| Petraeus: Al Qaeda Taken Out Of Talking Points |
| Nov-16-2012 |
| Keywords: petraeus, testify, congress, al queda, obama, benghazi |
In a closed door hearing on Capital Hill today, Former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus told committee members that he suspected Al Qaeda involvement in the Benghazi terrorist attack - and that someone took that point out of the final talking points.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., emerged from the 90 minute hearing to address reporters. King who considers a Gen. Petraeus a friend wants to know who and why the final talking points didn't include the general's assessment of those involved in the attack.
"To me the question right now is who changed those talking points and why. ... I'd say it was somebody in the administration had to have taken it out," King told Fox News. "That, to me, has to be pursued."
A day earlier intelligence officials Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Acting CIA Director Mike Morell said they did not know who changed the talking points
King and other Republicans indicated they still have plenty of questions about the aftermath of the strike.
"No one knows yet exactly who came up with the final version of the talking points," he said.
Petraeus' testimony challenges the Obama administration's numerous claims that the attack was a "spontaneous" protest over an anti-Islam video. His testimony also contradicts his own , briefing to lawmakers on Sept. 14. In that briefing, Petraeus reportedly 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.
"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."
King said a CIA analyst specifically told lawmakers that the Al Qaeda affiliates line "was taken out."
Reports out this week citing unnamed congressional sources claim the language in the CIA talking points about Benghazi was changed from "Al Qaeda-affiliated individuals to extremist organizations."
"It really changed the whole tone of it," King told Fox News.
Democrats, though, suggested Republicans were taking the whole issue out of context.
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said the discrepancy can be attributed to the classified talking points that some saw versus the unclassified version that others, like U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, used.
It is Rice's appearances on five separate Sunday news programs that is at the heart of the controversy. Rice 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.
However Fox News is reporting that Rice had access to both classified and unclassified information on Benghazi. King said the administration has "hidden behind" the claim that Rice was only using the intelligence community's best assessment. But he said Petraeus' testimony suggests their best assessment conflicted with what Rice said on Sept. 16. |
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Posted by Lou Dobbs Staff at 6:00 PM Email to a friend |
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