Sen. Chambliss on Benghazi, John Brennan hearing

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The Pentagon Jennifer thanks let's get reaction now from the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence -- Georgia Republicans Saxby Chambliss and senator welcome thanks Chris going to be -- -- you took most part you're busy and both hearings today let's start with a bang Ghazi hearing.

Defense Secretary Panetta said the Pentagon didn't have the intelligence for the outset.

To get to -- Ghazi and time to protect those four Americans who were -- let's take a look.

You can't just Willy Nilly.

Send F sixteen -- and then blow the hell out of a place without knowing what's taking place.

You can't send EC 130s there and blow the hell out of a target without knowing what's taking place.

Did you find Panetta and the chairman of the joint chiefs general Dempsey did you find them persuasive on this point.

I have -- -- Chris Simon has you know to their credit I understand this came about all of a sudden but when I asked both.

Was this an intelligence failure of this the response was instant.

What general Dempsey says it is that there was an intelligent to give out I'm not sure I've ever heard that term about twelve years of experience in and -- -- world.

And certainly if they have had intelligence that this crowd was forming that they have been planning this over a period of time and if the community did frankly done its job and give me information they both agreed that they have been prepared to do something about it.

But what really bothered me he was the fact that.

General Dempsey.

Through general ham news because -- general -- had to -- -- calm -- out of Africa arm that has jurisdiction over that area.

-- you that are requested and buy it back Chris Stephenson ambassador about four additional security that the consulate Nagasu was not secure the April 16 -- -- August 6 and August.

Just to -- and yet they took no action by national network to serve him well we called up State Department nice we don't really need and I think what it.

You know this is next to the commander in chief this is -- top military officer in the country.

And if he can't determine on his home that you know there's a lack of security that we need to do something that something's wrong with -- What do you make following up on that of how little contact we heard the exchange there with Lindsey Graham that Panetta and general Dempsey had on the night of September 11.

While this attack was going on over the course of seven hours how little contact they had at the Pentagon -- -- the president.

War and this was a diplomatic installation the consulate and announcing with the secretary of strength.

Well yeah I don't know what was going on in the -- to the president too much out from the election about I think it's safe to say that's where his focus was.

Did -- care about the people -- Can't help but believe he did -- but.

He wasn't focused on national security that -- -- and here is as senator Graham.

Probe you know this thing -- lasted two birdies and yet there was no direction by the commander in chief.

There was no direction by the sector advanced nor the chairman of the joint chiefs to send any assets and help these people.

-- Anywhere whether to military action or whether to civilian action we protect our people we didn't do it here and there was a total failure on the part of somebody -- Let's turn to the other hearing the Brennan confirmation hearing you questioned him sharply this afternoon.

About the president's drone policy we use satisfied with the -- well first of all he.

-- John Brennan is a very knowledgeable guy he's been around long time when the CIA for 25 years management -- -- Obama administration as a national security advisor for four years and while he was not the architect of the drone program itself -- -- -- the architect of the Obama administration drone program and I came away from there with the feeling that I had going in that period is a definite direction.

Of not capturing these high value targets and soliciting information problem through detention and interrogation who the -- proposed tax on -- 'cause he's that is ideal or certainly preferable.

To capture them -- you -- -- intelligence but yet when I ask him I'm gonna have value targets they had captured in the last four years on the Obama administration he.

He dodged in and we use there and city get back to announce the fact that I know what the number is -- want.

He alluded to -- a little bit later this testimony when we captured again and -- some who would put him on the -- for sixty days from.

Sail around in the ocean interrogated him and and nano.

That's not and -- detention and interrogation policy that can be -- And also does.

Mike Emanuel pointed out seems to have been on both sides of the enhanced interrogation issue when he left the CIA back in 2007.

He -- enhanced interrogation.

Writ large save lives his -- on the other hand when he became part of the Obama administration.

In 2010 and an interview he said that he objected to parts of that did -- clear that up to you to that.

You know it probably but it did a little bit more and look how we do with mr.

brunt of the benefit of all the -- But the fact is it's one of those I was.

For it before was against it moments.

And he's still got some clear and -- to do we know that.

He had access.

And information about the -- program and about cancel their program.

And you know.

He was involved in.

Not to -- out of the program but he was a director of of a different -- -- -- did not directly oversee this but he sending him home meetings on a regular basis about the program.

So we've got some follow up yet to be done we're gonna have another hearing on Tuesday and -- probe a little bit more where does that Brennan nomination stance.

Well how they're probably as many Democrats that are not happy with with him right now there are Republicans so.

I don't know I know the president needs -- CIA director.

I don't know that John Brennan is a very knowledgeable person and we've got to just sift through what is -- -- And then just see anything that rose to the level that woods.

Kill his nomination.

Well I don't like the fact that he changed his opinion when it became a political appointee in the White House -- -- the CIA director has always been a political.

Politics plays a role in everything in Washington we all understand that.

But still I don't -- to be in favor of a program for a period of time and in hopes -- -- to the White House and go against it just because he's in the White House so we're gonna have to programmable.

And as you point out the Senate Intelligence Committee is gonna have a classified.

Hearing with a -- a closed door hearing with him next week veteran senator thank you very much for coming into that could have been with.

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Sen. Chambliss on Benghazi, John Brennan hearing

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