Germany on two US Air Force aircraft (a Câ130 and a Câ17). The planes arrived in Ramstein Air Force Base around 10:30 at night, nearly 24 hours after the initial attack commenced.
The CIA did an exemplary job with virtually no outside support. They left Benghazi with all Americans accounted for. Tyâs leadership that day, and his refusal to sit by and allow his fellow Americans to be overrun, is a testament to his character. His willingness to stand up to his CIA boss and do what was right is an example of true American heroism. Glen Doherty ran toward the sound of gunfire, and his CIA and JSOC comrades could have waited it out in Tripoli. Instead, they practically commandeered a local plane and forced their way into the fight. Their presence and the JSOC elementâs access to the Predator drone ultimately drove the decision to evacuate the Americans.
All gave some, and some gave all, during those two days in Benghazi.
Â
5
Myth Busting
G ENERAL P ETRAEUS
When CIA Director David Petraeus resigned just a few weeks after the reelection of President Obama, the country was still in the throes of confusion and anger over what had happened in Benghazi. Certain media outlets had led people to believe that Obama had abandoned two former Navy SEALs in a combat zone, callously handing them a death sentence. However, even those who were skeptical of these media reports had to admit that the timing of David Petraeusâs resignation was absolutely devastating. For all intents and purposes, it appeared that he had resigned over something to do with Benghazi.
SOFREP received word that Petraeus was going to resign a full three weeks ahead of the public announcement. What we were not expecting was the reason cited for his stepping down. Not long after the Benghazi tragedy happened, Petraeus began interviewing for a job at Princeton University and was planning to quit as Director of the CIA.
The overrunning of the consulate, and the killing of two GRS employees, must have come as a shock to him. John Brennan was running his own operations and probably briefing the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, on the bare minimum of information needed to keep these secret missions legal. Likewise, a Congress member with budget oversight responsibilities was probably being read on, with the briefings kept vague to the point of uselessness. Brennan just needed a rubber stamp.
Kept in the dark about these compartmentalized JSOC operations, the CIA was caught off guard by the Ansar Al-Sharia retaliation. They had no idea that Special Operations missions would be kicking the hornetsâ nest in Libya and therefore could not prepare for the fallout that would result. Realizing this after the consulate attack, Petraeus knew for certain that he was a perpetual outsider in the administration. More specifically, he was furious about being left in the lurch by the Obama administration.
Like a good soldier, Petraeus was waiting until after the election season to resign, but CIA officials behind the scenes apparently had other ideas. The director had made plenty of enemies on the 7th floor of CIA headquarters in Langley by pursuing paramilitary operations and moving the Agency even further from its roots in intelligence collection.
The reason for this is partially that there were budget incentives to pursue paramilitary operations as the funding was there for them, but many longtime CIA officers did not appreciate the direction that Petraeus was taking their agency in. They also did not like the fact that the director was still acting like a four-star general and throwing his weight around at Langley.
One of the authors was near General Petraeus and his wife, Holly, at the Veteranâs Day parade in New York City in 2011. By this time, Petraeus had been sworn in as Director of the CIA. While Petraeus was surrounded by friends who respected him and was never in any danger, it was disconcerting how easily his own
The CIA did an exemplary job with virtually no outside support. They left Benghazi with all Americans accounted for. Tyâs leadership that day, and his refusal to sit by and allow his fellow Americans to be overrun, is a testament to his character. His willingness to stand up to his CIA boss and do what was right is an example of true American heroism. Glen Doherty ran toward the sound of gunfire, and his CIA and JSOC comrades could have waited it out in Tripoli. Instead, they practically commandeered a local plane and forced their way into the fight. Their presence and the JSOC elementâs access to the Predator drone ultimately drove the decision to evacuate the Americans.
All gave some, and some gave all, during those two days in Benghazi.
Â
5
Myth Busting
G ENERAL P ETRAEUS
When CIA Director David Petraeus resigned just a few weeks after the reelection of President Obama, the country was still in the throes of confusion and anger over what had happened in Benghazi. Certain media outlets had led people to believe that Obama had abandoned two former Navy SEALs in a combat zone, callously handing them a death sentence. However, even those who were skeptical of these media reports had to admit that the timing of David Petraeusâs resignation was absolutely devastating. For all intents and purposes, it appeared that he had resigned over something to do with Benghazi.
SOFREP received word that Petraeus was going to resign a full three weeks ahead of the public announcement. What we were not expecting was the reason cited for his stepping down. Not long after the Benghazi tragedy happened, Petraeus began interviewing for a job at Princeton University and was planning to quit as Director of the CIA.
The overrunning of the consulate, and the killing of two GRS employees, must have come as a shock to him. John Brennan was running his own operations and probably briefing the Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, on the bare minimum of information needed to keep these secret missions legal. Likewise, a Congress member with budget oversight responsibilities was probably being read on, with the briefings kept vague to the point of uselessness. Brennan just needed a rubber stamp.
Kept in the dark about these compartmentalized JSOC operations, the CIA was caught off guard by the Ansar Al-Sharia retaliation. They had no idea that Special Operations missions would be kicking the hornetsâ nest in Libya and therefore could not prepare for the fallout that would result. Realizing this after the consulate attack, Petraeus knew for certain that he was a perpetual outsider in the administration. More specifically, he was furious about being left in the lurch by the Obama administration.
Like a good soldier, Petraeus was waiting until after the election season to resign, but CIA officials behind the scenes apparently had other ideas. The director had made plenty of enemies on the 7th floor of CIA headquarters in Langley by pursuing paramilitary operations and moving the Agency even further from its roots in intelligence collection.
The reason for this is partially that there were budget incentives to pursue paramilitary operations as the funding was there for them, but many longtime CIA officers did not appreciate the direction that Petraeus was taking their agency in. They also did not like the fact that the director was still acting like a four-star general and throwing his weight around at Langley.
One of the authors was near General Petraeus and his wife, Holly, at the Veteranâs Day parade in New York City in 2011. By this time, Petraeus had been sworn in as Director of the CIA. While Petraeus was surrounded by friends who respected him and was never in any danger, it was disconcerting how easily his own
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