Happy Birthday Marine. (Page 2/2)
maryjane NOV 11, 11:09 PM
A common misconception.

There are relatively few Marines Security Guards at each embassy, depending where it may be located. They rarely interact with the public, usually aren't even visible from the street and their work is predominantly 'internal' and of a classified nature.
By international agreement, all embassies are protected externally by the host nation, then the US Dept of State generally provides a private security company to monitor and restrict physical access to the compound fromnstreet level. The MSGs' job is to provide security for sensitive documents, electronics, and 'other' stuff as well as security for embassy personel.
sourmash NOV 12, 11:24 AM

quote
Originally posted by maryjane:

A common misconception.
...The MSGs' job is to provide security for sensitive documents, electronics, and 'other' stuff as well as security for embassy personel.



Interesting, ok.
maryjane NOV 12, 01:08 PM
There are about 1800 Marines in the MSG program, spread out over about 180 different embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions worldwide. The math speak for itself.
There is a Fast Force, officially called an Incident Response Force (Delta type force) which is supposed to quickly augment the internal security force but they are usually at least several hours away.
Paul Rand loudly & publicly asked "Where the hell were the Marines?" after ambassador Stevens was killed in Benghazi but at the time of the initial attacks, there were no MSGs assigned there because it was a small and temporary diplomatic outpost that had no high security communications or classified material. There was tho, a CIA contingent. Stevens had already been killed before the small IRF from Tripoli arrived the next morning.

https://diplopundit.net/201...ies-have-no-marines/

The public misconception comes from days long gone by when large Marine units were posted at places like the US Chinese (Bejing) legation back in the late 1800s and from WW2 days when there were about 100 US Marines stationed at the US embassy in London. That is really when the modern MSG program began, the late 1940s.

Still, the public perception is that all US diplomatic posts and missions world wide are protected by US Marines. The Marines and Dept of State are fine with that. Perceptions alone, accurate or otherwise, 'can' be a deterrent.

[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 11-12-2021).]