A newly released State Department email shows the Pentagon had forces at the ready to respond to the September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya,
The Daily Caller reports.
The email was sent September 11, 2012 at 7:19 p.m. Eastern Time by Jeremy Bash, who was chief of staff for the Defense Department. The first attack occurred at 3:40 p.m. Eastern Time and the second three hours later.
The email reads:
State colleagues:
I just tried you on the phone but you were all in with S [an apparent reference to Clinton, The Daily Caller notes.]
After consulting with General Dempsey, General Ham and the Joint Staff, we have identified the forces that could move to Benghazi. They are spinning up as we speak. They include a [REDACTED].
Assuming Principals agree to deploy these elements, we will ask State to procure the approval from host nation. Please advise how you wish to convey that approval to us [REDACTED].
Jacob Sullivan, Clinton's deputy chief of staff, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides are among the emails recipients, the Caller notes.
Four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, died in the attacks. Former Deputy Chief of Mission Gregory Hicks has said they might have been saved "if we had been able to scramble a fighter or aircraft or two over Benghazi as quickly as possible after the attack commenced," frightening off the Libyan attackers.
The Obama administration has denied allegations from those on the scene they were given stand-down orders and have said it was not possible to get planes to Benghazi in time.
The email was part of a batch recently obtained by Judicial Watch as part of a Freedom of Information Act request.
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