Obama keen to boost diplomatic security

US President Barack Obama has called on the congress to work with him on budget request, in a bid to boost security for the American diplomatic posts abroad.

The Obama administration is facing criticism over the deadly attack on the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi last year.

"I am intent on making sure that we do everything we can to prevent another tragedy like this from happening," said Obama at a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House.

"That's why, at my direction, we've been taking a series of steps that were recommended by the review board after the incident," he said. "we're not gonna be able to do this alone. We're gonna need Congress as a partner."

Obama therefore called on the congress to work with him to "support and fully fund" his budget request to improve the security of US embassies around the world, reported Xinhua.

He also asked the congress to provide the "resources and new authorities" in order the fully implement the recommendations made by an independent panel regarding beefing up diplomatic securities.

"We're gonna need Congress' help in terms of increasing the number of our Marine Corps guard who protect our embassies," Obama said Thursday.

US officials have defended the administration's handling of the attack, and Obama himself Monday dismissed his rivals' attack over the talking points as a politically-driven "sideshow".