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Does the buck stop with Secretary Hillary Clinton?

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    Sen. Lindsey Graham sounds off on security failure in Libya

  • Duration 7:04
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Stunning admission from secretary of state Hillary Clinton all take the blame for the attacks in -- -- Libya.

Well I'm responsible for the state department for the more than 60000 people around the world.

But we're going to review everything to make sure that.

And we're doing what needs to be done in.

Increasingly risky environments around the world I can't speak to who knew what about that we knew that there were.

-- security.

Breaches.

And problems throughout Libya.

That was something that tip came about is the aftermath of -- revolution to topple Qaddafi.

That interview with this -- Clinton came down from our own Wendell Goler who was in Peru with -- so why is she taking responsibility now and does that clear the president.

From any -- How South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham has been very vocal about this issue -- -- -- senator.

Good morning there were two previous spend Ghazi violent attacks I believe one in April and one in June.

So why wasn't something more done about security in -- -- I think here's the first question the secretary of State's responsible for -- with the -- in the United States is responsible for protecting us as a nation.

Against al-Qaeda and other radical Islamist.

And April the consulate was attacked and ID was thrown over the wall.

In June 6 at the consulate was attacked again there was a hole blown in the wall.

That was large enough for forty people to get through the wall the northern gate was penetrated.

Four days later the British and -- in Benghazi Libya.

Was attacked they close their embassy the Red Cross was attacked they close there.

Office and being guys see my question is.

Did anyone ever informed the press in the United States and about these terrorist attacks on our consulate.

What did you know when did he know it and what do you do about it it would be stunning to me.

So for our national security team.

Not to inform the president back in April and June in a stunning to me that the vice president denies any knowledge of the security situation.

And -- -- Libya I find it almost impossible to believe what secretary of state says hey that's my job I didn't tell the president.

So is your question it would -- your -- just bring this not now that's not her job the national security advisors job is to advise the president.

About security instances throughout the world.

It is the intelligence community's job to find out what threats we face as a nation.

It is it is a national security team supposed to be advising the president and the vice president about the situation on the ground in -- throughout the world.

And it would be stunning to me.

For our consulate to be attacked twice for the British ambassador be attacked four days after we were attacked for them to close there.

Conflict in Benghazi Libya.

The president the United States nor the vice president ever told about that if that's the case.

I have no confidence in our national security team but if the president was in fact briefed.

It is his responsibility to keep America safe what he said about Cairo Egypt and Libya as being bumps in the road on the road to democracy.

Could not be further from the truth.

His foreign policy choices of the coming unraveled -- in Libya last September.

Senator McCain and others we wrote an op Ed piece last October saying the militias in Libya have to be dealt with.

We need to be helping the Libyans train a national army we've done nothing in a year to help secure the situation in Libya.

Iraq is coming unraveled 12500 al-Qaeda fighters back in Iraq.

Their training camps in western Iraq Iran is flying over Iraq to support Syria.

Afghanistan.

That commander in chief overruled his commanders three different times and -- -- Vice President Biden said the commanders agree with the withdrawal of the -- that's that's not.

Accurate and and the way he describes -- and because you know so much about this you know you're you're the perfect -- to be talking about this because you know.

The big question is what did the president know and when did he know it.

But people in the administration when did he do about it -- exactly because.

Had -- actually granted the request for extra security for Americans may very well be alive right now.

Well -- -- that's a very good point.

If we're not telling the -- stuff.

About two attacks on our consulate and that the British had to leave the area.

And that there was a hole blown in the wall at forty people could get through what are we telling the president and is his responsibility have a national security team in place.

But I don't believe that after these two attacks that anyone should be begging for additional security.

Have to be banking and denied for additional security mr.

Norton says that he asked for twelve people from sort -- -- an earlier saying Nordstrom -- -- for twelve people in this and the State Department.

-- denied that request but but what -- interest in knowing for me this morning senator do you believe that this is still two stories is -- the security story.

And is it also an alleged cover up story.

I think is set I think is exhibit a of a failed foreign policy number one there.

Very much they have a minimalist approach to foreign policy lays a fair attitude.

They have a commanding control approached the economy Obama care for the federal government's taking over the economy.

Dodd-Frank the stainless screw the government didn't really grow the economy but when it comes to foreign policy to have a leading from behind approach and it caught up with them in Libya.

So this whole idea that we're not exceptional nation we don't have to -- finally caught up with us -- listens -- -- security environment for months before September 11.

-- the militias were known to be a problem we did nothing about it and it caught up with us.

Leading from behind only using air strikes -- -- getting on the ground it's almost impossible -- a successful war and aftermath.

But listen senator -- there were talking about getting together special forces strike team to a locate the militia that did this and attack.

And some people say in this heads up to an October surprise what do you think this is what you do have to -- attack.

This is what they do after they get a lot of criticism.

This should have been the first response the president should've been on national television.

Talking about this will not stand for those who did this will be brought to justice this is not a criminal matter this is a military matter.

The FBI the CIA the Department of Defense should join with the Libyans hunt these people down they're playing catch up.

Again the region is coming unraveled.

Leaving no troops in Iraq has caught up with us Iraq is deteriorating I was -- two months ago.

And -- the president inherited a lot of heart problems Iraq was this a great success story in the making -- made it impossible journey troops.

Afghanistan he's -- world our commanders three times.

And if we don't have a problem -- post 114 that places come follow let's just hope it's not a wag the dog moment all right senator Lindsey Graham -- -- is today from Savannah Georgia thank you sir.

Submit it.

And beautiful.

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