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发帖数: 29846 | 1 The intrigue surrounding Sept. 11, 2011, in Benghazi is not going away.
CNN's Jake Tapper reports that two CIA contractors present at the Benghazi
attacks have called a recent House Intelligence Committee report on the
subject "full of inaccuracies."
John Tiegen and Kris Paronto, two contractors who were eyewitnesses to the
attack, have issued a statement detailing 13 inaccuracies they say are in
the House's report.
According to Paronto, one of the most serious issues related to the attack
was the delay between the State Department building being attacked by a
Libyan mob and the response from CIA personnel tasked with providing
additional security.
The CIA contractors assert that the delay, which according to Paronto lasted
at least 27 minutes — despite the CIA annex being located only 1.2 miles
away — "was a severe military tactical mistake made by leadership figures
who had little to no military training or experience in combat operations,
and the delay cost the lives of Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith due to
them dying from smoke inhalation—something that takes time.”
The location of the US "consulate" and CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya.
This delay, according to the contractors, was the result of the CIA chief of
base mishandling the situation and hindering the rescue attempts.
According to the House report, no security officer was ever given an order
to stand down or told to not prepare to aid in the rescue effort.
However, CIA contractors have called that "grossly inaccurate." Paronto said
during his hearing that he was delayed and told to wait to provide security
for the State Department building twice. During that time, he heard Tiegen
be told to "stand down."
Furthermore, the CIA contractors told CNN that the CIA staff had known for
approximately two weeks prior to the attack that a possible incident was
likely. The contractors noted that after having received a be-on-the-lookout
report, "the operators moved their body armor, long guns, ammunition, night
-vision goggles, and other tactical gear into their bedrooms, so they could
more quickly ‘jock up,’ as they called preparing for battle."
The CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya.
Tiegen and Paronto have written a book, "13 Hours: The Inside Account of
What Really Happened in Benghazi," concerning their accounts of the Benghazi
incident.
Interestingly, Drew Griffin and Kathleen Johnston of CNN reported in August
2013 that the CIA "is going to great lengths to make sure whatever it was
doing, remains a secret."
Tapper notes that the House Intelligence Committee report asserts that the
“CIA did not intimidate or prevent any officer from speaking to Congress or
otherwise telling his story.”
Nevertheless, these two CIA contractors are clearly determined to give what
in their view is the real story:
“We have continually attempted to take the ‘high road’ and not delve into
the political weeds, until we were once again called liars by the same
government we had sworn to protect,” Tiegen and Paronto stated to CNN. “We
never did what we did that night into the following morning to support
agendas, political parties or presidencies. We did what we did that night to
save the lives of fellow Americans and defend American soil. We disobeyed
orders and went to help the DS agents and our friends because they were
under attack by terrorists and were on the brink of death. Now it’s our
turn once again to set the record straight, show integrity and tell the
truth. It’s a pity though that the truth is something that’s not very
popular in today’s society.” |
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