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Former CIA Operative Mike Baker on the attacks in Libya and the White House’s response to the event.
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This -- diversions still rages.
About but Gaza about.
All that the administration of course.
Doesn't wanna have melted it was a -- of the presently is don't -- members of terrorist attack because -- wants to maintain and killing Osama bin Laden.
Ended Al qaeda's influence the world to -- on terrorism.
Now it's it's not true at all and you know they they started out within a narrative that just wasn't believable didn't make any sense even at that early stage -- people who didn't -- and follow this.
Couldn't quite figure out why they were going down that path of saying it was a spontaneous mean -- and so I think -- been we've been seeing them walk that back and trying to come up with a shifting story and they disappoint part about this is a it was stated it I don't think that the White House is is so stupid as to -- believed the story they were trying to put out.
So yet to assume that it was nothing more than political spin because who needs.
You know who -- that bad story two months before the election.
But they seemed also assume it I I I believe that.
The American public is just not.
Capable of understanding the basic facts or just to disinterested -- naive to care.
And I think they believe they're the most of the major media outlets will give them a free pass and that all seems to be happening.
Well it was -- Belated.
For most of bullets out -- manager film.
All was responsible for -- -- are from Kerala Rivera thanks.
Excluding bad -- The Libyan embassy that that film served as a catalyst for a lot of the violence is plumber who.
That -- did they didn't need that video to try to get out there protest and it was a very coordinated effort even when he talked about the Cairo uprisings anywhere else on the region in over over.
Over a dozen and a half of these protests that took place.
It you know and it's a very coordinated effort by died at an extremist element of Islam that it will seize on any thing and and yes they do use the video is top -- it was convenient -- -- the White House.
You know after the Ghazi attack they did the same thing it was it was absurd now -- you look at Ed where they don't -- sent our or.
-- -- run -- dollars a -- very very Smart guy got a lot of respect -- but the sentiment he just misread -- -- you know they didn't need.
They didn't the video to do that they didn't need a ship in port to a one controller already positioned a -- a lot of enough yet.
Let's go right now from a safe now let's go find a but I just did -- the whole situation now you got the F guys sitting in Tripoli they can't get -- bank Ghazi and it's about a thousand kilometers away.
The crime -- completely.
The other compromised at this stage.
And who.
You know now that you look at it the front Taipei to the New York Times and their story is well you know are gearing up -- developing profiles of the attackers so that the president can give orders to attack and you know it's all sort of let's just push that the mistakes the fact it was a complete cock up away and move on and I and I and I think sometimes we get this from the in the nation world -- -- -- ADD and we can't focus on some -- period of time to see it through the -- Like total.
Unfair criticism ability -- would've -- on anniversary of 9/11.
That we would have banned.
-- to provide a more security for these embassies -- Lebanon and on the place.
Right well that's the problem was and I think with the White House really does -- talk about -- is how bad this was handled from the very outset as soon as you decide to have a consulate and bank -- which is a war zone.
Think about over a year ago when the dust settled on the revolution.
And they said okay let's have a a consulate and then Gaza because who got to -- eastern Libya something you know everything else is going to Tripoli.
-- war zone you had untold numbers of heavy weapons floating around because he -- -- been -- -- says it they would sweep through the various towns open up the -- and literally encourage people coming to a -- so they could help with -- revolution.
We had elements of al-Qaeda and -- -- and others that we knew were operating in eastern Tripoli for eastern Libya for years and sending foreign fighters and Iraq.
-- -- for year after year.
All of that put together the State Department has responsibility for their facilities and personnel overseas they should've gone in there a year ago looked at this and it's a high threat operating environment.
We've got to provide a very secure facility we've got to get the Marines in there and marine security guard attachment -- those guys and women are terrific at what they do but if they're not on site that he and there's no defense.
They should've done that.
And and then you're right leading up to the anniversary of 9/11 -- you know anybody could have figured we got a problem -- -- should not have been allowed.
To go out there the -- the regional security officer -- malicious I'm sorry sir but we cannot allow you to go up there at this time we know over the months we had problems.
-- in the whole thing was as I say it was a complete go well.
While some day delay our -- on my record.
We spent 1714.
Years and told her thoughts and our partners in Covert operations and CIA.
Dot knows -- he did.
And we can't so -- can imagine Dulles regional.
-- source whole Arab Spring.
Just generally the hole looked -- -- -- the big picture was of a daughter -- -- you -- I I think it's.
Anytime you view view.
Remove a stabilizing force whether it's a despicable character are -- -- -- you know usually what comes in behind it for a period of time is chaos.
And out in the Middle East.
You know a lot of that chaos is not necessarily in line with our own interest.
I think that we we -- Egypt -- mishandled dealing with Mubarak on his way out.
I think we've we've mishandled Libya in terms of of the reasons why we went in there -- the French and Italians were were pressuring ascend to significant ways because they had oil and gas interest -- we had no critical interest.
In Libya none whatsoever.
And I I just think that it was -- it was inevitable those things are gonna happen you know it's it's that -- and sovereign nations they gonna act in their own ways and and EEE that you look at how we've been dealing with -- and has -- inconsistency.
And and a lack of clarity -- -- in in in in the things we've been doing the White House the president will say something.
And then world leaders have to get in there and -- try to figure out what does he mean.
And that's that's sort of -- -- this or lack of clarity and foreign policy particularly in a region like the Middle East that's not a good thing.
-- -- From our demand -- -- I've never been a big buyer on the whole nation building issue we've talked about that before I think Iraq and it is is still an open book we'd like to say it's a thing of the past -- -- -- you know my god no it's not it's absolutely not as despicable -- despicable.
A -- Saddam Hussein in laws.
There probably were better off I mean it could -- to emanate stupid.
Could kind of like -- kids are sent a message of -- and and -- I -- -- rape -- and stuff.
As straight number we're gonna come back and -- whatever zone but he's going to be better off and then they'll look at Afghanistan.
These insider -- come on yeah.
-- there was a there's a lack of an ability -- scenes -- we see it yet -- -- -- -- -- learn from from any previous mistakes we were in there.
-- pushing the Soviets out of Afghanistan -- and you know as soon as we we him you know singers that seem to work pretty well we move them out.
And there was an element sort of a neo con element that I think.
After that still guilty as if we just stayed in Afghanistan you know we -- prevented the Taliban from rising could have prevented 9/11 tell you or is it won't know if we stayed in Afghanistan it would develop somewhere.
Else I don't see any upside from Afghanistan I don't know why we haven't had a national conversation years and years ago -- what exactly how does this serve our national interest.
Right after Tora Bora and we can walk down the spring of 2002.
And and you know closed doors if you do this again if you allow you place to be used you know by foreign fighters were coming back you know -- -- -- Morgan.
And then moved on but what we expect to gain from this once we finally walked out of Afghanistan is it is up the I have no idea why we think there's an upside.
Or you're going today.
-- -- And implement an -- top prize -- -- where I'm going down health Julia Mazzola.
I was I was that was made wasn't -- nice this time -- yes.
As the sun goddess they thought it was sort of got a secret mission for your company and all I'm not -- written down to studies on the road again during Q.
