[kabar]

The host government is responsible for external security outside the embassy wall. The marines usually have responsibility for the inside. Most embassies have 9-11 marines. After 9-11 I think Pakistan increased to 22. So there is some responsibility for marines to provide protection

I know how it works having worked at Embassies as the Management Officer. The RSO reported to me and the RSO supervises the MSG Detachment. The Marines are there primarily to protect classified information. They can provide limited personnel protection until the host government forces arrive.

The size of the MSG depends on a number of factors. Risk, the number of internal MSG posts, etc. will govern size. The minimum used to be 6.

[morphing libertarian]

I defer to your experience. My son was in Honduras and Jordan. Trying to recall info from 13 years ago.

Thanx.

[Whenifhow]

Did you get the sense that Westmoreland hit a thorny topic with Starr when he asked if security gets a contract if they had been dismissed on a previous mission?
It wasn’t anything Starr said - it was the look on his face.