The AI Files · The 2012 attack, the State and CIA response, the talking points, the ARB, and the hearings · plain reading edition
Benghazi: every entry
All 50 entries of the guide, grouped by period and case, each with its bottom line and its sources. This page needs no JavaScript. The interactive guide adds the story in 20 chapters, the people, the timeline, the theories, the 15 checked claims and the media.
Outpost in a broken city 2011–Sep 10 2012
The posture
Why the mission was light
A temporary compound in Benghazi
Record · Official
Flag of Libya (post-2011). Typographic/flag stand-in for the post-revolution setting — not a photograph of the compound. Wikimedia Commons (flag) · Public domain
The Special Mission was not a full embassy fortress.
T
h
e
U
.
S
.
p
r
e
s
e
n
c
e
i
n
B
e
n
g
h
a
z
i
a
f
t
e
r
2
0
1
1
u
s
e
d
a
t
e
m
p
o
r
a
r
y
S
p
e
c
i
a
l
M
i
s
s
i
o
n
C
o
m
p
o
u
n
d
.
[
@
a
r
b
-
u
n
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
e
d
]
A
C
I
A
a
n
n
e
x
o
p
e
r
a
t
e
d
a
b
o
u
t
a
m
i
l
e
a
w
a
y
.
[
@
a
r
b
-
u
n
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
e
d
]
T
h
e
A
R
B
l
a
t
e
r
c
a
l
l
e
d
t
h
e
s
e
c
u
r
i
t
y
“
i
n
a
d
e
q
u
a
t
e
f
o
r
B
e
n
g
h
a
z
i
a
n
d
g
r
o
s
s
l
y
i
n
a
d
e
q
u
a
t
e
t
o
d
e
a
l
w
i
t
h
t
h
e
a
t
t
a
c
k
.
”
[
@
a
r
b
-
b
r
i
e
f
i
n
g
]
Bottom line Official
Light posture is established; it is the starting fact for every later fight.
What the record can’t settle
ARB language is administrative, not a criminal finding against named political principals.
Flag of Libya (post-2011). Typographic/flag stand-in for the post-revolution setting — not a photograph of the compound. Wikimedia Commons (flag) · Public domain
Militia power and prior incidents raised the risk.
E
a
s
t
e
r
n
L
i
b
y
a
’
s
p
o
s
t
-
r
e
v
o
l
u
t
i
o
n
s
e
c
u
r
i
t
y
w
a
s
f
r
a
g
m
e
n
t
e
d
.
[
@
l
i
b
y
a
-
c
o
n
t
e
x
t
]
P
r
i
o
r
i
n
c
i
d
e
n
t
s
a
n
d
t
h
r
e
a
t
r
e
p
o
r
t
i
n
g
f
o
r
m
e
d
p
a
r
t
o
f
t
h
e
A
R
B
’
s
c
r
i
t
i
q
u
e
t
h
a
t
W
a
s
h
i
n
g
t
o
n
u
n
d
e
r
w
e
i
g
h
t
e
d
B
e
n
g
h
a
z
i
’
s
d
a
n
g
e
r
.
[
@
a
r
b
-
u
n
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
e
d
]
Bottom line Official
Threat was knowable enough that inadequate security was a management failure, not a bolt from the blue.
What the record can’t settle
Open guides cannot reproduce full classified threat cables.
Institutional stand-in for annex (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
A local delay is real; a Washington order is not established.
C
I
A
o
p
e
r
a
t
o
r
s
a
t
t
h
e
a
n
n
e
x
d
i
d
n
o
t
i
m
m
e
d
i
a
t
e
l
y
r
o
l
l
t
o
t
h
e
S
M
C
.
[
@
a
n
n
e
x
-
w
i
t
n
e
s
s
]
S
o
m
e
t
o
l
d
t
h
e
S
e
l
e
c
t
C
o
m
m
i
t
t
e
e
t
h
e
y
h
e
a
r
d
“
s
t
a
n
d
d
o
w
n
”
;
o
t
h
e
r
s
r
e
c
a
l
l
e
d
“
w
a
i
t
”
;
t
h
e
c
h
i
e
f
o
f
b
a
s
e
d
e
n
i
e
d
o
r
d
e
r
i
n
g
a
s
t
a
n
d
-
d
o
w
n
.
[
@
s
e
l
e
c
t
-
f
i
n
a
l
]
[
@
h
p
s
c
i
-
2
0
1
4
]
H
P
S
C
I
f
o
u
n
d
n
o
s
t
a
n
d
-
d
o
w
n
o
r
d
e
r
t
o
U
.
S
.
m
i
l
i
t
a
r
y
p
e
r
s
o
n
n
e
l
i
n
T
r
i
p
o
l
i
.
[
@
h
p
s
c
i
-
2
0
1
4
]
Bottom line Mixed
Local delay: disputed in wording. WH/Clinton order: not found.
What the record can’t settle
Classified annex details and personnel identities limit public reconstruction.
Institutional stand-in for annex (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Woods and Doherty killed hours later.
E
a
r
l
y
o
n
S
e
p
t
1
2
,
m
o
r
t
a
r
f
i
r
e
h
i
t
t
h
e
a
n
n
e
x
,
k
i
l
l
i
n
g
T
y
r
o
n
e
W
o
o
d
s
a
n
d
G
l
e
n
D
o
h
e
r
t
y
.
[
@
a
r
b
-
u
n
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
e
d
]
[
@
w
o
o
d
s
-
d
o
h
e
r
t
y
]
T
h
e
s
e
c
o
n
d
s
i
t
e
a
n
d
s
e
c
o
n
d
w
e
a
p
o
n
s
y
s
t
e
m
d
e
f
i
n
e
t
h
e
n
i
g
h
t
’
s
s
e
c
o
n
d
c
a
t
a
s
t
r
o
p
h
e
.
Bottom line History
Deaths and weapon type are established.
What the record can’t settle
Attribution of the mortar team to a specific named network remains a prosecution/intel question.
Flag of Libya (post-2011). Typographic/flag stand-in for the post-revolution setting — not a photograph of the compound. Wikimedia Commons (flag) · Public domain
Militias, Ansar al-Sharia references, and unfinished attribution.
O
p
e
n
r
e
p
o
r
t
s
a
n
d
p
r
o
s
e
c
u
t
i
o
n
s
p
o
i
n
t
t
o
L
i
b
y
a
n
e
x
t
r
e
m
i
s
t
m
i
l
i
t
i
a
n
e
t
w
o
r
k
s
,
i
n
c
l
u
d
i
n
g
f
i
g
u
r
e
s
t
i
e
d
t
o
A
n
s
a
r
a
l
-
S
h
a
r
i
a
i
n
p
u
b
l
i
c
d
i
s
c
u
s
s
i
o
n
.
[
@
k
h
a
t
a
l
l
a
h
-
t
r
i
a
l
]
[
@
s
e
l
e
c
t
-
f
i
n
a
l
]
F
u
l
l
n
e
t
w
o
r
k
m
a
p
s
r
e
m
a
i
n
p
a
r
t
l
y
c
l
o
s
e
d
.
Bottom line Mixed
Some names in court; complete order of battle still open.
What the record can’t settle
Do not treat every militia label as proven command responsibility.
Institutional stand-in for annex (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Intelligence equities beside diplomacy.
T
h
e
n
e
a
r
b
y
C
I
A
f
a
c
i
l
i
t
y
s
h
a
p
e
d
b
o
t
h
t
h
e
r
e
s
c
u
e
a
t
t
e
m
p
t
a
n
d
l
a
t
e
r
i
n
f
o
r
m
a
t
i
o
n
c
o
n
t
r
o
l
s
.
[
@
h
p
s
c
i
-
2
0
1
4
]
[
@
s
e
l
e
c
t
-
f
i
n
a
l
]
I
t
s
e
x
i
s
t
e
n
c
e
e
x
p
l
a
i
n
s
c
a
p
a
b
i
l
i
t
i
e
s
—
a
n
d
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
f
i
g
h
t
s
.
Bottom line Archives
Annex is established; many operational details are not public.
Institutional stand-in for annex (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
After the annex fight, survivors left.
S
u
r
v
i
v
i
n
g
p
e
r
s
o
n
n
e
l
w
e
r
e
e
v
a
c
u
a
t
e
d
o
n
w
a
r
d
a
s
t
h
e
i
m
m
e
d
i
a
t
e
f
i
g
h
t
e
n
d
e
d
.
[
@
a
r
b
-
u
n
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
e
d
]
[
@
s
e
l
e
c
t
-
f
i
n
a
l
]
T
h
e
r
e
s
c
u
e
t
h
a
t
m
a
t
t
e
r
e
d
m
o
s
t
w
a
s
t
h
e
o
n
e
t
h
a
t
c
o
u
l
d
n
o
t
p
u
t
a
i
r
c
r
a
f
t
o
v
e
r
B
e
n
g
h
a
z
i
i
n
m
i
n
u
t
e
s
.
Bottom line Archives
Evacuation sequence broadly established.
What the record can’t settle
Personal medical and classified movement details omitted.
Institutional stand-in for khatallah (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Institutional stand-in for kennedy (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Institutional stand-in for lamb (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Bureau leaders, not a cabinet indictment.
T
h
e
A
R
B
’
s
l
e
a
d
e
r
s
h
i
p
-
d
e
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y
f
i
n
d
i
n
g
s
f
o
c
u
s
e
d
o
n
s
e
n
i
o
r
o
f
f
i
c
i
a
l
s
i
n
D
i
p
l
o
m
a
t
i
c
S
e
c
u
r
i
t
y
a
n
d
N
e
a
r
E
a
s
t
e
r
n
A
f
f
a
i
r
s
s
t
r
u
c
t
u
r
e
s
r
a
t
h
e
r
t
h
a
n
a
p
e
r
s
o
n
a
l
c
r
i
m
i
n
a
l
c
a
s
e
a
g
a
i
n
s
t
C
l
i
n
t
o
n
.
[
@
a
r
b
-
u
n
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
e
d
]
[
@
a
r
b
-
b
r
i
e
f
i
n
g
]
P
o
l
i
t
i
c
a
l
r
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
b
i
l
i
t
y
a
r
g
u
m
e
n
t
s
g
o
f
u
r
t
h
e
r
t
h
a
n
t
h
e
b
o
a
r
d
’
s
t
e
x
t
.
Bottom line Official
Distinguish ARB personnel findings from campaign rhetoric.
What the record can’t settle
Personnel outcomes and board text are sometimes conflated in memory.
Institutional stand-in for lamb (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
A bureau problem the ARB named.
A
R
B
f
i
n
d
i
n
g
s
r
e
a
c
h
e
d
i
n
t
o
h
o
w
D
i
p
l
o
m
a
t
i
c
S
e
c
u
r
i
t
y
a
n
d
r
e
g
i
o
n
a
l
b
u
r
e
a
u
s
m
a
n
a
g
e
d
r
i
s
k
a
n
d
r
e
s
o
u
r
c
e
s
.
[
@
a
r
b
-
u
n
c
l
a
s
s
i
f
i
e
d
]
[
@
a
r
b
-
b
r
i
e
f
i
n
g
]
T
h
a
t
i
s
b
u
r
e
a
u
c
r
a
t
i
c
h
i
s
t
o
r
y
,
n
o
t
a
c
a
b
l
e
-
n
e
w
s
s
u
b
p
l
o
t
.
Bottom line Official
Institutional failure mode documented.
What the record can’t settle
Personnel privacy limits naming every decision-maker’s full file.
Institutional stand-in for kennedy (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Institutional stand-in for hicks (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
An early public crack in the night’s story.
D
e
p
u
t
y
C
h
i
e
f
o
f
M
i
s
s
i
o
n
H
i
c
k
s
’
s
O
v
e
r
s
i
g
h
t
t
e
s
t
i
m
o
n
y
b
e
c
a
m
e
a
R
e
p
u
b
l
i
c
a
n
c
e
n
t
e
r
p
i
e
c
e
f
o
r
c
h
a
l
l
e
n
g
i
n
g
t
h
e
a
d
m
i
n
i
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
’
s
t
i
m
e
l
i
n
e
a
n
d
a
f
t
e
r
m
a
t
h
.
[
@
h
o
u
s
e
-
o
v
e
r
s
i
g
h
t
]
D
e
m
o
c
r
a
t
s
c
a
s
t
t
h
e
h
e
a
r
i
n
g
s
a
s
p
a
r
t
i
s
a
n
.
[
@
h
o
u
s
e
-
o
v
e
r
s
i
g
h
t
]
Bottom line Mixed
Primary-witness conflict belongs in the record; committee theater does too.
What the record can’t settle
Single-witness memory is not a complete night log.
U.S. Capitol — institutional stand-in for hearing-room coverage (not a photo of the Select Committee chamber that day). Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain
Clinton’s longest Benghazi interrogation.
O
n
O
c
t
2
2
,
2
0
1
5
C
l
i
n
t
o
n
t
e
s
t
i
f
i
e
d
f
o
r
r
o
u
g
h
l
y
e
l
e
v
e
n
h
o
u
r
s
.
[
@
c
l
i
n
t
o
n
-
s
e
l
e
c
t
-
2
0
1
5
]
[
@
a
p
-
s
e
l
e
c
t
]
C
o
v
e
r
a
g
e
h
i
g
h
l
i
g
h
t
e
d
p
r
i
v
a
t
e
-
v
s
-
p
u
b
l
i
c
m
e
s
s
a
g
i
n
g
a
l
r
e
a
d
y
i
n
t
h
e
e
m
a
i
l
r
e
c
o
r
d
.
[
@
f
a
c
t
c
h
e
c
k
-
h
e
a
r
i
n
g
]
Bottom line Archives
Hearing happened; new facts were incremental more than explosive.
What the record can’t settle
Live TV performance ≠ complete evidentiary record.
Institutional stand-in for blumenthal (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Informal outside advice in the inbox.
S
i
d
n
e
y
B
l
u
m
e
n
t
h
a
l
’
s
e
m
a
i
l
s
t
o
C
l
i
n
t
o
n
a
b
o
u
t
L
i
b
y
a
a
p
p
e
a
r
e
d
i
n
r
e
l
e
a
s
e
s
a
n
d
h
e
a
r
i
n
g
s
.
[
@
c
l
i
n
t
o
n
-
s
e
l
e
c
t
-
2
0
1
5
]
[
@
e
m
a
i
l
s
-
g
u
i
d
e
]
T
h
e
y
s
h
o
w
i
n
f
o
r
m
a
l
c
h
a
n
n
e
l
s
;
t
h
e
y
d
o
n
o
t
b
y
t
h
e
m
s
e
l
v
e
s
p
r
o
v
e
o
p
e
r
a
t
i
o
n
a
l
c
o
n
t
r
o
l
o
f
s
e
c
u
r
i
t
y
.
Bottom line Archives
Inbox politics ≠ ARB finding.
What the record can’t settle
Selective quotation of Blumenthal threads is common.
Institutional stand-in for khatallah (freely licensed substitute; not a verified personal portrait). Flagged. Prior AI Files / U.S. government source as credited in origin guide · Public domain or prior credit (stand-in)
Capture, split verdict, long sentencing fight.
C
a
p
t
u
r
e
d
i
n
2
0
1
4
,
K
h
a
t
a
l
l
a
h
w
a
s
c
o
n
v
i
c
t
e
d
o
n
c
o
n
s
p
i
r
a
c
y
a
n
d
m
a
t
e
r
i
a
l
-
s
u
p
p
o
r
t
c
o
u
n
t
s
a
n
d
a
c
q
u
i
t
t
e
d
o
f
t
h
e
m
u
r
d
e
r
s
.
[
@
k
h
a
t
a
l
l
a
h
-
t
r
i
a
l
]
S
e
n
t
e
n
c
i
n
g
h
a
s
b
e
e
n
r
e
p
e
a
t
e
d
l
y
c
o
n
t
e
s
t
e
d
,
i
n
c
l
u
d
i
n
g
a
2
0
2
6
a
p
p
e
l
l
a
t
e
v
a
c
a
t
u
r
o
f
a
2
8
-
y
e
a
r
t
e
r
m
a
s
t
o
o
l
e
n
i
e
n
t
.
[
@
d
c
-
c
i
r
c
u
i
t
-
k
h
a
t
a
l
l
a
h
-
2
0
2
6
]
Bottom line Convicted
Some accountability in court; not a full murder conviction.
What the record can’t settle
Acquittal on murder counts is part of the verdict, not a footnote.
