"13 hours" - a must to watch

13 HOURS a great film and a true story of how things can go terribly wrong when you are in a country who doesn't want you there, and you have no support from your countrymen who could have responded, combined with a bad leader, who ironically was awarded a medal at the end of the battle.
2012 in two separate compounds a mile apart in Benghazi, where a few Navy Seals and other Dets protected the contractors and the Ambassador against overwhelming odds.
Accurately portrayed in relation to the weapons systems used.....................made in Morocco;)

One of these days I'll get around to the movie. I had the opportunity to meet "Tig" and "Oz" at a book signing since they are local to me. The talk they gave was over an hour long and basically tells their story in country.

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Originally Posted by AFJon

One of these days I'll get around to the movie. I had the opportunity to meet "Tig" and "Oz" at a book signing since they are local to me. The talk they gave was over an hour long and basically tells their story in country.

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And I'll bet it differs significantly from what the rest of us hear on lame-stream media...

Russ

Russ,
I think the guys were advisors on the film so it may it all the more believable for me;)

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Originally Posted by AFJon

One of these days I'll get around to the movie. I had the opportunity to meet "Tig" and "Oz" at a book signing since they are local to me. The talk they gave was over an hour long and basically tells their story in country.

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When you heard them talk, did they mention the Quds Force?

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Originally Posted by RASelkirk

And I'll bet it differs significantly from what the rest of us hear on lame-stream media...

Russ

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If you saw the special of Fox news it was similar (with out the fancy graphics)

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

Russ,
I think the guys were advisors on the film so it may it all the more believable for me;)

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I believe they were. They mentioned the movie and meeting with the director. At that time the cast was not set.

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Originally Posted by Vincent

When you heard them talk, did they mention the Quds Force?

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I don't remember a mention of the Quds Force during their talk.

Thanks.

It was the tactics used in the attack on the annex and the skill of their mortar crew that made me ask about the Quds Force. You know the expression, “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.”

Vincent,
Agreed. You can't take it away from them they carefully DF'd the location by taking an exact GPS fix on the block houses, which sadly cost the lives of the two SEALs on the roof and other casulaties.
The Ambassadors death was a completely different matter, clearly things went wrong there, and its easy to criticise from an armchair, but the "citadel" was the wrong location within the building with all that combustible stuff around them and no other alternative exit to consider.

The film brings out some really useful issues for those working abroad on CP of contractors to consider.
I could see the station Chief's reluctance to commit his manpower to the location being attacked in case of an ambush, but they at least had the support of drones above that they could have used the vital intelligence they transmitted to ensure the path was clear, and perhaps history would have been different!!

The Select Committee report on Benghazi - Select Committee on Benghazi Releases Proposed Report | Select Committee on Benghazi

There’s a 48 page addendum by Reps Jim Jordan and Mike Pomeo.

This is their conclusion:

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In the end, the administration’s efforts to impede the investigation
succeeded, but only in part. The minority members’ and their staff’s
efforts to impede the investigation succeeded also, but again only in part.
And although we answered many questions, we could not do so
completely. What we did find was a tragic failure of leadership—in the
run up to the attack and the night of—and an administration that, so
blinded by politics and its desire to win an election, disregarded a basic
duty of government: Tell the people the truth. And for those reasons
Benghazi is, and always will be, an American tragedy.

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Trey Gowdy was a Prosecutor in SC, seen him in action locally, although he is a freshman in Washington, he is a Tiger and no BS guy.
It is so sad that an election is more important than some one's life. I cannot fathom the callous reasoning, or lack of, of what was done.
The video producer was re-incarcerated to prison after the "inspired" attack. What about him?
White House shut down any Libyan gun running (that come out of the Embassy) investigation by the Committee.
It's broke, how do you fix it?
Ed

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" Co-Author Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWKJegf5pYc

I met Kris "Tanto" Paronto this week through a friend who is dating an operator. Kris seemed like a really nice guy.

Bob

Like with all things brought to the silver screen, was it factual, and were the guys happy with the way it was finally portrayed?

It appears so, by using their inside knowledge of what happened on the ground that day and assisting in the making of the film. Probably the hardest thing to understand was the final evacuation and how it came down to the Libyan resources to get the people out.......not U.S. assets in the region.

Aviano would have had long range helo's as one of the SF bases in Southern Europe, but it appears no one "commanded" them to go from the way it reads.

Yes the F16's were in bits undergoing a rebuild on the base, and yes Washington was told they were unsuitable for the mission anyway, but there had to be a "what if" built into this somewhere, surely, even if it meant calling in FF in the region? You hear Governments say they'll review this and that once its gone pearshaped, but do they truly learn. This always confirms to me, these matters should always be left for decsion making at a Military level where one hopes those making the decisions, give quick/supportive and decisive assistance when requested. Should never IMHO be left in Politicians hands!

Thing I got from it was the Spooks span of control diminished to the point where his grasp of the actual ground situation was flawed as were his tactics the relieving of command should have happened well before it got to the point of the mechanics having to fight a one sided battle to try and save the ambassador. Let the spooks gather intel which is what they do well but in the pointy end its better to have the guys who have trained for years and been in battle that is what they do best adapt and over come the enemy. A gunship had it been available would have given invaluable assistance to the ground troops and as it was the poor chaps were fighting against impossible odds.
All the same a grand movie showing inspirational courage from those involved. 10/10

As a postscript ~ remembering Mogadishu the US went to the Indian army for assistance to save the USA troops why could not the US call on NATO allies to help. Once the shooting starts all the covers are blown and secrecy is out the window there must have been closer allies that could have helped. Surely Germany has a rapid deployment force.
I mean when Thatcher wanted those missiles from the NATO stocks they were handed over yes mam take 2 for 3 all you can carry. Those troops in that compound must have felt from what I can gather very much alone, isolated and in a sense staring down the barrel of a very nasty death if captured........

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

As a postscript ~ remembering Mogadishu the US went to the Indian army for assistance to save the USA troops why could not the US call on NATO allies to help. Once the shooting starts all the covers are blown and secrecy is out the window there must have been closer allies that could have helped. Surely Germany has a rapid deployment force.

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So you were in Somalia then were you?

On a lighter note, it is clear the Defense and State Departments didn't have Jeff Baxter working the case. Jeff is the former guitarist for Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers who went on to be tapped by the Defense department to be one of their "out of the box" thinkers. He specializes in entering a war gaming scenario and creating and introducing unexpected wild-card scenarios that are exactly like the kinds of things terrorists do and keep the military minds on their toes. His type of thinking wouldn't have allowed the situation to develop where every F-16 at Aviano would be down for repairs at once and/or there would have been no other airborne asset available on 9/11.

But then, who needs Jeff? Why, on earth didn't someone else think about consular support on 9/11?

Bob

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Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Why, on earth didn't someone else think about consular support on 9/11?

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For that to happen, the Obama administration and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would have to admit she sent them to Benghazi without proper security.

#16 - I was drawing a line that the US could have asked for assistance from alternate avenues to help ease the pressure on those that needed it most, you may wish to let people have their say, it is a free world.

I thought by drawing attention to the film 13 HOURS members could see not only the bravery of those men that took part as an accurate protrayal, but also to see their respective use of a variety of weapons systems professionally and in a military fashion, which is no mean feat as a civvy actor.

To learn lines is one thing, but to throw in weapon handling as well, under a great deal of time line pressure is another.

Well put together in my view, as its hard to be under fire and keep a smile on your face with it coming in from all directions IMHO.

5 star rating from me and a great way of ensuring, those that enjoy hard fought freedom realise the sacrifices of brave men while they sleep!

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

5 star rating from me and a great way of ensuring, those that enjoy hard fought freedom realise the sacrifices of brave men while they sleep!

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Well said.

On Monday Patricia Smith, the mother of Benghazi victim Sean Smith spoke at the GOP national convention. I won’t post the video but you can search for Patricia Smith Republican National Convention Speech on youtube and see it for yourself.