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The '''Benghazi Attack''' was a pre-planned armed assault on a [[United States]] outpost in Benghazi, [[Libya]] on September 11, 2012, in which the [[America]]n ambassador to Libya, [[J. Christopher Stevens]], and three other members of his [[diplomatic mission]] were murdered:<ref>{{cite_web

The '''Benghazi Attack''' was a pre-planned armed assault on a [[United States]] outpost in Benghazi, [[Libya]] on September 11, 2012, in which the [[America]]n ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens,<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPzeLLL9V-c Leading from behind - a critique of Obama foreign policy]</ref>  and three other members of his [[diplomatic mission]] were murdered:<ref>{{cite_web

|url=http://libya.usembassy.gov/tw091312.html  

|url=http://libya.usembassy.gov/tw091312.html  

|title=Travel Warning - Libya

|title=Travel Warning - Libya

|publisher=U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, Libya

|publisher=U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, Libya

|date=September 12, 2012

|date=September 12, 2012

|accessdate=October 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite_web|url=http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2012/09/20120912135826.html|title=President Obama on the Attack in Benghazi|date=September 12, 2012|accessdate=October 12, 2012|publisher=International Information Programs, U.S. Embassy}}</ref> [[United States Foreign Service|Foreign Service]] Information Management Officer [[Sean Smith (diplomat)|Sean Smith]], and private security employees and former [[United States Navy SEALs|U.S. Navy SEALs]] [[Glen Doherty]] and [[Tyrone S. Woods]]. The attack also injured two other Americans.  

|accessdate=October 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite_web|url=http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2012/09/20120912135826.html|title=President Obama on the Attack in Benghazi|date=September 12, 2012|accessdate=October 12, 2012|publisher=International Information Programs, U.S. Embassy}}</ref> [[United States Foreign Service|Foreign Service]] Information Management Officer Sean Smith, and private security employees and former [[United States Navy SEALs|U.S. Navy SEALs]] Glen Doherty and Tyrone S. Woods. Ambassador Stevens was reported to have been brutally raped before his murder, "<ref>[http://www.aina.org/news/20120913165253.htm Ambassador Stevens Was Raped Before His Murder, Reports Claim,] Assyrian International News Agency, 9-13-2012.</ref> The attack also injured two other Americans.  

The United States initially said that the attack was provoked by an anti-islamic YouTube video, but the facts disproved that.

 

The [[Obama administration]] initially said that the attack was provoked by an anti-islamic YouTube video, but the facts disproved that.

 

With several U.S.embassies besieged on the anniversary of the [[September 11 attacks]], White House Press Secretary [[Jay Carney]] declared authorities had no reason to believe the attack on the sovereign territory of the United States consulate in Benghazi less than two months before the [[2012 Presidential election]], resulting in the deaths of several Americans, was a terrorist attack.

With several U.S.embassies besieged on the anniversary of the [[September 11 attacks]], White House Press Secretary [[Jay Carney]] declared authorities had no reason to believe the attack on the sovereign territory of the United States consulate in Benghazi less than two months before the [[2012 Presidential election]], resulting in the deaths of several Americans, was a terrorist attack.

{{Cquote|The unrest that we’ve seen around the region has been in reaction to a video that Muslims, many Muslims, find offensive,}}

{{Cquote|The unrest that we’ve seen around the region has been in reaction to a video that Muslims, many Muslims, find offensive,}}

became the official White House line. President Obama went on the ''Comedy Channel'' to say the deaths of Americans was "not optimal".<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/18/Obama-Benghazi-murders-not-optimal Interview with Jon Stweart of the ''Daily Show''.</ref> When pressed by reporters, who pointed out evidence that the violence in Benghazi was a terrorist attack, Press Secretary Carney argued “the unrest around the region has been in response to this video.”

became the official White House line. President Obama went on the ''Comedy Channel'' to say the deaths of Americans was "not optimal".<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/18/Obama-Benghazi-murders-not-optimal Interview with Jon Stweart of the ''Daily Show''.</ref> When pressed by reporters, who pointed out evidence that the violence in Benghazi was a terrorist attack, Press Secretary Carney argued “the unrest around the region has been in response to this video.”

On September 16, 2012 Ambassador Susan Rice showed up on all five major Sunday morning talk shows to push the administration's spin linking the Benghazi murders and a satirical video. Rice told longtime Democratic partisan [[George Stephanopoulos]] of ABC’s ''This Week,'' the attack was “a spontaneous – not a premeditated – response to what had transpired in Cairo” – referring to a demonstration in which a mob breached the embassy compound wall and tore down an American flag. Rice repeated the false claims throughout her morning talk-show appearances on all networks.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/18/171933/obama-administration-officials.html</ref>

On September 16, 2012 Ambassador Susan Rice showed up on all five major Sunday morning talk shows to push the administration's spin linking the Benghazi murders and a satirical video. Rice told longtime Democratic partisan [[George Stephanopoulos]] of ABC’s ''This Week,'' the attack was “a spontaneous – not a premeditated – response to what had transpired in Cairo” – referring to a demonstration in which a mob breached the embassy compound wall and tore down an American flag. Rice repeated the false claims throughout her morning talk-show appearances on all networks.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/18/171933/obama-administration-officials.html</ref>

Around a week after the attack Obama finally ordered an investigation. The leading suspected jihadis in the murders and terrorist attack were the local Benghazi branch of Ansar al-Shariah, known to have ties to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).<ref>http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/10/19/when-an-obama-adviser-called-benghazi-an-al-qaeda-hotbed/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway</ref> A commander of the terrorist group boasted jovially over drinks with reporters for the ''[[New York Times]]'' in Benghazi<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/world/africa/election-year-stakes-overshadow-nuances-of-benghazi-investigation.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world</ref> as President Obama's investigators failed to interview him.<ref>http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/10/frappe-libya-attack/</ref>

Around a week after the attack Obama finally ordered an investigation. The leading suspected jihadis in the murders and terrorist attack were the local Benghazi branch of Ansar al-Shariah, known to have ties to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).<ref>http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/10/19/when-an-obama-adviser-called-benghazi-an-al-qaeda-hotbed/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway</ref> A commander of the terrorist group boasted jovially over drinks with reporters for the ''[[New York Times]]'' in Benghazi<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/world/africa/election-year-stakes-overshadow-nuances-of-benghazi-investigation.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world</ref> as President Obama's investigators failed to interview him.<ref>http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/10/frappe-libya-attack/</ref>

The attack is said to have been investigated by the State Department, but a more thorough enquiry was done by the Congress.  A House committee hearing on September 10 revealed that Ambassador Stevens and others wished additional security for the consulate, but were turned down.

The attack is said to have been investigated by the State Department, but a more thorough enquiry was done by the Congress.  A House committee hearing on September 10 revealed that Ambassador Stevens and others wished additional security for the consulate, but were turned down.

==See also==

==See also==