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The Benghazi Gambit – When In Doubt Lie

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The Benghazi Gambit – When In Doubt Lie

Sam Faddis
Feb 20
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The Benghazi Gambit – When In Doubt Lie

andmagazine.substack.com

In 2012 American diplomatic and intelligence facilities in Benghazi were attacked by a large, well-organized Islamic militia. From the outset, it was clear what was happening and who was behind it. Those American personnel who survived did so only due to the professionalism and courage of the men on the ground.

The attack was inconvenient for the Obama administration politically, so a completely fictitious version of events was created and peddled to the nation. That version was in complete contradiction of all the available intelligence. It was nonetheless branded as the “Intelligence Community” assessment and therefore beyond reproach.

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In 2020 information regarding Hunter Biden’s laptop began to leak out in the press. It showed not only that Hunter was hopelessly corrupt but that his father, candidate for President, was very likely bought and paid for by, among others, the Communist Chinese.

Fifty-one “spy chiefs” miraculously emerged. They branded the laptop Russian disinformation. They provided no facts to support their conclusion nor did any of them actually claim to have spent any time examining the laptop.  Never mind. The “Intelligence Community” had spoken.

Over the last month, there have been at least four incursions by unidentified “objects” into U.S. airspace. One of them has effectively been acknowledged to be a Chinese spy balloon. The others, however, have now been magically winked out of the public consciousness. They were not spy balloons. They were “benign” objects shot down out of an abundance of caution.

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a month ago · 29 likes · 2 comments · Sam Faddis

You don’t have to take Joe’s word for it. That is the conclusion of the “Intelligence Community”. Oh, and by the way, nobody can find the wreckage of those three objects, so no one can contradict this conclusion.

True to form none of the supporting data that would support a true Intelligence Community assessment that the objects in question were benign has been released. There is a good reason for that. The available evidence supports a very different conclusion.

That evidence suggests very strongly that the three objects in question were deliberately designed to be hard to detect. In other words, they were built to fly “under the radar” and penetrate our air defenses. They also appear to have been launched from a Chinese facility in Inner Mongolia known to be associated with China’s spy balloon program.

Twitter avatar for @TheAmirSiraj
Amir Siraj @TheAmirSiraj
These trajectories are consistent with all other data on the flight paths (the Yukon object traveled northeast across AK; the Lake Huron object flew above Alberta, MT, WI, MI). The Inner Mongolia site discussed here was reported in the WSJ on 2/9: wsj.com/articles/china… (4/4)
wsj.comChina’s Balloon Program Grew From a Humble StartModest beginnings have given way to a modern program of towering data-vacuums aloft that are rattling the U.S. military establishment.
5:05 PM ∙ Feb 16, 2023
24Likes6Retweets

In fact, evaluation of the available data shows not just that these balloons were launched from China but also shows the time and date when they were launched.

The reality is that the Chinese interest in and development of balloons and airships for surveillance work is well known. As long ago as 2015 the Chinese launched a “near space” airship capable of monitoring activities on the ground. They also bragged about circumnavigating the globe with such an airship, passing over the United States apparently undetected.

All four “objects” that have been detected in recent weeks were likely operated by the Chinese Strategic Support Force (SSF), a command tasked with strategic space, cyber, and electronic warfare missions. The SSF is known to use spy balloons which are inexpensive to manufacture and have no human casualties even if shot down, to supplement its satellite surveillance. The downed balloon was reportedly sent aloft from a satellite launch base that the SSF is tasked with gathering strategic intelligence and operating reconnaissance satellites to monitor U.S. nuclear weapons facilities and other sites.

Twitter avatar for @Jeff4Malaysia
Jeff Ooi @Jeff4Malaysia
Spy ballon saga. Security analysts tracked down to China's PLA Strategic Support Force, set up in 2015. The Chinese SSF focuses on strategic space, cyberspace, electronic, information, communications and psychological warfare missions and capabilities.
asia.nikkei.comAnalysis: Futuristic Chinese military unit most likely behind balloon campaignPLA’s Strategic Support Force blends space, cyber and electronic warfare
6:44 AM ∙ Feb 16, 2023

The facility from which the three “benign” objects were launched is at Dorbod Banner in Inner Mongolia. It is a military facility surrounded by a perimeter security fence. Individual buildings at the facility are also separately fenced. The base is connected to China’s People’s Liberation Army.

The Pentagon has acknowledged the existence of a Chinese balloon surveillance program. The White House has also stated that the Chinese operate a “fleet” of spy balloons that have been spotted all around the world. In fact, the United States just imposed sanctions on a whole series of Chinese companies connected to the spy balloon program.

Twitter avatar for @TheAmirSiraj
Amir Siraj @TheAmirSiraj
Puzzling stance from the #WhiteHouse (possible "benign purpose”), given that extrapolating the #LakeHuron object's motion along wind patterns backward (consistent with Lake Huron, Havre, and southern Alberta sightings) brings it over #China on 2/8. #NORAD #UnidentifiedObject #DoD
Image
Image
4:16 PM ∙ Feb 15, 2023
7Likes1Retweet

What the recent spate of balloon sightings exposes is that the Chinese are conducting extensive intelligence collection activities directed at our strategic missile and bomber bases. Given the tension between the United States and China generally and the current Chinese intense focus on Taiwan specifically these collection activities ought to be highly concerning.

We do not know that these actions are simply general strategic collection. They may be connected to impending Chinese actions or even to preemptive Chinese strikes on our forces.

Acknowledging that would be inconvenient for an administration thoroughly coopted by the Chinese however. So, instead, they have opted to peddle the notion that nothing is happening and there is nothing about which to be concerned. 

It would be nice to see that “Intelligence Community” assessment and the facts upon which it was based. It would be interesting to see the pictures of these “benign” objects. It would be reassuring to know that there was any kind of factual basis for the spin emanating from the White House.

That seems unlikely though. The Biden administration has opted for the Benghazi gambit. No facts will be forthcoming.

UPDATE -

This is an interim report. It will be supplemented as additional facts become available.

As of the morning of February 20, 2023, another large white balloon has been detected several hundred miles east of Hawaii. Aircraft have been warned of its presence.

Twitter avatar for @IntelWalrus
IntelWalrus @IntelWalrus
Another balloon watch in effect. This one is being reported at ~1000km east of Honolulu at 26.39 N 150.21 W. Multiple ACARS messages like the ones below about a large white balloon between FL400-500. N572DZ (Delta flight 837) was informed because they went right by the location.
Image
Image
Twitter avatar for @InfantryPilot
FL410_over_ICN @InfantryPilot
Well I guess we aren’t done with this balloon fad yet 🎈 https://t.co/4dsrpAH7wi
12:53 AM ∙ Feb 20, 2023
227Likes124Retweets

The prevailing winds and the track of the balloon suggest it will pass directly over Hawaii.

Twitter avatar for @IntelWalrus
IntelWalrus @IntelWalrus
Putting this potential balloon at 45k feet (avg of the reported height between FL400-500) and running NOAA's HYSPLIT model shows a very interesting future trajectory over the next 48 hours for an object being steered by the wind. Right over Hawaii.
Image
Twitter avatar for @IntelWalrus
IntelWalrus @IntelWalrus
Another balloon watch in effect. This one is being reported at ~1000km east of Honolulu at 26.39 N 150.21 W. Multiple ACARS messages like the ones below about a large white balloon between FL400-500. N572DZ (Delta flight 837) was informed because they went right by the location. https://t.co/YbNrFOyDcN https://t.co/Hsc7Fwi8Q9
1:24 AM ∙ Feb 20, 2023
220Likes109Retweets

Unconfirmed information suggests that a Navy surveillance aircraft has been launched in the direction of the balloon.

Twitter avatar for @thenewarea51
Thenewarea51 @thenewarea51
I can’t say it’s related, but a BUPERS SDC Dallas Boeing P-8 “SHINR02” launched from Honolulu around 0230 Zulu and went “Due Regard” flying in the direction of the reported balloon 🤔🤷🏻‍♂️ H/T @nameyousir and @Stalsomething for the heads up. Audio archive.liveatc.net/phog/PHOG2-HCF…… https://t.co/a9cYKZws0o
4:25 AM ∙ Feb 20, 2023
50Likes10Retweets

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The Benghazi Gambit – When In Doubt Lie

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2 Comments
Traderfran
Feb 20

What is on the agenda of the WH which they are trying to 'hide'?

Joey is with the Ukies. Serbia/Kosovo are still looking like they are sitting on the edge of a knife blade, with the Frogs and the Huns said by local Serbian press to be possibly stirring the pot for another Balkans. After all Romania, a neighbor of the Serbian area, is filled with U.S. forces and probably lots of SF who are known for working the 'plausible deniability' angle. Poland is chomping at the bit to go to war (according to some media). Is it to 'fight' or to keep their fingers crossed that they can regain the territory (now part of Ukraine) which they lost after WWI? Mexico is talking of nationalizing their strategic minerals in the Sonora area and only allowing Mexican nationals to start companies to mine them... keeping them from both China and the U.S.A.? Ahh, we live in a great world of Chaos... von Braun may have been correct when he told his assistant before his death in the late 1970's that the 'last' item 'the people who 'wannabe' in power' would use to subjugate Earth would be 'an attack by aliens' and he supposedly said 'after pandemics'.

Keep writing Sam, I'm forwarding to my list of retired senior military officers and maybe some will start following you, as a young officer I was the Aide to one of those fine gentlemen. Love those guys and they depend on you, I and the rest to keep them informed.

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S.P.H.
Feb 21

Elections have consequences. Stolen elections have catastrophic consequences.

The vacuum created by the theft of the 2020 election has changed the world. I think our days as a superpower are over. And maybe deservedly so. We have been far from righteous for a long time.

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