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Republicans rip defense bigs over Benghazi

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans yesterday tore into top defense officials for failing to speed troops to Benghazi after last year’s Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the military did what it could in response.

But Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called that “one of the more bizarre statements that I have ever seen in my years on the committee.”

He added: “For you to testify that our posture did not allow a rapid response, our posture was not there because we didn’t take into account the threats at that consulate. That’s why four Americans died.”

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), meanwhile, chewed out Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for not adding forces to the region after Ambassador Chris Stevens expressed concern a month earlier.

“I don’t understand why we didn’t have armed assets somewhere in the area that could’ve responded in time at least for the second attack,” Ayotte said.

To which, Panetta replied: “The United States military is not — and should not be — a global 911 service capable of arriving on the scene within minutes to every possible contingency around the world.”