Benghazi Stonewalling (written early May, 2013)

Benghazi.  I had to look it up on the map - I'd never heard of it before 9/11/2012.  As the details began emerging, including the reports that things were not as they were being portrayed by the Administration, I really started paying attention.  Selfishly, I suddenly cared much more about the military and our foreign policy and about the President's job as Commander in Chief, because my son and my nephews were talking about joining the military.  I cared a whole lot!  I should have cared more before, because every person in the military is someone's son or daughter, but I've got lots of growing to do yet.

There were so many unanswered questions, so many real concerns about what had happened, and the President's actions, or non-actions, the night of the attack, I really didn't expect Obama to be re-elected.  Someone asked me right before the election, "If Obama is re-elected, do you think he will be impeached over Benghazi?"  I said, emphatically, "Yes!"  In the months following his re-election, I kind of lost hope that we would ever know the truth until many years down the road.  But now, maybe this Wednesday at the Congressional hearings, we'll start hearing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, for the first time.  There are three "whistle-blowers" who have the courage and the character to stand up to this Administration, and tell the truth.  There are other whistle-blowers who want to testify, but have not committed to that yet, because they're being intimidated, by...the Administration.

Even the so-called "Accountability Review Board" that "investigated" the State Department's culpability in what happened in Benghazi is now being investigated itself, because they have participated in the cover-up!  These very same witnesses, who will testify on Wednesday, wanted to testify to the Accountability Review Board, and were denied!  Unbelievable!

Even more unbelievable is the stonewalling that is still going on.  Here are some examples -

• Hillary Clinton, in her testimony at the Congressional hearing: "With all due respect, the fact is we have four dead Americans.  Whether it was because of a protest or because guys outside for a walk one night decided to go kill some Americans.  What difference at this point does it make?"

It makes a whole lot of difference, because it wasn't either of those things.  It wasn't a protest and it wasn't random.  It was a terrorist attack, something that the Administration wanted to hide, long enough for Obama to be re-elected anyway.  And it's much more than lying to the American people over what kind of attack it was.  It's much more than not defending the Americans adequately in the months preceding the attack.  What bothers me the most, is that when they were attacked, we didn't help them.  And that is Obama's fault.  He's the Commander in Chief, and he left his men on their own, and they died.  The only reason more didn't die, was because of the bravery of the men that were there.

• Jay Carney, press secretary, when asked about the reports of potential "whistle-blowers" being gagged, or intimidated: "Benghazi happened a long time ago."  "We are unaware of any agency blocking an employee who would like to appear before Congress to provide information related to Benghazi."

For months, the answers were, "We'll find out eventually, we'll find out what happened."  Now, almost seven months later, they still haven't answered the questions, and suddenly, it's too late.  "That happened a long time ago - who cares anymore?  What difference at this point does it make?"  They've stonewalled as long as they can, and now they want to just move on. 

• President Obama, when asked just this past week about the intimidation of potential witnesses: "Ed, I'm not familiar with this notion that anybody's been blocked from testifying.  So what I'll do is I will find out what exactly you're referring to.  What I've been very clear about from the start is that our job with respect to Benghazi has been to find out exactly what happened, to make sure that U.S. embassies not just in the Middle East but around the world are safe and secure and to bring those who carried it out to justice.  But I'll find out what exactly you're referring to."

Yes, he's been very clear about that from the beginning, because that's all he ever says!  I'm so tired of hearing those words!  Seven months later, and he's still saying our job is to find out exactly what happened!  It's like pulling a string on a toy, and it says the same thing over and over.  Evidently, he didn't get the memo from Hillary and his press secretary. The line now is - "Oh, it's been so long, what difference does it make, anyway?"