It has been nearly two years since the fatal attack in Benghazi, Libya. Now, for the first time the CIA contractors who fought in the battle tell their account of what happened that night.
The security contractors — Kris (“Tanto”) Paronto, Mark (“Oz”) Geist, and John (“Tig”) Tiegen — spoke exclusively to Fox News about what transpired that night. Baier, Fox News’ Chief Political Anchor, asked them about one of the most controversial questions arising from the events in Benghazi: Was help delayed?
In an interview with Bret Baier, the men say the stand down order — which they eventually disobeyed — delayed them a critical 30 minutes. Further, they agree that if they were not told to stand down, then Ambassador Chris Stevens and Sean Smith would still be alive.
“It had probably been 15 minutes I think, and … I just said, ‘Hey, you know, we gotta– we need to get over there, we’re losing the initiative,’” said Tiegen. “And Bob just looks straight at me and said, ‘Stand down, you need to wait.’”
“We’re starting to get calls from the State Department guys saying, ‘Hey, we’re taking fire, we need you guys here, we need help,’” said Paronto.
After a delay of nearly 30 minutes, the security team headed to the besieged consulate without orders. They asked their CIA superiors to call for armed air support, which never came.
Now, looking back, the security team said they believed that if they had not been delayed for nearly half an hour, or if the air support had come, things might have turned out differently.
“Ambassador Stevens and Sean [Smith], yeah, they would still be alive, my gut is yes,” Paronto said. Tiegen concurred.
“I strongly believe if we’d left immediately, they’d still be alive today,” he added.
“You use the words ‘stand down,’” Baier noted. “A number of people now, including the House Intelligence Committee insist no one was hindered from responding to the situation at the compound…so what do you say to that?”
“No, it happened,” said Tiegen.
“It happened on the ground– all I can talk about is what happened on that ground that night,” added Paronto. “To us. To myself, twice, and to– to Tig, once. It happened that night. We were told to wait, stand– and stand down. We were delayed three times.”
“FOX NEWS REPORTING: 13 Hours in Benghazi” is based off the new book to be released next week, “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi” by Mitchell Zuckoff with the Annex Security Team.
RG Richard / September 6, 2014
Brave men doing their jobs on behalf of their government run by a cowardly, duplicitous Administration too ch*ckensh*t to take responsibility for how the US got into that position in the first place or take responsibility for their role for what happened to those Brave man…. Hell should should have a special place for the Scum that denied those brave men the help they desperately needed and hid behind some pathetic story about a video. Piss on them all….
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Mr Bud / September 6, 2014
Piss on you. You whiny baby repubs are never happy. Why do you hate America? You always think you know everything but time and time again you are nothing more than regurgitating your puppet masters talking points. Stand up for yourselves and look at the facts. Stop being the victim all the time and contribute to the solutions. Love America, love it or leave it, but stop dragging the country down with your bad attitudes and lying ways.
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RG Richard / September 6, 2014
Parden me Mr. Troll but I am a Blue Person living in a Blue State and I voted for Bubba, the real First Black President, I got no problem with gay Marriage or a Woman’s right to choose. One does not have to be an mindless Obamabot, like yourself, to be a patriotic Democrat. This Administration is the worst thing to happen to the Democrat Party in 20 years. The “Repubs” will likely win the Senate and absolutely nothing will get done for the next 2 years. If a Republican wins the White House. He or She can create new Executive Orders to reverse the ones written by Obama. This has been the most corrosive, decisive, and non productive administration in modern history. Even Bubba knew how to work with Repubs despite even being Impeached. Obama is not a Democrat; he never was. He’s some hybrid Communist/Socialist Ideologue. Hillary lacks skills but she would have been a better President. It is wise to consult your brain before jumping to conclusions and assuming what you know nothing about. Your comment sounds like a mindless zombie speaking like an Apparatchik.
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Mr Bud / September 6, 2014
You are an idiot.
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littlelizard25 / September 6, 2014
I second that. He is also not a Dem living in a blue state. Nothing but a brainwashed con troll. If these guys had such vital and important information, why did they wait 2 years, until their book was published, to speak their piece? Because they knew right wing nut jobs would buy their book, making these idiots rich, and they will be laughing all the way to the bank with all the right wing nut jobs money. Have to give them credit for playing the right wing yokels for the fools they are.
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Aaron Mason / September 6, 2014
BENGHAZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! You baggers are a joke. I can’t wait for eight more years of a Clinton whitehouse. Two presidents for the price of one!
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Jeff / September 7, 2014
That stinking traitor Obama has got to go, and the damn criminal Clinton needs to be held accountable.
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