.
Gentlemen
I would say every US fighter pilot, retired or on active duty, knows that
Panetta and Dempsey both are full of crap when they said there was no time
to send help to Benghazi . They claim it was a problem of "time/space." All
my friends and I said, "Bullshit." We know they could have gotten F-16s
there from Aviano.
"Hands" Handley is a well-respected USAF fighter pilot. Here is his short
resume and what he just wrote about Benghazi below that. If anything,
Handley is pessimistic in his timeline of when F-16s could have reached
Benghazi . I think they could have been airborne even sooner and turned
quicker at Sig. The decision to not try was not based on capability. We had
the operational capability in every way.
I hope Handley's taxes are in order. His IRS audit is forthcoming.
Eagle Biography - Colonel Phil "Hands" Handley
Colonel Phil "Hands" Handley is credited with the highest speed air- to-air
gun kill in the history of aerial combat. He flew operationally for all but
11 months of a 26-year career, in aircraft such as the F-86 Sabre, F-15
Eagle, and the C-130A Hercules. Additionally, he flew 275 combat missions
during two tours in Southeast Asia in the F- 4D and F-4E. His awards include
21 Air Medals, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Silver Star.
----------------------------------------------
Betrayal in Benghazi by Phil "Hands" Handley Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
The combat code of the US Military is that we don't abandon our dead or
wounded on the battlefield. In US Air Force lingo, fighter pilots don't run
off and leave their wingmen. If one of our own is shot down, still alive and
not yet in enemy captivity, we will either come to get him or die trying.
Among America 's fighting forces, the calm, sure knowledge that such an
irrevocable bond exists is priceless. Along with individual faith and
personal grit, it is a sacred trust that has often sustained hope in the
face of terribly long odds.
The disgraceful abandonment of our Ambassador and those brave ex-SEALs who
fought to their deaths to save others in that compound is nothing short of
dereliction-of-duty.
Additionally, the patently absurd cover-up scenario that was fabricated in
the aftermath was an outright lie in an attempt to shield the President and
the Secretary of State from responsibility.
It has been over eight months since the attack on our compound in Benghazi .
The White House strategy, with the aid of a "lap dog" press has been to run
out the clock before the truth is forthcoming.
The recent testimonies of the three "whistle blowers" have reopened the
subject and hopefully will lead to exposure and disgrace of those
responsible for this embarrassing debacle. It would appear that the most
recent firewall which the Administration is counting on is the contention
"that there were simply no military assets that could be brought to bear in
time to make a difference" mainly due to the unavailability of tanker
support for fighter aircraft.
This is simply BULLSHIT, regardless how many supposed "experts" the
Administration trot out to make such an assertion.
The bottom line is that even if the closest asset capable of response was
half-way around the world, you don't just sit on your penguin ass and do
nothing.
The fact is that the closest asset was not half-way around the world, but as
near as Aviano Air Base , Italy where two squadrons of F-16Cs are based.
Consider the following scenario (all times Benghazi local): When Hicks in
Tripoli receives a call at 9:40 PM from Ambassador Stevens informing him
"Greg, we are under attack!" (his last words), he immediately notifies all
agencies and prepares for the immediate initiation of an existing "Emergency
Response Plan."
At AFRICON, General Carter Ham attempts to mount a rescue effort, but is
told to "stand down". By 10:30 PM an unarmed drone is overhead the compound
and streaming live feed to various "Command and Control Agencies" and
everyone watching that feed knew damn well what was going on.
At 11:30 PM Woods, Doherty and five others leave Tripoli , arriving in
Benghazi at 1:30 AM on Wednesday morning, where they hold off the attacking
mob from the roof of the compound until they are killed by a mortar direct
hit at 4:00 AM.
So nothing could have been done, eh? Nonsense. If one assumes that tanker
support really "was not available" what about this:
When at 10:00 PM AFRICON alerts the 31st TFW Command Post in Aviano Air
Base , Italy of the attack, the Wing Commander orders preparation for the
launch of two F-16s and advises the Command Post at NAS Sigonella to prepare
for hot pit refueling and quick turn of the jets.
By 11:30 PM, two F-16Cs with drop tanks and each armed with five hundred 20
MM rounds are airborne. Flying at 0.92 mach they will cover the 522 nautical
miles directly to NAS Sigonella in 1.08 hours. While in-route, the flight
lead is informed of the tactical situation, rules of engagement, and radio
frequencies to use.
The jets depart Sigonella at 1:10 AM with full fuel load and cover the 377
nautical miles directly to Benghazi in 0.8 hours, arriving at 1:50 AMwhich
would be 20 minutes after the arrival of Woods, Doherty and their team.
Providing that the two F-16s initial pass over the mob, in full afterburner
at 200 feet and 550 knots did not stop the attack in its tracks, only a few
well placed strafing runs on targets of opportunity would assuredly do the
trick.
Were the F-16s fuel state insufficient to recover at Sigonelli after
jettisoning their external drop tanks, they could easily do so at Tripoli
International Airport , only one-half hour away.
As for those hand-wringing naysayers who would worry about IFR clearances,
border crossing authority, collateral damage, landing rights, political
correctness and dozens of other reasons not to act" screw them. It is high
time that our "leadership" get their priorities straight and put America 's
interests first.
The end result would be that Woods and Doherty would be alive. Dozens in the
attacking rabble would be rendezvousing with "72 virgins" and a clear
message would have been sent to the next worthless POS terrorist
contemplating an attack on Americans that it is not really a good idea to
"tug" on Superman's cape.
Of course all this would depend upon a Commander In Chief that was more
concerned with saving the lives of those he put in harm's way than getting
his crew rested for a campaign fund raising event in Las Vegas the next day.
As well as a Secretary of State that actually understood "What difference
did it make?", or a Secretary of Defense whose immediate response was not to
the effect that "One of the military tenants is that you don't commit assets
until you fully understand the tactical situation." Was he not watching a
live feed from the unarmed drone, and he didn't understand the tactical
situation?
YGBSM! (YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!)
Ultimately it comes down to the question of who gave that order to stand
down? Whoever that coward turns out to be should be exposed, removed from
office, and face criminal charges for dereliction of duty. The combat forces
of the Untied States of America deserve leadership that really does "have
their back" when the chips are down.
FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO READ THIS, YOU NEED TO DO
ONE THING FOR ME! FORWARD THIS OUT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!! WE CAN NEVER
ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN AND WHOEVER GAVE THE "STAND DOWN" ORDER NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED!!!!
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