Senate report: Benghazi attack that killed US ambassador was preventable

The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday pointed the finger at the Department of State for failing to secure the diplomatic compound in Benghazi where four people - including the U.S. ambassador to Libya - were killed on September 11, 2012 in an apparent terrorist attack.In its bipartisan report, the Senate panel also blamed the CIA for a lack of communication with diplomats at the U.S. Mission, as the two agencies worked out of separate buildings about a mile apart in Benghazi. The CIA facility - known as the Annex - was also attacked in the early morning hours that day, and two security personnel were killed. "In spite of the deteriorating security situation in Benghazi and ample strategic warnings, the United States Government simply did not do enough to prevent these attacks and ensure the safety of those serving in Benghazi," noted Senator Saxby Chambliss, vice-chairman of the committee, in a press release."The attacks were preventable, based on extensive intelligence reporting on the terrorist activity in Libya - to include prior threats and attacks against Western targets - and given the known security shortfalls at the U.S. Mission, " read the joint panel statement. "In sum, the mission facility had a much weaker security posture than the annex, with a significant disparity in the quality and quantity of equipment and security upgrades." The report additionally found that the Pentagon also made mistakes in the lead up to the attacks."U.S. military assets were not positioned to respond in time to save the four Americans killed," it was explained. Among the recommendations made in the report, the government was told not to rely on local security "in areas where the United States has facilities under high threat or where the host nation is not capable of providing adequate security." The State Department was instructed to ensure "that security threats are quickly assessed and security upgrades are put into place with minimal bureaucratic delay," and to also work with the Pentagon and the intelligence community "to identify and prioritize the largest gaps in coverage for the protection of U.S. diplomatic, military and intelligence personnel in the North Africa region and other high-threat posts around the world."