Was Benghazi Attack Planned? Libya Says Yes, US Says No

Rice Terms Attack 'Spontaneous' Response to Cairo Protest

In the wake of Tuesday’s Benghazi Consulate attack, US officials marveled at the complexity of the attack, saying the attackers were “well-armed and seemingly well-informed” before launching the multi-hour siege on the consulate, killing the US Ambassador and several others.

That was the story, but now officials are telling something completely different, with US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice calling the attack “spontaneous” and saying that the attackers were trying to “replicate” what happened in Cairo.

Which is odd because what happened in Cairo, a public protest at an embassy during which some of the protesters scaled the facade and took down the US flag, is completely different from sieging and burning the Benghazi consulate.

Libyan President Mohammed Megarif is telling a story completely different as well, saying that the attackers were foreign infiltrators who had planned the attack for months and took advantage of security problems, which other officials say they warned the US about repeatedly.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.