Assumptions & Unknowns:
- Marines may or may have not been stationed in Bengazi; although always found in Embassies, some consulates do others do not depending on the country and Marine numbers available
- Marines may or may have not been escorting Ambassador Stevens when he was murdered; if they where they may or not may have been armed
Facts:
- Marines are under the supervision and control of the RSO (State Dept Security employee bureaucrat) at every US Embassy across the world who in turn works for the Ambassador
- Ambassadors can and often do mandate who in the Embassy can/cannot carry loaded weapons in country or hold weapons and ammo in their spaces to include DoD military Attaches, FBI LEGATT, DEA, DHS and others
- Extremely bad security conditions (criminal or terrorist) sometimes force Ambassadors to acquiesce and allow only trained personnel under unique circumstances (military & Federal agents of all sorts) to store, maintain and/or sometimes carry loaded weapons in country
Worst case scenario: If he had Marine escort when murdered, Ambassador Stevens likely did not allow his Marines to carry loaded weapons to prevent any Libyans from ever being injured or killed and avoid political heat. I have seen this rationale used in many places and I think it is borne of State Dept corporate distrust of trained young Marines with loaded weapons in volatile situations. The lack of any reports related to dead or injured perps who attacked the Consulate in Bengazi lead me to this conclusion until corroborated or disproved by credible sources; sad.
Regards
This is NOT Libya, it was Ambassador to Egypt. Suppose each Embassy/Ambassador can implement their own policies.
Also Diplomatic Security is armed, I know of no exceptions.
Yes, that's their mindset. They gotta die to learn.