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Former U.S. Ambassador to U.N. John Bolton on reports of emails showing the White House knew Islamic militants claimed responsibility for Libya attack...
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Hello it's not just economic -- causing alarm newly released emails showing the White House and the State Department knew.
-- Qaeda affiliated group actually claimed responsibility for the Libya attack that killed four Americans including the US ambassador.
Sleep in the Obama administration totally on defense and for more on this John bond former the United Nations ambassador Fox News contributor with us now.
Ambassador I'm so glad you're with us -- that tell you what this is getting complicated.
You know at first they said it was not an act of terror and then apparently it seems that they knew it was all along where are we on this.
But I think these emails are very significant in my sense is just the few that have -- come public are the tip of the iceberg at at one level they confirm.
What we already knew and that is in real time.
Because of cell -- communications from diplomatic security personnel at the consulate had been -- It was clear this is not a demonstration that it got a little bit out of hand this was an armed attack undoubtedly by.
Terrorists that are quite quite common in eastern Libyan -- -- specifically.
But what's significant about these emails I think is that they make it unmistakably.
Clear.
That at the highest levels in the White House in the State Department in the Defense Department and intelligence community.
People knew what was gone gone.
In real time it -- it was only late afternoon early evening Washington time obviously six or seven hours later in Libya.
But this was during the working day so the notion that.
Somehow was unclear what was happening.
Is just not sustainable.
That yet secretary Hillary Clinton downplayed it.
We get we it's Susan Rice on the -- talking to.
This was not business people all because of a video.
Won't why hiding this it there's a terrorist act if there's a -- attacks it.
-- well I think they were they were trying to avoid the implication that the administration's narrative about the war on terror was just completely -- the administration saying the war on terror is over al-Qaeda has been defeated the Arab Spring is gonna bring democracy and Libya and this tragedy in -- -- Refutes all of those approaches so it was either cover up that's one theory -- was the president's own ideology preventing him.
From processing reality a right commodity.
But here's where these emails also bring us to a new level because they show that has said that he in the White House as the attack was under way.
That that they weren't taking steps they didn't go to all hands on deck red alert what are we gonna do to protect our.
People and bad guys in by the way what are we gonna do about the risk of attacks against the embassy in Tripoli against other embassies in the region.
And I think that's and even worse.
Problem for the administration and the fact that they were they were resorting to an explanation that had no relation to reality.
Right at a YouTube video I think that's apart and that frightens a lot of Americans that we didn't react fast enough -- -- it could happen right here I mean.
Heck it most recently did that it down of the Federal Reserve building -- -- in Manhattan and you know we heard in there foreign policy debate the other night both sides.
Not I think a lot of people still feel like we still don't have solid plans from.
Either of them.
Well you know I think governor Romney had to overcome the hurdle that every challenger to an incumbent.
President has -- Ronald Reagan had it.
In nineteen.
Eighty against Jimmy Carter and that is to show that against an incumbent president who's been there for three and a half years.
That the challenger has what it takes to sit behind the big desk at the White House and make the hard decisions.
So I think that was the Romney strategy to show that he had leadership he had -- -- had resolved.
That he had a grasp of the issues not not to get into the nitty gritty of of current disputes but to show the voting public.
That he had the capacity to handle challenges and threats we don't even know about it this time because they haven't occurred yet there there's something in the future.
And that the citizens have to believe that they can put trust -- delegate this enormous responsibility.
To a challenger who they've not seen.
Perform the functions of commander in chief so I think that's what the governor had to do and I I think in in my completely unbiased opinion I think that's exactly what he did.
It's I guess it's very hard to stay in front of all this ambassador bond thank you -- -- share your thoughts with us thank you.
