The US State Department did not give orders to military to help Americans under fire on Sept. 11, 2012 in Benghazi Libya. 
Brig. Gen. Robert Lovell who was then the deputy intelligence director at U.S. Africa Command said that “The point is we should have tried, the military was waiting for clearance from the State Department to intervene in Benghazi”
This revelation confirms poor policies on hostile situations decision making at the State Department.
The former intelligence official confirmed that the attack on the American diplomats in Benghazi was a terror attack conducted by Ansar al-Sharia, an Al-Qaeda offshoot in North Africa.
According to Brig. Gen. Robert Lovell, the military could have made an attempt of some sort, but they never did.
Did anyone ask Brig. Gen. Lovell if the intelligence community had warning about the attack? If so why did he not recommend defensive action? If not, why not?