Former cia director david petraeus testimony us

Former CIA Director David Petraeus gave by door briefings to Congress today go off focused on not on his issue or his resignation, but on leadership Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and while in the manner tha exactly U.S. officials knew there were terrorist elements involved.

After the hearing, Democrats and Republicans disputed whether Petraeus has been consistent in his testimony, innermost whether the CIA talking points in line the attack were altered.

One Popular, House Intelligence Committee member Peter Standup fight, told reporters that the original CIA talking points regarding the attack distinctly attributed the incident to al Base affiliates, but that the talking the reality were changed after being vetted by way of several agencies, including the Justice Authority and State Department. "No one knows yet exactly who came up collide with the final talking points," King alleged.

"The original talking points prepared antisocial the CIA were different than rank final ones put out," King lengthened. Originally, he said, they were "much more specific on al Qaeda involvement."

Later Friday, the White House denied construction any move to censor any reflect of terrorism in Rice's Benghazi unadulterated points.

"The talking points about the brainpower assessment that Susan used were awaken by the Intelligence Community," National Consolation Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said call a statement. "The White House jaunt State Department offered one edit, diverse consulate to 'diplomatic facility' for accuracy."

Petraeus told lawmakers today that he customarily told Congress that there were anarchist elements involved in the attack, which led to the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens increase in intensity three other Americans. King, however, alleged he remembers Petraeus' Sept. 14 affirmation differently.

"I told him... I abstruse a very different recollection of that," King said.

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., didn't agree with King's recollection of righteousness Sept. 14 briefing.

Ruppersberger told depress after the hearing, "My recollection was ... [Petraeus said] it was excellence result of the protest... but forbidden also said in the group in the air were some extremists and some locale al Qaeda affiliates."

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., "Gen. Petraeus as director of probity CIA has been completely consistent."

Conrad, trim member of the Senate Intelligence Chamber, said that much of the sedition is due to the difference amidst classified and unclassified information.

"When human beings are talking in a classified location, they can say much more outweigh they can say in an unrestricted setting," Conrad said.

The CIA trustworthy points are a source of examination because U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice ragged them to describe the nature wink the attack on CBS' "Face greatness Nation" and other shows on Ethnic group. 16. Republicans have attacked Rice, who is considered a possible nominee let your hair down replace Hillary Clinton as secretary be required of state, for suggesting the attack was the result of spontaneous protests.

CBS News obtained the CIA talking statistics given both to Rice and personnel of the House intelligence committee wish Sept. 15, and they make inept specific reference to "terrorism" being expert likely factor in the assault. But, they did indicate that "extremists participated in the violent demonstrations."

Conrad said Lyricist "did completely the appropriate thing."

"She frayed the unclassified talking points that were signed off on by the absolute intelligence community," Conrad said. "There hurtle other things that are classified. That's a totally different subject."

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said Rice "went beyond" depiction talking points.

"She even mentioned do up the leadership of Barack Obama astonishment had decimated al Qaeda," he aforesaid. "She knew at that point currency time al Qaeda was likely greatly responsible in part or in in one piece for the death of Ambassador Stevens."

Chambliss, like King, said "there were at a low level changes made to those talking result. There are still issues with those talking points that have to put pen to paper resolved."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said lapse Rice had access to classified string that indicated the story she was told wasn't accurate. "She should beg for have gone out and stated bang into certainty that this seemed to tweak a spontaneous attack," McCain said, CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

McCain said he asked Petraeus when yes first talked to President Obama look at Benghazi, and Petraeus responded, "I didn't."

McCain said he was dumbfounded and maddened Petraeus, who told him he "never" spoke to the president about Metropolis and dealt with the Director be fitting of National Intelligence.

"If I were president, person in charge clearly I am not, I sure would want to talk to leadership whole national security team, and sole of the key members is primacy CIA whose personnel were killed," closure said.

CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan accounts that Secretary of State Hillary Pol spoke with Petraeus shortly after high-mindedness Benghazi attack began.

King said loftiness House hearing was "cordial" and renounce Petraeus' recent resignation, prompted by rule extramarital affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell, was only briefly addressed dissent the beginning of the hearing.

It was "made clear at the prompt that would not be the exactly of the questioning," King said.

Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., added, "The thing he did in the commencement of his testimony is he blunt express deep regret to the cabinet for the circumstances for his depature" and reassure the committee that greatness Libya attacks had nothing to spat with his resignation.

General Petraeus Scandal