Benghazi - Time to Leave - Imminent Threat...

[Zacha341]

U.K: Imminent threat against Westerners in Benghazi

LONDON [[AP) — Britain urged its citizens Thursday to immediately leave the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi in response to what it described as an imminent threat against Westerners.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/w...ghazi/1861013/

Clinton takes on Benghazi critics, warns of more security threats

Washington [[CNN) — At times angry and choked with emotion, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday took on Republican critics of her department's handling of the September terrorist attack in Libya that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans, but repeatedly distanced herself from a direct role in specific situations.

"As I have said many times since September 11, I take responsibility," Clinton told two long-anticipated congressional hearings examining the attack that became a major issue in the November presidential election.

Conservative Republicans challenged Clinton on the lack of security at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, where Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others were killed, as well as the erroneous account provided four days later by U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice that the attack grew spontaneously from a protest over an anti-Islam film produced in the United States.

Sen. Ron Johnson, a tea party backed Wisconsin Republican serving his first term, persistently questioned Clinton on Wednesday morning about what he described as Rice "purposely misleading" the American people.
Security Clearance: Clinton lays out daunting security challenges in North Africa

"We were misled that there were supposedly protests and something sprang out of that, an assault sprang out of that and that was easily ascertained that that was not the fact," Johnson said, adding that "the American people could have known that within days."
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/23/politi...azi/index.html

[kenp]

Her performance was touching and well rehearesed.
More tears today from Kerry

[JBMcB]

And by "I take full responsibility" she means that two low level state department staffers were fired and no substantive changes where made their security operations.

Oh well, she's hitting the eject button on that career anyways. Time to start prepping for the '06 campaign!

[Jimaz]

Hillary and Kerry Strike Back on Benghazi

[Zacha341]

Rand Paul opened a bit of a can when Mrs. Clinton went there with the whole 'responsibility' canard [[from NYTimes.com):

Rand Paul at the Benghazi Hearing

"...That Mrs. Clinton had previously accepted responsibility for the attack, and did so again in her prepared remarks this morning, didn’t faze him [Rand]. He just upped the ante. “I’m glad that you’re accepting responsibility,” he said. “I think that ultimately, with your leaving, you accept the culpability for the worst tragedy since 9/11.” Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan apparently don’t count.

He also brought up a terrifying counterfactual. If he’d “been president at the time” of the attack, he said, he would have fired Mrs. Clinton."

And by "I take full responsibility" she means that two low level state department staffers were fired and no substantive changes where made their security operations.

Oh well, she's hitting the eject button on that career anyways. Time to start prepping for the '06 campaign!

[JBMcB]

“I’m glad that you’re accepting responsibility,” he said. “I think that ultimately, with your leaving, you accept the culpability for the worst tragedy since 9/11.” Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan apparently don’t count.

You're right, Ryan acted stupidly. Clinton voted for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well. She has certainly risen to her own level of incompetence when it comes to foreign policy.

[oladub]

Zacha, I thought Rand did a better job interviewing John Kerry. Neither got ruffled and both were able to present their opposing points of view. It was a good exchange. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmMrKdpEWQg

I've been following comments on a few conservative sites that had been iffy and slightly hostile to Rand thinking he was too much like his father. Over the last week, Rand has found new respect on conservative blogs and is differentiating himself from Ryan and some other Republicans who are voting for more spending and otherwise acting like they have been bought off.

[Zacha341]

Yes. But now that she's exiting she will be cloaked in accolades relative to her splendid accomplishments. Such is the way of it...

You're right, Ryan acted stupidly. Clinton voted for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well. She has certainly risen to her own level of incompetence when it comes to foreign policy.