 77–79, 141, 166n11
Egyptian Islamic Jihad, 88
Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, 74
el-Megarif, Mohammed, 109, 150
el Nas (Egyptian channel), 126
el-Shater, Khairat, 74
embassy (American). See U.S. embassy
EUCOM CIF (aka C-110), 3, 27, 37–39, 131, 132, 155
Evans, Gareth, 172n23
F
falsehoods regarding Benghazi attacks (snapshot), 148–57
Faruq Brigade, 145
FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), 64, 87, 111, 113, 114
February 17 Martyrs Brigade, xiii, 8–12, 29–30, 49, 70, 94, 100, 115, 142, 153
refusal to help fleeing Americans, 10–11
Federal Bureau of Investigation. See FBI
film (anti-Islam) blamed for the attacks, x, xv, 9, 21, 70, 75, 107–8, 115–16, 120, 125–29, 148–49, 152
Flake, Jeff, 99
Fox News, 16, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38. 39, 49, 58, 101, 113, 131, 154, 155
Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, 60
Free Syrian Army (FSA), 136, 144–45
FSA. See Free Syrian Army
G
Gaddafi, Muammar (also spelled Qaddafi), 22, 23, 25, 28, 48, 51, 52, 63, 75, 81, 121, 128, 130, 137–38, 139, 140
gas plant, January 2013 assault on Algerian, xv, 76, 135, 141, 142
Gates, Robert, 131
Gaza, 52, 139
Germany, 14, 39, 40
GOP
charges that Obama officials lied to protect the State Department, 113–15
investigator ignoring the Benghazi scandal? 32–34
Graham, Lindsey, 27–28, 49, 74, 110–12
Guantánamo Bay, 71
guard towers denied at Benghazi, 6, 8, 13, 94, 96
H
Ham, Carter, 3, 40–42, 47
“Hamam” (17-year-old anti-Islam film protestor), 127
Hamas, 82
Hamidiya (al-Hamidiyah, neighborhood in Homs, Syria), 145
Haroun, Abdul Basit, 29–30
Hassan, Muhammad, 74
Hegazi, Safwat, 74
Hegghammer, Thomas, 137
Hewitt, Hugh, 33–34, 162n27
Hezbollah, 24
Hicks, Gregory, x, 15, 39–40, 63–64, 101–2, 109, 117, 149–50
House intelligence subcommittee, xii, 6, 16, 43, 154, 156
House reports on Benghazi, 5, 13, 15, 96, 99, 100, 113–14, 132–33, 153
Housley, Adam, 37–38
Huffington Post, 145
I
Independent (UK), 23
Inspire magazine, 143–44
International Crisis Group (ICG), 130, 172n23
Iran, and possible involvement in the Benghazi attack, 81–83
Iraq, 24, 50, 102, 136, 138
Ismail, Hazim Salih Abu, 74
Israel, xv, 135
Israel National News, 83
Issa, Darrell, 33–34, 54, 102, 162n27
Italy, 3, 40
J
Jamal, Muhammad (founder of Jamal Network), 78–79, 124
Jews, extremist organizations’ persecution of, 23
Jibril, Ahmad, 109, 150
Johnson, Larry, 82–83
Johnson, Ron, 38–39
Jones, Beth, 102
Jones, Morgan (Dylan Davies), 64–65
Jones, Seth, 79
Judicial Watch, 60
Justice Department
K
Kadasa, Mansour, 74
Kelly File, 16
Kennedy, Patrick, 6, 13, 15, 96–97
Khattala, Ahmed Abu, 10, 71, 81–82, 86–91
Kirkpatrick, David, 120–27, 171n10
KleinOnline, 36
L
Lake, Eli, 79
Lamb, Charlene, 97, 98
Langfan, Mark, 83
lethal injection (as possible cause of Stevens’ death), 55
Library of Congress report warning about al-Qaeda, 71–73, 138
Libya, America’s role in wrecking, 137–40
lies and misleading claims concerning Benghazi attacks (snapshot), 148–57
Lohman, Lee, 5
Lummis, Cynthia, 54, 77
M
Mali, xv, 52, 80, 82, 135, 139, 142
MANPADS, 28, 31, 47–52, 140
Martyrs of February 17 Brigade. See February 17
Martyrs Brigade Maxwell, Raymond, 97–98, 168n11
McCain, John, 74, 110–11
McCarthy, Joe, 98
McFarland, David, 63
Media Matters, 129, 131
missiles, 28, 46–52, 81, 106, 136, 140
Morell, Mike, 98, 110–13, 152, 153
Morsi, Mohamed, 73–75, 79
Mubarak, Hosni, 73, 79
Muhammad Jamal Network, 77–79, 124
Mullen, Mike, 130
Muslim Brotherhood, 73–74, 77, 79
Muslims, extremist persecution of moderate, 144
Myers, Steven Lee , 123–24
N
Nakoula, Nakoula Basseley, 116
National Security Council, 139
NATO, 23, 28, 52, 63, 121, 130, 138, 140
news media’s distortion of Benghazi attack, 119–34
New York Times, 24, 25, 26, 27, 87, 88–89, 90, 104, 120–23, 125–26, 139, 141, 154–55, 157
Nordstrom, Eric Allan, 15
Nuland, Victoria, 98
O
Obama, Barack, x, xiii, 10, 33, 71, 73, 83, 85, 89, 90, 108, 112, 115, 116, 136, 149
Obama administration, ix–xiii, xv, 22–24, 27, 35, 37, 45, 46, 61, 67, 73, 75, 88–91, 107, 108, 110, 115, 118, 119, 121, 122, 129–131, 135–37, 139–40, 148, 149, 154, 155, 156
Office of Terrorism Analysis, 133. See also talking points
Olsen, Matthew, 110
Omar Abdurrahman group (Rahman Brigades), 76, 126
P
Panetta, Leon E., 104, 132
Papanu, Brian, 5
Paul, Rand, 105
Pelofsky, Eric, 60–61, 67
Peschmann, Marinka, 83
Petraeus, David H., 27, 31, 104, 110, 133, 140–41
Pickens, Amber, 117–18
Pickering, Thomas, 54, 77, 130
Pusztai, Wolfgang, 123
Q
Qaddafi, Muammar. See Gaddafi, Muammar
Qatar, 24, 26, 139
QRF Brigade, 101
Quick Reaction Force, 51
Qumu, Abu Sufian bin, 71–73
R
Rabin-Havt, Ari, 129, 131–33
Rahman, Abdallah Abdel, 75, 126, 152
Rahman, Omar Abdel-, 73–76, 126, 152
Rahman Brigades (aka the Omar Abdurrahman group), 76, 126
Reines, Philippe I., 112
Responsibility to Protect doctrine, 130, 172n23
Reuters, 23, 29–30, 110, 127–29, 136, 139
Rice, Susan, x, 60, 67, 108, 110, 112, 113, 148–49, 151
Roberson, Darryl, 47
Robertson, Nic, 75, 126, 152
Rogers, Mike, 34, 91
S
Safawi, U.S.-run training base for the Syrian rebels in, 136
Salabi, Ismail, 29
Saudi Arabia, 23, 80, 145
Security Support Team (SST), 13, 14, 15, 70, 96
Senate report(s) on Benghazi, 2–3, 4, 5–6, 10, 11, 18–19, 47, 66–68, 78, 95, 96–97, 98, 124
17th February Brigade. See February 17 Martyrs Brigade
Shapiro, Andrew J., 48, 49–52
Sharia law, 138, 144, 145–46
Sharif, Mahmoud Ibrahim, 74
SITE Monitoring group, 76
60 Minutes, 65
Soros, George, 129
special forces
pulled from Benghazi, 12�
�15
why none were sent to Benghazi, 35–52
Smith, Sean, 8, 42, 57, 59
“spontaneous protest” claim, x–xi, 108–10, 129, 148, 150
SST (US military’s Security Support Team), 13, 14, 15, 70, 96
State Department, ix, xi, xii, xiii–xiv, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8–9, 10, 11, 20, 22, 26, 37, 43, 48, 50, 53, 54, 56, 65, 68, 70, 76, 77–78, 80, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 103, 106, 125, 126, 129, 130, 133, 142, 151, 153–54, 156
Accountability Review Board report on the 9/11/12 attacks. See ARB report
conflicting reports from Benghazi witnesses and the, 16–18
hiding of evacuation in Tripoli by the, 116–18
GOP charges that Obama officials lied to protect the, 113–15, 153
pulled aircraft and special forces from Benghazi, 12–15
Stavridis, James (Adm.), 24
Stevens, Christopher, xiii, xiv, 2, 5, 8, 12, 15–17, 21, 23, 26–28, 30, 33, 35, 41, 44, 48–49, 74, 76, 83, 94, 103, 104, 125, 156
kidnapping question, 53–68
sent into a doomed mission, 100–2
unlikelihood of official account concerning, 56–61
US’ assumption of kidnapping, 66–68
Strickland, Scott, 56–57
Sullivan, Jake, 82, 98
Supporters of Islamic Law. See Ansar al-Sharia
Syria, xv, 21, 25–26, 27, 28, 29–30, 48–49, 52, 81, 82–83, 104, 133, 135–37, 139, 141, 144–45, 154–55, 157
T
Taliban-style Islamic law, 72, 121, 138
talking points on Benghazi, xvi, 75, 82, 98, 107–18, 121, 132–33, 152–53
taxpayer funds used in Benghazi cover-up, 115–16
Tayyar.org, 66
Thiessen, Mark, 90–91
TNC (Transitional National Council), 50–51
Toner, Mark, 15
Transitional National Council (Libya). See TNC
Tripoli, Libya, 2, 8, 13, 14, 15, 36, 42, 45, 46, 47, 50, 57, 59, 62, 63, 68, 88, 96, 97, 102, 116, 117, 118, 139
Tsarnaev, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar, 144
Turi, Mark, 26
Turkey, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 105, 136, 144, 154, 157
Twitter, 63, 117
U
Ubben, David, 58
United Arab Emirates (UAE), 139
United Nations, 7, 51–52, 78, 139–40. See also Rice, Susan
Univision, 108, 149
UN Security Council’s Group of Experts, 139
US Department of Defense, 14, 19, 96
US Department of Justice. See Justice Department
US Department of State. See State Department
“Unclassified” ARB Report from the. See ARB report
U.S. embassy
in Cairo, Egypt, 75, 79, 126, 128, 152
in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 87
in Nairobi, Kenya, 87
in Tripoli, Libya, 2, 8, 13, 14, 15, 42, 50, 57, 59, 63, 116, 117, 118, 151