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| Senator Lindsey Graham threatens to block Obama picks over Benghazi | Senator Lindsey Graham threatens to block Obama picks over Benghazi |
| (2 months later) | |
| A leading Republican senator has threatened to hold up the confirmations of Barack Obama's picks for defence secretary and CIA director until he is satisfied with the White House's account of the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi. | A leading Republican senator has threatened to hold up the confirmations of Barack Obama's picks for defence secretary and CIA director until he is satisfied with the White House's account of the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi. |
| "No confirmation without information," Senator Lindsey Graham said Sunday, during an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation. | "No confirmation without information," Senator Lindsey Graham said Sunday, during an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation. |
| The South Carolina Republican said he was prepared to block the the nomination process of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary and John Brennan as head of the CIA until the White House answered his questions about the September attack. Graham has accused the Obama administration of "stonewalling" over the attack in Libya, in which four Americans including ambassador Chris Stevens were killed. | The South Carolina Republican said he was prepared to block the the nomination process of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary and John Brennan as head of the CIA until the White House answered his questions about the September attack. Graham has accused the Obama administration of "stonewalling" over the attack in Libya, in which four Americans including ambassador Chris Stevens were killed. |
| In particular, the Republican is demanding that the White House reveal if Obama phoned his counterparts in Libya on the day of the attack, which fell on the anniversary of 11 September, and if so what was said. | In particular, the Republican is demanding that the White House reveal if Obama phoned his counterparts in Libya on the day of the attack, which fell on the anniversary of 11 September, and if so what was said. |
| "I don't think we should allow Brennan to go forward to the CIA directorship, Hagel to be confirmed for secretary of defense, until the White House gives us an accounting," he said. | "I don't think we should allow Brennan to go forward to the CIA directorship, Hagel to be confirmed for secretary of defense, until the White House gives us an accounting," he said. |
| Graham claimed that Obama may have been able to do more to save the lives of the Americans who died. | Graham claimed that Obama may have been able to do more to save the lives of the Americans who died. |
| "If he failed to call [the government in Libya] on behalf of those people under siege, then I think that's a massive failure of leadership by our commander in chief," Graham said. | "If he failed to call [the government in Libya] on behalf of those people under siege, then I think that's a massive failure of leadership by our commander in chief," Graham said. |
| Graham has been a consistent opponent of the appointment of Hagel. The senator has attacked the proposed successor of Leon Panetta over a perception that he is only lukewarm towards America's traditional ally in the Middle East, Israel. | Graham has been a consistent opponent of the appointment of Hagel. The senator has attacked the proposed successor of Leon Panetta over a perception that he is only lukewarm towards America's traditional ally in the Middle East, Israel. |
| "This is an in-your-face nomination by the president to all of us who are supportive of Israel," he said during an earlier appearance on the Sunday political talk shows. | "This is an in-your-face nomination by the president to all of us who are supportive of Israel," he said during an earlier appearance on the Sunday political talk shows. |
| Hagel, a former Republican senator, has also been criticised for his stance on Iran and his opposition to the troop surge during the Iraq war. Some Democrats have also been wary over his selection, due to an anti-gay rights voting record in Congress. | Hagel, a former Republican senator, has also been criticised for his stance on Iran and his opposition to the troop surge during the Iraq war. Some Democrats have also been wary over his selection, due to an anti-gay rights voting record in Congress. |
| Speaking on the same show as Graham, Democratic senator Jack Reed said the South Carolina politician's threat to block the nomination was "unprecedented and unwarranted". | Speaking on the same show as Graham, Democratic senator Jack Reed said the South Carolina politician's threat to block the nomination was "unprecedented and unwarranted". |
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