In a story quoted here from Fox News, an anonymous source insists that there were aircraft and manpower waiting to go on September 11, 2012, which could have made it to Benghazi, Libya, at least in time to stop the second mortar attack.

A member of an American aviation squad stationed at Aviano Air Base, in northeastern Italy has stated that while the aircraft sat on the ready, as did the manpower, the expected orders from the top never came, and the likely reason was politics.

Now, the House Select Committee, led by Rep. Trey Gowdy, would like to talk with the anonymous source and are taking actions to find out who he is.

From the Washington Examiner:

“Rep. Trey Gowdy, chairman of the Benghazi committee, said Thursday he ‘find[s] it deeply troubling there are individuals who would like to share their stories, but have not because they are afraid of retaliation from their superiors.’

‘The committee has not interviewed these individuals and therefore cannot vouch for the credibility of their allegations,’ Gowdy added. ‘I can promise these witnesses and others, if they talk to our committee they will be treated fairly, and both Republican and Democrat members will have questions for them.’”

Meanwhile, Democrats on the committee refer to the March 24^th testimony of Brig. Gen. Scott Zobrist, who stated:

“…the probability of success would be so low and the risk would be so high” that he did not believe sending jets to Benghazi from the Aviano Air Base in Italy would have made a difference in the outcome of the Sept. 11, 2012, attack.”

So, for the Democrats, “probably” is enough.

“Matt Wolking, a spokesman for the panel’s Republicans, noted that “unlike the Democrats,” the majority has no “predetermined conclusions” about the Air Force whistleblower.

‘Democrats may wish to dismiss or ignore some witnesses without talking to them, but that’s not how thorough, fact-centered investigations are done,’ Wolking told the Washington Examiner.”

There is speculation that the anonymous source is a Facebook poster who claimed to be a mechanic with Aviano Air Base at the time of the attacks, and who maintains the aircraft at the base could have reached Benghazi that night.

The Pentagon and Defense Department have so far scoffed at the idea of interviewing those who are seen as “low level” witnesses, and have drug their heels in cooperating with the select committee.

Gowdy has expressed a different opinion.

“’It is exactly this type of interview that has, to date, yielded results and uncovered new facts unavailable to more senior military commanders,’ the South Carolina Republican wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter on May 6.”

It has been almost four years since the attack in Benghazi, and thus far, there has been only one arrest, and few answers for the families of Glen Doherty, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens.