This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/21161346

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Hillary Clinton testifies on Benghazi consulate attack Hillary Clinton clashes with senator at Benghazi hearing
(about 1 hour later)
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is giving evidence to Congress over the deadly attack on a US mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has lashed out at a senator who accused the Obama administration of misleading the public over a raid on a US consulate.
"I take responsibility," Mrs Clinton told the foreign relations committee of the Senate, referring to security failures that led to the attack. A member of the Senate foreign relations committee suggested there had been a cover-up of events surrounding the assault in Benghazi.
She had been due to testify late last year but fell ill. Mrs Clinton thumped the table as she clashed with Senator Ron Johnson.
The US envoy to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other officials were killed in the attack on 11 September. Earlier in the hearing, she took responsibility for security failures that led to the attack.
The ambassador died of smoke inhalation when he was trapped in the burning consulate building, after armed men had stormed the compound. Mrs Clinton will be grilled later on Wednesday in the House of Representatives, where she is expected to face even more heat. The back-to-back hearings are expected to be her last appearance on Capitol Hill as America's top diplomat.
The assault triggered a major political row over who knew what and when. As a result, an independent panel - the Accountability Review Board - was charged with investigating the incident. The US envoy to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three other officials were killed in the raid on 11 September.
Mrs Clinton told the Senate committee she never saw the paperwork asking for more security at the consulate in Benghazi. Emotional
"The specific security requests pertaining to Benghazi... were handled by the security professionals in the department. I didn't see those requests, they didn't come to me, I didn't approve them, I didn't deny them," Mrs Clinton said. The ambassador died of smoke inhalation when he was trapped in the burning consulate building, after armed men stormed the compound.
Instability
Four months after the attack on Benghazi, Mrs Clinton is finally testifying in an open hearing in Congress about what happened, how her department and the administration handed it, and how to move forward.Four months after the attack on Benghazi, Mrs Clinton is finally testifying in an open hearing in Congress about what happened, how her department and the administration handed it, and how to move forward.
Mrs Clinton has testified once before on Benghazi already, in a closed session, when the investigation was still ongoing. Many questions were left unanswered. Her second appearance was delayed by a month-long illness. Mrs Clinton has testified once before on Benghazi already, in a closed session, when the investigation was still ongoing. Many questions were left unanswered.
In her opening remarks, Mrs Clinton stressed that on the day following the assault on the Benghazi mission, she described it as an attack by militants, and says she stood next to President Obama as he spoke of an act of terror. She is hoping her long-awaited appearance in front of Congress will defuse some of the political acrimony that has engulfed the debate about Benghazi. Much is at stake in this hearing, not just for Mr Obama's foreign policy in his second term and how Republicans will interact with his administration, but also for Mrs Clinton herself. This is her last high-profile public appearance before she steps down in a couple of weeks.
Mrs Clinton is hoping her long-awaited appearance in front of Congress will defuse some of the political acrimony that has engulfed the debate about Benghazi. Much is at stake in this hearing, not just for Mr Obama's foreign policy in his second term and how Republicans will interact with his administration, but also for Mrs Clinton herself. This is her last high-profile public appearance before she steps down in a couple of weeks. The assault triggered a major political row over who knew what and when. As a result, an independent panel - the Accountability Review Board - was charged with investigating the incident.
Outrage in Congress over the incident has already led the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, to withdraw from the race to succeed Mrs Clinton.
Last November, Mrs Rice admitted releasing incorrect information after the Benghazi attack. She said there had been no attempt to mislead the public, but Republicans were unconvinced.
At Wednesday's hearing, Wisconsin Republican Sen Johnson said: "We were misled that there were supposedly protests and then something sprang out of that, an assault sprang out of that."
Mrs Clinton replied with a raised voice: "But with all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans - was it because of a protest, or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans."
Thumping the table four times, she added: "What difference, at this point, does it make? It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, senator."
Earlier, Mrs Clinton's voice cracked with emotion as she described the moment she and President Barack Obama welcomed home the coffins of those killed in the Benghazi attacks.
"I stood next to President Obama as the marines carried those flag-draped caskets off the plane at Andrews," she said.
"I put my arms around the mothers and fathers, the sisters and brothers, the sons and daughters, and the wives left alone to raise their children."
She also told the Senate committee she never saw paperwork requesting more security at the consulate in Benghazi.
In her opening remarks, Mrs Clinton pointed to the rise of Islamist militancy across North Africa and said: "Benghazi did not happen in a vacuum."In her opening remarks, Mrs Clinton pointed to the rise of Islamist militancy across North Africa and said: "Benghazi did not happen in a vacuum."
The secretary of state's appearance comes less than a week after a siege by Islamist militants at a gas facility in Algeria in which three Americans died.The secretary of state's appearance comes less than a week after a siege by Islamist militants at a gas facility in Algeria in which three Americans died.
"Instability in Mali has created an expanding safe haven for terrorists who look to extend their influence and plot further attacks of the kind we saw just last week in Algeria," Mrs Clinton also said. "Instability in Mali has created an expanding safe haven for terrorists who look to extend their influence and plot further attacks of the kind we saw just last week in Algeria," Mrs Clinton said.
Responding to questions, she said: "We have to recognise this is a global movement - we can kill leaders but until we help establish strong democratic institutions... we're going to be faced with this level of instability." The secretary of state also said there was "no doubt" that the Algerian attackers and remnants of al-Qaeda in Mali had weapons from Libya.
Democrats hold the majority in the Senate, where Mrs Clinton is surrounded by former colleagues and the tone is likely to be respectful, says the BBC's Washington correspondent, Kim Ghattas. Three state department employees have lost their jobs over the Benghazi attack, and recommendations the panel made in December are already being implemented.
Mrs Clinton's voice shook with emotion as she described the moment she and President Barack Obama welcomed home the caskets of those killed in the Benghazi attacks, saying this was "personal". Mrs Clinton, who is stepping down from her post in two weeks, has spent a month recuperating from a series of ailments in December, which delayed her testimony.
In the House, however, Mrs Clinton is expected to face much more heat. She is considered a strong candidate for the Democratic nomination for president should she run in 2016.
The panel review did not blame her directly for any of the failures, but members of Congress will still want to know why she was not personally aware of requests for more security in a high-risk posting like Libya, our correspondent adds. Mr Obama has nominated Democratic Senator John Kerry as her replacement as Secretary of State.
'Cover-up'
On Tuesday, Republican Senator John McCain said he wanted to press Mrs Clinton on where she was on the night of the attack, and what warnings there had been about deteriorating security.
"It's been a cover-up from the beginning," he told reporters.
She is also facing questions about how the administration of President Barack Obama handled the fallout.
Three State Department employees have been fired over the Benghazi attack, and recommendations the panel made in December are already being implemented.
Mrs Clinton, who is stepping down from her post in two weeks, has spent a month recuperating from a series of ailments in December.
She was treated in hospital for a blood clot near her brain, weeks after fainting and suffering a concussion in the subsequent fall.
Mr Obama appointed Mrs Clinton at the start of his first term in 2009. She is considered a strong candidate for the Democratic nomination for president should she run in 2016.
Outrage in Congress over the Benghazi incident and its aftermath has already led US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, to withdraw from the race to succeed Mrs Clinton.
Last November, Mrs Rice admitted releasing incorrect information after the Benghazi attack. She said there had been no attempt to mislead the public, but Republicans were unconvinced.
Mr Obama has since nominated Democratic Senator John Kerry - who is expected to be swiftly confirmed - as Mrs Clinton's replacement.
Mrs Clinton is due to testify for 90 minutes before the committees.