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A folding room divider blocks a door down a corridor on Capitol Hill in Washington on Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, where the Senate Intelligence Committee is holding a hearing where former CIA Director David Petraeus is testifying on the Benghazi, Libya, terrorist attack against the U.S. consulate on the Sept. 11 attack in Libya. (AP Photo)

Is it really about the cover up?

BY Dave Ross  on November 16, 2012 @ 8:41 am (Updated: 8:58 am - 11/16/12 )

Was someone trying to cover up the details of the attack on our consulate in Benghazi on September 11? Senator John McCain in particular has been very critical of UN Ambassador Susan Rice because of what she said on the Sunday talk shows after the attack.

"What sparked the recent violence was the airing on the Internet of a very hateful, very offensive video."

She blamed the attack on that nasty anti-Muslim video. Now, General Petraeus has told members of Congress that yes, the attack on the consulate seemed to grow spontaneously out of a protest, but within 24 hours the CIA had determined that the attack was indeed a planned terrorist attack.

Democratic Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger spoke after the briefing:

"There were extremists in the group and they were al-Qaeda affiliates, somewhere al-Qaeda affiliates."

Which would make the question 'who gave Susan Rice bad information and why.' But I don't think that's what's behind this debate. What's behind it is the frustration among some members of Congress that we don't control the Middle East the way we used to.

Libya's beyond our control even though we helped liberate the place, Egypt is no longer in our pocket, Iran ignores us. And some in Congress seem to be pining for the days when the Middle East was controlled by dictators, but at least they were our dictators.

Well, too late. Nine years ago, we sent a message loud and clear:

"The Democratic revolution that has reached across the globe will finally take root in the Middle East." -President Bush, Nov. 3, 2003

Wishes never seem to be granted in quite the way you expect.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (45)


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  • cigarfan wrote...
    Very good Dave!
    November 16, 2012 1:28 pm
    A keen observation that what is really going on.....is that the US is worried about losing control over the middle east. The dictators we install don't last forever and people under oppression adapt to Imperialist tactics. s/b an interesting 2013 when Israel's colonialist aggressions backfire and the people who have been exploited for years gain power. Hat's off!
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  • NW observer wrote...
    Benghazi coverup
    November 16, 2012 3:55 pm
    It never ceases to amaze how quickly a somewhat rational discussion descends into personal attacks. The issues: Was there a coverup? Sure looks like it. Was it just like "Weapons of mass destruction?" Not hardly. Do politicians lie when it's to their advantage? Are you kidding? Somehow the discussion immediately becomes what a moral,ethical, intellectual jackanapes is the guy with a different opinion. So much for the exchange of ideas.
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  • cdbtx wrote...
    It's not about the coverup
    November 17, 2012 5:38 am
    But it is about the integrity or lack of it from the President of the United States.

    He has a poor track record - remembering his promise of hope, change, and the most open administration in history.

    Yet, if you read Judicial Watches report - he has one of the most "Closed" administrations in history.

    The list could easily be 10 pages long of issues that the media has failed to cover or pursue.

    Sadly, this administration makes Nixon look like a boy scout.

    What ever happened to Fast and Furious btw? - Blatant lies from Eric Holder and not a word from the President.

    Foreign Policy - a policy that is going to come back an haunt America.

    Of course those blinded by ideology will continue to blame Bush, but heck, why stop there.. there are hundreds of people to blame that we can call up from the past.

    I'd suggest you read Friedmans recent article called "Obama's Nightmare", regarding the Middle East.. and Friedman by no means is conservative.

    A test that I would personally apply to President Obama or any President - Would I trust him to run my business, would I trust him with my family - and with President Obama - he's simply shown himself to be the type of person - I simply would not associate with under any circumstance.. and it has nothing to do with his ideology since I have many friends who are extreme liberals, but they're intelligent, smart, ethical people.

    Based upon President Obama's actions - he's failed the ethics test.

    You liberals and sorry Gould, but your posts and words make you complicit, would NEVER, EVER, give a conservative the same passes as you give to President Obama..

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  • sportsguru wrote...
    He,he,he,
    November 17, 2012 7:14 am
    Thanks for the unsolicited assessment, bwhaaa.
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  • William Lawn wrote...
    And conservatives would NEVER EVER give a liberal that they gave to..............................
    November 17, 2012 2:17 pm
    your pont?
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Cdbtx
    November 17, 2012 6:02 pm
    You nailed it. Democrats: constantly striving for a new level of hypocrisy.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    The "cover up" was an attack on the first amendment
    November 18, 2012 1:07 am
    How convenient , nice smoke screen Whoever and it includes "the President" is responsible for the debacle needs to be FIRED.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    We know why those four Americans died.
    November 18, 2012 5:42 pm
    Because there are crazy freaking people in this world who hate Americans. Geez, I love it how people act surprised that somebody out there wanted to kill Americans. Hey! Something else is coming in on the wire...children like candy!!! Morons. I really love the Facebook and Twitter posse who thinks the intelligence community should keep everyone appraised of everything at every minute.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    No, Gay.............. we didn't need the live vidios of the attack, BUT......
    November 18, 2012 11:48 pm
    5 days, 2 weeks later, we did NOT need a fairyland story designed not to scare pre-schoolers.

    A story so well circulated that Mr. Obama was able to score points on Romney in debate 2 when he said he'd called it 'terrorism' the first day. What a surprise.

    In my opinion - and I use neither Facebook now Twitter - is because the attack didn't fit the 'al-Quada is dead' story line. How inconvenient.

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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    First off, I've never heard Obama say that Al qaeda is dead.
    November 19, 2012 10:40 am
    At best I've heard him say it was "on the way to defeat" and "on the run". Which I guess you could argue isn't true either. Although both the CIA and the Pentagon say we've made a lot of strides, so yeah I guess both sides can argue what the fruck they're talking about. I always thought the War on Terror was a stupid thing anyways because how do you declare victory against a feeling? Terrorism is a fact of life, you will never be able to defeat it because there will always be people unhappy about something who are willing to kill. To be perfectly honest, I'm surprised we've been kept so safe as Americans (You go intelligence community!!!). It is so dumb to debate the difference between "an act of terror" and a "terrorist act", it's like debating what "is" is, Romney walked in to that one and he should have known what he was talking about. But seriously, all of this bickering back and forth about Beghazi is dumb. I've heard everything from the President let them die because it would help him politically (which makes no freaking sense) to there was a royal fruck up and he's responsible (which is only true if he micromanages every embassy). I don't know what the Republicans hope to find but to me it sounds like just one more of their nutty conspiracy theories like Obama wasn't born in America. Republicans really should give it up. It's not that Americans don't care that 4 Americans died, it's just that they understand the world is complicated, the war on terror is complicated, defending embassies in dangerous countries is complicated. Screw ups happen and it doesn't mean somebody is covering it up or did it on purpose for political reason. No President lets American's die willy nilly, Bush didn't do it, Obama doesn't do it, Reagan didn't do it, Clinton didn't do it. Shhtuff happens. People die. America fights on. Lets move on.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Except a stand down order was issued twice
    November 18, 2012 8:32 pm
    http://www.therightperspective.org/2012/11/12/obama-ordered-benghazi-stand-down-claim/
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Please don't make me laugh. This is a serious issue.
    November 18, 2012 9:39 pm
    I know you're not trying to prove your point by pointing to something 'satan's mentally challenged younger brother', Glenn Beck said. I mean, if idiots have a king he will rule with impunity for all eternity.
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  • mpgunner wrote...
    Here is what has happened
    November 18, 2012 10:50 pm
    1) Benghazi site had 2 attacks this year 2) the WH didn't think there would be any attack on 9/11 - "call them stupid" - suckers. 3) Did US Ambassador get "seduced" into meeting on 9/11? 4) Did the WH not think this through? 5) We had a sucessfull 9/11 attack on the US in Benghazi. But the WH acts like nothing happened.
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  • NewButCurious wrote...
    Ridiculous standard
    November 19, 2012 9:06 am
    To expect immediate perfect information on the heels of an attack is a ridiculous standard. Regardless of whther they got it wrong initially, that they continued to dig and chase the truth is not a cover-up... it is due diligence. And the idea that we citizens get perfect information while the terrorists are at large is also a ridiculous expectation... letting the movie assume blame might actually have given the actual terrorists comfort and make them easier to find. They have television, the internet, phones and so on there also... I have no trouble with short-term misinformation if it catches the perpetrators of this! Elevating this discussion is nothing more than trying to change the subject... we have the economy to take care of, and the Republicans are still up to the same tricks that lost the election. Another day... another thing to blame Obama for... even when he is executing quite well.
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