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Rand Paul reacts to tense exchange with Hillary Clinton

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    GOP senator on heated Benghazi hearing

  • Duration 9:44
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Our son -- -- departing secretary of state appeared before both the senate and house foreign relations committees today and not surprisingly.

After months of waiting a number of members jumped at the chance to finally get to the bottom of what happened the night that.

US ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were murdered.

At the US consulate in -- -- but in the end Secretary Clinton.

Fiercely defended UN ambassador Susan Rice who in fact misled the American people by blaming the consulate attack.

On some anti Muslim YouTube video.

And the most disturbing moment of the secretary's testimony that came when she appeared to indicate that it doesn't matter who's behind the attack what their motivation was over really.

Watch this.

The fact is we -- four dead Americans was I'd had a right protest it was a because of guys out for a walk when not decide they don't kill some Americans.

What difference at this point does it make it is our job.

To figure out what happened and do everything we can't to prevent it from ever happening again senator now.

Honestly.

I would do my best -- your questions about this but the the fact is that.

People were trying in real time to get to the best information the IC has a process I understand going with the other committees.

To explain how these talking points came out but.

You know to be clear it is.

From my perspective.

Less important today looking backwards as to why these militants.

Decided they did it then to find them and bring them to justice and and may be will figure out what was going on in the -- time.

Lying to the American people for two consecutive weeks.

Now forgive me but I'm on a -- that it makes a difference to the families of the four dead Americans now another tense moment came.

During an exchange between Clinton and senator Rand Paul when he told the secretary.

That she should be fired over her epic failure to lead her department watch this.

I'm glad that you're accepting responsibility.

I think that ultimately with your leaving you accept the culpability for the worst tragedy since 9/11.

And I really mean that had I've been present at the time.

And I found that you did not read the cables from Benghazi you did not read the cables from -- Stephens Collins relieved you of your post.

I think it's inexcusable I think it's inexcusable that you did not know about this -- did not read these cables.

I would think by anybody's estimation didn't Libya has to have been one of the hottest of hot spots around the world there was a failure of leadership not to be involved.

And joining me tonight is Kentucky senator Rand Paul senator -- the Mac -- in the program.

Glad to be with him -- -- let's just get your overview.

A what you thought of the hearings what did you think specifically about her answers today -- feel that things were clarified.

We know one of the things we have suspected for a long time is that she did not read the cables.

There were police for help these were pleas for security coming from the ambassador.

Coming from -- -- they were turned down meanwhile they're spending money in Europe -- electrical cars and electoral charging station.

But they had real police for security and they turned him down and I think that's inexcusable and I called her to task on that.

Because I think that the families of those who died of Ben Ghazi they deserve accountability they deserve someone to step up and take responsibility.

And I think it's wrong that no one was fired I was disappointed after the original 9/11 when no one was fired.

But I'm doubly disappointed now that no one was really held accountable.

And so I held her accountable today and I hope people will hold her accountable but there are three phases about this that I see senator one as the before period.

During and after stay on the before for just a second here.

There were multiple occasions that we know -- when they requested in Benghazi additional security and even the ambassador said they could not survive a sustained assault.

I'm not only did we not grant their request for more security we cut -- back and as any explanation given as to why -- You know that's what I've been most concerned with is the before.

In the middle of this and in the aftermath I think there was a political cover up I think there was this fog of war.

But for a year in advance of this there's no excuse for not providing security particularly when they were requesting it.

They turned down a sixteen person security detail they turned out a DC three there were these explosions happening around there were attempted assassinations.

And there were no Marines there were no Marines there and I think the real problem this is something the review board.

Failed to get to and it's a problem coming up in the future that may lead to further tragedy is.

The embassy in a war torn area like Libya should be treated like a war zone and should be protected by the military.

I don't think the state department's capable this so I fear there could be another tragedy in less -- the military guarding.

Embassies in very dangerous countries does Secretary Clinton at four months to prepare for this appearance today before both committees.

Did you get the sense being in the room that that indignation that feigned outrage that she showed two.

Senator Johnson was for pre planned.

You know I think in some ways I think she feels some guilt over this.

I I hope she feels accountable for this -- -- she feels culpability.

But I think some of our lashing out -- senator Johnson was sort of a way to sort of get off her chest her feelings over this because I think is has taken an emotional hole on her and rightfully so.

But really these were tough decisions and she didn't show leadership in this the fact that she wasn't reading these cables from ambassador Stephens.

She wasn't performing -- job adequately and I think for that she needs to be held accountable I do it two ways of attack that happened on September the eleventh on that day.

And we know was in the final hour when for example -- woods.

Of the navy seal gave his life he saved a lot of people up to that point did you get an adequate explanation as to why -- Hell help was not forthcoming from our government or where the president was and what's the rationale for the decision not to send these guys help -- -- said they were watching it at the state department of real time.

Yet no I didn't get an adequate explanation and the other question that needs to be asking is.

Do we have these battleships and these air ships where are they if there in Germany is that close set up to the Middle East should dead battleships or air ships have been and Italy should they be in North Africa should there be a military presence in Libya ever gonna have an -- to see there.

There's a lot of questions that I think were not fully answered there -- a lot of questions over incompletely answered.

But ultimately I think really the biggest problem here was.

That they tried to treat the embassy in Libya like you -- the embassy in Paris they tried to say -- the same thing and they're not ones in a war zone and should have been treated differently.

I'm still fearful that in the future we could have another problem in Libya.

-- Syria gets a new government again as do the same thing and send an embassy.

To a new government in Syria without adequate military protection that's what I'm concerned about let me go to because now it's the whole question of afterwards now -- know Susan rice's name came up and and Secretary Clinton defended Susan Rice a lot today she went on five Sunday shows.

But that was what five days after the attack.

Her State Department was watching this attack and real time they knew it had nothing to do at this video.

But she didn't and President Obama put out this PSA and I wanna I wanna -- it.

-- audience so that they can be reminded of this.

Since our -- the United States has been a nation -- respects all faiths.

We reject.

All efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others.

But there is absolutely no justification to this type of senseless violence.

-- Let me state very clearly and I hope it is obvious.

That the United States government had absolutely.

Nothing to do with this video.

We absolutely.

-- -- its contents.

And message.

America's commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation.

Senator that's that's eight days after the attack fourteen days after the attack the president himself is still blaming the video.

All the evidence to the contrary from from the president Olivia.

To our own State Department watching in real time we knew that wasn't true.

Without question without question there was a political cover up without question why they're what are you -- any.

Well I ask one question I got one question in towards the end of my period and I said.

Were we involved with selling buying -- procuring or transferring arms to Turkey.

I think arms were being sold and have been sold out of Libya to Turkey and they're winding up in the hands of the Syrian rebels.

I think they did not want to draw attention to that that may have been occurring to the CIA -- I don't have proof of this no one's given me any information I have no briefing to this but there have been articles in the newsprint and in the press saying.

That there -- some gun running going on.

And I think they wanted to get attention away from there and -- -- it had to do something like a movie to draw attention away from maybe had something to do with a gun running.

Gun -- apparatus are done writing.

Organization that was happening in Benghazi.

Good job that I senator thank you and yet thanks for asking for some tough questions -- -- we appreciate it.

Thank you John.

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