You're watching...
KT McFarland on the fine line state officials are walking in explaining faulty accounts of the Libya attack
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
Let's get some more on the the situation in Libya and now when one has unfolded in the investigation.
Of the attack on the US consulate in Ben -- there which obviously.
Cost the lives of our ambassador Chris Stephens.
And three other Americans KT -- is on national security consultant good to have you kkk.
Canada first of all I wanna play clip from fascinating interview you did this morning -- general Michael Hayden who is of course former director of the CIA.
Former National Security Agency directed to.
He's the general -- would do when you look at the character of the attack.
Complex.
Simultaneous -- season advanced.
Indirect fire weapons sequential attacks against two installations.
No evidence of a demonstration.
Any demonstration let alone one that got out of control.
I just don't know why didn't default option early on.
Was this is video related to an end spontaneous that it it seems to be had a comfort level for the administration.
-- Powerful voice Kati and saying essentially what you have been saying all along good so what if this if he could see that.
Won't imagine is everybody else in the intelligence community could see that it this was not a spontaneous attack most of us sitting at home.
To -- perfectly frank as was as the point was made only -- yesterday at the house hearing on this.
Could see that this was pretty well planned you don't turn up to two of those spontaneous demonstration without -- eccentric and a plan to go off to one.
One building and then another couple miles down the road and so.
What why do we think this happened.
There a couple of things that and what the hearings showed yesterday it was that there is no agreement on anything so my take away is three things.
The security additional security was requested and was denied as a result Americans died and finally we -- -- to him.
Think that there were how many lives there were countless lives.
First of all it's not a terrorist attack in the terrorists -- -- right away it was a terrorist attack two days of -- it's spontaneous.
Demonstrations that got out of hand they weren't writers spontaneous solidarity demonstrations to get out of hand three.
This claim throughout the last several months after an even after bin Laden was killed al-Qaeda is finished just not finished up how does come back.
With a vengeance and then they tell us all the movie wasn't the moving everything new about the movie so.
-- just too many -- stacking up but I think at this point somebody's got to get the secretary of state.
Gravitas.
That would be interesting you think she would.
I -- her tomorrow night club but did all right so wouldn't let me play devil's advocate for moment how bad the the -- interpretation of this.
That they see this happening.
They see this team that is gathering over these protests everywhere and despite that this situation in Libya being a slight a very different situation.
They decide that lets try to keep the lid on this Knox -- look for the moment let's try to sort of tamp down the tension.
And the best way to do it is not to go out there and say these are evil terrorists and we must that we must exact revenge upon them -- to try to bring the atmosphere down a bit.
Just ask me that the kind this interpretation -- -- Any reason for that.
That's how to -- probably exhibit that's why -- secretary of state came -- time and time -- tennis all the movie this reprehensible -- the president talked about this reprehensible movie -- senator senator but the problem with that is -- if you go and you piece and you say it's our fault he you know as the movie's fault we really apologized but is that -- to both the senate -- -- -- has just the opposite effect of what they want.
Do we always know the truth out we always told the truth and I I know the -- of this problem on my.
Is a national security.
In this case she lifted the man in this case there's just too many gaping holes -- security officials on the ground saying we need more security.
The situation -- -- is getting more and more -- What happened somebody in Washington.
Not only did not allow more security they pull back on the security that was there right.
I -- I was in the White House during Watergate and saw one after another sick people down the hall of being sent to -- prosecutors.
There were being investigated.
At this at this point.
It's all hands on deck they're trying to blame everybody and the decisions to.
Do you have a Libyan policy of not enough security putting the ambassador in harm's way not reinforcing.
Not rescuing -- that's made by some low level bureaucrat that he's made quite if the highest levels of fastener.
As a presidential appointee -- the president's personal represented in a foreign country he reports directly to the secretary of state or to the present.
DSL senior rising here it's never the deed itself always that -- our options are probably saying they -- I always -- there -- so.
This year and the outrage I guess there.
Is there.
The biggest outrage in all of this.
All what we appear to know now were repeated requests.
By everybody who was in Libya and knew the situation in Libya for more security.
And they didn't get and you say that that those decisions we'll go to the highest levels well at the highest levels of -- of auto executives say Clinton -- the highest levels of the White House.
Would -- -- S Secretary Clinton herself personally but there was certainly got a much higher levels and what was not testifying yesterday -- and they probably also went lateral and they probably were also.
I -- inner agency group National Security Council White House so.
I mean these decisions to deny your request by an American ambassador Louis and I think about it can't listen -- -- targeted giving more security and I said.
-- we don't think you are we gonna we're gonna judge hear from foggy bottom.
-- they -- -- -- led the State Department cafeteria we're gonna decide that you really dire about it that much danger.
That's -- something's very wrong.
Helmet let me ask you this and this is all of -- gossip and innuendo.
Com but I'm intrigued by it anyway.
Six did you US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice was sent -- on the Sunday -- talk shows.
The first Sunday off to the attack.
And she was the most visible person in the administration to say this was a spontaneous demonstration that got out of hand she said it again and again -- and I think -- five.
Talk shows maybe they wouldn't clear on what it precisely what had happened at that point but.
She has become the face of the Thalia -- in many senses.
And there's a lot of told -- have consecutive state Hillary Clinton really.
Would not put herself out there on that Sunday and kind of -- a useful fall guy in ambassador rice that those two not in perhaps the best of friends.
Well I -- immediate commentary after secretary -- ambassador rice was on the spot shows that I have this very -- here because as you ambassador -- -- line authority for American embassies overseas as secretary sick.
-- line authority for intelligence on the ground.
That's the CIA no line authority for defense the marine guards of these embassy -- -- does secretary of defense.
So then I went and checked on the schedules of the secretaries of state defense.
CIA.
Counterterrorism.
Director of the National Security Council and the national security advisor.
And they were all in Washington they -- all I'm saying -- God I'm not sure that wasn't my favorite -- bucks or on an airplane so I've got to assume.
Why Secretary Rice former I get to see evidence and -- yeah people want attention with a ten foot pole because at that point.
The State Department and the intelligence community the Defense Department internally we're all calling it a terrorist -- -- And if anybody wanted to.
Ruin the ambassador rice -- chance of becoming -- -- -- of state if there's a singular moment.
All in get out of here here's a good here's -- thing ambassador rice wants to be secretary of state -- she's made it pretty clear she's on the shortlist should like to be that job so if you're trying to make sure that everybody.
Think you're good team player you're a good candidate for that whenever we make our out of say who volunteers for -- your -- -- up.
-- see her being a -- I think this is vanishing in -- I have heard Colin Powell I think UN -- -- yes very good analogy thank you very much -- was well enough.
British national security analyst -- work on this new common journalists has been great -- and what -- only times on the on the channel recently so if you wanna know what's going on -- KT McFarland at Defcon.
Three must be up what day you know I was Wednesday Wednesday so yes they -- and we had some very in depth conversations about shredded.
I'm -- little -- to come out all right -- thank you so much.
