State Department and Hillary Clinton had every reason to know in advance that this would be a problem.
Via Fox News:
An obscure private firm hired by the State Department over internal objections to protect U.S. diplomats in Benghazi just months before the American ambassador and three others were killed was staffed with hastily recruited locals with terror ties who helped carry out the attack, multiple sources told Fox News.
The explosive charge against Wales-based Blue Mountain Group comes from several sources, including an independent security specialist who has implemented training programs at U.S. Consulates around the world, including in Benghazi, where he trained a local militia that preceded Blue Mountain. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Blue Mountain used local newspaper ads to assemble a team of 20 guards, many of whom had terror ties, after securing a $9.2 million annual contract.
John “Tig” Tiegen was there and says guards turned on Americans.
“The guards who were hired were locals who were part of the Ansar al-Sharia and Al Qaeda groups operating in Benghazi,” said the source, whose assignment in Benghazi had ended in November 2011. “Whoever approved contracts at the State Department hired Blue Mountain Group and then allowed Blue Mountain Group to hire local Libyans who were not vetted.”
This was what I wrote back in October 2012, a month after the attack.
According to CBS News, a State Department officer told House Committee panel members there were 13 separate specific threats made against the consulate during the six months before the attack. Those threats included a threat against both the Consulate and Ambassador Stevens made on Facebook. One post included mention of the route which Stevens took to jog each morning.
There were also two separate bombings on the consulate – one on April 6 (when two former security guards hurled improvised explosives at the building) and another on June 6.
Lt. Col. Andrew Wood told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that U.S. security was so weak that in April, only one U.S. diplomatic security agent was stationed in Benghazi. Security Officer Eric Nordstrom also told committee members that repeated requests had been made for increased security, requests that were denied. He said his requests for more security were blocked by a department policy to “normalize operations and reduce security resources.” He stated that Charlene Lamb, the deputy assistant secretary for international programs, wanted to keep the number of U.S. security personnel in Benghazi “artificially low”.
They knew the ‘security guards’ had been compromised in April. Why? Because two of the people who had been guards hurled IEDs at the consulate. The first bombing, not to mention the second bombing should have flagged the danger to Hillary Clinton. Yet, still they did nothing to change the arrangement or evaluate the safety of that force. Not only did they not check the guards but they removed in August what supplemental force had been there, despite the threats against Westerners in general and the consulate and Amb. Stevens specifically.
Why? To meet Hillary Clinton’s desire to ‘normalize relations’ and not have the appearance of armed military. This was her policy not just there but elsewhere as well.
Video put out by Al Qaeda of the second bombing June 6, 2012.