- The Washington Times - Thursday, February 7, 2013

Facing tough questioning from Sen. Lindsey Graham, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, seemed confused to hear details of then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s recent testimony on Benghazi. 

When Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, mentioned that Mrs. Clinton had not seen an Aug. 15 cable from the Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens that described a deteriorating security situation, Gen. Dempsey said he was “surprised.”

The exchange went as follows:

Mr. Graham: “When Secretary Clinton testified a few wee,ks ago that she had a clear-eyed assessment of the threat we faced in Libya, is that really a credible statement if she didn’t know about the ambassador’s cable on August 15, saying, ’We can’t defend this place’?”

Gen. Dempsey: “Well, I didn’t know she didn’t know about the cable.”

Mr. Graham: “She said she didn’t.”

Gen. Dempsey: “I would call myself surprised that she didn’t.”

• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.

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