I hate to be overly dramatic, as this material is so deadly serious, but this document unfolds almost like a novel. To avoid unnecessary editorializing, emphasis has been added.
The second section is titled "Benghazi Local Council Welcomes the Ambassador." Ambassador Stevens had gone to Benghazi and spoken with its local council. It contains this quote: "Despite the challenges, members asserted that the security situation was improving and told the Ambassador that the USG should 'pressure' American companies to invest in Benghazi."
The third section is titled "Benghazi SSC Commander discusses security situation, dissolution of the SSC, extra-judicial killings of former regime security officers, political aspirations of militia leaders, reintegration of revolutionaries, and welfare of Iranian Red Crescent detainees." It is quite obvious that Acting Principal Officer Fawzi Younis did not believe "that the security situation was improving." "Younis expressed growing frustrations with the police and security forces (who were too weak to keep the country secure) and commented that the Iranian Red Crescent detainees are still held by "unknown" kidnappers but in good accommodations)."
Enough of the fourth section is of too low quality to be readable to get a good idea of what it says, but the title tells enough: "Militia commanders discuss the Muslim Brotherhood, Jibril, their political aspirations the economy and security." From what I can gather from the document, it was a shake-down. If Mahmoud Jibril (the US's favored candidate for Prime Minister) won they essentially threatened to stop providing any security at all. "Growing problems with security would discourage foreign investment and led to persistent economic stagnation in eastern Libya, but the USG would play a role by 'pressuring' American businesses to invest in Benghazi."
Section 6: "Expanding Islamist Influence in Derna." Section 7: "Car Bomb Kills One, Injures Another." Finally, Section 11: UK Presence:
British Charge d'Affairs Gill Frasier visited U.S. Mission Benghazi during a September 5 trip to determine whether conditions were appropriate for the re-opening of the British Consulate. According to Frasier, London will make its decision about reopening the consulate sometime in October. The British withdrew their presence from Benghazi after the widely reported June 11 RPG attack on the British Ambassador's motorcade.
It is quite obvious from this document that things were spiraling out of control. Obviously, by the time this cable was sent, it was too late for additional security. But this report is simply the logical conclusion of those that had preceded it.
To Continue in Part 9
| Part 1 | Part 5 | |
| Part 2 | Part 6 | |
| Part 3 | Part 7 | |
| Part 4 |
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