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[(Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi)] [Author: Fred Burton] published on
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First published September 3, 2013
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July 31, 2014
Bought it on a Saturday and finished it Sunday morning. Couldn't put it down. This is the first journalistic comprehensive investigation of how the Benghazi events of 9/11/2012 and 9/12/2012 played out. We find out that the attack lasted 0720 hours, and that host-country restrictions and disorganization, fly-over clearances, flight clearances, logistics and geography made an "immediate" response less than immediate. We also learn that Woods and Doherty were not the only "shooters" that were defending the Special Mission Compound and annex. There were 22 defenders, including Woods and Doherty, that fought off the attackers, and they were all heroic. Desk jockeys and viral email writers have told a story of Benghazi that is based on Obama hatred, speculation and outright lies. Burton and Katz are the first to break through the "fog of war" and lay out the facts of the attack in a dispassionate and objective manner. Their motivation was primarily to tell the heroic story of the 22 people who defended the Compound and the annex. They also discredit the idea that "we could have done more." Burton and Katz do not descend into the topic of White House and State Department early public responses to the attack. That will have to be the topic of another book. If you want to know what actually happened in Benghazi, not Washington, this is the book for you.
January 6, 2014
I have been bothered by this awful episode of 2012 since it happened. I never bought any of the public responses by the administration and have followed the hearings. I was thrilled to find out the my old friend, Fred Burton, was writing about Benghazi. I enjoyed both of his other books and I trust his honesty and integrity. The book does a great and tediously necessary job of explaining the locations where the attacks happened. Like many people, I thought that the two locations were part of the same compound AND I was unable to piece together the details of exactly what transpired where and where the rescuers were coming from. I have a further understanding of how the events unfolded and what the individuals involved went through. It must have been horrifying for them - especially the anguish in not being able to protect, save or even locate the Ambassador. It is a testimony of their dedication and loyalty that these men survived as long as they did and were able to put the fight they did.
It is maddening, however, that the book is unable to answer many questions that we still have about the attack and the response of those in a position to actually help. There is no coverage other than speculation of what was going on in Washington during the attack, and there is no explanation of why the upper military echelon in the area were told to stand down - although in fairness to the authors, that isn't even mentioned. It is clear that the intention of Under Fire is to guide us step by step through the events that occurred on September 11th 2012 and the authors handle that very well. Still left with many questions, and after reading the book, I have more. I pray that one day we will know the truth and that those responsible will be held to account. The 4 men who gave their lives and the staff that suffered injuries deserve nothing less.
It is maddening, however, that the book is unable to answer many questions that we still have about the attack and the response of those in a position to actually help. There is no coverage other than speculation of what was going on in Washington during the attack, and there is no explanation of why the upper military echelon in the area were told to stand down - although in fairness to the authors, that isn't even mentioned. It is clear that the intention of Under Fire is to guide us step by step through the events that occurred on September 11th 2012 and the authors handle that very well. Still left with many questions, and after reading the book, I have more. I pray that one day we will know the truth and that those responsible will be held to account. The 4 men who gave their lives and the staff that suffered injuries deserve nothing less.
November 17, 2021
The Islamist militant attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi on September 11, 2012 had become such a politicized issue, so the opportunity to read the Fred Burton and Samuel Katz book "Under Fire, The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi" seemed like a good opportunity to gain an understanding of the true story of the attack. After all the claims and counter claims by the warring political parties in Washington, and talking heads in the media, I was relieved to finally have a non-political, detailed account of the attack. Burton and Katz ignored the political arguments, and did an excellent job of describing the heroism of the individuals responsible for security and protection of the U.S. Ambassador in Libya, and of the horrific attack which occurred that night. They also detailed the lack of government control in the area, the number of militia groups vying for control in Benghazi at the time, and the total failure of the local militia contract to provide protection for the mission.
After initially hearing that the attack may have been prompted in protest to an anti-Muslim film titled "Muhammad's Trial", and then having that story dismissed, I did find it interesting to hear a little more about the basis of that initial possibility. In fact, on the day of the attack, there was a protest of thousands in Egypt in front of the the U.S. Embassy to protest the film, and another several days later in the Sudan. At least six other diplomatic missions in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe were subject to protests and violent attacks in response to this inflammatory video, so there clearly was a backlash in Muslim Countries resulting from the film. However, as it was later shown, the attack in Benghazi was a well planned, coordinated attack by Islamist militants intended to kill American "infidels". The debate continues to this day as to whether the militant group was an Al Qaeda linked group or not, but once the shooting started, I don't imagine the security detail felt that was the most important issue they had to face at that moment.
After initially hearing that the attack may have been prompted in protest to an anti-Muslim film titled "Muhammad's Trial", and then having that story dismissed, I did find it interesting to hear a little more about the basis of that initial possibility. In fact, on the day of the attack, there was a protest of thousands in Egypt in front of the the U.S. Embassy to protest the film, and another several days later in the Sudan. At least six other diplomatic missions in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe were subject to protests and violent attacks in response to this inflammatory video, so there clearly was a backlash in Muslim Countries resulting from the film. However, as it was later shown, the attack in Benghazi was a well planned, coordinated attack by Islamist militants intended to kill American "infidels". The debate continues to this day as to whether the militant group was an Al Qaeda linked group or not, but once the shooting started, I don't imagine the security detail felt that was the most important issue they had to face at that moment.
May 23, 2019
An Odd Patchwork Quilt of Details
Though the scope of this account is larger than that of the account given by 13 Hours, the reader leaves the story with the feeling of being kept at a distance from the events of that night. Part of the problem is the lack of cohesion in the timeline. Then, there is the lack of substantive reporting. Overall, it came across as a bleached account that concentrates on nonessentials in order to avoid the hard statements.
I read 13 Hours back in 2015, and suggest that as a better resource than this. But, be aware of course that the event is a massive political failure for the United States, and will therefore never be represented accurately by any account. I'm just surprised that this book said so little in so many words.
I read Under Fire for my stop in Benghazi on my Journey Around the World in 80 Books for 2019. I found myself deeply intrigued in the Barbary Wars in Libya in America's early history, while reading this. My next stop is Sudan.
Though the scope of this account is larger than that of the account given by 13 Hours, the reader leaves the story with the feeling of being kept at a distance from the events of that night. Part of the problem is the lack of cohesion in the timeline. Then, there is the lack of substantive reporting. Overall, it came across as a bleached account that concentrates on nonessentials in order to avoid the hard statements.
I read 13 Hours back in 2015, and suggest that as a better resource than this. But, be aware of course that the event is a massive political failure for the United States, and will therefore never be represented accurately by any account. I'm just surprised that this book said so little in so many words.
I read Under Fire for my stop in Benghazi on my Journey Around the World in 80 Books for 2019. I found myself deeply intrigued in the Barbary Wars in Libya in America's early history, while reading this. My next stop is Sudan.
November 22, 2020
Another book about Benghazi that needs to be read and again Benghazi.
February 24, 2024
My book is a paperback, a gift/loan from a friend who likes this kind of stuff. The original event(s) are pretty compelling and certainly worth looking at, but this book is WAY TOO LONG, mainly due to incessant repetition and a blizzard of names and acronyms. Judging by the author's description of Benghazi one cannot but question the wisdom of trying to maintain an American diplomatic presence there in the first place. Crazy... The best way to read this(for me, at least) is to skim until the big stuff starts happening. I shall proceed accordingly.
I finished this last night(Friday) by doing a lot of skipping and skimming. Seems like the compound where the ambassador was staying was woefully under-protected on its perimeter. I was amazed at that only 4 Americans were killed. The book lists ALL the diplomatic people who have been killed in the line of duty. It's a long list...
- 3.5* rounds down to 3.0*.
I finished this last night(Friday) by doing a lot of skipping and skimming. Seems like the compound where the ambassador was staying was woefully under-protected on its perimeter. I was amazed at that only 4 Americans were killed. The book lists ALL the diplomatic people who have been killed in the line of duty. It's a long list...
- 3.5* rounds down to 3.0*.
September 4, 2013
***a minute-by-minute account of the Benghazi attack***
Recognized security experts Burton and Katz, write what they believe happened in the Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi, the subtitle of Under Fire scheduled to release September 1. Their eyewitness and confidential source account describes the first 40 minutes of hell when “the attackers first burst through the gates of the American compound in Benghazi.”
Besides a “minute-by-minute narrative” of the prolonged fire fight that took the lives of Ambassador Chris Stevens, Information Officer, Sean Smith and former Navy SEALS, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, the account testifies to the courage, bravery and sacrifice of the men and women who unselfishly serve their country in the dangerous Middle East and elsewhere.
The authors also provide the influences and stories behind the story of Benghazi rooted in the revolutionary riots, demonstrations and protests known as the “Arab Spring” that began December 2010 and “lit the fuse to the Libyan civil war.”
Stories that include Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton’s dispatch of Ambassador Stevens to Benghazi, even though “Special Mission Benghazi,” unlike its Tripoli counterpart had bypassed normal security standards and wasn’t a “heavily fortified facility.”(pg. 46)
Why the first attack June 6, 2012 was later considered a “probing action” and how the customs and culture of Benghazi aided the attackers. Why the attempt to assassinate the British Ambassador Asquith failed and prompted “the British to abandon Benghazi days later.” (pg.8)
Other influences included the predator Drone attack that launched Hellfire antitank missiles that killed senior terrorist commander and heir apparent to Osama bin Laden, abu Yahya al-Libi, commonly known as “The Libyan,” June 4th, 2012. The Long War Journal. www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/...
Perhaps the most surprising…Full Review: www.examiner.com/list/under-fire-the-...
Recognized security experts Burton and Katz, write what they believe happened in the Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi, the subtitle of Under Fire scheduled to release September 1. Their eyewitness and confidential source account describes the first 40 minutes of hell when “the attackers first burst through the gates of the American compound in Benghazi.”
Besides a “minute-by-minute narrative” of the prolonged fire fight that took the lives of Ambassador Chris Stevens, Information Officer, Sean Smith and former Navy SEALS, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, the account testifies to the courage, bravery and sacrifice of the men and women who unselfishly serve their country in the dangerous Middle East and elsewhere.
The authors also provide the influences and stories behind the story of Benghazi rooted in the revolutionary riots, demonstrations and protests known as the “Arab Spring” that began December 2010 and “lit the fuse to the Libyan civil war.”
Stories that include Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton’s dispatch of Ambassador Stevens to Benghazi, even though “Special Mission Benghazi,” unlike its Tripoli counterpart had bypassed normal security standards and wasn’t a “heavily fortified facility.”(pg. 46)
Why the first attack June 6, 2012 was later considered a “probing action” and how the customs and culture of Benghazi aided the attackers. Why the attempt to assassinate the British Ambassador Asquith failed and prompted “the British to abandon Benghazi days later.” (pg.8)
Other influences included the predator Drone attack that launched Hellfire antitank missiles that killed senior terrorist commander and heir apparent to Osama bin Laden, abu Yahya al-Libi, commonly known as “The Libyan,” June 4th, 2012. The Long War Journal. www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/...
Perhaps the most surprising…Full Review: www.examiner.com/list/under-fire-the-...
January 18, 2018
Mixed reviews about this book> Its a topic im very interested in. Had watched the film and read up a lot about this book. But felt a lot of the content was very technical and went over my head. Which is great for some people who have worked in that sort of industry but not me.
June 2, 2023
True heroes.
Amazing how they fought for their lives and manage to survive against all the odds.
Amazing how they fought for their lives and manage to survive against all the odds.
March 14, 2016
This audio recording of the book was well-produced and well-read, although keeping track of the myriad acronyms without a page to refer to back to, was daunting.
The book describes the events of 9/11/12 in Benghazi and the following day in Khartoum, which was also attacked by a mob enraged by the crude anti-Islamic Youtube video that had gone viral.
In Benghazi, a CIA outpost was destroyed and the annex evacuated - thus the American diplomatic presence in the chaotic city ended - on the 11th anniversary of 911, in the local rage following the posting of the Youtube video. The attack in Benghazi was however, an organized attack of terrorism and the question remains as to whether the US government should have pulled out of Benghazi once protests about the video began to intensify worldwide.
The horrific events of the attack in Benghazi and the heroism of the American defenders are described. Ambassador Stevens was already dead by the time looters happened upon him in the safe area of the destroyed CIA villa, and he was rushed to the best hospital in Benghazi where doctors tried to revive him for 90 minutes - unsuccessfully. He was not found in the countless searches by DS (Diplomatic Security) agents of the safe haven because he had walked into an armoire in the confusion and fire. Sean Smith the Information Officer died in the fire. Two former Navy SEALs working for the CIA Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were killed by mortar fire in the firefight at the annex.
The book gives a minute-by-minute hair-raising account of the events of the siege and battle, and how the outposts were heroically defended despite terrible odds, being outnumbered by infuriated and determined mobs of terrorists. The book was written by security experts, one of whom is a former DS agent and depicts the agents' actions in heroic terms, almost as a tribute to the loyalty of the DS globally. I do not see the book as a whitewash but the story is certainly told from the perspective of men who have been on the front lines and fully sympathize with the DS, and what the defenders of American outposts around the world sometimes face, rioting, mob violence, terrorism, and so forth.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finding out about the events in Benghazi on 9/11/12. I was not aware of the extent of the firefight - although I was vaguely aware Stevens was stuck in an indefensible building at the time of his death. The building was on fire and under attack; once it had been ascertained that the Ambassador could not be found - the assumption was he had been kidnapped by the terrorists - the DS team broke out of the compound and headed to the annex. It turns out the Ambassador could not be found because he had entered an armoire and no-one thought to look in the free-standing closet - he was discovered later by looters.
Stevens thought the US government should have a presence in Benghazi - despite the chaos in the Libyan city following the fall of Gaddafi the prior year. There was obviously a serious error in judgment on the part of the Department of State, which was headed up by Hillary Clinton at the time of the Arab Spring and Benghazi. It isn't right to say Stevens was over-optimistic about Libya, or that he might have been wrong. Of course he was wrong, but what led up to the tragedy of 9/11/12 - could it have been avoided?
The CIA outpost in Benghazi was not fortified according to Inman standards; it didn't withstand the assault. In Khartoum, a mob of hundreds were unable to penetrate the embassy because the compound was built according to Inman standards. It is possible that the CIA outpost should not have taken up residence at the villa until it was sufficiently fortified - but no-one made this decision prior to the tragedy. In a lawless region, where firefighting equipment and a local police force was minutes away but neither responded to the fire or the terrorist attack because central authority had collapsed, weren't the CIA and DS operatives "sitting ducks?" Why put government personnel into these dangerous areas before the compounds were sufficiently fortified? I'm not sure who is to blame, but one thing is certain: As of 2/1/13, less than 5 months after Benghazi, Hillary Clinton was no longer Secretary of State, John Kerry, the current Secretary of State having having been appointed to the position by the newly re-elected President Obama.
The book describes the events of 9/11/12 in Benghazi and the following day in Khartoum, which was also attacked by a mob enraged by the crude anti-Islamic Youtube video that had gone viral.
In Benghazi, a CIA outpost was destroyed and the annex evacuated - thus the American diplomatic presence in the chaotic city ended - on the 11th anniversary of 911, in the local rage following the posting of the Youtube video. The attack in Benghazi was however, an organized attack of terrorism and the question remains as to whether the US government should have pulled out of Benghazi once protests about the video began to intensify worldwide.
The horrific events of the attack in Benghazi and the heroism of the American defenders are described. Ambassador Stevens was already dead by the time looters happened upon him in the safe area of the destroyed CIA villa, and he was rushed to the best hospital in Benghazi where doctors tried to revive him for 90 minutes - unsuccessfully. He was not found in the countless searches by DS (Diplomatic Security) agents of the safe haven because he had walked into an armoire in the confusion and fire. Sean Smith the Information Officer died in the fire. Two former Navy SEALs working for the CIA Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were killed by mortar fire in the firefight at the annex.
The book gives a minute-by-minute hair-raising account of the events of the siege and battle, and how the outposts were heroically defended despite terrible odds, being outnumbered by infuriated and determined mobs of terrorists. The book was written by security experts, one of whom is a former DS agent and depicts the agents' actions in heroic terms, almost as a tribute to the loyalty of the DS globally. I do not see the book as a whitewash but the story is certainly told from the perspective of men who have been on the front lines and fully sympathize with the DS, and what the defenders of American outposts around the world sometimes face, rioting, mob violence, terrorism, and so forth.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finding out about the events in Benghazi on 9/11/12. I was not aware of the extent of the firefight - although I was vaguely aware Stevens was stuck in an indefensible building at the time of his death. The building was on fire and under attack; once it had been ascertained that the Ambassador could not be found - the assumption was he had been kidnapped by the terrorists - the DS team broke out of the compound and headed to the annex. It turns out the Ambassador could not be found because he had entered an armoire and no-one thought to look in the free-standing closet - he was discovered later by looters.
Stevens thought the US government should have a presence in Benghazi - despite the chaos in the Libyan city following the fall of Gaddafi the prior year. There was obviously a serious error in judgment on the part of the Department of State, which was headed up by Hillary Clinton at the time of the Arab Spring and Benghazi. It isn't right to say Stevens was over-optimistic about Libya, or that he might have been wrong. Of course he was wrong, but what led up to the tragedy of 9/11/12 - could it have been avoided?
The CIA outpost in Benghazi was not fortified according to Inman standards; it didn't withstand the assault. In Khartoum, a mob of hundreds were unable to penetrate the embassy because the compound was built according to Inman standards. It is possible that the CIA outpost should not have taken up residence at the villa until it was sufficiently fortified - but no-one made this decision prior to the tragedy. In a lawless region, where firefighting equipment and a local police force was minutes away but neither responded to the fire or the terrorist attack because central authority had collapsed, weren't the CIA and DS operatives "sitting ducks?" Why put government personnel into these dangerous areas before the compounds were sufficiently fortified? I'm not sure who is to blame, but one thing is certain: As of 2/1/13, less than 5 months after Benghazi, Hillary Clinton was no longer Secretary of State, John Kerry, the current Secretary of State having having been appointed to the position by the newly re-elected President Obama.
September 28, 2013
A dense, but apparently, thoughtful and accurate depiction of the event. As much as I wanted the authors to decry the irresponsibility of the American government, this is not a political book. The authors kept to the facts and leave speculation to those who would judge the losses of consummate professionals who served their country well.
June 16, 2014
This was a good book that described the events that occurred at the US embassy in Benghazi, Libya. I enjoyed it, however I felt as if it glossed over the current administration’s actions (or better said lack thereof) and how that played a part in the outcome. There was barely mention of Obama or Clinton, and their role which is still today quite controversial.
December 17, 2013
Since the attack on Benghazi, I've been frustrated by the lack of information we've been given and mostly the lack of accountability for the deaths. Maybe this will bring to light how dangerous that area is and as Americans we should demand the truth from those responsible.
February 18, 2014
An excellent accounting of many things the administration is covering up about the failings, especially at State, the Pentagon, and CIA. The book includes considerable detail, perhaps more than I was looking for. It answers much of the question of What? but can't answer Why?
February 10, 2019
I wanted to know the REAL story about Benghazi. Not the Republican side like I always been hearing. This didn't tell me much. Which was ok. It just left the political stuff out of it and just stated the event. Which is what I wanted
October 20, 2013
Very good ... heart-rending & maddening. Wish there was a bit more on the situational awareness of events back in DC when this went down. Huge new appreciation and rspect for DS & their people.
August 17, 2018
Under Fire provides a methodical development of the 2012 attack on the American diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya. It is an account that avoids partisan politics in an event that became very political. The purpose of the book, beyond telling the story of the terrorist attack, is to honor the people who serve in the Department of State security functions. Author Burton was once one of those people, but his dedication to seeking justice in the case of the terrorist who was plotting to blow up 10 US passenger planes over the Pacific, and kill the Pope and President Clinton, went against State Department concern with the niceties of diplomacy and quashed his career. That story, and similar cases explained here, goes to the conflict between the idealism of diplomacy and the harsh realism of the world it seeks to manage. The authors write that "The [Departmental Security] mission was viewed by the State Department as anathema to the conduct of diplomacy, and the department was therefore committed to not granting the authority and resources necessary for [departmental security] to carry out its responsibilities." They note that denial of needed protective resources to endangered diplomatic facilities did not start with Benghazi, but had roots that include the murder of the ambassador and economic counselor in Beirut in 1976 and the 1979 seizure of embassy employees in Teheran. In the first case, Secretary Kissinger had rejected the request to close the embassy because of deteriorating security conditions during the Lebanese civil war, because "the continuing presence of the United States in Lebanon served a higher purpose, so the embassy remained open." The diplomatic deaths there came soon afterwards.
The story of the attack is laid out in timeline fashion showing what was happening at the compound, at the embassy in Tripoli, and in Washington, DC. The authors detail what additional government resources might be available to aid the agents and the ambassador after the attack began -- and the ostensible reasons why they were not employed. For the most part, it was diplomatic considerations that stood in the way, a matter made even more difficult because Libya was in a post-revolution transitional government at the time. The government was not only tentative, but in many cases varied militias had as much on-the-ground authority as the leadership. Some safeguards failed, particularly the reliance on contracted assistance from one of the local militias. Its members fled when the attack began and their leaders dallied in response to requests for more useful assistance.
The information provided is detailed, sometimes too much so. This is especially true of the naming of the weapons and equipment used by the agents. The authors black out some details on the weapons (so why put it in ?) and some of the text itself. A hindrance is the continued use of acronyms for positions, organizations, and military equipment. A glossary provides definitions for some of the acronyms, but not all. They refer to requisition forms to be filled out for the General Accountability Office (GAO) when they mean the General Services Administration (GSA).
Despite these minor, but annoying, quibbles this is a good, informative treatment of the subject. Photos and the diagrams of the affected sites in Benghazi aid in understanding the developments. Those who were expecting either an excoriation of Hillary Clinton's role or an outpouring of praise for the same, will be disappointed. Readers looking for an insight into a controversial event will probably be pleased.
The story of the attack is laid out in timeline fashion showing what was happening at the compound, at the embassy in Tripoli, and in Washington, DC. The authors detail what additional government resources might be available to aid the agents and the ambassador after the attack began -- and the ostensible reasons why they were not employed. For the most part, it was diplomatic considerations that stood in the way, a matter made even more difficult because Libya was in a post-revolution transitional government at the time. The government was not only tentative, but in many cases varied militias had as much on-the-ground authority as the leadership. Some safeguards failed, particularly the reliance on contracted assistance from one of the local militias. Its members fled when the attack began and their leaders dallied in response to requests for more useful assistance.
The information provided is detailed, sometimes too much so. This is especially true of the naming of the weapons and equipment used by the agents. The authors black out some details on the weapons (so why put it in ?) and some of the text itself. A hindrance is the continued use of acronyms for positions, organizations, and military equipment. A glossary provides definitions for some of the acronyms, but not all. They refer to requisition forms to be filled out for the General Accountability Office (GAO) when they mean the General Services Administration (GSA).
Despite these minor, but annoying, quibbles this is a good, informative treatment of the subject. Photos and the diagrams of the affected sites in Benghazi aid in understanding the developments. Those who were expecting either an excoriation of Hillary Clinton's role or an outpouring of praise for the same, will be disappointed. Readers looking for an insight into a controversial event will probably be pleased.
August 6, 2019
Books on the Benghazi attack almost can't win. They won't be political enough for one group and they will be overly political to another. This book seems to fail, regardless. Perhaps because the authors tried to write about the event too soon after it occurred, or perhaps another reason is in play, but this book makes a number of mis-steps. First, they completely leave out the names of man whose names were a matter of public record by the time of publication. No mention is made of Chris Paronto, John Tiegen, or Oz Geist. Only the names of the operators who died were mentioned by name. Second, the book, while attempting not to implicate State or to seem political, laid the facts bare in a contradictory way in a few places. For instance, the book noted that the US decided not to send in the AFRICOM Marines who were spinning up and then had to deplane because they didn't have the proper permission from the Libyan govt. But the book stressed at many other points that the reason local response to the Compound(s) was delayed is because there was no de jure Libyan government at all. So, if there was no one to consult for permission to enter Libya, why the hesitation to enter and save our people? Further, State had just helped to topple the previous regime, so why the sudden reluctance to "intervene" in the country? The authors seem reluctant to wade into the political realm and to restrict their comments to the arena of "on the ground" reporting, but they do this is such a way that leaves glaring inconsistencies and unanswered questions. As a non-fiction action thriller, the storyline is great and I give it 3 stars for this fact alone (aside from the author's interesting use of the word "Spartan" 4 or 5 times in the same chapter - edit much?). However, as a tool useful in answering many pressing questions, look elsewhere.
June 20, 2017
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. —Theodore Roosevelt”
This is my third book on Benghazi and I feel it is the best of the others. Now that the investigations have been closed it's a good time to revisit the incident in the first place. The two men who wrote this book are completely un political and very professional towards the mission of the CIA and the guards that were at Benghazi to protect our ambassador and the embassy there.
What I learned this time, was that several of the guards were fairly new to this kind of service and while newbies used to be trained in the USA for a few years before being placed in dangerous places, the cutbacks and lack of funds cut the training and made it mandatory that the places that needed the guards got them first.
The important message of this book was that the men who died did so with full knowledge that they were in a dangerous place and they felt the risk was worth it. If you survived a dangerous mission you were almost guaranteed advancement in the field. These were warriors who wanted to do their jobs. They chose this profession.
I found all of the background on the embassy and the various countries with embassies in Libya very enlightening. Some people have complained in their reviews that their is too much extra fluff that they saw no need for. Too me, it was absolutely necessary to get a clear picture of what was happening in Benghazi on that night.
I checked this book out at my local library and highly recommend it for anyone wanting an unbiased report of the incident itself.
This is my third book on Benghazi and I feel it is the best of the others. Now that the investigations have been closed it's a good time to revisit the incident in the first place. The two men who wrote this book are completely un political and very professional towards the mission of the CIA and the guards that were at Benghazi to protect our ambassador and the embassy there.
What I learned this time, was that several of the guards were fairly new to this kind of service and while newbies used to be trained in the USA for a few years before being placed in dangerous places, the cutbacks and lack of funds cut the training and made it mandatory that the places that needed the guards got them first.
The important message of this book was that the men who died did so with full knowledge that they were in a dangerous place and they felt the risk was worth it. If you survived a dangerous mission you were almost guaranteed advancement in the field. These were warriors who wanted to do their jobs. They chose this profession.
I found all of the background on the embassy and the various countries with embassies in Libya very enlightening. Some people have complained in their reviews that their is too much extra fluff that they saw no need for. Too me, it was absolutely necessary to get a clear picture of what was happening in Benghazi on that night.
I checked this book out at my local library and highly recommend it for anyone wanting an unbiased report of the incident itself.
Read
February 13, 2020Perhaps this one ought to be rated a five("amazing"), but I suppose Benghazi has been written of with enough analysis and passion that something better is almost sure to come along in the future. However, Burton has caught a good deal, I think, of the events of the attack. I did take issue with some of his characterization of the life of Diplomatic Security(DS), particularly of day-to-day life in an embassy. His terminology was sometimes a bit off when he characterized "gun slingers" and then switched over to special forces operators with little distinction. Chris Stevens' death at the hands of the attackers is treated well, but I wonder at his injection of what Stevens was 'feeling' as the final moments of his life arrived. Worth your time, but if you work for, or with, DS don't be surprised if you grit your teeth a few times.
December 2, 2017
Good overview of the disaster of that day, and how the men worked to survive and did everything they could to save the American ambassador. A quick read, can be handled in a weekend, but well documented. The author mentions in passing a video on YouTube and makes no mention of the sitting President and Secretary of State blaming the creator for the events of 9/11/12, but again he concentrates on the men who risk their lives daily to protect our diplomats. I do disagree with point Mr Burton pulls from Hillary Clinton at Andres AFB. She says, although the cost, American must continue to lead. There is no question in that, but what the hell are we wanting to lead to.
Overall, a good read on a very bad day in American foreign policy.
Overall, a good read on a very bad day in American foreign policy.
September 13, 2022
My criticism(?) for the "Beirut Rules" notwithstanding, I had to read another Fred Burton book back-to-back. The sensationalization of the storyline as well as fictional padding Burton clothes his narrative is highly addictive. Now I understand how some books are truly "written to become a movie" - where I'm excited to read the "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" which provided the foundation for the movie of the same name. The same biases and glorification of American military personnel, and self-contradictory abasement of Middle Eastern personnel persists. That aside, it is still highly engaging read that is a tactical detail galore for any military junkie.
August 13, 2023
Here is the important message to take away from this incident. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama had nothing to do with the attack the deaths of three Americans. The ambassador to Libya, Chris Stephens, who died in the attack knew more about the situation in Libya than anyone in our entire government which includes the CIA, the NSA, and the State Department. He was wildly over-optimistic about our chances to restore relations in that inferno (shit hole) or country. We should not have had people there, at least not without anything less than a Ranger battalion with armor.
All of the chimpanzees harping about Hillary and Barack’s culpability in this tragedy are...monkeys led by Fox News.
All of the chimpanzees harping about Hillary and Barack’s culpability in this tragedy are...monkeys led by Fox News.
January 24, 2019
Excellent book about what happened in Benghazi and what led up to it. The author goes into great details about all the men who were there when the attack happened and the people who came and saved them. The details and the story are great. The only thing I took issue to was how he absolutely bent over backwards to cover for the people in the White House and others in charge. There are obviously people to rightfully blame and he only wants to cover what happened to the guys and anything good that befell them afterwards.
March 11, 2020
This is a very good and informative read. For the full story, I highly recommend reading 13 hours though as this book only speaks briefly about the events at the CIA Annex. The deaths of Rone and Bub are covered briefly and 13 hours gives a more in-depth look at the GRS operators. This book gives you the story of Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, and the DS agents charged with protecting them in great detail and between the two books the full story of Benghazi comes to life.
March 31, 2020
A complementary look at a sad episode in our history .
Interesting book, gives some further information in reference to this dark episode in our history. The authors are to be complimented for their work , coming from a more “ official perspective “. However it is much less informative than the book” 13 hours “ on which the movie was based. I would suggest to read that book first , and if further interested , then follow up with this one
JM PAREDES
Interesting book, gives some further information in reference to this dark episode in our history. The authors are to be complimented for their work , coming from a more “ official perspective “. However it is much less informative than the book” 13 hours “ on which the movie was based. I would suggest to read that book first , and if further interested , then follow up with this one
JM PAREDES
March 22, 2023
Not a bad book, but definitely filled with a lot of small, minute details that are not as important as the author thinks they are.
Also, there are several “redactions” in the text. Just take the lines out. Adding black lines across a page to look cool is just stupid. If the book makes sense without the sentence (which it has to because those portions are “classified”) then why print big black lines?
Also, there are several “redactions” in the text. Just take the lines out. Adding black lines across a page to look cool is just stupid. If the book makes sense without the sentence (which it has to because those portions are “classified”) then why print big black lines?
October 17, 2024
3.5 stars. I wish the author had used fake names rather than letters. It makes the people feel much less real and hard to connect to them and keep track of who is who. I prefer the book 13 Hours for the story of Benghazi. That one gave such a full picture and account of the attack and was much easier to follow.
I still commend Mr. Burton for taking on this topic. It's important, and all Americans should know about it.
I still commend Mr. Burton for taking on this topic. It's important, and all Americans should know about it.
February 16, 2025
A non political account of the terrorist attack on our compound in Benghazi. It’s terrible to think how our government allowed basically our ambassador and the security team that was stationed there to be hung out to dry. We should not have sent our people there so soon after Qaddafi’s ouster when no legitimate and clear cut government existed. Failure on our state department big time. We lost 4 brave men for no reason.
August 22, 2018
A good book that focuses on the people and history of the area. The author simply states that Benghazi is not about the purported coverups but the people involved. I think I enjoyed simple history of the event, the heroism of the people in the thick. The author also indirectly discusses the old adage "Do more with less" that most police/law enforcement agencies have to deal with.
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