From the information I have and from information from prior briefings, I believe we have at least three locations in the Mediterranean that could have respond to the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi with a rescue operation. In fact, I visited two of those locations prior to the Benghazi attacks, and in one specific briefing, I was told we had emergency launch and rescue capabilities, not only to North Africa, but even deeper into the continent. Last January after the attacks in Benghazi, Congressman Issa and I visited what was a third location in the Mediterranean where we had emergency military launch capabilities.



I firmly believe that the United States had the capability of launching a rescue mission to come to the aide of the two Navy Seals that were killed approximately eight hours after the attacks began. In fact, no one gave the order to launch that mission. Furthermore, Brigadier General Lovell provided written testimony to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that stated, “The point is we should have tried.”



Prior to the Benghazi attack, no one assigned the necessary resources, personnel or protections to the Benghazi post which was one of the top fourteen US diplomatic facilities identified as high risk.



What was accurate in the article was that I know our military had the ability to save those Americans and that I know that the State Department had the ability to keep those Americans safe and no one acted.



While I opposed the creation of the select committee when it was disclosed, the Administration has kept key documents from the Committee and has continued to ignore requests. It was necessary to take this action to make sure those responsible are held accountable.