Every year, as we approach 9/11 we say, “Never forget”. Tomorrow, 9/11/25, we remember two vicious attacks on our country: one here on the continental U.S. and the other on our embassy in Benghazi. Much will be written about the former, I would like to briefly discuss the latter.
The Benghazi attack exposed a sordid chapter in American foreign policy, one marked by negligence, obfuscation, and a stunning lack of accountability from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The assault on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Libya, which left four Americans dead, was not just a tragedy but a case study in bureaucratic incompetence and political spin. The evidence paints a damning picture of Clinton’s leadership, or lack thereof, and her administration’s desperate attempts to dodge responsibility.
On September 11, 2012, Islamic militants stormed the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, exploiting woefully inadequate security. The attack wasn’t a spontaneous riot over an obscure YouTube video, as the Obama administration — including Clinton — initially claimed. It was a coordinated terrorist assault by a group tied to al-Qaeda. According to Fox News, the attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, overwhelming the lightly guarded compound. A nearby CIA annex, where Doherty and Woods were stationed, became a secondary target. Despite desperate calls for help, no significant military rescue was launched. A small team from Tripoli, including Doherty, arrived too late to save Stevens and Smith. The Pentagon later admitted forces were not positioned to respond effectively, a logistical failure that falls squarely on the State Department’s shoulders.
Clinton’s role in this debacle is particularly galling. As Politico (of all outlets) reported, members of the Benghazi security team, like Mark Geist and Kris Paronto, didn’t mince words at the 2016 Republican National Convention: Clinton failed to do her job. The State Department, under her watch, ignored repeated requests for enhanced security from Ambassador Stevens. Emails later revealed that Stevens had warned of deteriorating conditions in Libya, yet Clinton’s department dismissed these pleas, leaving the consulate vulnerable. Geist and Paronto, who fought off attackers at the CIA annex, described a chaotic night where their team was left to fend for itself. Clinton’s defenders might argue she wasn’t personally responsible for every security decision, but as the head of the State Department, the buck stops with her. Excuses don’t cut it when lives are on the line.
Then came the cover-up. One critique highlights Clinton’s “obstruction, lies, and dishonor” in the aftermath. The Obama administration claimed that the attack stemmed from a spontaneous protest over a video. This was a deliberate misrepresentation. Internal emails, later uncovered, showed Clinton knew almost immediately that the attack was terrorism, not a riot gone wrong. Yet, she and her allies peddled the video story to the public, hoping to deflect criticism during a heated election year. Susan Rice appeared on five Sunday political shows and said the attacks were spontaneous, knowing the whole time that was untrue.
On October 22, 2015, Hillary Clinton testified about the attack on our embassy in Benghazi. When questioned, Clinton infamously snapped, “What difference, at this point, does it make?” — a callous dismissal of accountability that still grates.
You know what I wish? I wish that at that point, Chairman Trey Gowdy would have asked her to please look to the back of the chamber at the family members of those who were lost that day and ask THEM the same question.
The State Department’s Accountability Review Board, which Clinton praised, conveniently avoided probing her directly, focusing instead on lower-level officials. If that’s not obstruction, what is?
Adding to the mess, there were questions about the murky role of Stinger missiles in Libya. After Gaddafi’s fall, the U.S. was reportedly involved in a covert operation to recover those weapons from Libyan militias. Stevens’s mission in Benghazi may have been tied to this effort, placing him in a volatile city with minimal protection. The lack of transparency about this operation was neither confirmed nor denied by the State Department and only fuels suspicion of deeper incompetence or worse. If Clinton’s team were juggling covert arms deals while ignoring basic security, it’s no wonder the situation spiraled into disaster.
The Benghazi attack wasn’t just a failure of preparation; it was a failure of leadership and honesty. Clinton’s State Department left Americans exposed, failed to respond when they were under fire, and then tried to spin the tragedy to protect political ambitions. The families of the fallen deserve better than evasions and half-truths. As conservatives, we value accountability and strength in leadership — qualities glaringly absent in Clinton’s handling of Benghazi. Her legacy is one of negligence wrapped in a smug refusal to own up to it. During her testimony, Hillary said, “I take responsibility for what happened in Benghaz”’. When has she ever taken responsibility for anything? What price has SHE paid?
While she may have dodged meaningful consequences, the American people haven’t forgotten. Benghazi remains a stark reminder of what happens when incompetence and criminality meet arrogance and entitlement at the highest levels.
Image from Grok.