Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Martin Dempsey testified on the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Secretary Panetta in his opening statement said that the speed of the attack prevented U.S. armed forces from responding quickly enough to save those killed in the attack, and that time, distance, and lack of warning hindered the response. Republican members reiterated prior criticisms of the Obama administration, among them that administration officials ignored previous warnings from U.S. officials in Libya. Secretary Panetta talked about the issue of sequestration, and the damaging impact military budget cuts would have on readiness. They also answered questions on recommendations from the U.S. State Department and CIA to arm Syrian rebels, which were ultimately rejected by President Obama.