This is not directed at you in particular, RCD, but at everyone who has made similar references regarding the "gun-running" issue being related to the 9/11 attack.

First, that issue will not be a part of this committee's investigation. It is all conjecture at this point and plays no role in what happened that night. If testimony or documents come to light in this committee's work that gives credence to the issue, you can bet it will be the subject of a separate investigation, and it would be a bi-partisan effort.

For those who believe there is a "story" there, however, it would not be what you posted, i.e., a situation of the administration sending small arms and manpads to AlQaeda-related groups in Syria. The allegations of those who subscribe to Benghazi gun-running is that the shipments of arms were meant for the group the administration supports over there - the Free Syrian Army. Those guys dislike AlQaeda-related groups as much as we do. Their side of the civil war has been corrupted by, plagued by and viciously undermined by AlQaeda in that war. There are not two sides in the Syrian Civil War, there are three. The only thing the Free Syrian Army and AlQaeda have in common is that both seek Assad's death or departure.

If the allegations that the U.S. played a role in the shipment of Russian arms from Libya to Syria, via Turkey, become proven, they will show the intended recipient of those arms was the Free Syrian Army group and not the dozen or so AlQaeda groups fighting Assad. We know that such shipments were made from Benghazi to Turkey in the days preceding 9/11/12 - but there is no proven evidence that the U.S. played any role in those shipments.

I tend to avoid that issue when I discuss Benghazi because it's a PERIPHERAL issue. If proven, it will have a life of its own separate from the Benghazi attack.

Sen. Rand Paul is not the guy anyone should be listening to when it comes to Benghazi. Follow the work of the House Committee, and if there is anything to the story, it will become evident as a by-product of testimony and documents. Unless and until it is, you will not see Rep. Gowdy chasing that angle, because its not within the purview of his committee's mission. All the gun-running talk does is take away from the real and valid aspects of the investigation, and give Dems a chance to belittle the committee's work.

And again, even if the speculation about U.S. involvement of gun-running eventually proves to be true, it certainly will not be a situation of running them to AlQaeda, but to the Free Syrian Army. Since the AlQaeda groups in Syria have basically taken away whatever weapons the FSA gets from outside sources, I do not dispute that those arms would not end up in the hands of AlQaeda. But back in September of 2012, the Free Syrian Army was still the main force opposing Assad. The takeover of the anti-Assad armies by AlQaeda has evolved mostly over the past 18 months.

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Posted by RCDfan1950

United States

Member since Feb 2007

35148 posts

Posted on 5/8/14 at 12:05 pm to NHTIGER

Always count on you, NH.

BTW, I would not be opposed to undercover gunrunning by our covert agencies, if it hurts enemies that hurt our folk. If this gunrunning would develop legs, it would probably be quashed in the name of security, and Bush would probably be in there backing up Obama. It's sausage making up there.

For me, it's all about exposing and delegitimizing Obama; anything to negate the man's political power. He is not a leader who persuades, inspires, unites, and motivates the populous toward fair and practical solutions to our complex societal problems.....he employs the 'Alinsky/Chicago politics' model, and strong arms an ignorant and duped electorate. Bait and switch, with all manner of promises that can never be fulfilled; at least not in a flailing economy, crippled by his regulation and anti-energy policy. He's sewing the seeds for societal antipathy.

And this is so destructive to our nation, in that if honest politics is abandoned...then the alternative is unthinkable. And inexcusable...but for good people standing by and doing nothing. But they don't care. Obama foolishly thinks he can control the (cloward-piven) engineered collapse; worst political gambit in American political history. His foolheartiness will harm many.

I want to see Obama face the evidence of his action, and justify it. For once. But I won't be holding my breath. I wholeheartedly embrace every single day of life...every glass of clean water...every fruit off my vines, and family and animals, and the blessings of a good and challenging life. Things that are out of my control...are simply...'challenges'.

Be well.