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What I am saying, when it comes to the number of personnel, who are in place at consulates and embassies and other diplomatic facilities around the world, those decisions are appropriately made at the State Department by security personnel, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. When it comes to funding, this president makes sure that diplomatic security is adequately funded, make sure that that funding is restored when efforts on Capitol Hill are made, principally by House Republicans, including Congressman Ryan to slash it in order to cut taxes for the wealthiest 2 percent in this country, Carney added.
During the Thursday night Vice Presidential debate between Biden and Republican challenger Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Ryan criticized the Obama administration for not responding to requests from the Benghazi consulate for more security prior to the attack on Sept. 11 of this year. Biden responded, We weren't told they wanted more security. We did not know they wanted more security. Several reporters asked what Biden meant, considering that State Department officials testified to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that they requested more security. Carney explained, He was speaking directly for himself and the president.
Ed Henry of Fox News followed, asking if Obama or Biden were ever briefed about the need for more security. You are saying from this podium that the president and the vice president have never been briefed about the fact that security was needed in Benghazi. Never at a presidential daily briefing? Carney responded, What Im saying is that matters of security personnel are appropriately discussed and decided upon at the State Department by those responsible for it. Obviously, it is the case that everyone responsible for national security in this administration and those I believe who were knowledgeable about it on Capitol Hill have long been aware of the fact that Libya is a dangerous place.
Carney later added that during the House oversight hearing, there was no reference to notifying the White House. There was a four and a half hour public hearing where the very specifics of requests for security personnel were made, were adjudicated at the State Department. Unless you were listening to another briefing, they never made it past the State Department, Carney said. Henry followed again, It was never in the presidential daily briefing? Carney replied, Im not going to talk to you, Ed, about the details. Im saying that matters of personnel are assigned to how many embassies and consulates and other diplomatic facilities are not decided at the White House. They are decided at the State Department.
Source
However, says the State Department, a Marine Security Detachment was deployed on that day to carry out those duties at the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados. U.S. Marine Security Guards serve at the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, and at other diplomatic missions around the world, to protect and safeguard American diplomacy, Rebecca Ross, the U.S. Embassy to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Counselor for Public Affairs, said in a statement to CNSNews.com. On September 11, 2012, our U.S. Marine Security Detachment carried out its regular duties which include providing internal security, preventing the compromise of classified information and equipment, and providing protection for U.S. citizens and property located within official U.S. facilities, Ross said.
On August 16, less than a month before the terrorists struck the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, the U.S. Marine Security Guard Force in Barbados led a physical fitness test for young athletes. The U.S. Embassy to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and its U.S. Marine Security Guard Force facilitated a modified Combat Fitness Test at the Club House, on Dover Field, Christ Church for the Barbados Defense Force Youth Athletes on Thursday, August 16th, reads the event description. This exciting fitness test features a Maneuver under Fire Obstacle Course that will send the athletes sprinting, running, crawling, and dragging their buddies across the field.
In testimony Wednesday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Charlene R. Lamb said there were five diplomatic security agents at the consulate in Benghazi when it was attacked on September 11. When pressed by Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) about the extent of security at the consulate, Lamb said there was the correct number of security assets at the time of the attack. An embassy, a compound owned by us and serving like a consulate was in fact breached less than 60 days before, approximately 60 days before the murder of the ambassador in that facility, said Issa. Isnt that true? Sir, we had the correct number of assets in Benghazi at the time of 9/11 for what had been agreed upon, Lamb said.
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had no marine detachment, but Barbados did?
Liberals complain about funding....but how about brains? Do they have any?
State Dept. Confirms: Marines on 9/11/12 Were Protecting U.S. Embassy--in Barbados | CNSNews.com
