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Former defense secretary says Obama administration has failed to give 'any real explanation' for confusion in US consulate attack
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-- tonight former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld talks Libya he is critical of the White House and the State Department.
He says they failed to do their jobs and that is that the only thing secretary Rumsfeld says the administration botched.
Mr.
secretary nice to see you sir thank you your overall thoughts about what has unfolded and -- got.
She is not.
Well first it's it's a tragedy it's unfortunate that we lost four Americans including ambassador.
It is.
I think a serious problem that they requested.
Additional security from everything I've read in the press and have heard.
And they weren't provided the kind of security that could have protected their lives.
The second part of the problem it seems to me is that after that happened.
The White House particularly but also the State Department.
Proceeded to tried to describe what took place.
That's not related to.
The anniversary of September 11 which is undoubtedly was.
That and and attributed it to a some video to YouTube video that really very few if anybody had seen.
And in fact they had within a relatively short period of time from everything I've read.
They had information that it was an attack by an al-Qaeda affiliate and that it was a terrorist act.
And and the fact that they they won't apparently did not want it to be a terrorist attack but some sort of spontaneous demonstration.
Led them to contend that that was the case I think -- -- confused and complicated it in an unfortunate way.
How how can you tell -- how do we know -- discern whether or not it was sort of incompetence -- London this videotape -- Or whether Wasilla deliberate to have reason -- downplayed that this was terrorism I'm not lemon.
We can't you have to see the -- would that the investigation.
Play out over a period of time them and then know with certainty what took place.
But it clearly the edit the killing of those four individuals and the fact that proper security -- -- provided.
And the narrative that came out of their -- did not.
It should -- exactly what their political narrative was then it turns out it didn't fit what the facts war.
Now why in the world would they send the UN ambassador out -- those decisions are made in the White House.
As -- who goes out on the Sunday shows why would they send the US ambassador to the United Nations -- to go on three -- -- these talk shows.
Saying what she said which was flat not correct it was inaccurate and it misled the American people in an unfortunate way.
Well that's what I've been critical of the -- of -- -- to the extent of any US are suspicious.
-- suggested things -- done for political reasons or incompetence or whatever you think is it.
This is because there is this remaining mystery and has not spoken to the nation you know he's the only one who could sort of clean this up.
Do you agree it -- not that he should stay at least sit down and explain what happened.
Why expected eventually he'll have to I think I think the record.
His increasingly clear because of the investigations that are taking place in the executive and legislative branches.
-- and at some point someone is gonna have to stand up and say here's what the timeline was here's what the facts were.
And it will be clear that that it did not fit his behavior.
It doesn't fit what he said at the United Nations it doesn't fit him going on talk shows.
Comedian shows him in New York it doesn't get him going to Las Vegas immediately after learning that these people were killed.
It was on presidential.
I think and it's interesting that governor Romney in the debate did not go after these things I.
I must say I suppose.
-- -- the undecided voters looking at that debate would would come away.
Feeling that president Romney was presidential and and didn't go on the attack.
-- but.
But eventually it it'll all come out and it should because you know you have an administration that does not want to seem to even admit that there are such things as.
Islamists radical islamists who who are determined to kill innocent men women and children.
They don't want to use those words they pen and in the debate that point came out that this.
Effort against.
Terrorists is really not going to be one -- bullets it's it's an ideological.
Task that's gonna take time more like the Cold War.
And and it requires people being willing to.
Describe precisely what the enemy is.
And what the threat against the country is and this administration has no strategy to deal with that partly because they're unwilling to even identify the -- With 20/20 hindsight it seems.
Have slipped appalling that we didn't have -- securities -- It does it when I'm curious sound in what you're thinking nerves or white -- -- we did -- when those requests were made.
When the messages were -- -- that communicated to Washington to the State Department.
Why they weren't acted on and this is not -- this is not Dublin has -- Ghazi.
You know what we all know that it's a dangerous place and we knew in in fact that September 11 was a date.
That conceivably would be used by terrorists.
We also knew that there were a lot of weapons floating around that country from the civil war that took place.
And and you know it's it's did undoubtedly first molester hard to to be right every time everyone knows that -- you can you give the people in government.
Cut him a little slide -- -- if you're not gonna be right every time.
It -- money that prevented them from having proper security and that that I'm sure.
I suppose it it.
That that for whatever reasons the requests that came in from the embassy and and the analysis that took place simply didn't have the degree of urgency.
That obviously in retrospect we can see with -- and and the I don't attribute -- to bad motives I don't attributed to conspiracy if for some political thing I think it generally when government.
This is something you -- it's a lack of competence.
And and the responsibility we know the ambassador for Phil -- responsibility because he made the request.
The State Department obviously didn't and the white for White House obviously didn't fulfill their responsibility.
But when -- but when the ID went off and -- -- big -- in the -- in -- and if you have that Britain pulling out you know I -- how we need.
There there are some really good signs say that there's something wrong.
I mean that would certainly alarming if ice if -- -- -- in this that this place needs a little extra security and that and if the investor -- was later asked for -- Pound it really you would 20/20 hindsight that you realize that that's advantageous it's hard to see why they didn't do it at the time.
I agree.
And there were there were clearly threats there were clearly other embassies that so all the threats and and moved out and and they were on notice and and they didn't respond with the kind of security which is terribly unfortunate.
What what is even worse from the standpoint of the American people.
If not worse but that of a kind is the way it's been discussed after the fact.
It is spent all of this guy bobbing and weaving and make explained explanations that there are arguments of convenience but not real explanations.
And and that proved themselves wrong within a relatively short period of time we've seen a whole series of them.
From the State Department from the White House spokesman from the UN ambassador from the president.
That now when you look at them just didn't didn't they are up over time as being accurate.
What's -- seeing them Press Secretary Jay Carney said it was yesterday.
That.
When Fox News jumped on that he knows that came out a couple nights ago that said that.
Had -- -- the time that this was going down that they that the with the State Department had information that a the terrorist group had taken credit -- on social media his response yesterday as well you on the rude mean and meeting you could -- gotten access to best.
And he could've gone social media essentially gotten a taste in their there's so deflecting away from them any sort of responsibility.
To inform.
Think the secretary of state said that something -- FaceBook is not evident.
Well okay it's a fact it may not be a conclusive evidence but it's a fact and I am I find the whole thing most unfortunate because the worst part of it is that we lost some some lives of of people who's we who deserved better of us as a country and as a government.
The second offense to present vice president where in the Oval Office at some point -- this was going down this hold down.
Crisis and got it I'm curious what would sort of what what do you imagine sort of as the discussion that goes on at that time when.
-- when you know in real time that -- it that -- -- consulates under attack.
What would you expect.
Well several things -- you that you ended the first response it has to be.
The lives of the people involved what do you do about that.
If you forget the fact that she didn't have the proper security there in the first place and you begin with the fact that it's under attack and you have Americans they're serving their country.
What can you do about it and and and that process then.
-- is the responsibility of the people in the Department of State and they the National Security Council and ultimately the Central Intelligence Agency who may or may not have operation -- The area and and the Department of Defense who has assets in some hundreds of miles away and what can they do.
And they begin that process of figuring out what might be done and apparently there was a unmanned aerial vehicle over -- that was in fact.
Observing what was taking place.
Was there any sort of military action somewhat critical that during the seven radar period how -- was.
That there with the -- there was there military I mean I don't know what's behind the scenes always just what was done what was at least put an end.
In connection mound but give me credit or any criticism or even thought about the military response or lack -- Well we know that destroyers were moved towards the Libyan coast we know that.
The CNL base in the -- the island off.
Italy.
Has capabilities they -- US capabilities.
And and -- I knew more about what the facts -- what assets were within reach and and what requests were made.
I wouldn't really be in the best position to be critical or or complimentary I just don't know -- Former secretary of state Colin Powell -- today has set endorsed President Obama again he did -- four years ago.
They thought -- him endorsing President Obama for another four years -- No surprise he endorsed him for years ago I would expect he obviously timed it to try to be helpful particularly helpful since the momentum.
It clearly is moving in the other direction away from President Obama my suspect.
That he you know White House -- to to try to be helpful to to the president but it's not surprised he supported him last time.
And do you support that.
Have you made Denton knows we have supported -- -- -- this one don't know why vindicated -- support for president -- for governor Romney and and certainly helpful.
That he.
-- that he prevails in the election I think that the direction we're going in the country is unfortunate I think an awful lot of people.
Are disappointed in in the last four years and I think an awful lot of the undecided people.
People are looking at this end and looking fears that some.
Separation between them what the demarcation that contrast and and in my opinion that last debate has provided that I think that I don't know who won -- lost these debates I'm probably not the best judge anyway.
But as I watched it clearly governor Romney was presidential he.
He didn't attack and and in erupt and the and the president was less presidential in my view and and -- attacked and interrupt frequently.
And I think -- -- -- people look at that and and come away with a sense that.
One of them is is.
The kind of a person they'd like to have lead and and the direction we've been going it's disappointing.
What -- you think you made the biggest difference from less former secretary defense perspective between the two administrations.
In another four years.
I think.
Think that that governor Romney's comments suggest that he recognizes that it's the united states of America's.
Capabilities.
I say that meaning both our economic strength.
And and what that suggests to other countries that we will be a factor going forward.
And are you -- military strikes.
That we will be a factor going forward.
Which.
If you look at the last four years clearly -- President Obama has a different view team.
-- -- the Defense Department is going to be reduced in size and -- President Romney is becoming governor Romney -- president said he would be concerned about the size of -- -- And -- the president was dismissive and rude almost by saying well we have fewer ships but we also if you were horses.
This from a man -- who did never served in the military and I think people listen to that end and wouldn't.
Recognize that we need ships we need a strong navy told -- may -- why well because we have economic intercourse across the globe.
That we see the problems of piracy of drug trafficking of infiltration of weapons of mass destruction and all of which depends on freedom of the seas and to be dismissive about the size of the navy.
And say well we have aircraft carriers you know that we column aircraft carriers and air plane slammed them was kind of almost kindergarten which I was so I was stunned by it -- -- my father was not a carrier in World War II I was a navy pilot and I -- there and listen to them and I thought.
My goodness what what a response that was that was so small.
And not large.
Mr.
secretary thanks so nice to -- you thank you.
