Former CIA Director David Petraeus testified Friday morning before the House Intelligence Committee as Congress seeks to find out why the September 11th attack on the U.S Consulate in Benghazi occurred and why greater protection was not provided to the facility. Petraeus will also testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee Friday. Both sessions were to be held behind closed doors and were not open to the public.House Intelligence Committee member Rep Peter King R from new york told reporters Friday morning after Petraeus testified that the initial talking points from the Obama administration to prepare officials for what they should say publicly in the first days after the attack had been changed to delete references to any al Qaida involvement in the event
King said he and his colleagues now needed to hear testimony from officials in the State Department the Defense Department and also people at the White House to see if anyone at the White House changed the talking points.King said I told him that I honestly disagreed with his recollection of what he told us on September 14 when the then CIA chief initially briefed House Intelligence Committee members about the events in Benghazi.Petraeus testified Friday that he thought all along he made it clear that there was significant terrorist involvement and that is not my recollection of what he told us on September14 King said.In the attack Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans Glen Doherty Tyrone Woods and Sean Smith were killed.Senator John McCain Republican from Arizona told NBCs Matt Lauer on Thursday that the most vital question Petraeus must answer when he testifies is why we were not prepared for this attack where there was ample evidence because of previous attacks and overwhelming intelligence information that attacks were very likely on our consulate there had been two attacks previously in April and June. On August 15 they sent back a message that in the case a concerted attack they could not defend the consulate.
The investigation into the Benghazi events has become a major focus for members of Congress returning to the Capitol after last weeks elections. The episode has political implications not only for President Barack Obama but for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who may run for president in 2016.Petraeus resigned one week ago after the revelation of his adulterous affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell.On Thursday night Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein a democrat previewed Petraeuss testimony before her committee emphasizing that her panel is focused now on the Benghazi events and not the ex CIA chiefs personal matters.
Director Petraeus went to Tripoli he interviewed many of the people as I understand it that were involved and so the opportunity to get his views I think is very important she told reporters.
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| Protesters in Benghazi |
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| Petraus at a conference |
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| Petraus talking |
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| Ambassador Stevens |
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| Glen Doherty one of the seals killed |
At issue in the investigation and the political scrimmaging this week has been the question of why five days after the attack the administration dispatched U.N Ambassador Susan Rice to speak on the Sunday news shows to offer a preliminary explanation of the attack which she attributed to an anti Islamic video that was circulated on YouTube.Rice told NBCs David Gregory on Meet the Press September 16 that putting together the best information that we have available to us today our current assessment is that what happened in Benghazi was in fact initially a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired hours before in Cairo almost a copycat of the demonstrations against our facility in Cairo which were prompted of course by the video.
