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US disputes Libyan account, says attack was spontaneous

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    Reaction from 'Special Report' host Bret Baier

  • Duration 8:56
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Well of course the deaths of four Americans and -- turning into a political blame game welcomed the happening now Jamie called women today for -- I'm John Scott the attack on the consulate in Ben Ghazi sparking heated debate over how it got started and who was behind it.

Four Americans were killed including the US ambassador to Libya.

There is some evidence of a coordinated attack launched from several directions by well armed Muslim extremists.

But the Obama administration is digging in his heels insisting.

This attack was spontaneous.

America's ambassador to the UN making the rounds on the Sunday talk shows listen.

The best information in the best assessment we have today.

Is that in fact this was not a pre planned premeditated.

Attack.

That what happened initially was it it was a spontaneous.

Reaction to what had just transpired in Cairo.

It as a consequence of the video.

-- that people gathered outside the embassy and then it's it grew very violent those with extremist ties and join the fray and came with heavy weapons which unfortunately are quite common in in post revolutionary.

Libya and and that then spun out of control.

Burberry is the anchor of special report joins us now from Iowa will talk about that in just a minute but -- why is the administration.

Queuing to this line about no pre planning no no you know military attack this was just a spontaneous demonstration and got out of control.

If there seems to be an awful lot of evidence of flies in the face of that.

Well that does John but I mean it is -- and even this morning and we have a reporters pushing on this very point.

All over the place James Rosen talking to a US official.

Moments ago.

And they're saying it's the consensus view of the US intelligence community Catherine Herridge just moments ago putting into our computer system.

The urgent -- that she has an intelligence source on the ground in Libya.

Saying that there was no demonstration.

Prior to the attack which began to unfold at 9:35.

PM.

An attack that included RPG's.

Mortar fire direct and indirect fire.

So you have all of these different elements of this story developing really by the minute.

And yet the administration is adamant that this wasn't premeditated wasn't pre planned.

And that they're sticking to this all tied to the video.

It's just it's very interesting that this is the that -- That -- tech well United States senator and even the president of Libya disagree with the administration on these points let's listen to that and we'll get back to adjustable.

Sure how much pre planning went.

But it was clearly an act of terror.

People don't bring heavy weapons and rocket propelled grenades to demonstrations because it -- demonstrate.

-- and it was very well carried out with a direct fire and indirect fire.

So for the United States government to say that it was simply hey yeah spontaneous act it flies in the face facts the way these.

That potatoes.

Active and -- I think you.

And that choosing.

Specific date.

For this.

So -- devastation.

I think we have no this leaves us with no doubt that this has -- -- and determined to determine.

And that is the remarks from many of those are the remarks from the Libyan president that that the administration is pushing back on yet again this morning.

The senior official you point out saying he the president doesn't have the information we have I suppose the advantage to the Obama administration is that.

If this is seen as just a spontaneous demonstration and nobody can get in trouble for not knowing that it was coming.

Sure I guess there's that that element to it but I mean you have John this.

Kind of listen this is the eleventh anniversary of 9/11.

The fact that this was.

A possibility.

In a place as volatile as Libya on the ground at least had to cross someone's -- at some points.

So the questions about security why wasn't it increase the questions about.

What was known about the potential threats on the ground and were -- warnings ahead of time.

There are a couple of reports out there that there were meetings about the security situation and Ben Ghazi prior to.

This attack.

I think we have a lot to learn and it's still developing really as we can -- by -- games and other reporting.

By the hour.

It became -- huge issue obviously in the presidential campaign.

Last week with -- Mitt Romney and President Obama trading accusations and so forth about how the attacks on our embassy and our other facilities were handled.

Politico he's you know he's just out -- A piece looking at the inside.

Mitt Romney's campaign.

For the White House and saying that the campaign as badly stumbled.

It points to the fact that two speeches that he planned to make at the Republican Convention were written and scrubbed and it says this.

The harsh process.

Resulted in a colossal oversight Romney did not include.

Hey -- salute to troops -- serving into war zones and did not mention al-Qaeda or Afghanistan.

Putting him on the defensive on national security just as the Middle East was about to -- -- It was also very light on policy specifics much to the chagrin.

Of conservatives.

What do you make it out of that piece coming out right now.

Well clearly there is a push by the Romney.

Campaign to refocus to somehow.

Reset.

You know you talk to Carl Cameron and -- talk to those folks every day.

About trying -- to get a sense of how these battleground states are really sitting.

They want to make -- -- leadership election.

Not just to stewardship election.

They wanna really.

Change the focus perhaps than just just the economic numbers especially in the wake of some of these foreign policy decisions I think.

You know that he's had some interesting nuggets in that.

How the election goes over the next fifty days.

Will see whether that piece plays in history or not.

I think.

You know if if the Romney campaign is able to turn this around.

Clearly President Obama is -- some steam and some of these battleground states and I should point out.

Maybe that's a good transition I was gonna say why we're here in Iowa -- -- -- That's right.

This place is a focus.

For both campaigns in -- Vice President Biden is here.

Paul Ryan is here today in Iowa.

And we are focused here and Jasper county one of about thirty counties around the country that we believe this election.

Will swing on his swing counties within swing states.

I we've spent a lot of time here in Iowa as you remember being in front of the straw poll in the caucuses.

We focused on three different people.

Over our time one of them was -- Janssen.

Pay out mom of two working mom.

And she's an independent.

We followed her through her decision process and she is not sure was not sure right now she's leaning towards.

Mitt Romney and we've talked -- -- along the way.

Talked -- -- again yesterday.

I think I will forever be an independent but I am leaning I'm leaning towards Romney at this point in time and last time we chatted.

You said.

That really is deficit and debt and concerns about -- kids really drove you were thinking yet still the case gas that's still probably.

The issues that are foremost in my mind and and what's -- me towards Romney.

The concern about our national.

Deficit.

And are increasing debt and that burden that that would place on my kids.

People like Sean obviously both campaigns would like to go laughter and we're going to bring you some of the stories of some of the people we've been following.

We also have Karl Rove and Joseph Trippi breaking down elect torque maps -- we have a special special report from Iowa tonight.

You can tune in -- special report weeknight 6 PM eastern right here on Fox News Channel.

Brits in Iowa tonight as he told -- the important issues affecting that county and how they relate to the bigger picture of the presidential campaign this year did you hear from real.

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