WASHINGTON (AP) — New Pentagon details show that the first U.S. military unit arrived in Libya more than 14 hours after the attack on the consulate in Benghazi was over, and four Americans, including the ambassador, were dead.
A Defense Department timeline obtained by The Associated Press underscores how far the military response lagged behind the Sept. 11 attack, due largely to the long distances the commando teams had to travel to get to Libya.
The timeline shows that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his top military adviser were notified of the attack about 50 minutes after it began.
U.S. officials have released details on the response in an effort to refute news reports that said CIA personnel were told to "stand down" rather than go to the consulate's aid.
