Colonel Phil "Hands" Handley is credited
with the highest speed air- to-air gun kill in the history of aerial combat. He
flew operationally for all but 11 months of a 26-year career, in aircraft such
as the F-86 Sabre, F-15 Eagle, and the C-130A Hercules. Additionally, he flew
275 combat missions during two tours in Southeast Asia in the F-4D and F-4E. His
awards include 21 Air Medals, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Silver
Star.
Here is what Col. Handley wrote in response
to Panetta and Dempsey's claims there was no time to send help to Benghazi
------------------------------
Betrayal in Benghazi
Phil "Hands" Handley Colonel, USAF (Ret.)
The combat code of the US Military is that
we don't abandon our dead or wounded on the battlefield. In US Air Force lingo,
fighter pilots don't run off and leave their wingmen. If one of our own is shot
down, still alive and not yet in enemy captivity, we will either come to get him
or die trying.
Among America's fighting forces, the calm,
sure knowledge that such an irrevocable bond exists is priceless. Along with
individual faith and personal grit, it is a sacred trust that has often
sustained hope in the face of terribly long odds.
The disgraceful abandonment of our
Ambassador and those brave ex-SEAL's who fought to their deaths to save others
in that compound is nothing short of dereliction-of-duty. Additionally, the
patently absurd cover-up scenario that was fabricated in the aftermath was an
outright lie in an attempt to shield the President and the Secretary of State
from responsibility.
It
has been well over a year since the attack on our compound in Benghazi. The
White House strategy, with the aid of a "lap dog" press has been to run out the
clock before the truth is forthcoming.
The recent testimonies of the three "whistle
blowers" have reopened the subject and hopefully will lead to exposure and
disgrace of those responsible for this embarrassing debacle. It would appear
that the most recent firewall which the Administration is counting on is the
contention "that there were simply no military assets that could be brought to
bear in time to make a difference" mainly due to the unavailability of tanker
support for fighter aircraft.
This is simply Bull Shit, regardless how
many supposed "experts" the Administration trot out to make such an assertion.
The bottom line is that even if the closest
asset capable of response was half-way around the world, you don't just sit on
your penguin ass and do nothing.
The fact is that the closest asset was not
half-way around the world, but as near as Aviano Air Base, Italy where two
squadrons of F-16Cs are based.
Consider the following scenario (all times
Benghazi local): When Hicks in Tripoli receives a call at 9:40 PM from
Ambassador Stevens informing him "Greg, we are under attack!", (his last words).
Hicks immediately notifies all agencies and prepares for the immediate
initiation of an existing "Emergency Response Plan."
At
AFRICON, General Carter Ham attempts to mount a rescue effort, but is told to
"stand down". By 10:30 PM an unarmed drone is overhead the compound and
streaming live feed to various "Command and Control Agencies" so everyone
watching that feed knew damn well what was going on.
At
11:30 PM Woods, Doherty and five others leave Tripoli, arriving in Benghazi at
1:30 AM on Wednesday morning, where they hold off the attacking mob from the
roof of the compound until they are killed by a mortar direct hit at 4:00 AM. So
nothing could have been done, eh?
Nonsense. If one assumes that tanker support
really "was not available" what about this:
When at 10:00 PM AFRICON alerts the 31st TFW
Command Post in Aviano Air Base, Italy of the attack, the Wing Commander orders
preparation for the launch of two F-16s and advises the Command Post at NAS
Sigonella to prepare for hot pit refueling and quick turn of the jets.
By
11:30 PM, two F-16Cs with drop tanks and each armed with five hundred 20 MM
rounds are airborne. Flying at Mach 0.92 they will cover the 522 nautical miles
directly to NAS Sigonella in 1.08 hours. While in-route, the flight lead is
informed of the tactical situation, rules of engagement, and radio frequencies
to use.
The jets depart Sigonella at 1:10 AM with
full fuel load and cover the 377 nautical miles directly to Benghazi in 0.8
hours, arriving at 1:50 AM which would be 20 minutes after the arrival of Woods,
Doherty and their team. Providing that the two F-16s initial pass over the mob,
in full afterburner at 200 feet and 550 knots did not stop the attack in its
tracks, a few well-placed strafing runs on targets of opportunity would
assuredly do the trick. Were the F-16s fuel state insufficient to return to
Sigonella after jettisoning their external drop tanks, they could easily do so
at Tripoli International Airport, only one-half hour away.
As
for those hand-wringing naysayers who would worry about IFR clearances, border
crossing authority, collateral damage, landing rights, political correctness and
dozens of other reasons not to act -- screw them. It is time our "leadership"
gets its priorities straight and put America's interests first. The end result
would be that Woods and Doherty would be alive. Dozens in the attacking rabble
would be rendezvousing with "72 virgins" and a clear message would have been
sent to the next worthless P.O.S. terrorist contemplating an attack on Americans
that it is not really a good idea to "tug" on Superman's cape.
Of
course all this depends upon a Commander In Chief more concerned with saving the
lives of those he put in harm's way than getting his crew rested for a campaign
fund raising event in Las Vegas the next day. It also depends upon a Secretary
of State who actually understood "What difference did it make?", and a Secretary
of Defense who was watching the feed from the drone and understood what the
attack consisted of instead of making an immediate response that, "One of the
military tenants is that you don't commit assets until you fully understand the
tactical situation." YGBSM! (You Gotta Be Shittin' Me)
Ultimately it comes down to the question of
who gave that order to stand down. Whoever that coward turns out to be should be
exposed, removed from office, and face criminal charges for dereliction of duty.
The combat forces of the United States of America deserve leadership that really
does "have their back" when the chips are down.
FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN THE
TIME TO READ THIS, DO ONE THING FOR ME AND FORWARD IT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!! TO
AVOID THIS HAPPENING AGAIN, WHOEVER GAVE THE "STAND DOWN" ORDER NEEDS TO BE
EXPOSED!!!!
Thank you,
Stephen
Al
In God We
Trust.
John 3:30
Romans 6:23
Proverbs
1:22-33
When half of the people get the idea that
they do not have to work, because the other half is going to take care of them,
and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because
somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the
end of any nation!
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