'Secret Soldiers of Benghazi' Discuss Real-Life Events Behind '13 Hours' | ABC News

it's the true life story of a group of a leak former military operatives stationed at a secret CIA base in Benghazi the night militants attacked tonight the movie version of events already triggering fresh controversy from Hollywood to Washington and out on the campaign trail and depending on whom you ask it's either a tale of extraordinary heroics or another round of political crossfire compound in Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi Benghazi it's a word that seems inescapable Benghazi Libya all because of what happened in this fiery conference on September 11th 2012 when armed al Sharia militants stormed a diplomatic compound then a nearby CIA annex for Americans slaughtered including ambassador Chris Stevens mark Geiss known as oz was one of six former elite military operatives who fought back that night we knew that to get out of there we're gonna have to depend on each other kill them before they kill you former Army Ranger kris paronto aka Tonto was also there that night was completely chaotic and it wasn't just a simple a couple firefights and we got home and tonight director Michael Bay releases 13-hour the so called secret soldiers of Benghazi version of what happened this was a really heroic night really heroic I never do that until I read the book of talk to these guys in real life the tragedy triggered massive investigations at its core questions of insufficient security and what then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did or didn't know about what sparked the onslaught what difference at this point does it make it is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again senator it's already reigniting a firestorm in the midst of a heated presidential race at last night's debate Republicans pounced on Clinton and someone who lies to the families are those for victims in Benghazi can never be President 13 hours tomorrow morning a new movie will debut about the incredible bravery of the men fighting for their lives in Benghazi and the politicians that abandoned them a lot of Hillary Clinton's enemies use this and hold her accountable do you hold her accountable miss you I hold accountable is Austin Austria that's what tact them that's who killed the Ambassador John Krasinski plays one of the contractors guarding the CIA annex when the diplomatic compound a mile away he came under attack does it concern you at all that this might be used as fodder on one side or the other it doesn't worry me because it's gonna be used one way or another from me the most important thing that I hope people are surprised by is how little if any politics are involved in a movie as Tonto and John Tegan are now coming out of the shadows after writing the book on which the movie is based hired to guard the CIA annex they receive a call at 9:42 p.m. from the diplomatic compound a mile away ambassador Stevens needed help if you do not get you soon it's not none of you have to go we are the only help in the men immediately gear up raring to race to the rescue to vehicle stands you ready let's go move move but the CIA base chief in the movie version tries to delay them there are congressional reports that suggest that that didn't happen what do you say to that I didn't see him sitting next to me when they told stand down so the CIA base chief said to you what he told me so he said stand down they need the waiter and he told me to wait twice so we can get in semantics but stand down was said what did it cost it cost the lives of shawnsmith and the bastard stevens tonight the CIA calling the claims in the movie shameful a distortion of the events and denied any stand down order the base chief told The Washington Post that at no time did I ever second-guess that the team would depart the men say the crucial delay crippled their rescue mission by the time they got there extremists had set fire to the residence with the Ambassador inside tell me about going into a burning building so extremely intense heat just so hot I mean instantly start sweating the smoke so thick and black tig suffered lung damage repeatedly diving back into the black smoke and flames the team can't locate ambassador Stevens eventually they return to defend the CIA annex where they encounter repeated heavy weapons fire a lot of people misunderstand contractors they think they're either adrenaline junkies or they're mercenaries out for money we are gonna give our lives for others if you need us to do it we're gonna do it that's how we're ready raised and highly trained but even elite fighters focused on combat have a human side I haven't thought about my family once tonight what would they say about me he died in a place he didn't need to be in a country that meant nothing to him when you're dedicated enough to become a Navy SEAL you do make that promise to them that you will always be there for your brothers you've also made the same exact promise to your family what a juxtaposition to be in the men take to the rooftops holding off the militants until one final dead we barrage jeez are we expecting any friendlies I am not aware of any friendlies one of the most brutal obviously was when the mortar fire hit and your arm was badly mangled I start firing and I changed magazines and as I'm coming back up that's when the first mortar hits the roof and takes out my arm you continue to try to fight with your arm badly mangled yeah by dawn ambassador Stevens is pronounced dead of smoke inhalation and former Navy SEAL Tyrone woods and former Marine Glen Doherty have both been killed in action but the team has managed to rescue about 30 other CIA workers the State Department later admits the Benghazi outpost was woefully under secured and though her name isn't even mentioned in the movie it was Hillary Clinton who was grilled by Congress for eleven hours I've lost more sleep than all of you put together I have been racking my brain about what more could have been done as for the Defense Department in the movie the CIA base repeatedly requests military firepower if you don't send a supporter Americans are going to die including the one talking to you right now later congressional investigations conclude that while fighter jets and tactical teams were scrambled from the near spaces they were too far away to get there in time do you feel like the military let you down we don't want to get into that we want to tell what happened on the ground and really honor the courage that was taking place you still have travel on your body yeah I've got three pieces in there and 14 surgeries later oz is still feeling the effects of that night I've got limited feeling in the palm of my hand and I don't have much dexterity with it but I mean it's attached and it works director Michael Bay known for Transformers and Armageddon says he was drawn to the story of unsung heroes here's the extraordinary thing about this story they did not have to go that night when they heard the RPGs and they heard vak fire they volunteered they were all going home to their families in a week the stadium premiere with 30,000 fans benefitting groups like the shadow warriors project providing medical care for wounded contractors once we get injured we're out we get no more pain I got a lot of lung damage when I was over there and trying to get care to through the workman's comp adjust wasn't working what would you say to the critics who think that you're politically motivated that's the problem we as a country have gotten so politicized or so polarized this I think is something that was done right down the middle you got honor you got integrity you got courage that's what we need and I hope people come to see this for is to bring it back to the center something perhaps folks on both sides of the aisle can agree on

Channel: ABC News

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Keywords: Benghazi, Michael Bay, John Krasinski, 13 Hours, Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Real Life Events, Three contractors, movie, abc, abcnews

Id: CbZjl0ivhBY

Length: 8min 16sec (496 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 16 2016