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Could Benghazi attack have been prevented?

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    House holds hearings on consulate attack

  • Duration 5:56
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This is how we woke up today.

-- Yemen where Yemeni security official in the US embassy in the capital was shot dead officials say.

His name -- case some act a lot knee who has been working for the US embassy the last forty years gunned down by the SaaS -- on a motorcycle.

Yemen officials say they believe al-Qaeda is behind the attack this comes one day after lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Pressed for answers on the terror attack in Libya which happened one month ago why we were told it was just a spontaneous protest.

Former CIA and NSA Director General Michael Hayden he with his reaction first off he just told -- general was great to see you.

You just -- we heard a lot of the testimony yesterday do you believe that -- seen.

-- cover up to the actual terror attack that killed four Americans.

-- -- -- I wouldn't use the word -- that there's there's certainly been inconsistency.

-- -- let's assume that those first intelligence reports and we now know they've -- to be wrong said this was spontaneous and and video related.

I assume the administration grabbed that thing like my grandkids.

Grab a Teddy bear because it was a convenient story for their broader political narrative that underneath that.

Political story I think the intelligence begins to change rather quickly.

Close to the real question is why does the public position of the administration.

Continue.

With the original story even though you've got these.

Other streams of information coming in challenging the original premise here -- reporter.

I said -- had your job the CIA director he -- is not conceivable that the Oval Office did not know what was going on.

Which -- the question why was the hoax about the video -- out.

And why was ambassador rice hung out to dry your reaction.

Well here.

Here's how I look at it -- you recall that 2003 National Intelligence Estimate Iraq weapons of mass destruction work we got it wrong.

We had significant trade craft improvements.

After that event and what we did was to make sure that when we talk to an intelligence consumer.

We gave him or her confidence levels -- as to how much we believed in our assessment and secondly.

We took an oath that we would give that client conflicting views within the intelligence community.

So I wonder what it was that was presented to the administration.

Even in those early hours what -- the confidence levels that it was spontaneous and video related and did we indeed include.

Those early conflicting views that in an attack of this nature.

Complex synchronized.

Sequential.

Could've been -- from jihadist flash mob.

You don't honestly believe that what from what we knew that it could have been a spontaneous attack when you get -- reports play by play.

Out of Ben Ghazi showing that this was a coordinated attack that -- -- for -- -- Well I I have to admit I watch the testimony yesterday and colonel wouldn't.

Mr.

-- -- regional security officer I mean their instincts almost immediately.

Were organized pre -- -- could almost identify the group -- and I must admit Brian in my my own instincts and again not fact based and I'm not.

Not seeing -- of reporting that might.

Own instincts.

With an attack of that nature in that town Ben Ghazi and we know the character of the of the people there and that the Islamist fundamentalists that live there.

My initial instinct my default option.

Was this is truly a terrorist attack and and not this kind of spontaneous reaction to the video.

-- you know there may have been some suggestions in the early streams that it was somehow connected to cover a bit.

Again I would not have gone out with that estimate with any level of comfort.

And have you found an ambassador going saying that five days later -- I imagine you would have had your eyebrows raised.

And Eric Norstrom is try to get additional security the whole time let me ask you some in the hierarchy the secretary of state.

Who's office rejected requests.

To keep security personnel in the country is she culpable the she have to answer questions in your mind.

I've I've not a lot of positions to judge the secretary of state who who -- frankly Brian I think case has been more candid -- some.

With regard to that to the nature of the attack and -- I've been in those hearings I've had those kinds of questions pushed on me.

It's difficult to answer and I know what seems obvious now.

That you know I had a bit of sympathy.

With deputy assistant secretary -- and my good friend pat Kennedy trying to answer those questions yesterday that.

Again I -- on what didn't -- what -- -- being candid general they should just said some of the things they were saying had had given to brief first.

-- they said that and then let the answers -- but it is something else that you do you want to bring up did you do it's a very special for our troops.

Well -- we're just talk about intelligence and and how difficult it is of that vast quantity of information out there.

Getting the right information to the right people at the right time well we're doing that now for military families three million.

People comprise our military family community and the national.

Military family association is come up with them a new app.

My military life which you can -- download -- -- App Store on iPhone or android.

And it gives you access to information.

Information that you can personalized.

To your particular circumstances and needs in life.

Deployment.

Separation from his service spouse education.

I think it's a wonderful step forward and it's it's a great tool.

To give these families who -- an awful lot of their life under stress and peculiar circumstances.

More help.

That would otherwise be available to the general still given back thanks so much in and we allowed -- military people watching we hope they'll get that -- thanks general.

That's right -- right.

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