Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

Documenting the worst betrayal in US history. Sources include @HouseBenghazi @KenTimmerman @SharylAttkisson Mitchell Zuckoff @BenghaziAttacks @BradleyPodliska Joined January 2019

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

17 hours ago

@estencooke 🫡

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While waiting on the tarmac, American operators shared cell phones to call loved ones at home. Jack called his wife who was less than 3 months pregnant. He was anxious about the possibility that fear over what she may have seen on the news would cause her to miscarry. Jack made sure his wife was calm, then told her: "Whatever you see on the news, just know that it's over. I'm OK. I'll see you soon." She knew that Rone was in #Benghazi with Jack, so she asked if he was OK, too. Overwhelmed with emotion, Jack replied, "He didn't make it." Jack promised he would share more details later, but stressed that she not spread any news about Rone's death since he knew next of kin had not been notified.

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

a day ago

@sarahadams Yes I watched it over the weekend, and reposted on the timeline. Well done!

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

2 days ago

An hour after the 1st plane left, the remaining operators got word that a recovery team from the militia that had escorted them to the airport had gone to #Benghazi Medical Center to retrieve Ambassador Stevens's body. (1/2)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

3 days ago

Several Benghazans who had served as liaisons for the Annex came to the airport to see the Americans off. One in particular burst into tears while apologizing for what had happened and vowing to make those responsible pay. (4/4)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

3 days ago

Tanto then handed the keys of the remaining vehicles over to the militia leader, who distributed them among his team. They ran like teenagers to their first cars and peeled out of the airport. (3/4)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

3 days ago

Tig realized that when the @StateDept team left on the first plane they had failed to move Sean Smith's body from the Mercedes SUV. With help, he moved Smith's body to the flatbed truck alongside Rone and Bub. (2/4)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

3 days ago

Members of the militia escort understood that the Americans would be abandoning their vehicles, so several asked the men who were waiting for a 2nd plane for the keys. The GRS operators first emptied the vehicles of ammunition and other equipment. (1/4)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

4 days ago

At around 7:30AM, the first planeload of survivors from the attacks on the State Dept Compound and the CIA Annex departed from #Benghazi for Tripoli. Left behind to find travel arrangements on their own with still no help from Team Obama were Jack, Tanto, Boon, Tig, Alec Henderson, Tate Jolly, David Halbruner, 2 Tripoli operators, a linguist and the country GRS Team Lead, with the bodies of Rone, Bub and Sean Smith. (2/2)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

4 days ago

With the plane full and the pilot about to taxi, a SECOND accidental gunshot went off, this time by a passenger inside the plane. With all of the surprises and setbacks, Americans began to wonder if they would ever be able to leave #Benghazi. While a search was under way to find the bullet and determine if it had caused critical damage to the fuselage, Oz began writhing in pain on the couch from his injuries as the morphine had died off. He tried to tell jokes to distract himself, but the pain was excruciating. Despite his own pain, Oz was even more concerned that if they didn't depart soon Ubben was going to die in his critical condition. Finally someone discovered that the bullet had embedded harmlessly in the metal frame of a seat. (1/2)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

5 days ago

While Americans boarded the small jet, members of the militia that controlled Benghazi Benina Airport confronted the much larger convoy militia, protesting their presence on the tarmac. As tensions escalated, a militiaman inadvertently fired his AK-47 into the ground near his feet. Instead of sparking a firefight on the tarmac, the accidental gunshot actually defused the situation, perhaps reminding both militias how easily they could all be killed needlessly. As Americans filed onto the plane, Bob once again objected verbally about having to leave #Benghazi, this time starting a shouting match with the country GRS Team Leader from Tripoli. And once again, Bob had to receive an order from a ranking security officer. "You are relieved of duty! You will get on that plane or I will put you on that plane." Bob finally complied.

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Sarah Adams @sarahadams

6 days ago

What really happened to our Ambassador Chris Stevens after the attack? Almost fourteen years later, myths and misinformation still surround his final hours. Today on Back to Benghazi, we retrace the events that unfolded after al-Qaeda's attack on the U.S. Consulate and we return to Benghazi Medical Center, where Stevens was taken after being discovered by local good Samaritans inside Villa C on the morning of September 12, 2012. Available now: youtu.be/koqYSjozXyQ?is…

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

6 days ago

The convoy reached #Benghazi Benina Airport and parked near the small jet that Team Tripoli had chartered. Several Tripoli operators carried Dave Ubben toward the stairs up to the plane door as he slipped in and out of consciousness. Fellow operators began to lift Oz's stretcher, but he stopped them. "Hell no. I walked into this country, and I'm going to friggin walk out of this town." Oz got himself out of the vehicle and walked to the plane with blood dripping down his left arm despite the tourniquet. The plane's uniformed flight attendants watched in shock at the sight of a critically wounded Oz approaching and placed towels down on the carpeted aisle, then across the couch near the plane's tail before Oz layed down on it. The stretcher bearers placed Ubben on the floor beside Oz on the couch, and the Tripoli medic sat between the injured men for the flight.

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

6 days ago

@Hayloft2A Absolutely

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

7 days ago

As the caravan moved out, the militia made sure that each vehicle with Americans was covered by a Technical with a mounted machine gun. The lead Technicals blocked off intersections so that Americans could roll through without stopping. (6/6)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

7 days ago

@Hayloft2A Fortunately it was the good guys this time.

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

7 days ago

As a result, there were not enough shredders available to timely destroy all he had printed against CIA's classified holding policies. The CIA redacted the time it took to shred Bob's collection of classified documents. (5/6)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

7 days ago

The Communications Officer at the Annex had requested several times early on for Bob to allow him to start destroying classified documents; Bob, a hoarder, refused for 3 hours. (4/6)

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Benghazi Notes @BenghaziNotes

7 days ago

The Team Lead objected, but Bob continued to insist on staying, as he smoked a cigarette outside Building C. The Team Lead told Bob he was relieved and ordered him to get in the vehicle. Bob finally complied but continued to argue. (3/6)