WASHINGTON POST: Republicans have a mandate for their Benghazi probe.

Democrats in recent weeks weighed whether to abstain from involvement in House Republicans’ new Benghazi investigative committee, labeling it an unnecessary probe into questions that have already been answered.

The American people disagree.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows a majority of Americans — 51 percent — approve of the new panel, while 42 percent disapprove. Those supporting the new investigation include 72 percent of Republicans (not surprisingly), but they also include 31 percent of Democrats and a majority — 52 percent — of political independents. The reason Americans want an investigation? Because they don’t believe Democrats when they say that all the questions have been answered.

The obviously politicized ineptitude of the Bergdahl deal isn’t helping the Dems here, either. Plus: “They also don’t think former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton is anywhere close to blame-free. The poll shows 50 percent of Americans disapprove of Clinton’s handling of the situation, with just 37 percent approving.”

Related: Hillary distances herself from Bergdahl transfer.

UPDATE: More in WaPo: Prisoner Swaps Are Always A Terrible Idea. Well, wartime exchanges, on a basis of equality, with civilized nations are fine. That’s not what we’ve got here.