Benghazi probe absolves Hillary of any wrongdoing
WASHINGTON: A US-congressional committee investigating the 2012 attack on American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya has found no new evidence of wrongdoing
WASHINGTON: A US-congressional committee investigating the 2012 attack on American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya has found no new evidence of wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state and now the presumptive Democratic nominee, but it was extremely critical of various agencies of the Obama administration, which is likely to fuel fresh attacks on her.
In its 800-page report, the Republican-led committee which had battled allegation of bias since it was instituted two year ago, faults the Obama administration for failing to anticipate the growing security risks, despite abundance of indications.
“It is not clear what-additional intelligence would have satisfied either (senior state department official Patrick) Kennedy or the secretary in understanding the Benghazi Mission compound was at risk—short of an attack,” the report released on Tuesday said.
“The intelligence on which Kennedy and the secretary were briefed daily was clear and pointed—Al-Qaeda, al Qaeda-like groups and other regional extremists took refuge in the security vacuum created by the Libya government.”
US ambassador to Libya Christopher Stephens, Information Officer Sean Smith and two CIA operatives Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, both former SEALs, died in the attack on the US mission in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The attacks, which quickly assumed political dimension coming close to President Obama’s re-election campaign, have been investigated multiple times before.
