A Pre-Occupation with Benghazi

The House of Representatives has recently formed a select committee to investigate the “before-during-after” of the September 2012 terror attacks in Benghazi, Libya that left four Americans dead, including the U.S. Ambassador.

Why?

GOP leaders believe that such an investigation is necessary to unearth the truth that the Administration very much wants to keep buried.

But isn’t the truth already known?

 

Of course President Obama’s team – in the midst of the election campaign – sought to present the attack as unrelated to the war on terror (which, the Administration claimed, for obvious political purposes, had already been won).

Susan Rice, knowingly or otherwise, was trotted out to parrot the false Obama line. 

Facts and experience both made clear that the Administration’s narrative was generated by political considerations.  Certainly, shading the truth – even outright lying (e.g. “you can keep your doctor”)  - was and is a well known White House practice.

No doubt the committee will produce additional evidence showing deceit.  But to what effect?  It’s hard to believe that the case hasn’t already been made.

Recent polls, for instance, show that over 60% of the public doesn’t believe President Obama on Benghazi. 

Yes, the GOP can keep the focus on the fact that the Obama Administration did what it could, truth be damned, to win re-election.  Ok.  Does that really help Republicans this year?  No.  Current concerns such as Obamacare and the Veterans Administration debacle will attract more voter interest that rehashing a tragedy nearly two years old.