Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others were killed in Benghazi on Sept. 11. From the start, President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice claimed the attacks were caused by an obscure anti-Islam video.
We now know the compound was attacked by rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. American security personal immediately informed the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli and the State Department in Washington of the attack.
According to the Associated Press, the CIA station chief in Libya reported within 24 hours it was the work of Islamic terrorists. During the fighting, Stevens and Smith were put in a safe room, but their building was torched.
Both died as a result. The Libyan security forces guarding the compound, which included terrorists, fled the scene as the fighting continued.
A nearby quick reaction security force arrived to stop the attack, rescue Stevens and any survivors. They all retreated to a secret safe house, which was later attacked. However, Stevens was not found. Who tipped off the terrorists?
There are more questions. It is now known that the State Department reduced security for the consulate and refused requests for added security from Stevens and Regional Security Officer Eric Nordstrom, in spite of numerous prior terrorist attacks in Libya. They were told to use local militias.
Even more troubling, sources in the State Department and the White House have revealed that Stevens was sent to Benghazi by Obama to recover weapons that the United States supplied to Libya rebels in the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. Furthermore, the anti-Islam YouTube video was to be used if the weapons recovery failed.
America, have we been totally misled about this tragedy? Demand the truth.
Diana Thorn
Carpinteria