State Department Will Fire Four For Deadly Blunders That Led To Benghazi

Did I say "fire?" I meant "will announce their resignations, but welcome them back to the office in a few weeks after enjoying a bit of vacation time." Via HotAir and a commenter, really:

The highest-ranking official caught up in the scandal, Assistant Secretary of State Eric Boswell, has not “resigned” from government service, as officials said last week. He is just switching desks. And the other three are simply on administrative leave and are expected back.
The four were made out to be sacrificial lambs in the wake of a scathing report issued last week that found that the US compound in Benghazi, Libya, was left vulnerable to attack because of “grossly inadequate” security.

C'mon, now, you expected this, right? We just got through finding out the Accountability Review Board didn't have the authority to hold anyone accountable for anything. Resignations in this business had to mean something along the lines of "we're resigned to ride this out until the public forgets about it and we can get back to being hopelessly oblivious to the danger the President's pursuit of a second Nobel Peace Prize put our diplomats in."

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 12:24 PM

Comments

1 "I take full responsibility...with pay!"

Posted by: t-bird at December 26, 2012 12:26 PM (FcR7P)

2 I noted this in the morning headline thread. I found it at Jawa.

Soon to rehired are those involved in Fast and Furious, oh wait, was anyone even disciplined for that?

Most transparent admin EVAH!

Posted by: shibumi at December 26, 2012 12:26 PM (z63Tr)

3 "Accountability."

It obviously does not mean what we all think it means.

Posted by: shibumi at December 26, 2012 12:27 PM (z63Tr)

4 Wow. The air smells sweet here in the top 5.

Posted by: Guido at December 26, 2012 12:28 PM (XLuH2)

5 Most transparent and accountable administration evah, suckers!

Posted by: Observer at December 26, 2012 12:34 PM (/sohm)

6 First there was a thread, then it was gone. Like a thing out of hell!

Posted by: Admiral Matt Decker at December 26, 2012 12:35 PM (CWlPF)

7 Wow, Ace waited an entire minute before stomping this.

Posted by: t-bird at December 26, 2012 12:35 PM (FcR7P)

8 Barack Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a malignant traitor.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at December 26, 2012 12:35 PM (/eBe8)

9 My comment in the last thread was apparently so witty, so thought-provoking, that the thread itself could not handle the awesome, and simply vanished.

Either that, or ace is making revisions to the post... could be that, too.

Posted by: Kinley Ardal at December 26, 2012 12:36 PM (U/vy2)

10 Pixy ate my new thread.

Posted by: Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain at December 26, 2012 12:36 PM (bj+Nc)

11 Mistakes were made. And the Republicans will pay for them.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 26, 2012 12:36 PM (Hx5uv)

12 Okay, I thought the blog coup comment a thread down was a joke. I guess not.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at December 26, 2012 12:36 PM (/eBe8)

13 I think we're going to see an inordinate amount of "tax protestors" the next few years if they expect us to fund them when they do this shit.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at December 26, 2012 12:36 PM (e0xKF)

14 Ahhhh, so that wasn't the last post, but the NEXT post.

Posted by: Kinley Ardal at December 26, 2012 12:36 PM (U/vy2)

15
Mebe i should have not said "voila"?

Posted by: Cicero Kid at December 26, 2012 12:37 PM (3lMuc)

16 We could spend our times asking questions about who made what mistake that got four Americans killed, or we could all be collecting free government money!

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 26, 2012 12:37 PM (Hx5uv)

17 How does it feel to get stomped like a last year's meatball?

Posted by: Fritz at December 26, 2012 12:37 PM (/ZZCn)

18 I made a very articulate point on the David Gregory thread. Now it's disappeared.

Posted by: shibumi at December 26, 2012 12:37 PM (z63Tr)

19 Wait, did Gabe just drop-kick the Ewok from his own blog?

/hides gasoline behind back

Posted by: Brother Cavil, keeper of the Sacred Ampersands at December 26, 2012 12:38 PM (GBXon)

20 Yes, resigned........with generous severance packages.

Posted by: gastorgrab at December 26, 2012 12:38 PM (FX38i)

21 Wait, did Gabe just drop-kick the Ewok from his own blog?

That's certainly how it looks to me.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at December 26, 2012 12:39 PM (/eBe8)

22 Damnit what's with the deleting blog posts.

Posted by: Entropy at December 26, 2012 12:39 PM (TULs6)

23 "I take full responsibility...with pay!"

Not a bad gig if you can get it.

Posted by: rickb223 Let. It. Burn. at December 26, 2012 12:39 PM (GFM2b)

24 16
We could spend our times asking questions about who made what mistake
that got four Americans killed, or we could all be collecting free
government money!

xxx

Barack is going to pay for my gas, a place for me to live and give me a new smartphone. Let's make him Precedent for Life!

Posted by: Detroit at December 26, 2012 12:39 PM (z63Tr)

25
Dude,
Gabe, IIRC you live in DC. So surely you know a few hundred Gubbies. The Government couldn't fire someone if they tried.
I once asked someone I knew "how much better would [you're branch of the Government] be if they could just eliminate the bottom 2% of performers?"
The response "At least 50% more productive." But they can't fire them. I could come in to work, shit on a desk and walk out and some lawyer would be able to get me rehired under a "1st amenemdent" claim or some nonsense.

Posted by: tsrblke at December 26, 2012 12:39 PM (GaqMa)

26 Wait, did Gabe just drop-kick the Ewok from his own blog?

That's certainly how it looks to me.
Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at December 26, 2012 12:39 PM (/eBeGood, we haven't had a THUNDERDOME! Blog in a few weeks. Could be fun.

Posted by: tsrblke at December 26, 2012 12:40 PM (GaqMa)

27 Mebe i should have not said "voila"?

Back to class Harry Potter!

Posted by: rickb223 Let. It. Burn. at December 26, 2012 12:41 PM (GFM2b)

28 I get it.....the last post is/was a snipe-hunt.
I love those - I'll be back with a snipe in no time!

Posted by: Pentangle at December 26, 2012 12:41 PM (DeBU4)

29 Can we put a sign in front of Foggy Bottom that says "TRAITOR-FREE ZONE?"

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 26, 2012 12:41 PM (XkWWK)

30 Can we put a sign in front of Foggy Bottom that says "TRAITOR-FREE ZONE?"

It has to be at least as effective as the Gun-Free Zone signs.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at December 26, 2012 12:42 PM (/eBe8)

31 25 I could come in to work, shit on a desk and walk out and some lawyer would be able to get me rehired under a "1st amenemdent" claim or some nonsense.
Posted by: tsrblke at December 26, 2012 12:39 PM (GaqMa)

Hell, why not piss on a crucifix and get promoted to undersecretary?

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 26, 2012 12:42 PM (XkWWK)

32 Just to rub salt in the wounds, the people that "resigned" their current positions will be hired for others, and probably at a higher rate of pay.

Posted by: Retread at December 26, 2012 12:42 PM (zxitI)

33
Can we put a sign in front of Foggy Bottom that says "TRAITOR-FREE ZONE?"

---

Yeah, that'd be about as effective at keeping John Kerry out as the gun free zones are at keeping the wackos out.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 26, 2012 12:43 PM (Hx5uv)

34 ...the Aristocrats!

Posted by: Brother Cavil, keeper of the Sacred Ampersands at December 26, 2012 12:43 PM (GBXon)

35 Like a fat kid at recess.

You know this is going to be parsed that they were resigning from their positions, not from State in toto. You stupid wingnuts, how can you not know that!

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. We're not worthy. at December 26, 2012 12:44 PM (Gk3SS)

36 The Clinton State Department operates with the ethics learned at the Clinton White House.

Posted by: gracepmc at December 26, 2012 12:44 PM (rznx3)

37 ...the Aristocrats!
Posted by: Brother Cavil, keeper of the Sacred Ampersands at December 26, 2012 12:43 PM (GBXon)

Or the Aristocats, cause they are all a bunch of pussies.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, aka Jack July author of Amy Lynn available on Amazon. at December 26, 2012 12:45 PM (3Y7RV)

38 In government service, failure on a Biblical scale is merely a doorway to greater responsibility and power. Not to mention, money.

Jamie Gorelick, I'm lookin' at you hon.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 26, 2012 12:45 PM (QKKT0)

39 Gentlemen, your government has nothing but contempt for you

Posted by: Jones in CO at December 26, 2012 12:45 PM (8sCoq)

40 25
Dude,
Gabe, IIRC you live in DC. So surely you know a few hundred Gubbies. The Government couldn't fire someone if they tried.
I once asked someone I knew "how much better would [you're branch of the Government] be if they could just eliminate the bottom 2% of performers?"
The response "At least 50% more productive." But they can't fire them. I could come in to work, shit on a desk and walk out and some lawyer would be able to get me rehired under a "1st amenemdent" claim or some nonsense.

---

This applies to the state level as well.

You can have the most incompetent employee known to man but their firing can get overturned if you don't cross all the Ts and dot all the Is. Even then, it's at the mercy of the civil service commission to determine if the firing is warranted.

The exception to this is if they do a few specific things like fudging the timesheet (payroll fraud).

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at December 26, 2012 12:45 PM (e0xKF)

41 Ace walked right into Gabe's ambush. I feel retribution coming.

Posted by: Soona at December 26, 2012 12:46 PM (yCeIL)

42 Instead of trying to drum up outrage, I hope there are responsible jouralists out there who are simply recording all this for posterity.

Someday it's possible this administration will be held accountable. Most likely not while it's still active, but someday.

It is not futile to catalog its abuses. Keep doing that, Gabe (or whomever). It matters.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 26, 2012 12:47 PM (TOk1P)

43 Until today I had not experienceda disappearing post. There it was with 22 comments and by the time I typed mine it was gone.

Posted by: Decaf at December 26, 2012 12:48 PM (TJQ3a)

44 In Soviet America post dissapears YOU!

Posted by: eleven at December 26, 2012 12:48 PM (KXm42)

45 40 Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at December 26, 2012 12:45 PM (e0xKF)

United Federation of Teachers.

http://rubberroommovie.com

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 26, 2012 12:48 PM (XkWWK)

46 I think the thread that vanished took a lot of commenters with it.

Posted by: Kinley Ardal at December 26, 2012 12:49 PM (U/vy2)

47 Maybe gabe didn't know the Ewok was back he'll I didn't know the Ewok was back

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 26, 2012 12:49 PM (Vvdnq)

48 43 Until today I had not experienceda disappearing post. There it was with 22 comments and by the time I typed mine it was gone.

---

Happens to me all the time.

Posted by: Keyser Soze at December 26, 2012 12:49 PM (e0xKF)

49 39 Gentlemen, your government has nothing but contempt for you
Posted by: Jones in CO at December 26, 2012 12:45 PM (8sCoq)

You really are an optimist, I see.

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 26, 2012 12:49 PM (XkWWK)

50 The State Department lackeys are a bunch amateurs compared to the GSA. They have their own rap video, for crissakes.

Posted by: Fritz at December 26, 2012 12:49 PM (/ZZCn)

51 45 40 Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at December 26, 2012 12:45 PM (e0xKF)

United Federation of Teachers.

http://rubberroommovie.com

---

That's a different kettle of fish, though similar in their job security.

I'm thinking specifically of state-employed bureaucrats and how the agencies would function better if certain tenured ones and their high salaries would just fucking leave.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at December 26, 2012 12:51 PM (e0xKF)

52 The State Department lackeys are a bunch amateurs compared to the GSA. They have their own rap video, for crissakes.
Posted by: Fritz at December 26, 2012 12:49 PM (/ZZCn)

We need a purging of the Federal Government, really bad, now, today.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, aka Jack July author of Amy Lynn available on Amazon. at December 26, 2012 12:51 PM (3Y7RV)

53 Before it disappeared I actually read the post. Yeah, unusual around here, huh? I'm hoping the DC police department will "investigate" Gregory the rest of the week and show up on the show this Sunday to arrest him. His outrage at being held to the law might make it worth watching.

Posted by: Retread at December 26, 2012 12:51 PM (zxitI)

54 Dude,

Gabe, IIRC you live in DC. So surely you know a few hundred Gubbies. The Government couldn't fire someone if they tried.

I once asked someone I knew "how much better would [you're branch of
the Government] be if they could just eliminate the bottom 2% of
performers?"

The response "At least 50% more productive." But they can't fire
them. I could come in to work, shit on a desk and walk out and some
lawyer would be able to get me rehired under a "1st amenemdent" claim or
some nonsense.

______________________________

Same goes for the UAW.

Posted by: Mr. Moo Moo at December 26, 2012 12:52 PM (HDgX3)

55 Happens to me all the time.

Posted by: Keyser Soze at December 26, 2012 12:49 PM (e0xKF)
That movie made no sense. There I said it.

Posted by: eleven at December 26, 2012 12:52 PM (KXm42)

56 The missing post looks to have been moved to draft status.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:53 PM (TkFJS)

57 It's the day after Christmas. Everyone's a little rusty.

Posted by: eleven at December 26, 2012 12:54 PM (KXm42)

58 It's the day after Christmas. Everyone's a little rusty.

Not me, man.

Posted by: John Boehner (R) Crack Negotiator at December 26, 2012 12:55 PM (QKKT0)

59 53 Before it disappeared I actually read the post. Yeah, unusual around here, huh? I'm hoping the DC police department will "investigate" Gregory the rest of the week and show up on the show this Sunday to arrest him. His outrage at being held to the law might make it worth watching.

---

That would at least make for good TV.

One of the wrestlers in Memphis was getting busted for a failure to pay child support one day, so Lawler and company convinced the cops to hold off on arresting the guy until they were on the air and could work it into a storyline.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at December 26, 2012 12:56 PM (e0xKF)

60 as 1/2 of the electorate is determined no .matter. what. to keep power, Anything and everything is forgiven.

The biggest thing to have come out of the last 4 elections for Me, is that there really is No morality to Their espoused Ideas, They actually never cared about brown people. nor soldiers getting killed and offering their photo ops in front of caskets. everyone is expendable even those on Their side.

It's so cynical

I jhave had the unfortunate mental struggle come to truth/sanity moment , That they really Are that evil.

Posted by: ette at December 26, 2012 12:56 PM (nqBYe)

61 Overthrow the government of the United States. Violently. There is no other way. All or nothing.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at December 26, 2012 12:58 PM (Ec6wH)

62 Just saw that SCOAMF is cutting his vacation short to return to DC and save us all, because He Cares.

Posted by: Retread at December 26, 2012 12:59 PM (zxitI)

63 Someday it's possible this administration will be held accountable. Most likely not while it's still active, but someday.

No-one is leaking now and there will be no exposes published in my lifetime. The loyalty of Obama apparatchiks is absolute.

Posted by: Decaf at December 26, 2012 12:59 PM (TJQ3a)

64 Oh and no blood for cynical political ploys! not in my name!
my new mantra.

Posted by: ette at December 26, 2012 12:59 PM (nqBYe)

65 You can't fire people who know that much dirt.

Posted by: Watcher at December 26, 2012 01:01 PM (RQfiQ)

66 Jamie Gorelick has pulled this scam hundreds of times. She's a multimillionaire with tentacles into every scandal in this country.

Posted by: Mayor Bloomberg at December 26, 2012 01:02 PM (71LDo)

67 Retread, seems He always takes a vacay when we are going through the budget 'cliff' talks.

It's a little strange, I guess one needs time to get their messaging together ..

Posted by: ette at December 26, 2012 01:03 PM (nqBYe)

68 63 -

I don't know that that's true. There were some Benghazi leaks before the election, but those weren't necessarily Obama people, and they seemed to get shut down rather quickly.

So it's not necessarily loyalty, possibly more like fear.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 26, 2012 01:03 PM (TOk1P)

69 Burt, didn't the administration come out with new law about whistleblowers?

Posted by: ette at December 26, 2012 01:05 PM (nqBYe)

70 Overthrow the government of the United States. Violently. There is no other way. All or nothing.

---

The problem with violently overthrowing the US government (in addition to the problem of overthrowing the US government) is that even if you win, what have you won? If violent revolution against the will of the people is the answer, what is the question? How to create an explicit dictatorship? And do you think such a government would respect individual rights? Also, what are you going to do with those who disagree with you, Auschwitz them or Gulag them?

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 26, 2012 01:07 PM (Hx5uv)

71 Burt, didn't the administration come out with new law about whistleblowers?

What law? They don't need no stinking law.

Posted by: Decaf at December 26, 2012 01:08 PM (TJQ3a)

72 Also, what are you going to do with those who disagree with you, Auschwitz them or Gulag them?
Posted by: WalrusRex at December 26, 2012 01:07 PM (Hx5uv)

Well, yes. Those in power or with access to power have already spoken in no uncertain terms about killing us, 20-30 million I think Ayres wrote. Those assholes ar serious. Maybe we need to be also.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, aka Jack July author of Amy Lynn available on Amazon. at December 26, 2012 01:14 PM (3Y7RV)

73 Make It Burn.

Posted by: BuddyPC at December 26, 2012 01:17 PM (jfUIE)

74 Firing people in the govt is a lot like cutting spending in the govt. It's not a possibility as a general rule. There are the words and then there is the reality. People who talk about cutting spending in some sort of bargaining process are hopelessly naive. Spending will not be cut in this govt. It's a one-way street. The govt is going to keep on growing. People will not be fired. It's time to get beyond this sort of talk. What comes next?

Posted by: David at December 26, 2012 03:25 PM (J9mCu)

75 The burden is on you to demonstrate high crimes and misdemeanors on the part of the president. To my knowledge, he hasn't committed any crime.
The US started as a nation of traitors to the British crown, I wouldn't throw moral stones.

You are aware, aren't you, that the President can suggest legislation, can appoint members of the judiciary (who then need approval of the legislative branch). In fact, the heads of the executive branch departments, after being nominated by the President, also must get legislative approval before they get appointed.

In other words, the President is NOT a dictator and on his own, has very little power.

Is Barack Obama a traitor to America?
Is Barack Obama mentally ill?
Can Barack Obama be impeached?
Is Barack Obama an Urusper and what does that mean?
Is Barack Obama an evil man?
Is Barack Obama a criminal?

no as far as I know his actions thus far are legal

The answer to all of them is NO. The reason: there is no valid evidence for anything you've said. Obviously, you think all of these things are true. Please provide reasons why you believe that.

You could die hating him but he'll never go to jail because of your hate.
what a bunch of vile, repetitive right-wing, sore loser racists you are!

Posted by: Questionman at December 26, 2012 06:08 PM (aqat1)

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