- Apr 8, 2013
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Very thorough article summarizing a lengthy investigation of the events in Benghazi and the aftermath. It's been all over the news but so far I haven't seen a thread on AT about it. It's pointless to have this discussion on P&N so I'm going to post it here.
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi/#/?chapt=0
Although I highly recommend reading the entire piece, a bullet point summary is this:
1. The attack which killed the US ambassador was partly planned shortly in advance (i.e. the night before) but also partly spontaneous.
2. The attackers were not affiliated with AQ. They were local militias as well as rioters.
3. The Islam youtube video was part of the motivation for the attack, just as it had been for the attack on the embassy in Cairo.
It appears that the truth of it lies somewhere in between the initial version given by Susan Rice in the media and the alternate version espoused by the GOP.
Most of the discussions about Benghazi have thus far assumed it was a well planned AQ terrorist attack which had nothing to do with the video. Those defending the administration have argued that it is no major scandal that wires would get crossed so early in an investigation and that a messaging error is not a big deal. However, the linked investigation suggests that the administration's initial media report on the incident was closer to the truth than has been assumed.
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/benghazi/#/?chapt=0
Although I highly recommend reading the entire piece, a bullet point summary is this:
1. The attack which killed the US ambassador was partly planned shortly in advance (i.e. the night before) but also partly spontaneous.
2. The attackers were not affiliated with AQ. They were local militias as well as rioters.
3. The Islam youtube video was part of the motivation for the attack, just as it had been for the attack on the embassy in Cairo.
It appears that the truth of it lies somewhere in between the initial version given by Susan Rice in the media and the alternate version espoused by the GOP.
Most of the discussions about Benghazi have thus far assumed it was a well planned AQ terrorist attack which had nothing to do with the video. Those defending the administration have argued that it is no major scandal that wires would get crossed so early in an investigation and that a messaging error is not a big deal. However, the linked investigation suggests that the administration's initial media report on the incident was closer to the truth than has been assumed.
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