McClatchy: Ambassador Stevens twice said no to military offers of more security, U.S. officials say

[Bill USA]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/05/14/191235/amb-stevens-twice-said-no-to-military.html#.UZadQBjD-mx

CAIRO — In the month before attackers stormed U.S. facilities in Benghazi and killed four Americans, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens twice turned down offers of security assistance made by the senior U.S. military official in the region in response to concerns that Stevens had raised in a still secret memorandum, two government officials told McClatchy.

Why Stevens, who died of smoke inhalation in the first of two attacks that took place late Sept. 11 and early Sept. 12, 2012, would turn down the offers remains unclear. The deteriorating security situation in Benghazi had been the subject of a meeting that embassy officials held Aug. 15, where they concluded they could not defend the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi. The next day, the embassy drafted a cable outlining the dire circumstances and saying it would spell out what it needed in a separate cable.

“In light of the uncertain security environment, US Mission Benghazi will submit specific requests to US Embassy Tripoli for additional physical security upgrades and staffing needs by separate cover,” said the cable, which was first reported by Fox News.

Army Gen. Carter Ham, then the head of the U.S. Africa Command, did not wait for the separate cable, however. Instead, after reading the Aug. 16 cable, Ham phoned Stevens and asked if the embassy needed a special security team from the U.S. military. Stevens told Ham it did not, the officials said.
(more)

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/05/14/191235/amb-stevens-twice-said-no-to-military.html#.UZTNYu2fM98#storylink=cpy

[Samantha]

1. I have heard this before and couldn't help but think this is truly important

Yet is gets little coverage. Why?

Sam

[Bill USA]

3. Corporate media is always grovelling for the corporate owners and the GOP minions of

corporations and psycho-billionaires. The job of the GOP toadies is to keep talking about Benghazi as if there was something dodgy there - on the part of Obama or Clinton. They are under strict sanctions to not say anything that would actually be helpful in understanding what happened which would show there isn't any culpability on their part.

They also won't talk about the GOP's altering of the emails released by the WH. - http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1017&pid=119438

[underpants]

2. McClatchy is a rare treat of actual journalism these days

K&R