Colin Powell’s hacked emails have been a treasure trove for reporters and pundits alike. Powell is not a man without strong opinions and has taken off on everybody from Hillary Clinton to Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld.

There was also the hilarious email Powell wrote to Jeffrey Leeds where he made reference to Bill Clinton his penchant for “d**king bimbos.”

But one email exchange Powell had with Condoleezza Rice having to do with the attacks in Benghazi, Libya were particularly revealing in what they thought behind the scenes:

In their Dec. 16 exchange, Powell and Rice reflected on how their experience with intelligence agencies left them wary of blaming the Obama White House for its controversial early explanation of the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.

“It is one reason I am not too tough on who said what to whom about Benghazi,” Rice wrote, referring to National Security Adviser Susan Rice blaming an Islamophobic YouTube video, rather than a terrorist plot, for the compound assault. The White House defended Susan Rice, saying she was relying on talking points based on early intelligence.

In her email to Powell, Condoleezza Rice wrote that “intel agencies know how to cover themselves and hang policy types (even POTUS) out to dry.”

Then comes the most stunning part:

Powell replied that the Benghazi investigation was “a stupid witch hunt” and said the “basic fault” for the attack “falls on a courageous ambassador who thought Libyans now love me and I am ok in this very vulnerable place.” He was apparently referring to Ambassador Chris Stevens, who was killed in the assault.

He added that he also blamed Stevens’ “leaders and supporters” in Washington, including the intelligence community, diplomatic security officials, Undersecretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy “and yes, HRC.”

Wow.