On their own

Joint Chiefs Chairman Dempsey and Secretary of Defense Panetta have testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Bill Kristol summarizes their testimony as follows:

The White House left Ambassador Chris Stevens, Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, and Sean Smith on their own on September 11 in Benghazi. That is the upshot of today’s Capitol Hill hearing featuring Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey.
Benghazi

After a pre-scheduled afternoon meeting, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta testified that he never heard from President Obama the night of September 11. In fact, Panetta said, he had no further communication from the White House that night—even as the attack turned deadly. This is truly extraordinary—and appalling.

And both Panetta and Dempsey admitted in today’s hearing that they were not in touch with Clinton at all the evening of 9/11. “[W]e never received a request for support from the State Department,” Dempsey said, explaining why the American military had not made any attempt to save the endangered Americans.

So the Cabinet officials weren’t in touch with each other, and the president wasn’t in touch with anyone.

Barry, you’re doing a heck of a job.

JOHN adds: Here is Leon Panetta, testifying in response to questions from Kelly Ayotte that President Obama was AWOL on the evening of September 11 and never contacted him to find out what was going on in Benghazi. In fact, Panetta says he had no communication with anyone from the White House:

Hillary Clinton, incredibly, was AWOL too. Here are Panetta and General Dempsey testifying that they never spoke with the Secretary of State throughout the seven hours or so when her employees were under attack.

My opinion of Obama and Clinton is not high, but I would not have believed this sort of callous nonfeasance possible.

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