Clinton takes blame for Libya attack

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton answered Republican criticism of the Obama administration's handling of last month's attack at the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, saying she - not the White House - is responsible for security at all of America's diplomatic missions.

"I take responsibility," Clinton told CNN. "I'm in charge of the State Department's 60,000-plus people all over the world (at) 275 posts."

With only weeks before the presidential election, outrage has crystallized around Vice-President Joe Biden's claim in last week's debate with Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan that "we weren't told" about requests for extra security at the consulate where assailants killed Chris Stevens, US ambassador, and three other US citizens.

Congressional hearings revealed that the State Department was aware of, and rejected, several requests for increased security in Benghazi. Spokesmen for both the State Department and the White House took pains on Friday to make clear that Biden's "we" referred to the White House, where such requests would not go.

Clinton backed up Biden's assertion. "The president and the vice-president wouldn't be knowledgeable about specific decisions that are made by security professionals," she said on Monday.

Clinton said "the decisions about security are made by security professionals. But we're going to review everything to be sure we're doing what needs to be done in an increasingly risky environment."

There are three separate investigations into the attack going on now: an FBI probe into the deaths of the four US citizens, an independent inquiry by a panel appointed by Clinton and the congressional hearings.

Initial reports attributed the cause of the violent attack as one of a number of spontaneous demonstrations in several Muslim countries over a film produced in the US that denigrated the Prophet Muhammad. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, insisted that the investigation up to that point showed no indication of a planned attack. Within days, the White House reversed its position, saying new findings indicated the attack was intentional and coordinated.

"In the wake of an attack like this, in the fog of war, there's always going to be confusion," Clinton said. "And I think it is absolutely fair to say that everyone had the same intelligence. Everyone who spoke tried to give the information that they had. As time has gone on, that information has changed. We've gotten more detail, but that's not surprising. That always happens. What I want to avoid is some kind of political gotcha or blame game."

Three Republican senators said Clinton's claim was "a laudable gesture", but they put the responsibility for the Benghazi attack on President Barack Obama and his national security team.