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| Hillary Clinton testifies on 2012 Benghazi consulate attack | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton is testifying in front of a Congressional committee about the attack on a US consulate in Libya in 2012 that killed the US ambassador and three other Americans. | |
| Committee chairman Trey Gowdy began by reflecting on the victims and adding: "We owe them the truth." | |
| Mrs Clinton was secretary of state at the time and will face tough questions. | |
| Her party says it is a witch-hunt designed to harm her presidential bid. | Her party says it is a witch-hunt designed to harm her presidential bid. |
| Shortly after 0930 local time (1330 GMT), Mrs Clinton was pictured leaving her home, as her husband Bill, former US president, waved her off. | Shortly after 0930 local time (1330 GMT), Mrs Clinton was pictured leaving her home, as her husband Bill, former US president, waved her off. |
| She has a long day ahead of her, starting at 1000 local time and extending into Thursday evening. | She has a long day ahead of her, starting at 1000 local time and extending into Thursday evening. |
| This is Mrs Clinton's second appearance before Republican-dominated Congress on her handling of the incident. | |
| There have already been seven congressional investigations into the attack, by suspected Islamist militants, on the US compound in the Libyan city of Benghazi on 11 September 2012. | There have already been seven congressional investigations into the attack, by suspected Islamist militants, on the US compound in the Libyan city of Benghazi on 11 September 2012. |
| The raid led to the deaths of ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US embassy staff. | The raid led to the deaths of ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US embassy staff. |
| Five key questions on the latest Benghazi hearing | Five key questions on the latest Benghazi hearing |
| Mrs Clinton is likely to be asked to explain: | Mrs Clinton is likely to be asked to explain: |
| Observers say this is a key moment for Mrs Clinton, who solidified her position as the Democrats' frontrunner for presidential candidate after her potential rival, Vice-President Joe Biden, ruled himself out of the race on Wednesday. | Observers say this is a key moment for Mrs Clinton, who solidified her position as the Democrats' frontrunner for presidential candidate after her potential rival, Vice-President Joe Biden, ruled himself out of the race on Wednesday. |
| Her appearance before the House of Representatives Select Committee on Benghazi could further strengthen her position or raise doubts about her suitability as a presidential nominee. | Her appearance before the House of Representatives Select Committee on Benghazi could further strengthen her position or raise doubts about her suitability as a presidential nominee. |
| The Republicans on the committee are also under pressure to prove they have good reason to bring Mrs Clinton before them, and are not just using it as an excuse to undermine her presidential candidacy. | The Republicans on the committee are also under pressure to prove they have good reason to bring Mrs Clinton before them, and are not just using it as an excuse to undermine her presidential candidacy. |
| Key questions | Key questions |
| What are the possible consequences for Clinton? | What are the possible consequences for Clinton? |
| The committee does not have the power to punish but depending on the conclusions there could be political consequences for Hillary Clinton, which might affect her presidential campaign | The committee does not have the power to punish but depending on the conclusions there could be political consequences for Hillary Clinton, which might affect her presidential campaign |
| Why were we told the attack was related to a video? | Why were we told the attack was related to a video? |
| Many Republicans believe the White House was trying to deflect attention from policy failures in the battle against terrorism. The House Intelligence Committee said intelligence analysts, not political appointees, made the wrong call, and there was no deliberate attempt at a cover up. | Many Republicans believe the White House was trying to deflect attention from policy failures in the battle against terrorism. The House Intelligence Committee said intelligence analysts, not political appointees, made the wrong call, and there was no deliberate attempt at a cover up. |
| What did Clinton know about security requests? | What did Clinton know about security requests? |
| She has said in previous testimony that requests for additional security didn't reach her level. But she has taken responsibility for the failure. And the State Department review laid out steps to improve security at diplomatic missions. | She has said in previous testimony that requests for additional security didn't reach her level. But she has taken responsibility for the failure. And the State Department review laid out steps to improve security at diplomatic missions. |
| What did the other Congressional committees find? | What did the other Congressional committees find? |
| This is the eighth congressional investigation. Previous committees criticised Mrs Clinton and the Obama administration on a number of points, especially the poor security at the Benghazi mission. And the intelligence was flawed. | This is the eighth congressional investigation. Previous committees criticised Mrs Clinton and the Obama administration on a number of points, especially the poor security at the Benghazi mission. And the intelligence was flawed. |
| What is there left to discover? | What is there left to discover? |
| The committee has suggested there will be new evidence of how poorly the state department responded to security requests for the Benghazi mission, and new evidence on how the military responded to the attack. | The committee has suggested there will be new evidence of how poorly the state department responded to security requests for the Benghazi mission, and new evidence on how the military responded to the attack. |
| Read Barbara Plett Usher's answers in full | Read Barbara Plett Usher's answers in full |
| Comments made by Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy earlier this month, as part of his bid to become Speaker of the House, suggesting the committee was doing just that, have not helped their position. | Comments made by Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy earlier this month, as part of his bid to become Speaker of the House, suggesting the committee was doing just that, have not helped their position. |
| Mrs Clinton said, in a television interview earlier this month, that she was "looking forward to answering questions about the real things when I'm there" and voiced her disgust at "a political partisan committee for the sole purpose of going after me". | Mrs Clinton said, in a television interview earlier this month, that she was "looking forward to answering questions about the real things when I'm there" and voiced her disgust at "a political partisan committee for the sole purpose of going after me". |
| One of the Republicans on the committee dismissed any suggestion it was partisan. "This has never been political for us," Martha Roby told the Associated Press. "This has always been about finding out the truth." | One of the Republicans on the committee dismissed any suggestion it was partisan. "This has never been political for us," Martha Roby told the Associated Press. "This has always been about finding out the truth." |