E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Molly Riley / Pool via Getty Images, file
President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hold their hands over their hearts during the Transfer of Remains Ceremony for the return of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three Americans at Joint Base Andrews on Sept. 14.
The father of an American bodyguard injured in the deadly attack on the U.S. mission in Libyan city of Benghazi said Wednesday the State Department should own up to what he said were its mistakes and release more information about what occurred.
David Ubben, a 31-year-old State Department employee, suffered broken bones and other injuries in the Sept. 11 attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.
As David Ubben recuperates at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington, his father, Rex Ubben, said he did not blame the State Department or Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for his son's injuries.
But he added, "I do find it troubling that they have not owned up to their shortcomings; in government, in the military, and in business, if something goes wrong, you admit it, correct it, and move on."
"If you were in charge, it was your fault," he said in an email exchange with Reuters.
Rex Ubben's comments came after some congressional Republicans on Tuesday called for Clinton to provide more information about security at U.S. compounds in Benghazi in the days, weeks and months leading up to the attacks.
The administration is under more fire from Congress over its handling of the Benghazi attack – with new questions about security and intelligence failure. Ambassador Chris Hill joins Andrea Mitchell Reports to discuss.
Sensitive documents left behind at US consulate in Benghazi, Libya
In a letter to Clinton, Reps. Darrell Issa of California and Jason Chaffetz of Utah recounted a number of attacks in Libya this year and alleged that requests from U.S. officials in the country for heightened security went unheeded.
Debate over whether President Barack Obama's administration was caught unprepared by an assault by militant groups has become U.S. election-year fodder.
At the consulate where four Americans died security consisted of one U.S. regional security officer and a local militia. Ambassador Chris Stevens often had little personal security detail. NBC's Lisa Myers reports.
Ubben said people understood "mistakes and lack of foresight do happen," but, "to attempt to delay or cover information up, upcoming election or no, might put other people's lives at risk and fools no one."
Clinton vowed Wednesday to pursue a full accounting of the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi "wherever that leads," but cautioned it could take time for a complete picture to emerge.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., joins Morning Joe to discuss a grim milestone for U.S. troop deaths in Afghanistan, President Obama's relationship with U.S. military leaders, the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya and the upcoming presidential debates.
"There are continuing questions about what exactly happened in Benghazi on that night three weeks ago. And we will not rest until we answer those questions and until we track down the terrorists who killed our people," Clinton said in Washington.
Federal officials told NBC News on Thursday that members of an FBI team sent to Libya are now in Benghazi.
Military forces secured the site to permit the FBI to conduct an investigation of the site in an effort to collect forensic evidence and recover any U.S. documents that may have been left at the scene. The FBI had not visited the site until now because of the potential threat from regional militias.
The Benghazi attack killed U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, information technology specialist Sean Smith and security guards Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
FBI agents keep out of Benghazi
Ubben said his son was on temporary assignment in Libya and that his deployment came in July, after - and perhaps in response to - earlier security incidents.
Mohammad Hannon / AP, file
A Libyan man explains that bloodstains on a column are from one of the American staff members injured on Sept. 11 in the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
On June 6, an improvised bomb was placed at the north gate of the Benghazi mission. It blew a hole in the fence.
Rex Ubben, 60, said he was a 24-year Air Force veteran who retired in 1995 as master sergeant. He was based at various U.S. embassies. Since retiring, he has been a computer programmer for several banks.
Son said it was an attack, not a riot
He said David Ubben described the violence on Sept. 11 as "obviously an attack and not a riot," and sketched out what appeared to be a sophisticated mortar attack during the second wave of the assault. That took place at another compound where U.S. and Libyan personnel retreated, and resulted in the death of Doherty and Woods.
"What I wanted to know was whether the second part of the attack was pre-planned. The first (mortar) dropped 50 yards short and the next two were right on target," he said, adding his son "was not conscious for any more."
Libyan president to NBC: Anti-Islam film had 'nothing to do with' US Consulate attack
"This indicates to me that someone was either very, very good, highly trained and skilled, or that the mortar was already set up and pointed at the safe house and only minor adjustments were needed," he said.
Thousands of Libyans stormed the headquarters of an Islamist militia group in Benghazi Friday night in a deadly exchange. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
Ubben also questioned why it took so long for his son to reach a hospital after the attack, saying of his son's condition, "by my count, there were five or six broken bones (one completely smashed, thus the operations) and shrapnel damage head to toe. I was surprised at how many parts of him were injured."
Libya arrests four suspected in deadly US Consulate attack in Benghazi
David Ubben is having a series of surgeries and his father expects him to be hospitalized for several months.
Several questions still remain as to why top U.S. officials offered the wrong initial assessment of the Benghazi attacks that killed four Americans. Was there a cover-up? Or were they trying to avoid acknowledging mistakes so close to the presidential election? The Obama administration has denied any wrongdoing. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Rex Ubben said his son did not share many details of the attack with him, but added: "He seems to have been blown up twice, and kept going after the first one. ... I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to whoever did the first aid the first time, the second time, and maintained the tourniquets until they could get him out of there."
Ubben said he was bothered that "people do not seem to realize that this was a much bigger disaster for the people of Libya than it was for us, that they were attacked just like we were."
NBC News' Pete Williams and Jim Miklaszewski contributed to this story.
More world stories from NBC News:
- From war zones, photographer brings scars and searing images
- Images: Inside Syria with Ann Curry
- NBC's Lester Holt answers your questions about Afghanistan
- After 7 rhinos slaughtered, India looks to one from same fate
- Colonial sins return to haunt former world powers
- Death threats force Afghan actress into hiding
- In Iran, sanctions bite and currency collapses
- Stay informed: Sign up for our newsletter
Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
