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White House finally calls Libya attack 'terrorism'

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    All-Star panel weighs in

  • Duration 9:08
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This is a fairly volatile situation and it is in response not to United States policy is in response to.

A video.

Does the United States government regards to what happened in Benghazi.

-- an act of terror.

Again I'm not gonna put labels on this until we have a complete investigation.

Could you don't see.

So you don't -- -- -- terrorism I don't think we know enough.

Yeah.

Okay.

But there -- a week of back and forth and as you saw just a couple of examples but there are many more from the administration.

Not saying that this was terrorist attack now it's self evident according to Jay Carney on the Air Force One as you could hear there.

What about this in the Libya attack on the consulate that killed ambassador Chris Stevens -- for -- in our panel.

Steve Hayes senior writer for the weekly standard Charles -- opinion writer for the Washington Post and Jonah Goldberg at large editor national review online.

This panel -- called the down goatee.

Panel.

-- you're surrounded.

And Charles Krauthammer by the way everyone will.

-- back in the house tomorrow no offense -- -- -- Your thoughts on this and where the administration has been and where it is today.

Well I think what Jay Carney was trying to -- there is pretend as if they've always thought that this was -- of course it was a terrorist attack.

I'm description you -- a group but we've seen in the vehicles that they didn't always been announced -- it's a terrorist attack and they're still not giving.

On this claim that they've made that they've really state -- argument on.

That this was spontaneous that this was just a much of people who got riled up and picked up our -- and and suddenly decide to.

Two to commit this attack.

I talked to some folks in intelligence world today.

Who said that this is that didn't virtually nobody thinks that this was spontaneous and the only people who are making that argument.

Our administration officials Obama political appointees and then beyond this undefeated into the -- used was fiasco this looks like a fiasco.

I'm going down that the biggest news I think coming out of the last 24 hours after you reported down the possible involvement of this former new money Kenny.

This is the guy simply on bend Kokomo where his picture -- new picture actually.

Who is let go of gitmo and from 2007.

In 2007.

Cents a -- right.

Did did the news I think of the last 24 hours after that he's the existence of this report that was prepared by a pentagon counterterrorism.

Group.

First reported by my colleague Tom Johnson at the weekly standard which basically says.

This is that this is that what we're seeing that in Libya Iraq now is the deliberate plan and al-Qaeda central this is the al-Qaeda central leadership.

Encouraging.

These splinter groups these jihadist groups.

In Libya and giving them strategic guidance to grow and what -- -- what this this report -- which came out in August.

Was that this is a growing threat and the threat that the United States government must take seriously.

-- well you know -- own leader actually said a few days ago is preposterous to suggest that it wasn't premeditated and other -- -- the administration's response of that was.

We have more access to collecting data on the ground than he -- -- Libyans pressed.

That was the response to Libya's president and now they're saying from the White House podium Air Force One itself evident that it was terrorists.

Right well what I was saying that because you try to think of some reasons why they would go to such lengths not to call it a terrorist attack from one what might be not to offend the host country not to offend Libya not to create a diplomatic problem -- we know that can't be the reason because -- is itself is saying it's probably premeditated.

You've got to conclude they don't -- -- call terrorist attack for some other reason and that other reason I would think is.

They don't wanna say terrorism is happening in the last six weeks of residential -- On American soil right and this is the first time we've -- on Americans technically because it is and US consulate right and it's the first ambassador to be killed since 1979.

It was an attack.

On 9/11 the eleventh anniversary.

It's a big.

Big deal it's a big deal and also they also for reasons that I think we all -- -- somewhat mysterious they put Susan Rice out.

To make something of a fool of herself.

On five I think spot Sunday shows and they see the shot.

Where she went around and the story you know changed a little bit but.

Basically the same that it was the spontaneous group and then Ghazi -- that it got out of control involved and then turn deadly right.

And in fairness I'm sure that the terrorists who attack didn't like the video.

But I don't think that that's really the issue.

And this was it was a premeditated terrorist attack.

There there is so much confirmation of that now and I think that it's only the only benefit out of you give is that some of -- they they they lock themselves in to such.

Mean they really did came from they really did shoot first and came later with this response not just maybe not Obama and his entire administration.

And now they're trying to figure out a way that they can walk back from it without looking like.

They jump the gun I don't know how they can do that the president was asked about this today that we have this this time but we don't have it yet.

Was asked about -- immunity provision.

Specifically.

Why was -- your administration better prepared with more security at the consulate.

It was a long long.

Answer.

And he didn't really ever answer the question but he came back to.

What we've seen over the last week week and a half is something we've seen the past and offensive video Khartoum.

Directed at the Prophet Mohammed.

Came back to the video said that he's concerned about security -- that he redoubled efforts around the world and at embassies and consulates.

After that.

-- about that I mean -- I found his answer absolutely extraordinary and -- the president of the United States.

Could still complaining about this -- nobody believes that it was about the video nobody thinks it was about the video.

Beyond that the Obama administration is now running ads as we reported in Pakistan.

Can affect distancing the US government from the video.

Who has done more in the US government in the Obama administration to give this video exposure and first you had.

Between -- statement from the US embassy in Cairo.

What was you know maybe just a run of the mill and gather in protest outside the embassy there are those kinds of protests all the time -- -- -- -- -- Foreign Policy Magazine that.

Other egyptians and -- square were sitting and drinking coffee.

This was an information operations have this protest hot on the pretext of getting angry about this video with the hope that it turns into something and now what we've done.

-- -- the president the United States talk about it in the secretary of state and putting out statements now putting up advertisements.

In Pakistan.

We have done what they want us to do we've given it all the attention it could possibly get.

Orchestra and 7000 in Pakistan and Kremlin as the president said in fairness was there are exploiting the video right there are exploiting the terror that.

More violent people of whatever was he called them are exploiting.

-- -- used as an excuse yeah -- carry out inexcusable violent acts right which is not quite.

The same thing missed a -- -- Context other things.

-- in -- moms essentially saying my policies are right.

We've done everything right.

We couldn't have anticipated the spontaneous problem the problem is -- that the things that come from having a First Amendment and free expression on our own country.

And they create these problems there's nothing to see here we did nothing wrong.

I'm not you.

Really want to -- But yesterday that head of national counterterrorism senators up on Capitol Hill open -- says it is terrorism it wasn't terrorist attack.

There were developments yesterday let alone what we reported just put that aside.

Because the New York Times.

There was not one story in New York Times about Libya let alone the terrorism angle there's not a story in here about Libya.

Now it's it just seems.

Strange I don't know but MI wrong -- -- The newspaper of record -- have a story when the administration's.

Basically the administration's narrative here is collapsing it doesn't work anymore nobody believes -- -- you did I think have.

Some other outlets Reuters had a real tough.

Or what what we now know to be factual was -- -- -- what the administration had claimed CBS news followed up this morning with.

A report that fox had three days earlier that there were in fact no protests.

And -- -- just didn't happen.

CBS news reported that today as well chuck I should point out would have held up the what Washington Post -- -- have -- stores -- I was -- I mean here you are not somebody I'll stick up for the post the next step that's why it's.

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