Combat veteran Rep. Tom Cotton blasts Democrats ‘fake outrage’ over Benghazi

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Congressman Tom Cotton (R-AK)

A citizen soldier, combat veteran and member of Congressman Tom Cotton (R- AK 4) tells the truth about Benghazi. Tom was the 51st Combat Veterans For Congress endorsed to run for Congress in 2012. Tom is former Captain Thomas B. Cotton, Esq., US Army. Tom  was elected to represent the 4th Congressional District of Arkansas.  Congressman Cotton was assigned to the Committees on Financial Services and Financial Affairs.  He proved to be a dedicated budget cost cutter, a defender of the 2nd Amendment, opposed Obama’s comprehensive Immigration Bill, proved to be pro-life, opposed the flawed Obama Health Care Bill, and tirelessly supported issues in support of the US Armed Forces.

Following the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center, Tom felt the call to serve his country in uniform; he ultimately left his law practice to join the US Army. Tom said “I joined the army to protect and defend the US Constitution.” He declined offers of a direct commission as an Army JAG Officer, volunteering instead to serve as an infantryman like his father.

Tom was sworn in the US Army in Houston Texas as an enlisted man, E-4, on January 11, 2005 and entered Officer’s Candidate School in March 2005; he completed training and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on June 30, 2005. After commissioning, 2nd Lt Cotton entered a 14 week Officer’s Basic Course at Fort Benning, GA which he completed in November 2005. He then completed Ranger School, earning his Ranger Tab and Airborne School, earning his Parachutist Badge.

On May 19, 2006, 2nd Lieutenant Cotton deployed on Operation Iraqi Freedom to Baghdad as a platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division. 2nd Lt Cotton was responsible for a 41 man air-assault infantry platoon, and planned and led daily combat patrols. He completed his first combat tour in Iraq on November 20, 2006, and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and various campaign/service medals; he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on December 30, 2006. Following his Iraqi deployment, 1st Lt Cotton was assigned as a platoon leader at The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, where he was responsible for conducting military honors funerals for Veterans of World War II to today’s combat operations in the world wide war on terrorism.

Transcript and video of Congressman Cotton’s remarks on the House floor courtesy of The Right Scoop:

Mr. Speaker, couple lessons I learned in the Army were you moved to the sound of gunfire and the most important step in the troop leading procedures is to supervise the execution of you orders.

When Americans were fighting for their lives in Benghazi, Barack Obama did neither. He sent no quick reaction force and didn’t even stay in the situation room to supervise the execution of his orders. We expect more from the lieutenants in the army than our president gave us that night.

For two years he’s covered up this failure of leadership by stonewalling. Not anymore. We will now get to the truth.

But what do our colleagues on the other side of the aisle say to this? They express great outrage at politicizing this matter.

When I was leading troops in Iraq in 2006, men and women who were being shot at and blown up by al Qaeda, where was the outrage as they fundraised endlessly off the Iraq war?

Where was the outrage as they viciously attacked our commanders?

Where was the outrage when they said soldiers were war criminals?

Where was the outrage when they said the war was lost?

Where was the outrage when they said only high school dropouts join the Army?

Forgive me if I don’t join my democratic colleagues in their fake outrage. Four Americans lost their lives that night in Benghazi. They deserve justice and the American people deserve the truth.

One other lesson I learned in the Army is that we leave no man behind. And we will not leave these four men behind.