Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates (R) Defends Obama Military Response To Benghazi

[Lakhota]

WASHINGTON -- Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates defended the Obama administration's response to the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi on Sunday, saying he would not have done anything different militarily if he had still been at the Pentagon.

"Frankly had I been in the job at the time, I think my decisions would have been just as theirs were," said Gates on CBS's "Face the Nation," referring to the role of then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey.

"We don't have a ready force standing by in the Middle East -- despite all the turmoil that's going on, with planes on strip alert, troops ready to deploy at a moment's notice. And so getting somebody there in a timely way -- would have been very difficult, if not impossible."

Gates did not single out Hicks by name on Sunday, but he mocked those sorts of suggestions, saying they painted "a cartoonish impression of military capabilities and military forces."

"And frankly, I've heard, 'Well, why didn't you just fly a fighter jet over and try and scare 'em with the noise or something?' Well, given the number of surface to air missiles that have disappeared from Qaddafi's arsenals, I would not have approved sending an aircraft, a single aircraft -- over Benghazi under those circumstances," he said.

"And with respect to -- sending in special forces or a small group of people to try and provide help, based on everything I have read, people really didn't know what was going on in Benghazi contemporaneously," Gates added. "And to send some small number of special forces or other troops in without knowing what the environment is, without knowing what the threat is, without having any intelligence in terms of what is actually going on on the ground, I think, would have been very dangerous."

Gates served under both Obama and President George W. Bush as defense secretary.

More: Robert Gates Defends Obama Military Response To Benghazi

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is a REPUBLICAN who served under Bush and Obama. He knows and understands the reality of Benghazi.

 

[Lakhota]

Do any of you NaziCons have anything evil to say about Robert Gates? Will the Gowdy Doody clowns try to vilify Mr. Gates?

Benghazi QUESTIONS:

Can an honest Conservative please explain the following to me - with "credible" proof:

1. What is the alleged Benghazi cover-up?

2. What was allegedly covered up?

3. Who allegedly covered anything up?

4. Why was anything allegedly covered up?

5. Who and how did anyone benefit from any alleged cover-up?

6. Did anyone in the Obama Administration allegedly intentionally cause the Benghazi tragedy?

7. Were any laws allegedly broken?

8. How is Benghazi allegedly different from embassy/consulate attacks and deaths under Reagan and G.W. Bush?

9. Why do Conservatives continue their obsession to politicize the Benghazi tragedy for points and profits?

 

[bigrebnc1775]

Watch the video in their own words the three men who were on the ground that night
Top CIA officer in Benghazi delayed response to terrorist attack US security team members claim Fox News

 

[TheOldSchool]

Do any of you NaziCons have anything evil to say about Robert Gates? Will the Gowdy Doody clowns try to vilify Mr. Gates?

Lol Gowdy Doody. I hadn't heard that one before.

 

[Lakhota]

Panetta on Benghazi attack: 'Could not put forces at risk'

The U.S. military did not get involved during the attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, last month because officials did not have enough information about what was going on before the attack was over, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Thursday.

At a Pentagon news briefing, Panetta said there was no "real-time information" to be able to act on, even though the U.S. military was prepared to do so.

"You don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on," Panetta said. "(We) felt we could not put forces at risk in that situation."

A defense official provided more context on Panetta's comments about the decision-making involved in not sending U.S. troops to the consulate being attacked in Benghazi.

He said there was a drone aloft but not directly over the area at the time the attack began.

He said the drone was redirected and arrived in time to record some of the attack. But he described what the drone saw as "looking down, seeing a bunch of buildings and fires, a lot of chaos on the ground."

More: Panetta on Benghazi attack: 'Could not put forces at risk' - CNN

I trust the knowledge and wisdom of Gates and Panetta regarding Benghazi.

 

[deltex1]

WASHINGTON -- Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates defended the Obama administration's response to the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi on Sunday, saying he would not have done anything different militarily if he had still been at the Pentagon.

"Frankly had I been in the job at the time, I think my decisions would have been just as theirs were," said Gates on CBS's "Face the Nation," referring to the role of then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey.

"We don't have a ready force standing by in the Middle East -- despite all the turmoil that's going on, with planes on strip alert, troops ready to deploy at a moment's notice. And so getting somebody there in a timely way -- would have been very difficult, if not impossible."

Gates did not single out Hicks by name on Sunday, but he mocked those sorts of suggestions, saying they painted "a cartoonish impression of military capabilities and military forces."

"And frankly, I've heard, 'Well, why didn't you just fly a fighter jet over and try and scare 'em with the noise or something?' Well, given the number of surface to air missiles that have disappeared from Qaddafi's arsenals, I would not have approved sending an aircraft, a single aircraft -- over Benghazi under those circumstances," he said.

"And with respect to -- sending in special forces or a small group of people to try and provide help, based on everything I have read, people really didn't know what was going on in Benghazi contemporaneously," Gates added. "And to send some small number of special forces or other troops in without knowing what the environment is, without knowing what the threat is, without having any intelligence in terms of what is actually going on on the ground, I think, would have been very dangerous."

Gates served under both Obama and President George W. Bush as defense secretary.

More: Robert Gates Defends Obama Military Response To Benghazi

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is a REPUBLICAN who served under Bush and Obama. He knows and understands the reality of Benghazi.

There were resources there that could have rescued the ambassador...but oh no, they couldn't go...until it was too late. Must have been a homophobe decision.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

There were resources there that could have rescued the ambassador...

Utterly untrue. Carry on...

 

[deltex1]

There were resources there that could have rescued the ambassador...

Utterly untrue. Carry on...

PMS was there evidently.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

There were resources there that could have rescued the ambassador...

Utterly untrue. Carry on...

PMS was there evidently.

No, I actually read the reports that have been produced instead of believing the propaganda you've been spoon-fed by right-wing loons.

 

[deltex1]

I have heard the testimony of real men who were there...unlike you who is not a real man and was not there.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

I have heard the testimony of real men who were there...unlike you who is not a real man and was not there.

You have heard what you wanted to hear, and that's all, as usual.

 

[deltex1]

I have heard the testimony of real men who were there...unlike you who is not a real man and was not there.

You have heard what you wanted to hear, and that's all, as usual.

And you have read what you wanted to read.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

"Obama had every right to be sucking Reggie Love's cock during the height of the Benghazi attack" -- R Gates

 

[deltex1]

"Obama had every right to be sucking Reggie Love's cock during the height of the Benghazi attack" -- R Gates

Hadn't read that before.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

I have heard the testimony of real men who were there...unlike you who is not a real man and was not there.

You have heard what you wanted to hear, and that's all, as usual.

And you have read what you wanted to read.

No, I read what was written, including the fact that Stevens made the decision to be there on 9/11 instead of at the embassy 400 miles away, where no one suffered so much as a skinned knee.

 

[Lakhota]

"Obama had every right to be sucking Reggie Love's cock during the height of the Benghazi attack" -- R Gates

I'll forward your quote to Mr. Gates.

 

[deltex1]

I have heard the testimony of real men who were there...unlike you who is not a real man and was not there.

You have heard what you wanted to hear, and that's all, as usual.

And you have read what you wanted to read.

No, I read what was written, including the fact that Stevens made the decision to be there on 9/11 instead of at the embassy 400 miles away, where no one suffered so much as a skinned knee.

I see..it's the dead man's fault. No wonder hillary said what she said.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

I have heard the testimony of real men who were there...unlike you who is not a real man and was not there.

You have heard what you wanted to hear, and that's all, as usual.

And you have read what you wanted to read.

No, I read what was written, including the fact that Stevens made the decision to be there on 9/11 instead of at the embassy 400 miles away, where no one suffered so much as a skinned knee.

I see..it's the dead man's fault. No wonder hillary said what she said.

He's the one that chose to be there. He's the one who turned down greater security for the embassy, twice, He's the one who was known for jogging the streets without a security detail. He's dead because some asshole killed him, but he had his part in the drama and he made a mistake in being there that day. Had he been at the embassy instead of 400 miles away at an insecure location he'd still be alive. Credit, and blame, where they are due. If you weren't a blind partisan you'd get that.

 

[Lakhota]

Hmmm...looks like NaziCons aren't giving this thread much action. What's wrong? No Gates haters...?

 

[deltex1]

I have heard the testimony of real men who were there...unlike you who is not a real man and was not there.

You have heard what you wanted to hear, and that's all, as usual.

And you have read what you wanted to read.

No, I read what was written, including the fact that Stevens made the decision to be there on 9/11 instead of at the embassy 400 miles away, where no one suffered so much as a skinned knee.

I see..it's the dead man's fault. No wonder hillary said what she said.

He's the one that chose to be there. He's the one who turned down greater security for the embassy, twice, He's the one who was known for jogging the streets without a security detail. He's dead because some asshole killed him, but he had his part in the drama and he made a mistake in being there that day. Had he been at the embassy instead of 400 miles away at an insecure location he'd still be alive. Credit and blame where they are do. If you weren't a blind partisan you'd get that.

I guess these real men are blind partisans also...why don't you look them up and tell that to their face?



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