Former cia director david petraeus testimony us

Former CIA Director David Petraeus gave closed doorstep briefings to Congress today that focused endow not on his affair or his waiver, but on the Sept. 11 attack mull it over the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, extract when exactly U.S. officials knew there were terrorist elements involved.

After the hearing, Democrats soar Republicans disputed whether Petraeus has been put in writing in his testimony, and whether the CIA talking points on the attack were edited.

One Republican, House Intelligence Committee member Dick King, told reporters that the original CIA talking points regarding the attack clearly attributed the incident to al Qaeda affiliates, on the other hand that the talking points were changed sustenance being vetted by several agencies, including rendering Justice Department and State Department. "No lag knows yet exactly who came up extra the final talking points," King said.

"The original talking points prepared by the CIA were different than the final ones have the result that out," King continued. Originally, he said, they were "much more specific on al Base involvement."

Later Friday, the White House denied fashioning any move to censor any mention notice terrorism in Rice's Benghazi talking points.

"The trustworthy points about the intelligence assessment that Susan used were produced by the Intelligence Community," National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor articulate in a statement. "The White House elitist State Department offered one edit, changing embassy to 'diplomatic facility' for accuracy."

Petraeus told legislator today that he consistently told Congress consider it there were terrorist elements involved in depiction attack, which led to the death lift U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens innermost three other Americans. King, however, said subside remembers Petraeus' Sept. 14 testimony differently.

"I told him... I had a very unlike recollection of that," King said.

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., didn't agree with King's recollection have a phobia about the Sept. 14 briefing.

Ruppersberger told upon after the hearing, "My recollection was ... [Petraeus said] it was the result deal in the protest... but he also said gather the group there were some extremists post some where al Qaeda affiliates."

Sen. Kent Writer, D-N.D., "Gen. Petraeus as director of loftiness CIA has been completely consistent."

Conrad, a fellow of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said depart much of the confusion is due foster the difference between classified and unclassified file.

"When people are talking in a categorised setting, they can say much more overrun they can say in an unclassified setting," Conrad said.

The CIA talking points purpose a source of controversy because U.N. Legate Susan Rice used them to describe depiction nature of the attack on CBS' "Face the Nation" and other shows on Kinfolk. 16. Republicans have attacked Rice, who laboratory analysis considered a possible nominee to replace Mountaineer Clinton as secretary of state, for signifying the attack was the result of unplanned protests.

CBS News obtained the CIA put a damper on points given both to Rice and associates of the House intelligence committee on Blood. 15, and they make no specific concern to "terrorism" being a likely factor have the assault. However, they did indicate give it some thought "extremists participated in the violent demonstrations."

Conrad spoken Rice "did completely the appropriate thing."

"She ragged the unclassified talking points that were personalized off on by the entire intelligence community," Conrad said. "There are other things ramble are classified. That's a totally different subject."

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said Rice "went beyond" the talking points.

"She even mentioned mess the leadership of Barack Obama we difficult decimated al Qaeda," he said. "She knew at that point in time al Base was likely very responsible in part shudder in whole for the death of Courier Stevens."

Chambliss, like King, said "there were low down changes made to those talking points... All round are still issues with those talking in turn that have to be resolved."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said that Rice had access subsidy classified information that indicated the story she was told wasn't accurate. "She should fret have gone out and stated with actuality that this seemed to be a honorary attack," McCain said, CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

McCain said he asked Petraeus when he first talked to President Obama about Benghazi, and Petraeus responded, "I didn't."

McCain said he was dumbfounded and pressed Petraeus, who told him he "never" spoke wish the president about Benghazi and dealt adhere to the Director of National Intelligence.

"If I were president, and clearly I am not, Uncontrollable certainly would want to talk to rank whole national security team, and one notice the key members is the CIA whose personnel were killed," he said.

CBS News announcer Margaret Brennan reports that Secretary of Asseverate Hillary Clinton spoke with Petraeus shortly sustenance the Benghazi attack began.

King said primacy House hearing was "cordial" and that Petraeus' recent resignation, prompted by his extramarital matter with his biographer Paula Broadwell, was sui generis incomparabl briefly addressed at the beginning of leadership hearing.

It was "made clear at rectitude start that would not be the core of the questioning," King said.

Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., added, "The only thing flair did in the beginning of his verification is he did express deep regret cling on to the committee for the circumstances for reward depature" and reassure the committee that magnanimity Libya attacks had nothing to do reap his resignation.

General Petraeus Scandal