The title is misleading. The congressman wasn't doing any back peddling, he was clarifying the issue.
The fact is: No, no! Stand down was issued from Washington or the state department, period, full stop.
The only "stand down" order issued was from their commander whose responsibility and call was his to make.
These soldiers claiming a stand down order was given and not giving that order any context as to who it came from is the problem. Last I checked, semantics in the military is a pretty big fucking deal and these guys try to blow it off.
Having said that, if the congressman who called them liars knew the context of the soldiers stand down order then shame on him, however, I doubt the congressman read their book and I doubt he understood the context of the stand down they were referring to when he was asked the question by the reporter. He should have just said he didn't read the book and can't comment on it.
Regardless, back peddling not found.