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Message
Benghazi
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:21 am
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:21 am
Can someone explain to me what exactly the scandal is with regards to Benghazi, and why it is grounds for impeachment?
I get that the Obama administration candy coated the initial response to it since it was an election year, but politicians do that all the time. Doesn't excuse it, but doesn't make it grounds for impeachment. All the investigations haven't turned up anything all that damning, so I'm confused why Republicans are so hell bent on this issue. I know part of it is an attempt to damage Hillary Clinton and her possible Presidential run in 2016, but the rest of it just seems like a colossal waste of time and resources. It was a tragedy, and one that probably could have been avoided, but the ongoing witch hunt is a bit much.
I get that the Obama administration candy coated the initial response to it since it was an election year, but politicians do that all the time. Doesn't excuse it, but doesn't make it grounds for impeachment. All the investigations haven't turned up anything all that damning, so I'm confused why Republicans are so hell bent on this issue. I know part of it is an attempt to damage Hillary Clinton and her possible Presidential run in 2016, but the rest of it just seems like a colossal waste of time and resources. It was a tragedy, and one that probably could have been avoided, but the ongoing witch hunt is a bit much.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:25 am to The Spleen
Politicians gonna politic.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:25 am to The Spleen
I really havent kept up with it as it just seems like another rock throwing contest in DC, but it appears to me that the Republicans think the Obama Administration lied and covered up their ineptitude and lack of actions in terms of how they handled support and evacuation for US personnel in Libya during that revolution.
I think the issue is trying to bust Obama and Hilary for lying about the mismanagement?
I think the issue is trying to bust Obama and Hilary for lying about the mismanagement?
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:26 am to The Spleen
Sadly the political mudslinging has de-evolved into a more of childish tantrum of "i'm telling mom and your gonna get in trouble!" or "mom he's licking his finger and touching me and won't stop looking at me!"
Whereas we the people are the "mom" in this case.
It is shameful at best, I wish we could reanimate our founding fathers so they can show up Zombiefied and shitkick these sniveling, weak, corrupt people that call themselves our representatives.
Whereas we the people are the "mom" in this case.
It is shameful at best, I wish we could reanimate our founding fathers so they can show up Zombiefied and shitkick these sniveling, weak, corrupt people that call themselves our representatives.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:26 am to The Spleen
It is actually a pretty huge deal to have one of our ambassadors murdered and our embassy attacked. To sit around and not do anything while it is happening is also a big deal. To lie about it simply to cover your own arse is deplorable and a big deal. To throw an innocent film maker to the wolves as part of the lie is a .... well hopefully you get the general idea.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:28 am to The Spleen
quote:
I get that the Obama administration candy coated the initial response to it since it was an election year, but politicians do that all the time. Doesn't excuse it, but doesn't make it grounds for impeachment. All the investigations haven't turned up anything all that damning, so I'm confused why Republicans are so hell bent on this issue. I know part of it is an attempt to damage Hillary Clinton and her possible Presidential run in 2016, but the rest of it just seems like a colossal waste of time and resources. It was a tragedy, and one that probably could have been avoided, but the ongoing witch hunt is a bit much.
I think the problem is inaction, despite direct request for help and more security followed up with "it was a video, blame the video" and not terrorism.
you know me, i'm on the opposite side of the political spectrum from you in just about everything that we can come up with, but this was a mistake. plain and simple. People died and it sucks, but it was a management mistake, not a terrible conspiracy.
I think there's something to the email coverup that they knew it was more than just a protest over a video, but they're politicians, they can't have a terrorist attack 2 months before elections, and as much as i don't agree with it, I understand it.
I'm much more bothered by the IRS stuff than this.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:31 am to The Spleen
quote:
I get that the Obama administration candy coated the initial response to it since it was an election year, but politicians do that all the time. Doesn't excuse it, but doesn't make it grounds for impeachment. All the investigations haven't turned up anything all that damning, so I'm confused why Republicans are so hell bent on this issue. I know part of it is an attempt to damage Hillary Clinton and her possible Presidential run in 2016, but the rest of it just seems like a colossal waste of time and resources. It was a tragedy, and one that probably could have been avoided, but the ongoing witch hunt is a bit much.
Just look at what happened with president bush and 9/11. People still say we had intelligence and the whole thing could have been prevented. It's what happens when you are in power. If you have a mistake it's on your hands no matter how hard you try to cover it up or defend it.
Now, do you think the democrats wasted a colossal amount of time with Sarah Palin? The assault on her and her family was ruthless and damning and it pretty much sealed her fate as a presidential candidate. Do you not see the irony in that? How can one cry foul when it's the nature of the business. You put your name out their you can expect someone is going to dig dirt and try to bury you. Deal with it.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:32 am to The Spleen
It's political, nothing more. Both sides do this shite all the time.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:41 am to GoldenDawg
quote:
It is actually a pretty huge deal to have one of our ambassadors murdered and our embassy attacked
Agreed.
quote:
To sit around and not do anything while it is happening is also a big deal.
But didn't at least one of the independent investigations conclude that because of the location of the attack there wasn't a whole lot that could have been done?
quote:
To lie about it simply to cover your own arse is deplorable and a big deal.
Agreed, and the administration acknowledged that and apologized. Is it something a President should be impeached for? I don't think so.
quote:
To throw an innocent film maker to the wolves as part of the lie is a
Well, it was documented that there were already protests throughout the Musliim world over the film. And there were witnesses on the ground in Benghazi that have stated some of the protests going on were over the film.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:49 am to GoldenDawg
quote:
It is actually a pretty huge deal to have one of our ambassadors murdered and our embassy attacked. To sit around and not do anything while it is happening is also a big deal. To lie about it simply to cover your own arse is deplorable and a big deal. To throw an innocent film maker to the wolves as part of the lie is a .... well hopefully you get the general idea.
This.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:50 am to The Spleen
Because the Republican Party as a whole has no direction, they are clinging to any shred of negative publicity for the Democrats. If they don't stop floundering, it's going to be another 8 years of a Democrat in the White House.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:52 am to Stonehog
quote:
If they don't stop floundering, it's going to be another 8 years of a Democrat in the White
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:53 am to The Spleen
quote:
But didn't at least one of the independent investigations conclude that because of the location of the attack there wasn't a whole lot that could have been done?
"independent investigation" is in the eye of the beholder, of course. And I haven't been following it all that closely, but it's my understanding that more than one of the "independent investigations" found otherwise, coupled with the fact that there has been a lot of hiding of communication which is still only being provided in pieces parts. That kind of response just fuels the conspiracy theorists.
quote:
Agreed, and the administration acknowledged that and apologized. Is it something a President should be impeached for? I don't think so.
I'm not aware that the administration admitted that they lied to the American public, the news media and to investigators and then apologized for the lies/cover-up. They may have, but I don't recall seeing that anywhere. As to whether lying about the cause of our embassy being attacked and destroyed and our ambassador murdered, simply to look better during an election, is enough to impeach a President, I guess that depends on what he knew, when he knew it, and what he did about it. And if he didn't know anything, that's kind of disturbing as well.
quote:
Well, it was documented that there were already protests throughout the Musliim world over the film. And there were witnesses on the ground in Benghazi that have stated some of the protests going on were over the film.
Which made it a very convenient lie for them, didn't it? And completely false, which you have already said they admitted and apologized about, so I'm not sure what your argument is here.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:53 am to The Spleen
quote:
Can someone explain to me what exactly the scandal is with regards to Benghazi, and why it is grounds for impeachment?
I get that the Obama administration candy coated the initial response to it since it was an election year, but politicians do that all the time. Doesn't excuse it, but doesn't make it grounds for impeachment. All the investigations haven't turned up anything all that damning, so I'm confused why Republicans are so hell bent on this issue. I know part of it is an attempt to damage Hillary Clinton and her possible Presidential run in 2016, but the rest of it just seems like a colossal waste of time and resources. It was a tragedy, and one that probably could have been avoided, but the ongoing witch hunt is a bit much
It isn't grounds for impeachment, but it should be damning for those involved. Hillary even more so than Obama.
The multitude of frickups that would up with a US ambassador dead were bad but that sort of thing happens (see USMC Beruit, 1983 and Mogadishu, 1993). The outright lies put forward and sometimes under oath afterwards are far worse.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:54 am to The Spleen
quote:
Well, it was documented that there were already protests throughout the Musliim world over the film. And there were witnesses on the ground in Benghazi that have stated some of the protests going on were over the film.
that doesn't negate the fact that they knew this was not about the protest over the video before they said "it was a protest over the video" and lied about it purposefully.
the recent emails discovered admitted as much.
quote:
Agreed, and the administration acknowledged that and apologized. Is it something a President should be impeached for? I don't think so.
but at the end of the day i agree with this for the most part.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 8:56 am to 3nOut
quote:
I think the problem is inaction, despite direct request for help and more security followed up with "it was a video, blame the video" and not terrorism.
Wasn't it Congress though that slashed the budget for Embassy security? If I'm not mistaken Hillary warned Congress how dangerous cutting the security budget could be.
quote:
you know me, i'm on the opposite side of the political spectrum from you in just about everything that we can come up with, but this was a mistake. plain and simple. People died and it sucks, but it was a management mistake, not a terrible conspiracy.
Well we agree on this one. It was a tragedy, and one that could have been avoided. I hesitate to draw the comparison, but look back on how Congress handled the aftermath following the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut when Reagan was President. Instead of multiple investigations to hold someone, anyone, accountable they worked to find solutions to not have something like that happen again.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 9:02 am to The Spleen
quote:
because of the location of the attack there wasn't a whole lot that could have been done?
The answer to this will probably never be known, but the ambassador died from smoke inhalation. He wasn't shot or directly killed by the attackers in some other fashion. He died hiding in a safe room waiting for help that had been requested but wasn't sent and that's a disgrace.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 9:04 am to The Spleen
quote:
but look back on how Congress handled the aftermath following the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut when Reagan was President. Instead of multiple investigations to hold someone, anyone, accountable they worked to find solutions to not have something like that happen again.
Congress could concentrate on finding a solution because the Reagan administration didn't lie about the event to try to protect the President, the Sec. of State, and themselves.
The cover-up is almost always worse than the crime in this type of situation.
Just a thought.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 9:04 am to The Spleen
The whole "what difference does it make" thing bothers me. I put the scandal on Hillary more than I do Obama.
Posted on 5/7/14 at 9:10 am to The Spleen
quote:
Well we agree on this one. It was a tragedy, and one that could have been avoided. I hesitate to draw the comparison, but look back on how Congress handled the aftermath following the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut when Reagan was President. Instead of multiple investigations to hold someone, anyone, accountable they worked to find solutions to not have something like that happen again.
It has been a long time, but look at how the administration handled that one too. Reagan put together a review team that put a lot of blame for the attack's success on the rules of engagement (the guards didn't even have loaded rifles, much less heavy weapons) - which would point directly back at the administration. They didn't lie to cover up what happened.
Again, I agree that this isn't an impeachment worthy event but the administration's actions in the aftermath of what was an avoidable but unintentional tragedy have been despicable.
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