U.S. Foreign Service Officers do not want to serve in Iraq

[trancepriest]

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 — Career Foreign Service officers at the State Department reacted angrily at a town hall meeting on Wednesday to the possibility that they might be forced to go to Iraq, putting senior Bush administration officials on the defensive.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced just a few days earlier that the State Department would require some diplomats to serve at the American Embassy in Baghdad or on reconstruction teams in some of the country’s volatile provinces. Only those who can cite compelling reasons, like medical problems or extreme personal hardship, will be exempt from disciplinary action, including dismissal, if they turn down the assignment.

“It was an hourlong event, and for a brief period one or two speakers expressed very strongly held views,” the State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, said. “It’s a pretty sensitive topic and, understandably, some people are going to have some pretty strong feelings about it.”

During the meeting, one Foreign Service officer likened the Iraq order to a “potential death sentence,” The Associated Press reported. “It’s one thing if someone believes in what’s going on over there and volunteers, but it’s another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment,” said the officer, who identified himself as Jack Croddy and once worked as a political adviser with NATO forces, The Associated Press reported. “I’m sorry, but basically that’s a potential death sentence, and you know it.”

The comments were directed at Harry Thomas, the Foreign Service director general. Ms. Rice did not attend the meeting, but her Iraq deputy, David Satterfield, was there.

“I certainly understand very much that this is extremely difficult for people who have not contemplated this kind of service,” Mr. Satterfield said in an interview. But, he added, “this is an expeditionary world. For better or worse, it requires an expeditionary service.”

Many federal employees have refused repeated requests that they go to Iraq, while others have demanded that they be assigned only to Baghdad and not be sent outside its fortified Green Zone, which includes the American Embassy and Iraqi government ministries.

Mr. Satterfield maintained that State Department employees had volunteered in large numbers for difficult posts. But the new order underscores a fundamental problem at the department: Many of the employees who have signed up for Iraq have tended to be younger entry-level types, not experienced diplomats.

The reluctance of some Foreign Service employees to go to Iraq highlights a problem with the administration’s overall strategy for Iraq. It calls on American diplomats to take challenges on a scale unmatched anywhere else in the world, at a time when the lack of security on the ground outside the Green Zone makes it one of the last places people, particularly those with families, want to go.

Mr. Satterfield said that the department had gotten volunteers for about 40 of the slots it needs to fill for Iraq. “There will be a relatively few number of positions that will actually need to be filled by directed assignments,” he said.

[trancepriest]

LOL... seems like those upper middle class folks don't want to serve in Iraq. Bush shouldn't back down on this one... drag their asses off to the war zone or fire them.

[Dj_Peace]

Originally Posted by trancepriest

LOL... seems like those upper middle class folks don't want to serve in Iraq. Bush shouldn't back down on this one... drag their asses off to the war zone or fire them.

i bet many of them were staunch supporters of Dubya and the right wings insistance on pressing the war on terror and against withdrawing troops out of Iraq..but now since they are gonna be in the shit....

[trancepriest]

Originally Posted by Dj_Peace

i bet many of them were staunch supporters of Dubya and the right wings insistance on pressing the war on terror and against withdrawing troops out of Iraq..but now since they are gonna be in the shit....

HaHa.. you know it. In any case they are in the government... the troops don't get to bitch and moan and so I don't see why they should. If Iraq is nice and peaceful then what do they have to be afraid of? I have no sympathy for them.

[pod]

They probably had delusions of being posted to Eastern Europe and trading green cards for a quick lay with some of the local flavor.




I guess the best they can hope for is maybe Halliburton ships out some low-level secretary to the Green Zone.

[slamminshaun]

Whoa whoa whoa, hold the phone!

You mean to tell me that diplomats don't want to go to Iraq??? What the hell is all this talk about "let diplomacy work" then??? I thought diplomacy was the answer! You'd think these government stooges would jump all over the chance to go over there and teach Bush how diplomacy works.

By the way Peace, the state department is NOT a Bush cabinet position. It's a career position....typically career government workers tend to be (you guessed it) whiny liberals.

[trancepriest]

Originally Posted by slamminshaun

By the way Peace, the state department is NOT a Bush cabinet position. It's a career position....typically career government workers tend to be (you guessed it) whiny liberals.

HaHa here you go again. What true liberal would hold a job in government for so long? LOL. A true liberal tries to work as less as possible. I don't know what they are.. but whatever they are be that whiny liberals or kkk conservatives... ship them off to Iraq. I'm all for Bush this time.. nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing these bourgeoisie folks being sent off to a war. That lady complaining of PTSD was the funniest part. PTSD in the green zone... lol... haha.

I'm going cycling to Markham Park... peace.

[slamminshaun]

Originally Posted by trancepriest

HaHa here you go again. What true liberal would hold a job in government for so long? LOL. A true liberal tries to work as less as possible.

My point exactly. They "work" for the government so they don't have to work! This is just another case in point....diplomats who don't want to be diplomats when it's needed most. Like I said, this would've been the perfect opportunity to show Bush that diplomacy can work...obviously, not even those who advocate it really believe it.

[Dj_Peace]

Originally Posted by slamminshaun

Whoa whoa whoa, hold the phone!

You mean to tell me that diplomats don't want to go to Iraq??? What the hell is all this talk about "let diplomacy work" then??? I thought diplomacy was the answer! You'd think these government stooges would jump all over the chance to go over there and teach Bush how diplomacy works.

By the way Peace, the state department is NOT a Bush cabinet position. It's a career position....typically career government workers tend to be (you guessed it) whiny liberals.

I am fully wawre that these are not cabinet positions. However, they DO sign a contract upon acceptance of the job. Also, the fact is, for months Bushy andCondi havebeen telling us Iraq is a better place ...the surge is working...and recently (alluding to another post) Iraqis are taking back Iraq. So, since things there are going along so swimmingly, they should have no qualms about being posted over in Iraq...I mean, is good enough for our servicemembers to be there for two and three tours, right? Besides, these folks get paid a heck of a lot more than our military members and will most likely be given a COLA increase and hazardous duty stipend- while our soldiers, that can't get a pay increase will most likely be assigned to provide security for them -so they should just zip it up and drive on.

[slamminshaun]

Originally Posted by Dj_Peace

they should just zip it up and drive on.

Hey man, I'm with you....again, this is their BIG CHANCE to show us how diplomacy works. Quit talking about it, quit bragging about your stupid little titles, and get your ass over there and show us....put up or shut up!