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Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the political fallout from the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya.
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Well let's turn now to developments on -- -- -- the White House tonight denying reports that refuse to rescue American diplomats.
In -- -- the Obama administration resisting responsibility.
Instead blaming the intelligence community for false statements and contradictions.
CIA director David Petraeus today stood up for his agency and this people.
Saying no one at every level in the CIA.
Told anybody not to help those in need.
We talked with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld who served for US president -- I asked him about the unusual.
Petraeus statement.
It's not that unusual if you think back about a week ago.
When they have statements some of the white house on the administration.
Seemed to suggest that the intelligence community.
Has been.
-- deficient in their work and seem to be throwing the the CIA under the bus a little bit -- and this reaction back from the CIA is.
I think probably reasonably predictable even though as you suggest.
It it is unusual in the case of the been -- Controversy will call a -- for now.
It's seems to be one set of denials after another.
The next being that that we still don't know.
And art.
Cool denied requests for security.
To be improved bolstered -- -- Ghazi.
This past summer after a number of attacks on -- On our consulate on other.
Outposts of the British government that -- the Red Cross.
Somebody denied that and the president says he can't answer that question because there's an FBI investigation.
Well -- we we do know that the first responsibility.
For the protection have US embassies and consulates is within the host government and we also know.
That the host government is not capable of providing security for our embassy our consulates so therefore the responsibility falls to the Department of State.
And then it is without question.
The Department of State that the ambassador all over the world ambassadors describe what they believed to be their security situation.
And make requests for assistance and clearly.
There -- there were a great many signals other embassies were leaving.
They and we knew that September 11 was an anniversary of -- -- at 2001 attacks on America.
And that we -- from everything you can read it's pretty clear that there were requests.
That we're not fulfill -- we know for a fact that -- -- security was inadequate because we lost four Americans including the ambassador.
We lost those four lives -- and at the same time -- there seems to be discretion being.
A put forward by the White House as to why would there be -- any question about security on the eleventh anniversary of September 11 and then -- This after the past summer.
The British ambassador was attacked.
This and big.
The Red Cross was attacked both of -- left the country have bought the city.
-- Gaza as a result the United States was -- only western power.
With a standard flying if you will.
In -- guns or pay into its extraordinary there would not be security before our ambassador foreign diplomats have for the staff of -- console.
It is if you think about it this Indians segments the first segment -- talking about and that was the failure.
To provide adequate security.
Despite the fact that there were -- indications that additional security was needed.
The second was the one you mentioned earlier namely the fact that that once they were under attack.
That information came back to the United States almost instantaneously.
And it clearly went into the situation room in the White House and if it went into the situation room -- the White House which you did.
It had to be made very promptly available -- that at least the chief of staff.
And the national security advisor.
These are two people who are with the president day in and day out and who have the responsibility.
Of informing the president so it's very hard for me to believe.
That President Obama was not aware -- that the attack was taking place.
Can you -- -- in the world anyone would make the statement.
That the united states military does not send our forces into harm's way without knowing what is going on.
When there has been audio and video live transmissions of the attack almost an unprecedented amount of knowledge.
About the details and the moment of that attack that was seven hours in duration.
Apparently there was they had drone overhead that was providing some live feed of what was taking place.
-- so they had to have some kind of knowledge of of what this circumstance on the ground was.
The the thing that that struck me was the repeated statements.
If you start with the fact there wasn't sufficient security and for people got got killed in that I'm in an attack.
And the point you're making that there wasn't any assistance provided.
But then there of these statements that have come out but the president.
The secretary of state and the ambassador to the United Nations -- the president's press spokesman all talking about a spontaneous.
Attack that with the that is leaving the impression was not a terrorist attack.
Hadn't even though was on September 11 and then -- the idea that that it was.
It in a result of what everyone was using talking points saying it was a quote hateful video -- quote.
And this was days afterwards when the CIA knew it was -- a terrorist attack within a matter of hours.
-- and the the questions remain they actually they enlarge.
And are grown or numerous seemingly by the day we thank you for being with us secretary Donald Rumsfeld was always.
Thank you.
