Benghazi – During Attack Denis McDonough and Tom Donilon Replace President Obama and VP Biden…

Two days ago we posted a discussion around a newly released photo from the White House. The picture was taken in the oval office on Sept 11th 2012:

We thought the picture was worth a thousand words. After research it appears we were correct. Yet again, it provides more sunlight into the events surrounding the Benghazi, Libya events and who made the critical decisions in those moments of crisis.

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(Sept. 11, 2012) – ”Denis McDonough, Deputy National Security Advisor, left, updates the President and Vice President on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Chief of Staff Jack Lew are at right.” (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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The picture was taken at exactly 7:28:16pm DC time. It was dusk outside, and President Obama had just completed a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Why is this important? Because we know the conversation lasted an hour.

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Sept 11, 2012 President Obama spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu for an hour tonight as a part of their ongoing consultations. The two leaders discussed the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program, and our close cooperation on Iran and other security issues. (link)

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So we know the phone call began at around 6:30pm and ended just before 7:26pm.

What is equally important is what was taking place in Libya (Benghazi) during the time the phone call took place.

The attack against the CIA/State Dept. Consulate began at 3:40pm D.C. time. So this phone call between Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama started three hours after the attack began.

What is also revealing about this photograph is who was where, why, and what decisions were being made.

It might seem odd that both President Obama and Vice-President Biden would simultaneously be tied up, indeed it is a breach of previously established security protocols for this exact “crisis” and “leadership need” reason.

But, they are used to doing it all the time – and besides, what are the odds of something actually being urgent while they are both engaged, and needing one of them immediately.

Indeed the odds are slim. Slim, but this was one of those moments when it actually existed; and had massive consequences.

You can see the phone notes in the hands of Joe Biden. Actually if you enhance the picture and zoom in on the notes you can see they are notes, in Biden’s handwriting, of the phone call discussion contents between Netanyahu and Obama. Whether or not BiBi knew Biden was also on the call is unknown, but he was indeed taking copious notes.

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(on the left you see the notes from Biden 9/11/12 - on the right you see notes from Biden taken during the Vice-Presidential debate)

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We won’t clarify the content of the notes themselves. We have done that part, but in the interest of embarrassing national security, and out of an abundance of caution for the arrival of Black Helicopters, we’ll let you do it on your own. Suffice to say they are notes about the call.

It is important to remember how much flack President/Candidate Obama was getting from the opposition about his previously ignoring Netanyahu around the BiBi United Nations speech.

This call was perceived as important by both the Obama Campaign and White House advisors to a defensive pro-Israel narrative. It could not be skipped by a candidate needing to assure the Jewish electorate of his Israel-Cred. So from 6:30pm to 7:26 pm both Vice-President, Joe Biden, and President Obama, were “indisposed”.

This phone call took place between 12:30pm and 1:26am Benghazi time. Again, three hours after the attack began at 9:40pm.

According to numerous reports, in Benghazi, around the same time, CIA operatives and former SEAL’s Tyrone Woods and Glenn Doherty were returning from the Consulate complex to the CIA annex with the body of State Dept. Aide to Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith. Ambassador Stevens was missing.

During this Oval Office call, Woods and Doherty were setting up defensive positions on the roof of the CIA annex building and maintaining a defensive perimeter while calling for more support.
So we know POTUS and VPOTUS were out-of-the-decision-loop. Who was making the decisions on behalf of the Commander and Chief?

Back to the timeline – and remember, this is the TIMED VERSION initially released to the media:

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(5 p.m. D.C.): Just ahead of the weekly meeting with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey, White House National Security Advisor Tom Donilon tells President Obama of the attack and the fire at the main villa….

(6:07 p.m. D.C): An alert from the State Dept. Operations Center states that the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli reports the Islamic military group “Ansar al-Sharia Claims responsibility for Benghazi Attack”… “on Facebook and Twitter and has called for an attack on Embassy Tripoli.”

(6:30 p.m. D.C.) : The Pentagon issues an order to a special operations team in Europe to move to Sigonella, Sicily – less than one hour’s flight away from Benghazi…. [Obama and Biden are now on the phone with Netanyahu] Who is in charge?

(7 p.m. D.C.): The first of two unmanned U.S. Predator drones, which already had been flying over eastern Libya, is diverted to Benghazi, as reported by CBS News’ Sharyl Attkisson and David Martin on Oct. 15. [Obama and Biden are still on the phone with Netanyahu] Who is in charge?

(7:30 p.m. D.C.): A U.S. security team from Embassy Tripoli lands in Benghazi and learn that the ambassador is missing. They try to arrange for transportation into town, with the goal of locating Stevens. [Phone call over - Obama and Biden are being updated by Denis McDonough as per the picture]

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But who was representing the Commander In Chief ? During that critical hour?
(Snip)
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2013...king-decisions/