Obama Administration's “Talking Point” that “The Video” was a cause of Benghazi — Still very controversial — Put back in the news by former CIA-Obama Administration insider Mike Morell — Former CIA Deputy Director’s Book Says Benghazi “Talking Points” “Crossed the Line”
Former Republican VP candidate and commentator Sarah Palin says “... Morell is actually defending Hillary on Benghazi and he had the talking points on Benghazi sanitized after innocent Americans were murdered....”
According to CNN’s Jake Tapper, “Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell takes aim at those whom he accuses of politicizing the efforts of intelligence services in his new book The Great War Of Our Times: The CIA's Fight Against Terrorism---From al Qa'ida to ISIS.... Politicians and policymakers from both parties come in for criticism, including Vice President Dick Cheney, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and the Obama White House officials who helped write the talking points on Benghazi....” (See “Former CIA official takes aim at politicians’ by Jake Tapper, 5/11/15, CNN [http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/11/politics/michael-morrell-book-cia-obama-cheney/]).
CHAPTER OF THE MORELL BOOK RAKES THE COALS OF BENGHAZI
Long regarded as one of the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton bodyguards on all matters “Benghazi,” Mike Morell now seems to be whistling a different tune. In fac one part of Morell’s book concludes that the White House was "blaming the Benghazi attack on the video -- which is not something CIA did in its talking points or in its classified analysis." Stating his belief that a bright red line should exist between those White House officials responsible for national security and those in charge of politics, and "the line about how Benghazi was not a failure rooted in broader policy seemed to me to be a political statement not a national security one." Morell also tweaks [Security Adviser Susan] Rice for saying on a Sunday show that there had been a "substantial security presence" in Benghazi, which wasn't in either the White House or CIA talking points....”Although none of this has been addressed to/at Hillary Clinton’s role in the Benghazi melt down, the Morell book will revive all of the old arguments about her. Doubtless, this will lead to renewed questioning by the Gowdy Committee in light of Morell's view that the Benghazi "talking points" crossed some line between national security and polotics.
UPDATE: THE "MIKE MORELL FOLLOWS UP ON BRET BAIER" EDITION
ReplyDeleteON FOX NEWS’ “SPECIAL REPORT WITH BRET BAIER” — FORMER CIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR MIKE MORELL DOUBLED DOWN ON HIS STATEMENT THAT SAYING BENGHAZI WAS CAUSED BY A VIDEO "CROSSED THE LINE" BETWEEN NATIONAL SECURITY AND POLITICS
WHEN BAIER ASKED DID THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION INTENTIONALLY LIE, MORELL ANSWERED, "...YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK THEM..."
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER SAYS THAT MORELL’S BOOK & INTERVIEWS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON THAT AMERICANS WILL WANT ANSWERED BY HER UNDER OATH IN FRONT OF A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
On Monday’s "Special Report with Bret Baier, CIA Deputy Director Mike Moreel doubled down on his earlier statement to Jake Tapper of CNN. Morell, who was heavily involved in the final CIA talking points on Benghazi, told Baier that he never intentionally lied or mislead anyone while drafting the points, but that he did wish he had devoted more time to the process. (See "Mike Morell: WH Benghazi Talking Points Crossed The Line Between Politics and National Security" by Washington Free Beacon Staff [with video link to Fox News' Bret Baier interview of Mike Morell], 5/11/15, WFB [http://freebeacon.com/politics/mike-morell-wh-benghazi-talking-points-crossed-the-line-between-politics-and-national-security/]).
Following Bret Baier's exclusive interview with former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell on his Fox News program, Charles Krauthammer offered his own analysis of Morell's recollection of the attack on a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2011 (See “Krauthammer on Morell: "Most telling statement is what he says about Benghazi" by Charles Krauthammer, 5/11/15, Fox News/ Heard on Fox [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/11/krauthammer-on-morell-most-telling-statement-is-what-says]). Mr. Krauthammer, a syndicated columnist and Fox News contributor said of the Morell's interview with Bret Baier, "I thought the most telling statement is what [Morell] says about Benghazi - that it was the most politicized national security issue he's ever seen.... On Benghazi, it really raises a lot of questions that I think people are going to want to ask Hillary under oath, in front of a committee.”
Maybe Sarah Palin has it right about former CIA Dep. Director Morell, and not to trust him, becuse his job is to protect Hillary Clinton.
ReplyDeleteThe pro-Hillary Clinton Media Matters says that after he left the CIA, where he twice served as the “Acting Director,” he went through one of the Hillary Clinton revolving doors to become a consultant at CBS.
While working at CBS, Mike Morell led an "outside" internal review that resulted in a leave of absence from CBS for Lara Logan and her producer Max McClellan for doing faulty reporting naming Hillary Clinton in connection with weapons transfers to the Syrian opposition through Benghazi.
At the same time, Morell went through another of the Clinton’s revolving doors to become a counselor to Beacon Global Strategies, an international consulting firm very close to Hillary Clinton. Some even have claimed that Mike Morell was given his job at Beacon Global Strategies, in exchange for his keeping his mouth shut about the Benghazi talking points.
At Beacon Global Strategies, Morell works for Phillippe Reines, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, who was described as Hillary Clinton's "principal gatekeeper" at the State Department.
In April 2014, Morell gave testimony to separate hearings of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee and its House counterpart that exculpated then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton from running any weapons operations out of Benghazi, Libya and any specific intelligence operations there.
Sometimes later, in his interviews for the release of his new book, Morell says that his Intelligence Committee testimony about Benghazi was not as complete as he would have liked it to be. Recently, Morell has said that he wants to testify to the Gowdy House Select Committee on Benghazi, but that he has not been summoned to appear.
RESPONSE: THE "DELETED MATTER" EDITION
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, is that so ?