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Rumsfeld: 'It's not believable'

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    Former defense secretary on handling of Benghazi attack

  • Duration 6:42
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And breaking news tonight secretary of state Hillary Clinton say she takes full responsibility for the attack in -- -- telling reporters.

That the buck actually stops with horror and quote should go no further.

Now speaking of -- to our own Wendell -- she said I'm responsible -- the state department for the more than 60000 people around the world.

The decisions about security are made by security professionals.

But we're gonna review everything to be sure that we're doing what needs to be done in an increasingly risky environment.

Now this admission to be viewed as nothing more than hard trying to take the fall for the administration.

An administration that refuses to answer questions about what they knew and when they knew it and why didn't they tell the American people the truth.

And joining me now with more on all of this former secretary of of defense Donald Rumsfeld mr.

secretary areas are.

Excellent Sean good to be -- interesting wording the buck stops with car.

I didn't know she was in charge that you -- they've got that's an interesting statement to me almost did feel like there's a little dig behind that.

Well.

Of course that's what Harry Truman said and that's what it it does stop with the president which she is not.

On the other hand.

That the buck -- respect to providing security.

Is certainly within her area of responsibility.

End and if it was a failure.

On the other hand the responsibility for the way the White House has -- tried to cover this up.

And to manage it in a way that -- suggested that at first that it would -- YouTube that it was not anything to do with 9/11 that it was not anything to do with -- a planned attack with a heavy weapons.

I think the responsibility for that as well as the responsibility for the secretary of state not providing appropriate security does in fact fall to the -- Well I I would agree with that but that this does not make this go away by any stretch of the imagination.

The request for security there were denied on the anniversary of 9/11 big Ghazi a hotbed for terrorist training we -- -- know that.

Also.

This is the problem they have with this story it's falling apart.

Because they said that this was spontaneous.

A mob uprising but we had somebody -- at the State Department watching in real time.

Our intelligence knew in less than 44 hours that this was a terror attack but five days later they sent out.

You know secretary of of or -- rice was ambassador rice was out there Jay Carney was out there the president was out there even Hillary Clinton.

Saying that this was related to this video.

That is not true they knew it wasn't true they had to know wasn't sure.

And Secretary Rice of course of reports to through the secretary of state she is -- function.

Functionary of the Department of State and is responsible for what she -- them.

Yeah he had -- written this is just one thing if you look at -- the Obama administration's foreign policy in this and secretary of State's foreign policy.

I mean think what we've done in Latin America every time the union said back off on a free trade agreement weather hurt our allies and in Colombia or not.

They backed off you look at look at Afghanistan where the where they secretary of state the vice president the ambassador.

I Holbrooke the special advisor all trashed.

President Karzai publicly and and seem to have totally forgotten anything about.

Private diplomacy.

And you look at Iraq she was responsible for getting a status of forces agreement.

The administration wants failed didn't get one we -- all over the world with them into the.

Genius to do that is it conceivable.

And you've now worked in many White House is is it even conceivable.

That the intelligence committee knew within 24 hours that this was a terror attack.

That intelligence community and the State Department knew that this was not spontaneous not a mob action not related to the movie.

Is it in any way conceivable that the White House.

Up to five days later and then when -- president repeated it on the view what seven days later.

And then went to the UN it was blaming the movie is it possible the White House did not know and not know immediately.

I think it's it's not believable that the National Security Council.

-- not aware of what the State Department was aware of and what the intelligence community was aware.

They're in constant hourly contact with both the Department of State and the intelligence community.

On the other hand.

I think it is probably credible that the president might not have known at least for a period of the day -- so because he went often that Nevada.

For a campaign fund I -- if I imagine later they know they had they had to know within five -- absolutely.

-- I I and I don't doubt that for a minute.

And -- the White House slide.

And purposely lied to the American people and we're trying to cover this up I guess because they would tell the American people that al-Qaeda is you don't finish we we you know we won.

We've knocked him out.

What does that mean in terms of political potential political fallout for this president seems to me that if this goes much deeper than an election.

With a orchestrated cover up.

It does.

And I must say I was White House chief of staff to president Gerald Ford.

And I was in every meeting in the White House and on national security matters set in on the National Security Council.

I don't remember president Ford ever wants.

Even allowing somebody to raise a political issue with respect to a national security matter.

And I think the fact that the president run off to Las Vegas or wherever he was in Nevada.

Suggests that that was his priority and end he obviously.

It was dismissive of the fact that for Americans had been killed them and and we've seen what obviously was a terrorist attack at.

And I think of his priorities I mean the prime minister of Israel the Middle East is on fire right now.

The prime minister of -- requested meeting with the White House and their answer is -- and by the way if we meet with you have to meet with ten other people but he's got time for the view and Jon Steward and and David Letterman and and these radio program -- with a -- gets an interview.

Everybody gets an interview.

And I'm just I'm thinking and you know so what where's the president he has a job and only once and others he wants the job from four more years.

But doesn't have to do the job he currently -- first.

Indeed today one would think if you're if you're running for election to try to get another four years.

You would try to behave in a way that didn't suggest that that the administration was somewhat over their heads in this whole thing.

Very very their priorities are screwed up and president doesn't seem very engaged not even in his reelection if you look at his last debate but.

Mr.

secretary it's always a pleasure sir thank you for being us.

Sean good to be review.

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