Kyle Becker | On 08, Feb 2013

Senator Lindsey Graham finally got to the truth of the Benghazi matter with Defense Secretary Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dempsey: no one was sent to aid the diplomats and servicemen during the terrorist attack at the Libyan diplomatic compound on 9/11.

President Obama was absent and no military aid was dispatched while U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens was tortured and murdered, along with the killing of diplomat Sean Smith. During the eight hour long raid, CIA security Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were abandoned to fight off overwhelmingly superior numbers until they were killed by mortar fire.

Below is a transcript of the remarkable testimony:

Sen. Graham: Now this is a hearing about Benghazi. We’ve talked about sequestration, which is important and… I just want to make sure that we understand what happened on September 11th regarding Benghazi. Your testimony, as I understand it, Secretary Panetta, you talked to the President of the United States one time.

Sec. Panetta: Talked to him on September 11th with regards to the fact that we were aware this attack was taking place.

Sen. Graham: One time?

Sec. Panetta: Right.

Sen. Graham: What time did you tell him that?

Sec. Panetta: I think that was approximately about 5 [Ed. note: 11 pm. Benghazi time.] (Discussion between Panetta and Dempsey)… yeah, about 5. Five o’clock.

Sen. Graham: General Dempsey, did you ever talk to the President of the United States at all?

Gen. Dempsey: I was with the Secretary when… at that same time.

Sen. Graham: Did you talk to the president?

Gen. Dempsey: Yes.

Sen. Graham: You talked to him how many times?

Gen. Dempsey: The same one time.

Sen. Graham: How long did the conversation last?

Gen. Dempsey: Uh, we were there in the office probably thirty minutes.

Sen. Graham: So you talked to him for thirty minutes, one time, and you never talked to him again? Neither one of you?

(Sec. Panetta): Til afterwards…

Sen. Graham: Until after the attack was over…

(Sec. Panetta): That’s right.

Sen. Graham: Thank you. Were there any AC-130 gunships within a thousand miles of Benghazi, Libya?

Sec. Panetta: No, sir.

Sen. Graham: Thank you. Were there any AC-130 gunships within two thousand miles of Benghazi, Libya?

Gen. Dempsey: I’d have to go back and look at a map to figure out the distance. The nearest ones I were aware of…

Sen. Graham: You said the F-16 was not a good platform to defend the consulate? What would have been the appropriate platform?

Gen. Dempsey: The appropriate platform, Senator, would have been to have boots on the ground ahead of the event. After the event is in conduct… it would be very difficult, to have a military…

Sen. Graham: Let’s just… would an AC-130 have been a good platform to help defend the consulate after the attack?

Gen. Dempsey: If we had the adequate understanding of what was on the ground so that we weren’t killing innocent…

Sen. Graham: Is there a saying in the military when you go into harm’s way, we’ve got your back?

(Gen. Dempsey): Of course, yes, sir.

Sen. Graham: Don’t you think that saying has been undermined here? That how can people in the military or the foreign service believe we’ve got their back when after seven… did you know how long the attack was going to last, Secretary Panetta?

Sec. Panetta: No idea.

Sen. Graham: Well… it could have lasted for two days! Now, my question is… was one airplane anywhere in the world deployed in the aid of the consulate? Did anybody launch an airplane? Was any airplane launched anywhere in the world to help these people?

Sec. Panetta: Well, we ultimately did launch 130s to go in and rescue these people.

Sen. Graham: When were they launched?

Sec. Panetta: At… in the period of time the team went in there and when we, uh, concluded, the attack was concluded, we said we’ve got to get the people out of there and that’s when…

Sen. Graham: Was there any airplane launched anywhere in the world before the attack was concluded?

(Gen. Dempsey): If you’re talking about a strike aircraft, no, Senator.