Administration, GOP chairman spar before debate

Associated Press

LARRY MARGASAK, Associated Press

Updated: Oct 20, 2012 5:21 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration and a House Republican chairman aren't waiting for Monday's presidential debate on foreign policy to begin a contentious argument over U.S. policy in Libya.

The flap Saturday followed a House Republican chairman's release of 166 pages of State Department documents on the security situation in Libya. The U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed on Sept. 11 in Benghazi.

California Republican Darrell Issa, who released the documents, has been criticizing the administration for refusing to provide extra security before the attack.

Administration officials said the unclassified documents name Libyans who had contact with U.S. officials. The officials said the release could endanger their lives in Benghazi, a city with known al-Qaida sympathizers.

A spokesman for Issa said the documents were provided to the State Department earlier and there were no objections.

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