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Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton on the political infighting within the Administration over the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya.
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Our first guest this evening says Biden's been Ghazi blunder is an admission of frightening incompetence he also says it's a risky move leaving secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Out on the -- Joining us former US ambassador to the United Nations -- -- interpreter.
John Bolton ambassador let's let's go first to the idea that.
That Jay Carney was trying to create some offers some comfort some zone.
By saying that.
Vice President Biden was only referring to himself -- the president of the United States when he said.
That he knew of no such request.
-- -- Well I just can't believe that you know that's why there's a National Security Council staff at the White House to monitor what's going on at the State Department at the Defense Department to make sure.
That critical issues are brought to the president's attention this was obviously a very high risk posed.
And indeed it was a post where al-Qaeda killed -- ambassador.
That was the entire national security staff also clueless about the security situation.
In Libya because -- so and -- is comments seem to indicate that that it's the state department's responsibility alone.
I want to know what's going through the mind of Hillary Clinton right now and perhaps even more importantly what's going through the -- of Bill Clinton that his spouse the secretary has just been thrown under the bus.
Well and Klein the author of the book through the best sellers New York Times -- -- -- The amateur on the Obama administration.
Today writing for the daily callers saying that he is aware now of a rift that has broken.
Up between the -- clintons and the Obama White House.
And and much of that that divide has been created by the way in which the secretary of state has been treated and this in what is now becoming.
One could say -- controversy.
A scandal are in -- got.
Well -- there's a lot of it to go around that's for sure I think get part of it comes back to the famous appearance by my successor Susan Rice on five Sunday talk shows to explain that all the violence in the Middle East was just a spontaneous reaction demonstration that got out of control.
Because of the Mohamed video.
You know where was Hillary Clinton -- Sunday she is responsible.
For our embassy in Libya she's responsible for our diplomats around the world not the UN ambassador did Hillary say.
I'm not -- -- peddling that line on the Sunday shows is that where the -- began.
There's a lot here that remains beneath the surface you can bet the administration.
Doesn't wanted to come out before November the sex but I think Biden has really.
Opened it up that this is a a hole in there world view a hole in their policy it was a disastrous failure and I just hope we can follow up -- I think we have to keep if you will the in the instances distinct.
We're talking about -- horrible foreign policy disaster on one level geo politically.
We're talking about an immense human tragedy in the and a murder -- the assassination.
Of our ambassador in three other Americans have been Ghazi.
And then we are talking about.
An absolute.
Wall that has been put up around this administration refusing to let us understand what happened -- And and refusing absolutely to acknowledge that there are.
Are -- serious.
Challenges to the idea that this foreign policy is in fact a a workable policy at all.
Well and that may be the explanation for the post -- tragedy.
Stand by the administration that their ideology which blinded them -- the threat in the first place which either caused a gap in intelligence or or refusal to ask for the intelligence.
Then had to be interpreted as something other than a resurgence of al-Qaeda.
Evidence that the war on terrorism was still very much with -- and then as sweetness and light had not broken out in Libya.
So that the president I think get really especially given vice president Biden's performance.
Ought to be questioned on this at the next two debates that this is the commander in chief were about to -- here on November the sixth.
And here's an example of this commander in chief not being on the bridge when he was needed.
The idea of that that we have.
Created some distinct categories -- and and and put some distance between these elements in what is overall a tragedy.
In an immense challenge to US national interest.
There is the political aspect of it.
What -- and -- this.
I want this to be your judgment is there in your in your judgment any possibility.
That political decisions were driving.
The decisions on security and -- Ghazi driving decisions about what would be shared with the American people.
Driving decisions on how the FBI would be used in this case.
Are giving the perception that the FBI is being used.
To block.
Any further inquiry into who is responsible for failing to provide security.
And secondly within that.
There is an immense issue of this administration now directly attacking our own intelligence community and blaming them.
And a political context.
For what is abject -- a failure on the part of the administration.
Well I think there's no doubt that there -- political or ideological factors all throughout this decision making you know if you really hit increased security in Libya.
To the point where this tragedy could have been avoided it would've been a flat out admission.
That the post Qaddafi government had not succeeded in.
Pulling the various factions together and imposing order and the risk that al-Qaeda in fact was using the -- -- and archaic.
Libya to re establish a base in northern Africa that's something the administration.
Didn't want to hear and I think that that that that the risk that the administration saw there.
Could be communicated in a lot of ways you know at the hearing on the house on Wednesday people said there was no political pressure you don't need political pressure to make your point clear.
And and by blaming the intelligence community that that is a rich rich line of argument from people who were critical of the bush.
Administration's intelligence.
On Iraq.
Investor John -- bank.
