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State Dept. grilled on lapse at Benghazi Consulate

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    Why were additional security requests denied?

  • Duration 6:24
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This transcript is automatically generated

Instead let's bring in now KT McFarland -- of course is a Fox News.

National security analysts and general Jack -- he's he's a retired four star general.

Former vice chief of staff of the army -- Fox News military analyst it's great to have both of your expertise.

Here with us -- and let's just listen let's just talk about what we've just heard.

We're getting so much information from these whistle blowers basically.

Who are Erica Nordstrom who was there testifying.

And colonel Andrew what about how they request did.

More security they concede the security situation deteriorating they could see more targeted attacks.

On westerners.

Yet for some reason it was declined by the State Department -- -- With this I think three things are happening one there was security requests for security were denied as a result of that Americans died.

And now somebody is lying.

It's it's what they have to suspect every assistant secretary.

And to slam us talking about.

Well that they got the requests -- -- an honor them to me that's criminal negligence.

I've got to tell you I've I was in the White House during Watergate when decisions like this are made they are not made.

By mid level government functionaries and ambassador is the personal represented the pressing United States enact country.

He reports directly to the secretary of state if he had requested and his people had requested.

More security if he said I'm on hot target list for al-Qaeda.

That decision to -- -- -- to ignore that request is not made at a low level that's made at a very high level later the State Department or even a white.

House general -- what do you think why would the State Department or the White House denied a request for more security there.

-- that defies description why they would do that I mean we've had problems like this once before and in Somalia when when the Department of Defense tonight resources to our troops that desperately needed it it it it.

It is very confusing to come to grips with -- and as a responsible -- that -- look at that mean that the harsh reality here -- the major scandal.

Is clearly that the people and bring guys they were essentially defenseless.

And we have unnecessary loss of life and how sad is that.

I don't even believe the requests that Norstrom at all of making is adequate and and on top of that the State Department turns it down.

-- -- -- -- nine people protecting a compound 300 yards by 100 on the on the night of the attack and a couple of them would not have been there.

If the ambassador was not there we can't defend the facility.

Of that size would -- people we defend.

Our embassy in Kabul and our embassy in Baghdad and we've got hundreds of people involved in that.

Because we do not depend on local security forces and we cannot depend on local security forces here in Libya.

General and Casey had just want to play for use of -- that Eric -- just said.

On the stand him about that attack.

We were just looking at pictures also -- it it sounds like a nightmarish scenario.

Where terrorists streamed into the consulate and then began setting buildings on -- -- on our ambassador was trapped inside let's listen to -- Nordstrom for a second.

I had not seen an attack -- sitting in intensity previously in Libya.

Nor in my time with the diplomatic security service.

I'm concerned that this attack signals a new security reality.

Justice in 1983 Beirut marine barracks bombings did for the Marines.

The 1998 East Africa embassy bombings did for the State Department.

And 9/11 did for our entire country.

However we must.

Remember that it is critical that we balance our risk mitigation efforts with the needs of our diplomats to do their jobs.

The answer cannot be to operate.

From a bunker.

-- hurt and he says he thinks this represents a new reality was that more I was senator -- and the Pentagon during that the day that the Beirut bombing and he's absolutely right from that point forward we really changed our positioning of our troops and our.

Person out -- overseas in those peacekeeping -- but what it nobody's asked Jack but I -- -- the answer true.

OK I understand I didn't provide adequate security but.

But once that attack was going down they knew it was happening they did not know how long it would last what the result would be what Americans be killed would -- be captured.

But they be held hostage.

Why did nobody try to -- Other security guards that -- -- security that was in Ben -- there was security in Tripoli we have forces in Sicily why did no one tried to.

-- asked that attack was going down go find out what's going on and see if they could be useful to protect Americans so that's a whole second line of unanswered question.

A general that's only one of the questions here's another one that has come out from what these that all the testimony this come out as well this conference call that was basically -- bombshell last night.

Between State Department officials and journalists in which they also admitted that they still don't know how ambassador Stevens got to the hospital.

From the conflict it was only because doctors.

At the hospital found his cell phone and began calling his call list.

Could they figure out who he was.

And tried to start connecting the dots why don't we know more information.

Well fundamentally that to serious problem we have.

You know his personal security detail got separated from him which -- -- -- major issue -- there's no doubt the people on the ground trying to protect him.

You know what bush for ordinary courageous people trying to do what they thought was best given the split second decisions you know they will make him but the fact of the matter is we lost control.

Rather quickly at that site we do not have adequate people there at that site and therefore we also lost control of the about -- JT who is responsible for answering all these questions what -- -- question you wanna know I mean here's what's happened is.

Bad stuff happened all right so what is the administration under a lot of dust up in the air to try to make sure you're not sure -- what happened at a blank is that the movie's fault is that the intelligence community.

Is -- the security is at the State Department diplomats.

We don't know the answers about I've got a gas that is something that was a political decision and not only a political -- not to give them the kind of security they wanted.

It was probably a political decision not to rescue them and finally is -- a political decision.

To try to put a lot of blue smoke and mirrors in front of everybody so they don't know what really happened and they won't now are really happen and tell after -- -- Well thanks again so much for both of your expertise -- -- -- -- general Jack Keane obviously we will continue to listen to these hearings up throughout the day I hope that we can get more answers thank you.

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