Panetta: Terrorists carried out consulate attack

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta during news conference at Pentagon Thursday / AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday there can be no doubt that terrorists had planned and carried out the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi earlier this month that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.

Republicans have accused the Obama administration of playing down the possibility of a terrorism link to the Sept. 11 attack, which it initially said was connected to protests over an anti-Islam, Internet video that enraged Muslims worldwide.

"It was a terrorist attack," Panetta said when asked at a Pentagon news conference whether al Qaeda was involved.

He said it remains to be determined by investigators which terrorist group was responsible.

Asked how long after the attack it took him to come to the conclusion that it was perpetrated by terrorists, Panetta said, "It took awhile," but he was not more specific.

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"I think, on the terrorist attack, I mean, as we determined the details of what took place there and how that attack took place, that it became clear that there were terrorists who had planned that attack, and that's when I came to that conclusion," he said.

Addressing the same topic, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that, before the attack, there was some intelligence about security threats in Libya, but it was not specific to the U.S. Consulate.

"There was a thread of intelligence reporting that groups in the environment in western — correction — eastern Libya were seeking to coalesce, but there wasn't anything specific and certainly not a specific threat to the consulate that I'm aware of," Dempsey said.

Separately, a senior State Department official said Thursday the U.S. is further drawing down its staff at the U.S. Embassy in Libya, for security reasons.

The official said the reduction in personnel at the embassy in Tripoli, which has already been operating with limited staff since the deadly Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, is expected to be temporary. The official said the security situation would be reviewed early next week with an eye toward restoring the staff "as soon as conditions allow." Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the attack.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to publicly discuss the security situation in Libya.

The embassy warned Americans of possible demonstrations in the capital and Benghazi on Friday.

Meanwhile, Libya's leader says his government has disbanded about 10 militia groups and will continue to take action against Muslim extremists.

President Mohammed el-Megarif said Thursday the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi was a final straw. He did not say when the militias were disbanded, or how many remain.

Speaking in New York, el-Megarif echoed the remarks of his neighbor, Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki, who announced a crackdown on extremists after they attacked the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia.

Both countries face emboldened extremists trying to impose their own, harsh version of Islamic law.

The problem is worse in Libya, because many are armed with weapons they used to bring down former ruler Muammar Qaddafi last year.

[selketca]

It is a same that only CBS and FOX are the only ones reporting this major story. BIG cover-up on CNN. NBC, ABC. They are no longer reporting the news unless it is benefits the liberal side. No wonder their ratings are in the tank.

[mjad2003]

Everybody in the entire world knew this 2 1/2 weeks ago. Everybody but Obama and his collective followers that is. How was the ambassador not warned about being in Benghazi on September 11. A 5 hour seige could hardly be called a spontaneous event. Members of the U.S. Consulate were hunted down and killed. Even their "Safe House" was known and breached. We already know they weren't given adequate security despite chatter for weeks and other warnings. In the mean-time Obama, who had been skipping his security breifings more than attending, was at a fund raiser in Las Vegas. What an empty suit!

[CO897]

The press is supposed to hold the ENTIRE political class accountable for their actions. What we are all seeing now is the end result of a toothless media. The administration can bank on the media to be quiet and compliant. Adversarial? Not hardly.

[KansasCity-2012]

Policies don't stop anti-social behavior committed by US citizens or terrorists.

In a state of war, while an invading military force is occupying a nation and actively pursuing a nation-building initiative, lots of room for anti-social behavior.

Since Obama succeeded in killing Osama Bin Laden, without much or any use of traditional military forces, it is clear Bin Laden could have been hunted down and killed, without a war.

War making spawns much of the anti-social behavior, recruiting, and does it in great scale.

Bush clearly gave the country what it wanted in 2001, but it wasn't necessary to solve the problem. Bush did not give the country what it needed at a critical time. He chose not to heal the country, but instead fed it anger and later pursued a self-defeating agenda.

It has been proven that initially, he wanted to invade Iraq and was coached against it. Later, he modified his agenda to invade Afghanistan and later invade Iraq, which proved disastrous for the economy.

Policies to stop anti-social behavior. Leaders,who heal their followers and keep the fog cleared away from their decisions stop anti-social behavior.

[parisdakar]

Ah well, maybe we'll start looking for the terrorists next week. If Leon's not playing golf or something.

[ugot2bkiddgme]

Now that we know they knew go back and watch Obama and Clinton's speech at Andrews AFB - it's disgusting to watch them lie to the families.

[independanted]

Could it be that this administration is trying to cover up its lack of intelligence or just another attempt to protect the muslim brotherhood? It seems to be the latter since the administration has apologised,again, to the muslims for something the government did not create

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

(hint: there's no "a" in "independent", ted!)

[joe1022joe]

Obama's foreign policy is a failed policy and these attacks in the Middle East demonstrate that. Obama's attempt to blame the movie for the attacks was just an attempt to hide his failure. Obama is responsible for removing stable governments in the Middle East. Obama is a disaster.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Keep in mind that the Iraqi government kept the Iranian government in check...

[Lucky12345678]

That's not what the US Ambassador to the UN says... This can wait until after November, we NEED to get Obama reelected,stop reporting all this bad news!!!
Just keep reporting on how Obama is leading in the Polls...

[bassinapple]

CBS writes: "Republicans have accused the Obama administration of playing down the possibility of a terrorism link to the Sept. 11 attack" Whats become of our media when Republicans are forced to do the media's job for them.

[chemegr]

The phrase "Republicans have accused" is a form of reporting bias. Using the phrase "Republicans have accused" makes it sound like the statement is a partisan opinion, not an unbiased fact. The statement should read "The Obama administration of playing down the possibility of a terrorism link to the Sept. 11 attack." This is a fact and should be presented as a fact not opinion. The administration has downplayed the terrorist connection.