The 4 Americans were killed OUTSIDE of the consulate, which is not US territory, no foreign country would let US Soldiers engage on sovereign land, only inside the embassy would they be allowed to engage. Also, this was not an embassy, it was a consulate, which is not considered US Territory, it only acts as a minor role in foreign affairs, mainly toward US Citizens in the area.
" US Marines only guard the embassies. Not the ambassadors. The host country where an ambassador is assigned provides security forces from their own ranks to guard ambassadors. Some of them are from the police, and others from the military."
Secret Service agents are assigned to many officials, especially high ranking and cabinet members, again, nothing new here, are you going to cause a fit because George Bush and his family have a Secret Service detail? What about the protection that Mitt and Ann Romney receive? Are they any better than the existing cabinet members that personally advise the president? I think it is a matter of national security that senior advisers have protection.
US Law states:
By law, the Secret Service is authorized to protect:
- The president, the vice president, (or other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President), the president-elect and vice president-elect
- The immediate families of the above individuals
- Former presidents, their spouses, except when the spouse re-marries
- Children of former presidents until age 16
- Visiting heads of foreign states or governments and their spouses traveling with them, other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States, and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad
- Major presidential and vice presidential candidates, and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election
- Other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President and
- National Special Security Events, when designated as such by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security
