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Will Benghazi impact the presidential election?
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With a week left in the White House race, more questions linger in terror attacks on US consulate in Libya
- Duration 7:37
- Date Oct 30, 2012
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With a week left in the White House race, more questions linger in terror attacks on US consulate in Libya
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Four Americans murdered by terrorists and Libya the deadly September 11 assault going on for hours.
Last week Fox News reporting that request for help from CIA operatives at the Ben Ghazi consulate compound.
Word tonight.
If someone to blame for not sending in reinforcements -- west -- former assistant secretary defense in the President Reagan administration a marine combat vet he author of into the fire he joins -- good meeting -- Good evening Greta.
Well our information is that they asked for help at least at some point dressed to go over and help at that consulate.
I'm curious if for -- request for help this made dummy me from your own facts to back up.
To -- a request made what's the chain of command.
While was quite clear.
The president was sitting in the Oval Office when the fight began any call -- and the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs.
President Obama now tells us that he gave the directive immediately.
For the military to do everything it needed to do to save our diplomats.
The secretary of defense then turns to the chairman.
And says.
I wanted to execute order.
Once the chairman of the joint chiefs general Dempsey hears those words yes sir he's right there.
Then he calls his theater commander who's in charge of Africa general ham and he -- get those assets moving.
And a written execute order will fall but get those assets movement.
So that's clear.
But what really makes it unclear.
Is that undersecretary of defense came out separately and said -- -- General Dempsey in general -- -- -- talk army generals agreed with me that we should do nothing.
Well which is -- now is that the president of the United States is the commander in chief saying -- And the secretary of defense saying no shirt the generals and I agree when -- going to do it.
That doesn't make sense to me Greta.
And it's very easy for the president of the United States to come forward and tell the American people -- here here's my execute order because there's no such thing as the military going off and doing something without that execution order so I'd like to do I just like to see the execution order.
What the president would do whatever -- case -- -- the present ever have a case to say look this is an emergency situation things are developing right now.
I want you to speak to your general in the theater.
And have him make judgment make good judgment of whether or not that this is a wise Smart.
They opted to do anything at this point.
President Reagan used to give those kinds of orders all the time it's -- -- you guys you do what you think is best that would be fine.
Then you simply say served -- I have permission to and to Libyan space Libyan territorial space president says yes Don.
Because general Hamm had a force recon detachment of the 130 Marines there were assigned to him -- -- he had all kinds of aircraft.
They could've been there within two hours and they would have been more than willing to go.
So general have had the assets the strange thing is the general ham told -- congressman.
That he was never given an execute order to enter Libya.
And that's different than what the commander in chief is saying and they secretary of defense is saying something else and that -- general rose.
I'm really disappointed because they're hurting the military by not coming forward and saying something.
When General Petraeus was -- -- well you on the CIA really didn't do anything he said wait a second.
He said nobody in the CIA ever gave an order not to go win so that General Petraeus immediately said it's a National Security Council.
General Dempsey is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff any time he -- it could say yes I received the execute.
-- are no I never received an execute order that -- might make an unpopular with the president.
But I think that the general owes it to the American public otherwise we think that our military is going along.
In a way that they shouldn't go along.
Hard to -- the weekend Leo let's -- -- you didn't mention sectors sectors state Hillary Clinton's I take it the post of secretary of state.
Would not be in in in these discussions typically.
That right.
-- -- I have I am absolutely sure that she was in these discussions.
-- but she isn't in the military chain of command the military chain of command is quite clear she would have given advice.
Her advice would have been should you go into Libyan territory are not but the interesting thing.
Is that -- embassy had the courage to immediately take a plane.
Which was as far away as our military base.
And they put six Americans on that plane and said go over there 400 miles away in did in that fight and try to help.
And they would never have done that if they hadn't gone back to State Department said we're going to send in reinforcements.
So on the -- you're getting even more confused you get the State Department internally willing to do something.
And you have a military not willing to do something.
I mean that's really bizarre.
Where do you see where -- is this break down I'm trying to look at that live made a little circuitry of names you've given me any odd trying to figure out how.
Where where do you see is the BM.
Fort Worth things break down in this in from President Obama to put that -- general Dempsey the general ham.
Right -- stop right there.
If the president.
Gave the order that he told the American people he did he was crystal clear he said the minute I heard about this.
I directed.
That the military take all steps needed to secure our personality keep them alive.
That isn't actually -- order if the president gave that order.
Immediately that order is written down by the National Security Council advisor all of that's on the record none of that -- I don't record.
When you're expected to use the late word execute order or is directive -- -- -- here -- -- wouldn't it.
No other president wouldn't have to use that -- would have to do is say what he told the American public.
He said to the American public I told the military to do everything they needed to do.
So -- out of the degenerate can.
So -- said that and so Stephen.
In the release it to their he is President Obama gave the directive either -- unless he didn't get -- but he says he gave it.
It send -- second offense Panetta.
Or general Dempsey is weren't -- -- then.
More hell.
G secretary Panetta -- four other generals which I found to be a little -- peculiar.
And he said.
General Dempsey who's the chairman.
And general -- -- the theater commander and high unanimously.
Agreed in essence to do nothing because we didn't have enough information.
I'll wait a minute you're -- -- president has just told you to do something in the -- -- -- just said no.
Well if you said no then you've told the president know Mr.
President we're not gonna do what you taught us to do.
Do I believe that's what happened Null and -- we can we square -- so absolutely that this doesn't have to be a debate.
All the president has to do is surely execute order I have the most serious doubts that any such execute order exist.
Big thank you -- this continues to be quite you know -- -- a lot of unanswered questions and death.
When I'm hopefully get the -- and I think -- the sooner the sooner the sooner our military gets out of it the better.
Thank you served.
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