How about this? The consulate was attacked and then the attackers, who had an extreme advantage on the consulate personnel and security, allowed the consulate personnel to escape to the annex (safe house) where they were attacked again (and most again escaped) providing cover for other operatives to ransack both facilities and recover sensitive files on CIA/spec ops missions?
That is now being recognized as an intel loss that puts operations and operatives in danger for years to come. Stevens was in the wrong place at the wrong time and died of smoke inhalation or he would have escaped along with the other 30 consulate personnel.
I doubt the attackers could have known from their positions outside where any specific individual was inside. Stevens' body wasn't brought out of the building until 2-3 hours after the attack. I have heard nothing to indicate that Stevens' death was a particularly important coup for Al-Qaeda but that intel grab is huge.
Sounds very plausible. I of course do not know. I have read that he knew about illegal weapons transferred to the anti-Gaddhafi revolutionaries, so I it has occurred to me that the administration wanted him gone due to that knowledge.
But I think you have read even more articles about this than I have - what do you think?