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2012-09-14 Africa North

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Posted by Steve White 2012-09-14 09:02|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top

#1 Thanks Steve. Very sad.

Panic: A U.S. State Department official said Mr Stevens and his team 'became separated from each other due to the heavy, dark smoke while they were trying to evacuate the burning building'

Cardinal rules of any Personal Security Detail (PSD) ....(if you have one); never get seperated from your principal, and never surrender your weapon or lose your SATFONE.

Posted by Besoeker 2012-09-14 09:38|| 2012-09-14 09:38|| Front Page Top

#2 Indeed, thanks Steve. The British source of this story has done a much better job at coverage than our median. One thing that amazes me is how "soft" the consulate appears to be--looks like a pushover.

Posted by JohnQC 2012-09-14 10:07|| 2012-09-14 10:07|| Front Page Top

#3 ~~median~~ media

Posted by JohnQC 2012-09-14 10:08|| 2012-09-14 10:08|| Front Page Top

#4 I shouldn't be surprised to learn sensitive documents specifically identifying Libyans helpful to America have gone missing. Reminds me of Shakil Afridi, I hope these Libyans aren't compromised and killed. More crap compromising our intel.
Why keep these sensitive documents in such an unprotected place. Really?

Posted by Jan 2012-09-14 11:00|| 2012-09-14 11:00|| Front Page Top

#5 Revealed: inside story of US envoy's assassination

Posted by tipper 2012-09-14 11:34|| 2012-09-14 11:34|| Front Page Top

#6 Of course we have to go to the British papers to find out what happened.
The picture of the empty chair floating in the pool must have Axelrods head Exorcist spinning...
Yet to see the bloody handprint picture in the LSM either.
This incident is going to be treated like photos of the jumpers on 9/11.

Posted by Capsu78 2012-09-14 12:17|| 2012-09-14 12:17|| Front Page Top

#7 Yes, of course we have to go to the British papers. You think the NYT would cover this? Doesn't fit the narrative.

Besoeker, thanks for the tip if ever I'm working as a PSD (but if I am the person I'm 'protecting' is in big trouble). I assume that these folks are very well trained, so it's unfortunate this happened. I get it can, though, particularly if all hell has broken loose.

As to the consulate, sometimes they're just buildings. We have a bunch of these in Chicago, either downtown or on the near north, and many of them are just office suites in towers or units in an apartment. I have no idea what arrangements they have for security (though we as the host country are responsible for their security).

Posted by Steve White 2012-09-14 12:20|| 2012-09-14 12:20|| Front Page Top

#8 I suspect the folks on the security detail were reall good people - there were just not enough of them (and possibly they were not well enough armed). The attack at Benghazi looks to be very well planned - the hit squad clearly knew the laout of the primary target, the number of guards and security personnel, and their contingency plan for evacuation. They also knew the primary safehouse where the evacuation would go to. This attack was professionally executed.

Posted by Raider 2012-09-14 12:57|| 2012-09-14 12:57|| Front Page Top

#9 It appears the two security personnel were only armed with radios.

Posted by tipper 2012-09-14 21:24|| 2012-09-14 21:24|| Front Page Top

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