White House Flips, Now Says Benghazi Attack was 'Self-Evidently' Terrorism

It’s good of the Obama White House to finally acknowledge reality.

“It is self-evident that what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters travelling with President Barack Obama. “Our embassy was attacked violently and the result was four deaths of American officials.”

Carney’s comments backed congressional testimony on Wednesday by Matthew Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, that the consulate assault was a terrorist act. But Carney did not go any further in clarifying whether the administration believed the attack was pre-planned.

Carney echoed Olsen’s testimony that an individual involved in the attack, which killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya last week, may have had connections to al Qaeda.

“That is the best indication we have now. There is an ongoing investigation,” Carney said.

It was self-evident to everyone, probably including those inside the administration’s bubble, that the attack was an act of terrorism as the attack was unfolding. The attack was too organized, and involved too many military tactics and weapons, to have been anything but. Plus, it happened on 9-11. Duh.

Reuters slugs its story about this flip, bizarrely, “White House backs U.S. view that Libya attack was terrorism.”

Isn’t the White House view also the US view? Or is the administration continuing to argue with itself?

Why has President Obama not come out and given a clear statement on the attacks? Why has he not stood up and clearly, personally, guaranteed that the terrorists’ demand for the release of Omar Abdel Rahman will not be met? Why is he airing ads in Pakistan denouncing a film that his own administration acknowledges did not cause the attacks?

Now that the administration has acknowledged the obvious, some clean-up is in order. US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice spent last weekend lying about the attack before the American people and must be fired. Obama has to fire her just to salvage what’s left of his own credibility. Er, if he cares about his own credibility.