[FedCom] Mikhail Gorbachev

[Christopher Handisides]

> note that Gorbachev is the only protectee on this list who's not the head 
> of anything.  it's probable his US Diplomatic Security protection is out 
> of professional courtesy, rather than the entitlement he had while he was 
> the soviet president.
>
> does anyone on the list know what criteria determines protectee 
> eligibility?  perhaps these are simply political decisions decided in an 
> arbitrary, case-by-case basis by someone high up in the administration.
>
> -ed

If I'm not mistaken, the US government doesn't recognize Tibet officially, 
rendering the Dalai Lama a private citizen by official standards as well. 
I'd wager that it's largely up to diplomatic and/or political concerns as to 
who gets it and who doesn't.  Probably just anyone foreign that doesn't fall 
under the umbrella of the USSS that the State Department thinks is important 
enough.  The Queen of England and (I believe) Tony Blair have USSS 
eligibility, while Prince Charles was protected by DSS.  He's important, but 
not the "head" of anything.

--Chris