Betrayal in Benghazi – Colonel Phil Handley, Ret.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013 21:48
Phil “Hands” Handley Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
The combat code of the US Military is that
we don’t abandon our dead or wounded on the battlefield. In US Air
Force lingo, fighter pilots don’t run off and leave their wingmen. If
one of our own is shot down, still alive and not yet in enemy captivity,
we will either come to get him or die trying.
Among America ‘s fighting forces, the
calm, sure knowledge that such an irrevocable bond exists is priceless.
Along with individual faith and personal grit, it is a sacred trust that
has often sustained hope in the face of terribly long odds.
The disgraceful abandonment of our
Ambassador and those brave ex-SEALs who fought to their deaths to save
others in that compound is nothing short of dereliction-of-duty.
Additionally, the patently absurd cover-up
scenario that was fabricated in the aftermath was an outright lie in an
attempt to shield the President and the Secretary of State from
responsibility.
It has been over eight months since the
attack on our compound in Benghazi . The White House strategy, with the
aid of a “lap dog” press has been to run out the clock before the truth
is forthcoming.
The recent testimonies of the three “whistle
blowers” have reopened the subject and hopefully will lead to exposure
and disgrace of those responsible for this embarrassing debacle. It
would appear that the most recent firewall which the Administration is
counting on is the contention “that there were simply no military assets
that could be brought to bear in time to make a difference” mainly due
to the unavailability of tanker support for fighter aircraft.
This is simply BS, regardless how many
supposed “experts” the Administration trot out to make such an
assertion.
The bottom line is that even if the
closest asset capable of response was half-way around the world, you
don’t just sit on your penguin ass and do nothing.
The fact is that the closest asset was not
half-way around the world, but as near as Aviano Air Base, Italy where
two squadrons of F-16Cs are based.
Consider the following scenario (all times
Benghazi local): When Hicks in Tripoli receives a call at 9:40 PM from
Ambassador Stevens informing him “Greg, we are under attack!” (his last
words), he immediately notifies all agencies and prepares for the
immediate initiation of an existing “Emergency Response Plan.”
At AFRICON, General Carter Ham attempts to
mount a rescue effort, but is told to “stand down”. By 10:30 PM an
unarmed drone is overhead the compound and streaming live feed to
various “Command and Control Agencies” and everyone watching that feed
knew damn well what was going on.
At 11:30 PM Woods, Doherty and five others
leave Tripoli, arriving in Benghazi at 1:30 AM on Wednesday morning,
where they hold off the attacking mob from the roof of the compound
until they are killed by a mortar direct hit at 4:00 AM.
So nothing could have been done, eh?
Nonsense. If one assumes that tanker support really “was not available”
what about this:
When at 10:00 PM AFRICON alerts the 31st
TFW Command Post in Aviano Air Base, Italy of the attack, the Wing
Commander orders preparation for the launch of two F-16s and advises the
Command Post at NAS Sigonella to prepare for hot pit refueling and
quick turn of the jets.
By 11:30 PM, two F-16Cs with drop tanks
and each armed with five hundred 20 MM rounds are airborne. Flying at
0.92 mach they will cover the 522 nautical miles directly to NAS
Sigonella in 1.08 hours. While in-route, the flight lead is informed of
the tactical situation, rules of engagement, and radio frequencies to
use.
The jets depart Sigonella at 1:10 AM with
full fuel load and cover the 377 nautical miles directly to Benghazi in
0.8 hours, arriving at 1:50 AM which would be 20 minutes after the
arrival of Woods, Doherty and their team.
Providing that the two F-16s initial pass
over the mob, in full afterburner at 200 feet and 550 knots did not stop
the attack in its tracks, only a few well placed strafing runs on
targets of opportunity would assuredly do the trick.
Were the F-16s fuel state insufficient to
recover at Sigonelli after jettisoning their external drop tanks, they
could easily do so at Tripoli International Airport , only one-half hour
away.
As for those hand-wringing naysayers who
would worry about IFR clearances, border crossing authority, collateral
damage, landing rights, political correctness and dozens of other
reasons not to act” screw them. It is high time that our “leadership”
get their priorities straight and put America’s interests first.
The end result would be that Woods and
Doherty would be alive. Dozens in the attacking rabble would be
rendezvousing with “72 virgins” and a clear message would have been sent
to the next worthless POS terrorist contemplating an attack on
Americans that it is not really a good idea to “tug” on Superman’s cape.
Of course all this would depend upon a
Commander In Chief that was more concerned with saving the lives of
those he put in harm’s way than getting his crew rested for a campaign
fund raising event in Las Vegas the next day. As well as a Secretary of
State that actually understood “What difference did it make?”, or a
Secretary of Defense whose immediate response was not to the effect that
“One of the military tenants is that you don’t commit assets until you
fully understand the tactical situation.” Was he not watching a live
feed from the unarmed drone, and he didn’t understand the tactical
situation?
YGBSM!
Ultimately it comes down to the question
of who gave that order to stand down? Whoever that coward turns out to
be should be exposed, removed from office, and face criminal charges for
dereliction of duty.
The combat forces of the Untied States of
America deserve leadership that really does “have their back” when the
chips are down.
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FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO
READ THIS, YOU NEED TO DO ONE THING FOR ME! FORWARD THIS OUT TO EVERYONE
YOU KNOW!!WE CAN NEVER ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN AND WHOEVER GAVE THE
“STAND DOWN” ORDER NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED!!!!
