But when questioned, Lamb denied that budgetary concerns had influenced her decision. committee “It has been suggested that budget cuts are responsible for a lack of security in Benghazi, and I’d like to ask Miss Lamb,” said Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R., Calif.). “You made this decision personally. Was there any budget consideration and lack of budget which lead you not to increase the number of people in the security force there?”
“No, sir,” said Lamb.
The State Department viewed the situation in Libya as growing more dangerous, yet denied Eric Nordstrom’s request to keep certain security at then-current levels. Representative Jason Chaffetz (R., Utah) asked Nordstrom, a regional security officer at the State Department who had been stationed in Libya for several months recently, about his pay. “What I think you’re referring to is the increase in danger pay for a post,” responded Nordstrom. “To clarify,” Chaffetz cut in, “you were asking for more assets, more resources, more personnel. That was denied, but the State Department went back and re-classified it as more dangerous. The danger pay, therefore, increased. They didn’t tell you that we didn’t have resources, they the Congress just cut your budget. They gave you an increase because the danger was rising. Correct?
“That’s correct,” responded Nordstrom, “we received a danger increase.”
5. Nordstrom and Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Wood, a Utah National Guard member who had led a security team in Libya , were both frustrated by the lack of support from the State Department on granting security requests. “Mr. Nordstrom, do you think they were ever going to give you what you wanted?” asked Representative Jim Jordan (R., Ohio). “What do you think would warrant them saying “You know what, these guys know what they’re talking about and we’re going to meet their request?”
“Thank you for asking that question,” responded Nordstrom. “I actually had that conversation when I came back on leave and for training in February. I was told by the Regional Director for Near Eastern Affairs that there had ‘only been one incident involving an American’ where he was struck by celebratory fire, it was one of Colonel Wood’s employees. The takeaway from that, for me and my staff, it was abundantly clear, we were not going to get resources until the aftermath of an incident. And the question that we would ask is, again, ‘How thin does the ice have to get before someone falls through?’” |
