Just got this today. Well done. It's much easier for liberals to shout, "Benghazi, Benghazi" than
face the truth. We actually have one here who does that frequently.

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.

Here is what Col. Handley wrote in response to Panetta and Dempsey's claims there was no time to
send help to Benghazi
---------------------------------------
Betrayal in Benghazi
Phil "Hands" Handley Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2013/col...l-in-benghazi/

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-SEAL's 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 well over a year 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 Bull ****, 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). Hicks
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" so 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 Mach 0.92 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 AM which 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, a few well-placed strafing runs on
targets of opportunity would assuredly do the trick. Were the F-16s fuel state insufficient to
return to Sigonella 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 time our "leadership" gets its 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 P.O.S. terrorist contemplating an attack on Americans that it is not really a
good idea to "tug" on Superman's cape.

Of course all this depends upon a Commander In Chief 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. It also depends upon a Secretary of State who actually understood "What difference did it
make?", and a Secretary of Defense who was watching the feed from the drone and understood what the
attack consisted of instead of making an immediate response that, "One of the military tenants is
that you don't commit assets until you fully understand the tactical situation." YGBSM! (You Gotta
Be ****tin' 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 United States of America deserve leadership that really does "have
their back" when the chips are down.