Photo of the Day: Feb. 8, 2013

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta testifies on the attack on U.S facilities in Benghazi, Libya before the Senate Armed Services Committee February 6, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Providing a stoic performance much like that of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta defended the administration’s actions surrounding the attack in Benghazi, Libya Sept. 11 2012.  More on his Wednesday testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee after the break.

The attack, which killed four Americans including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, has been the subject of much consternation for members of the GOP who have accused the administration of covering up information about the attack, and poor preparation.

Panetta was direct in his rebuttal.

From our own Rick Maze:

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta defended the military’s reaction to last year’s attack on diplomats in Benghazi, telling a Senate committee the armed forces “did all that we could do.”

“We employed every asset at our disposal that could have helped save the lives of our American colleagues,” Panetta told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.

“Without adequate warning, there was not enough time, given the speed of the attack, for armed military assets to respond,” he said, citing time, distance and surprise. “There were no specific indications of an imminent attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi.”

Zachary Fryer-Biggs
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Zachary Fryer-Biggs

Senior Staff Writer at Defense News
Zach is the State Department correspondent, cyberwarfare, research & development and business reporter for Defense News.
Zachary Fryer-Biggs
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