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Press Offices Changed Benghazi Talking Points; US Warned of Attacks CBS News Prior to the Senate Intelligence Committee's vote on CIA director nominee John Brennan to move to a full Senate vote, the Obama administration provided much of the information the Senate Intelligence Committee had been requesting for five months regarding the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, CBS News has learned. The documents are voluminous and both Republicans and Democrats on the committee had the opportunity to review them. Documents provided include emails regarding "who changed the Benghazi talking points" and many communications between officials in Libya and Washington, D.C., leading up to and during the attack. Regarding the talking points: one source who reviewed the documents said removal of the word "al Qaeda" from the talking points was initiated, at least in part, by one of the "press shops." The source said press officers from the Defense Intelligence agency, the White House and the FBI were "looped in" from the start and that some of them expressed concerns in writing that the media would ask follow up questions if certain words or phrases were used. The source added that the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and then-Deputy CIA Director Michael Morell were included in these emails. When asked whether Clapper and Morell misled Congress when they didn't disclose who changed the talking points (because they knew), one source said "the exact right question wasn't asked." The documents indicated numerous other changes were made to the talking points, including removal of certain references to an "attack." The source who reviewed the documents also flagged several emails prior to the Benghazi attacks from officials in Libya to Washington, D.C., that supposedly specifically warned of an imminent attack within days of the Benghazi consulate. Additionally, the source says "most if not all contact" between officials in Libya and Washington, D.C., once the attacks began reference al Qaeda, al Qaeda-affiliated cells or both as being the suspected instigator from the very start. The few references to demonstrations were by people who hadn't directly observed any. "It's amazing that anyone would question who was behind the attack and keep the idea of the demonstration going for weeks," said the source. Brennan sailed through the committee vote today, 12-3, after committee members were able to review the Benghazi documents along with information relating to the administration's drone policies - two issues that held up a vote on his nomination. "It was unfortunate these issues delayed the process, but I am confident that they have been resolved," committee chairman Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), said in a statement. Feinstein said later she expects Brennan to get the 60 votes of support needed to break a filibuster. However, Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), have vowed to block a full vote on Brennan until their questions on Benghazi, drones and other issues are answered. READ FULL SOURCE ARTICLE: 03/05/2013 Editor's Note: It is stunning that anyone connected with the Benghazi cover-up; the manipulation of the truth surrounding the targeted assassination of a US Ambassador, would be allowed to "sail through" a confirmation hearing meant to keep idiots and political operatives away from positions of power, especially the position of CIA director...It's well past time Congress act like a frickin' co-equal branch of government where Mr. Obama's nominations are concerned and less that of a rubberstamp... The BasicsProject.org informational and educational pamphlet series is now available for Kindle and iPad. Click here to find out more... The New Media Journal and BasicsProject.org are not funded by outside sources. We exist exclusively on tax deductible donations from our readers and contributors. Please make a tax deductible donation today.
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