Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Editorials & Other Articles
In reply to the discussion: a question Mr. Pelley: "Is it true you're a liar and a fraud?" [View all]Bill USA
(6,436 posts)55. Benghazi Biopsy: A Comprehensive Guide to One of America’s Worst Political Outrages
[font size="+1"]
Benghazi Biopsy: A Comprehensive Guide to One of Americas Worst Political Outrages[/font]
[font size="3"]The historical significance of this moment can hardly be overstated, and it seems many Republicans, Democrats and members of the media dont fully understand the magnitude of what is taking place. The awesome power of governmentone that allows officials to pore through almost anything they demand and compel anyone to talk or suffer the shame of taking the Fifth Amendmenthas been unleashed for purely political purposes. It is impossible to review what the Benghazi committee has done as anything other than taxpayer-funded political research of the opposing partys leading candidate for president. Comparisons from Americas past are rare. Richard Nixons attempts to use the IRS to investigate his perceived enemies come to mind. So does Senator Joseph McCarthys red-baiting during the 1950s, with reckless accusations of treason leveled at members of the State Department, military generals and even the secretary of the Army. [font color="red"]But the modern McCarthys of the Benghazi committee cannot perform this political theater on their ownthey depend on reporters to aid in the attempts to use government for the purpose of destroying others with bogus scoops ladled out by members of Congress and their staffs. These journalists will almost certainly join the legions of shamed reporters of the McCarthy era as it becomes increasingly clear they are enablers of an obscene attempt to undermine the electoral process[/font].[/font]
[font size="3"]
The consequences, however, are worse than the manipulation of the electoral process. By using Benghazi for political advantage, the Republicans have communicated to global militants that, through even limited attacks involving relatively few casualties, they can potentially influence the direction of American elections. The Republicans sent that same message after the Boston Marathon bombing, where they condemned Obama for failing toillegallysend the American perpetrators to Guantánamo, among other things. They slammed the president because federal law enforcement agents read the failed underwear bomber his rights after they arrested him in 2009. Never mind that federal agents did the exact same thing under President George W. Bush when they arrested the failed shoe bomber years earlier. Republicans even lambasted Obama when he spoke about ISIS decapitating journalists, saying the president did not sound angry enough.[/font]
[font size="3"]
But there is an enormous difference between politicizing tragedy and using the levers of government to achieve that goal. Put simply, the transformation of the Benghazi attacks into a political drama now serves as one of the most dangerous precedents in American history, one whose absurdity and irrationality can be seen just by reviewing the past. This single Benghazi committee has been investigating the attack for longer than Congress conducted inquiries into Pearl Harbor, 9/11, Iran-Contra, Watergate and intelligence failures in Iraq.[/font]
Worse still, Congress convened 22 hearings about the 9/11 attack that killed almost 3,000 citizens working in the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan; this week, Congress will be holding its 21st hearing about an attack that killed four people working in Libya, with many more sessions left to come. Do Republicans actually think that terrorists killing four agents of the government who willingly assumed the risks of residing in one of the most dangerous places in the world is more important than terrorists murdering 3,000 unsuspecting civilians who were working at their offices in New York City?
[font size="3"]
In fact, no previous assault on a diplomatic outpost has received this kind of relentless expression of congressional outrage. There werent investigations that were anything on this scale about the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in 1983 (63 killed), on the U.S. Embassy annex northeast of Beirut in 1984 (24 killed) or on the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, in 2008 (18 killed). Republicans didnt believe these exact same scenarios that took place under Republican presidents merited similar zeal to dig down to some unexposed, imaginary truth. [/font]
(more)
[font size="3"]
This is the story I pointed out in the OP that the Corporate media, including Mr. Pelley, dares not investigate. This is the basis (or part of it) for the accusation of fraudelence I leveled at the media in the OP. As is stated above, the ramifications of the GOP's perfidy are enormous, not just for a secure Democracy but also for our national security.[/font]
[font size="+1"] The Rabid Right constantly shouts the evils of "Big Government", but are only too happy, when they are in a position to, to use the power of the Government, against those who oppose them.[/font]
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
62 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
it's also a newsworthy question to report on six investigations & whether there is political motives
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#4
it may... but even if she wins it may simply mean the other guy is less trusted
tk2kewl
Feb 2016
#30
P.T. Barnum is alleged to have said: "There's a sucker born every minute." .. u should read the OP
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#54
Benghazi Biopsy: A Comprehensive Guide to One of America’s Worst Political Outrages
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#55
"blizzard of words"? IT's called relevant information. It's required reading to avoid being a sucker
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#59
you were told that by Bernie supporters. They think they are the only ones who care for the
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#7
Was Hillary thinking of these 5 "little guys" when she supported a coup in their country?
tk2kewl
Feb 2016
#13
80% Of Central American Women, Girls Are Raped on Journey to The U.S. - HuffPo
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#17
Hillary Clinton: Bernie Sanders voted against Brady bill five times- PolitiFact: TRUE
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#22
Hillary Clinton: Bernie Sanders voted against Brady bill five times- PolitiFact: TRUE
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#37
neither war nor gun votes is relevant to this thread, but when did BS people stick to the point?LOL
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#43
Hillary Clinton’s claim that Bernie Sanders voted for the ‘Charleston loophole’:factchecker - TRUE
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#50
You seem quite persistent Bill, so I'll tell you what I think about gun control
tk2kewl
Feb 2016
#58
sorry you've failed. the Bushter created the chaos in MidEast. your remark is straight
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#19
No. You need to do even just a little reading. It's all right at your fingertips. nt.
polly7
Feb 2016
#20
the chaos in the midEast was caused by Bush's invasion of iraq and deposition of Saddan Hussein
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#23
parroting GOP propaganda re HRC doesn't indicate the critical thought necessary for grasp of reality
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#35
I've 'made my case' with hundreds of articles here I've read, researched and followed up on.
polly7
Feb 2016
#36
ah, trying to insult me is not making a valid point, even if it makes you feel less intimidated by
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#44
still no links to any coherent arguments? Just curious, since you haven't provided any.
Recoverin_Republican
Feb 2016
#62
isolationism is not a feasible foreign policy for the U.S. We can't withdraw from the World.
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#40
Even Peter Rabbit realized he had to come out of his burrow sometime during his little bunnie life.
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#46
She could have given him a very 'political' answer and said: "Never" Like most people in Politics
Bill USA
Feb 2016
#42
I liked the OP, then it was turned into a very Republican sounding thread
world wide wally
Feb 2016
#28