The Benghazi Definitive

Terrorists, Political Cover up, and Heroes

The attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, symbolically coinciding with the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, resulted in a confluence of events that spilled into US domestic politics, military covert operations, and a number of classified CIA programs. With the terrorist strike occurring in the run up the US Presidential election, it become a foregone conclusion that the truth of the attacks would be swept up and lost in political squabbling as both major parties jockeyed for position and get some cheap digs in on their opponents. Added to the media circus was the reality that various US government institutions and agencies did engage in a very real cover up, responsibly trying to keep covert operations cover, but also to limit political liability on the guilty parties whose negligence led to the attack in the first place.

Conservatives claimed that President Obama callously denied military reinforcements to American forces on the ground in Libya who were outnumbered and outgunned. The American right sought to portray Obama in the most negative light possible, accusing him of glossing over the attacks to compensate for foreign policy failures. President Obama: not tough on terrorism, or so this narrative went.  Liberals decried a Republican persecution, defaulting to the position of damage control of the administration. The Benghazi attack happened because of an amateur film that defamed the Prophet Muhammad, inflaming the religious fervor of the Islamic world and resulting in protests outside US embassies across the Middle East, culminating in the attack on the US consulate.  Libertarians announced that the attacks were further proof that America had no business interfering in the affairs of foreign countries. Meanwhile, conspiracy theorists pointed towards a sinister plot by dark forces to liquidate Ambassador Stevens. In fact, every party commenting or involved in the Benghazi affair seemed to refer to their opposition as conspiracy theorists in order to de-ligitimize their position at some point.

This e-book intends to cut through the static and white noise generated by the media pundits, the partisan politics, and unfounded conspiracy theories. The truth does involve some conspiracy as being somewhat unavoidable when dealing with backroom politics, intelligence gathering, and covert operations but points in directions and draws conclusions that have henceforth been completely neglected by both the mainstream and alternative media.

When it comes to the hidden world of terrorists, counter-terrorists, and spies, the truth usually is stranger than fiction. Because of this, many will find the facts unfolded in this e-book to be both uncomfortable and unsatisfying. The Obama haters will see a picture emerge in which the President is far from a callous evil man. Those passionate supports of the President will be angry to see Obama as aloof and rather ineffective as a leader. Both political parties will be disappointed to see that this story, the 9/11 Benghazi attack, really doesn’t involve the President all that much one way or the other.

This is the reality of the modern state. The bureaucratic machinery is as extensive and sprawling as it is expensive. Various governmental agencies act under their own authority and make their own decisions. Mid and high level officials make decisions and latch onto the levers of power. With the Department of Defense running highly complex operations all over the globe, twenty four hours a day, there is no other way for American power to be projected effectively if every bureaucrat is waiting for the President to bless off on his actions. The power to act has to be delegated down the chain of command and this is a crucial, and cautionary, aspect of this story.

However, it cannot be overstated that this e-book does not cop out of shirk away from the truth by placing blame on the dulled mechanics of a faulty bureaucracy. We do not place blame on some abstract technical details, saying that bad intelligence or faulty communications led to the Benghazi debacle. Americans have heard enough of these types of excuses from the original 9/11 attacks to the 2008 housing bubble and subsequent economic crash. We name names and hold accountable those acted cowardly and who erred and sought to protect their political careers at the expense of human lives.

We also point to the heroes, men of tremendous character who showed exemplary physical and moral courage that night of the attack. The story, and the aftermath, of the Benghazi attack is a complex series of events involving insider politics between agencies in proverbial smoke filled rooms. It involves double-dealing political animals in Washington. It involves the interaction between different military units and para-military organizations. To the outsider, to the American public, it is all very complicated and strange. This is another reason why the full story has not yet been articulated to Americans but we believe that an informed public is necessary for a functioning democracy.

This e-book was written with the consultation of over a dozen experts, some were on the ground the night of the attacks, others who were privy to inside information in the halls of power in Washington, DC. For obvious reasons, their identities cannot be revealed in most cases. This is likely to be the definitive account of the Benghazi attack for years to come until historians can sift through the archives, get documents declassified, and interview all of the participants.

For now, we hope that this e-book tells it like it is. Let the actions of those involved speak for themselves, and let the chips fall where they may…