New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick: We had a reporter on the ground during Benghazi attack

New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick: We had a reporter on the ground during Benghazi attack

Libya official says militia commander led deadly attack on U.S. mission in BenghaziOn Monday, David Kirkpatrick, the New York Times reporter who penned last week’s controversial article claiming al Qaeda played no role in the Sept. 11, 2012 terror attack on the consulate in Benghazi, issued a tweet saying the paper had a reporter on the ground in Benghazi during the attack.  Moreover, Kirkpatrick said, that reporter was talking to the attackers.

“[W]e had a reporter on the scene talking to the attackers during the attack- still invaluable,” he said.

“Was the @nytimes reporter supposedly in #Benghazi witnessing the murder of Amb. Stevens an American?” asked lawyer Robert C. O’Brien.

“Did he call for help for Amb. Stevens & Sean Smith?” O’Brien asked in another tweet.

Another person asked for the identity and the current location of the reporter, but did not get an answer from Kirkpatrick.

“Was he giving them tips?” asked Chris Loesch.  “Taking a poll on YouTube videos? Just standing by? Wow!”

Another person wondered what a New York Times reporter was doing embedded with U.S. embassy attackers.

That tweet was followed by another wondering how a reporter could embed with a “random, spontaneous protest sparked by a video,” echoing the initial excuse given by the administration.

“So you knew an attack was coming enough in advance to send a reporter?” another person asked.

Apparently so, if Kirkpatrick is serious.  It would also mean the Times had the identity of those who murdered four Americans but kept it silent.

Fox News contributor Richard Grenell wondered: “[W]hat is the ethical line for a journalist? Just watching a US Amb being attacked by terrorists?”

“It must be ethical to wait 15 months before everyone knows a reporter was there,” one person said in response.

Yet another person wondered if the Times was protecting those who attacked U.S. soil for a story.

According to the story, the attack was in response to a YouTube video that another report said was not even mentioned on social media the day of the attack.

The entire article was blasted by members of the House and intelligence experts, although the far left wing Media Matters bought the entire story, labeling those who believe the attack was planned and involved al Qaeda, “Benghazi hoaxers.”

In an update posted at The Blaze, Kirkpatrick said that “as a matter of policy” he doesn’t want to discuss his reporting on his story.

Related:

Joe Newby

Joe Newby

Joe Newby is an IT professional. He has written for Conservative Firing Line, Examiner, NewsBusters, and Spokane Faith and Values.

Comments

For your convenience, you may leave commments below using Disqus. If Disqus is not appearing for you, please disable AdBlock to leave a comment.