By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Congresswoman Martha Roby (R) released a statement following a classified subcommittee briefing from Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about the events of September 11 and 12, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya.
Representative Roby said, “I am grateful to General Dempsey for spending the morning with us at this difficult time to discuss a very important issue. General Dempsey confirmed my belief that there was no amount of heroic action on the part of our men and women in uniform that could overcome our lack of preparedness during the horrible Benghazi attack. We simply were not postured to respond in time. I continue to be concerned that more than a year after the attack, our posture has not improved enough to sufficiently mitigate the risks to Americans serving overseas and in harm’s way.”
Rep. Roby continued, “Of particular interest was General Dempsey’s impression of the Administration’s preparations in the days before September 11, 2012. We were eager to understand what consultations took place between General Dempsey and the National Security Staff prior to the White House’s announcement on September 10th that John Brennan had concluded a review of U.S. Security posture to ‘prevent 9/11 related attacks as well as the steps taken to protect U.S. persons and facilities abroad, as well as force protection.’ General Dempsey confirmed that while he was not personally involved in that review, elements of the Joint Staff were. His description of the process leads me to conclude that while it may have allowed the White House to issue a comforting press release, it was far from the rigorous examination and preparation the security of the American people deserved.”
On September 11, 2012, our consulate in Benghazi, Libya was attacked and four Americans including our ambassador to Libya were killed. We now know that the Benghazi attack was coordinated by international terrorists who are still at large; but at the time some in the Obama administration, including our Ambassador to the United Nations (Susan Rice), claimed that the attack was a spontaneous popular response to an obscure anti-Islamic movie. Some in Congress suspect that that story was part of an intentional disinformation campaign to mislead the public in the weeks approaching the Presidential election. The so-called Benghazi scandal never really registered with the American people.
The investigation has largely been turned over to the U.S. House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, which is chaired by Representative Martha Roby.
The briefing, which was classified, took place Thursday, October 10.
Congresswoman Martha Roby is in her second term in the US Congress representing Alabama’s Second Congressional District.
