The House Select Committee on Benghazi was focused on doing "everything possible" to ensure that incidents like the Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attack that left four dead in Libya never happen again, and if one does, the nation is ready to respond, the committee's chairman and two members said in Saturday's GOP address.
"By focusing with dogged determination on uncovering all relevant documents and talking to new eyewitnesses, the Select Committee is now able to tell you, the American people, about these important new facts that fundamentally change what we know about Benghazi," committee Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-South Carolina; Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Georgia; and Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Indiana said. "
As the nation prepares to celebrate the Fourth of July, the committee members pointed out that the independent American spirit was on display at the Benghazi diplomatic outpost when those at "one of America's least-secure diplomatic facilities" had to rely on their ingenuity to survive.
"It is because of this investigation, we now know no American forces were ever going to Benghazi the night of the attacks," said the three lawmakers.
The group that went from Tripoli on their rescue mission did so on their own initiative, they continued, and because of the investigation, Americans know of the full story of the security agents and personnel who "faced assaults, gunfights, ambushes, and ultimately a fatal mortar attack that left two heroic rescuers dead."
Further, it was also learned that because of the efforts of a CIA security contractor, two more American lives would have been lost.
"The real story of Benghazi is truly a tale of two cities," the three lawmakers said. "In Benghazi, where our people were valiantly fighting for their lives, and Washington, DC, where administration officials sat on a teleconference and talked for two hours."
And while forces were ready respond, they were forced to wait on their transport and to change out of their uniforms four times,
"It is sad and telling that instead of a singular focus on rescuing our people in harm’s way, key decision-makers in the administration were worried about a video and the appearance that our rescuers could be perceived as invaders because of the clothes they were wearing," the lawmakers said.
And, they concluded, "on behalf of a grateful nation, we honor the service and sacrifice made by Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods, and all those who served in Benghazi. On this Independence Day weekend, we recognize them as true American heroes and patriots.
"And we thank them, and we thank their loved ones. May God bless our citizens and may God bless the United States of America."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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