l****z
发帖数: 29846 | 1 Posted: Nov 16, 2012 9:16 AM Updated: Nov 16, 2012 9:17 AM
By FOX News
Former CIA Director David Petraeus testified in a closed-door hearing Friday
morning that his agency determined immediately after the Sept. 11 Libya
attack that "Al Qaeda involvement" was suspected -- but the line was taken
out in the final version circulated to administration officials, according
to a top lawmaker who was briefed.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who spoke to reporters after Petraeus testified
before the House Intelligence Committee, indicated he and other lawmakers
still have plenty of questions about the aftermath of the attack.
"No one knows yet exactly who came up with the final version of the talking
points," he said.
Petraeus was heading next to the Senate Intelligence Committee to testify.
At the same time, lawmakers unexpectedly convened a briefing with top
members of various committees to examine a Sept. 25 letter to President
Obama that asked a series of classified questions on Benghazi.
Petraeus' testimony both challenges the Obama administration's repeated
claims that the attack was a "spontaneous" protest over an anti-Islam video,
and according to King conflicts with his own briefing to lawmakers on Sept.
14. Sources have said Petraeus, in that briefing, also described the attack
as a protest that spun out of control.
"His testimony today was that from the start, he had told us that this was a
terrorist attack," King said, adding that he told Petraeus he had a "
different recollection."
Still, the claim that the CIA's original talking points were changed is sure
to stoke controversy on the Hill.
"The original talking points were much more specific about Al Qaeda
involvement. And yet the final ones just said indications of extremists,"
King said, adding that the final version was the product of a vague "inter-
agency process."
Further, King said a CIA analyst specifically told lawmakers that the Al
Qaeda affiliates line "was taken out."
Lawmakers are focusing on the talking points issue because of concern over
the account U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice gave on five Sunday shows
on Sept. 16, when she repeatedly claimed the attack was spontaneous -- Rice
's defenders have since insisted she was merely basing her statements on the
intelligence at the time.
The suggestion that the intelligence was altered raised questions about who
altered it, with King asking if "the White House changed the talking points."
One source told Fox News that Petraeus "has no idea what was provided" to
Rice or who was the author of the talking points she used.
"He had no idea she was going on talk shows" until the White House announced
it one or two days before, the source said.
While Petraeus resigned last Friday over an extra-marital affair, his
testimony Friday was expected to focus on Libya as opposed to personal
matters. King said it barely came up, and only when Petraeus was asked if
the affair and investigation had any impact on his testimony on Libya. "He
said no," King said.
The pressure was on Petraeus to set the record straight, after other top
intelligence officials struggled a day earlier to explain why their initial
talking points after the Libya attack minimized the role of militant groups.
Lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees heard testimony
Thursday in private meetings with Director of National Intelligence James
Clapper and Acting CIA Director Mike Morell. But Fox News was told there
were heated exchanges on the House side, particularly over the talking
points that administration officials relied on in the days after the Sept.
11 strike.
Fox News was told that neither Clapper nor Morell knew for sure who
finalized that information. And they could not explain why they minimized
the role of a regional Al Qaeda branch as well as the militant Ansar al-
Sharia despite evidence of their involvement.
Further, Fox News was told Morell was pushed to explain why, during a Sept.
14 briefing, Petraeus seemed wedded to the explanation that the attack was
in response to an anti-Islam video. Morell apparently said he wasn't at that
briefing and had nothing further to add.
Lawmakers continue to express concerns on several fronts -- on whether
warnings in the months preceding Sept. 11 were ignored, and on why the
administration first insisted the attack was a "spontaneous" act.
Rice has been the focal point of that criticism. Obama, though, in his first
post-election press conference Wednesday, called the criticism "outrageous"
and told those lawmakers to "go after me" instead.
California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff also came to Rice's defense Thursday,
saying after the House intelligence committee hearing that Rice was given
the intelligence community's "best assessment" at the time.
"Those who have suggested that Ambassador Rice was politicizing the
intelligence or misrepresenting what the intelligence community was putting
forward as its best assessment are either unfamiliar with the facts, or
willfully disregarding them," he said.
Fox News' Catherine Herridge contributed to this report.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/16/petraeus-to-testify-knew-libya-was-terrorism-from-start-source-says/#ixzz2CP1l5ELB | G***G
发帖数: 16778 | 2 who changed the initial talking points?
Friday
【在 l****z 的大作中提到】
: Posted: Nov 16, 2012 9:16 AM Updated: Nov 16, 2012 9:17 AM
: By FOX News
: Former CIA Director David Petraeus testified in a closed-door hearing Friday
: morning that his agency determined immediately after the Sept. 11 Libya
: attack that "Al Qaeda involvement" was suspected -- but the line was taken
: out in the final version circulated to administration officials, according
: to a top lawmaker who was briefed.
: Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who spoke to reporters after Petraeus testified
: before the House Intelligence Committee, indicated he and other lawmakers
: still have plenty of questions about the aftermath of the attack.
| d******a
发帖数: 178 | 3 They are currently scrambling to find another scapegoat. Apparently Petraeus
did not cut it. Let's see who is up next. LoL | m**h
发帖数: 207 | 4 What's matter with you, as everybody can see, Susan rice didn't lie, and
American people heard what they wanted to hear. We are all happy, who cares
about the change of CIA talking point.
【在 G***G 的大作中提到】
: who changed the initial talking points?
:
: Friday
| K******S
发帖数: 10109 | 5 LOL, good question
【在 G***G 的大作中提到】
: who changed the initial talking points?
:
: Friday
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