Kerry reinstates four US officials after Benghazi probe

[JI7]

US Secretary of State John Kerry has reinstated four officials, who were suspended after the deadly 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

"The State Department has determined that the four officials who were placed on administrative leave following the independent Benghazi Accountability Review Board's (ARB) report should be reassigned to different positions within the Department, and they will be returning to work," State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said.

"The State Department's own review over the last months reaffirmed the findings of the ARB, that there was no breach of duty by these four employees, and that coupled with our efforts to strengthen security, the right answer for these four was reassignment," she said.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton set up an independent commission that had found serious safety failings in the department and recommended sanctions against the four officials, who were placed on leave without pay.

However, under a decision by Kerry, who replaced Clinton as the top US diplomat on February 1, the four officials can return to work.

Senator Lindsay Graham expressed his disappointment over the decision.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/kerry-reinstates-four-us-officials-after-benghazi-probe-113082101064_1.html

[Botany]

1. Senator Lindsay Graham expressed his disappointment over the decision.

[karynnj]

2. Even at the time that they were suspended, they had the appearance of scapegoating

One of them actually called it that and spoke out saying that he had little connection to Benghazi.

I do not doubt that their suspension was an effort to deflect any blame higher in the State Department. The real question will be whether the safety failings are fixed - knowing that no matter how much is done, things can happen.

Assume that these career State Department people either did nothing wrong or were at worst not prescient as to the unusual danger, I think all of these people reported to non-career supervisors, who were not suspended, though they left with Clinton. If that were the case, it is morally and ethically right that Kerry HAD to do just what he did. He was left with ending the suspension- one way or the other. To fire them if they actually did nothing wrong, both destroys their careers (and maybe lives) and leaves them blamed for the deaths. This was what HRC left.

It is an awkward position for Kerry. The Republicans have pushed the story that there was a coverup and they have made up several versions of their own "truth". Given that the Republicans want this to be about HRC - and the Democrats are entirely committed to protecting her, he will probably be attacked as covering up what happened. It is likely that even if the SD put out a detailed timeline of what everyone did for a few weeks before the attack - the Republicans would STILL claim their was a coverup.