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| Iraq |
| New Iraq policy prompts angry words at the State Department |
| 2007-11-01 |
| Reality sucks. But not as much as having to live in the Calling it "a potential death sentence," several hundred diplomats expressed their resentment Wednesday over a new State Department policy that could force them to serve in Iraq or risk losing their jobs. Some at the hourlong town hall-style meeting questioned why they were not told of the policy change directly, learning about it instead from news organizations last week. Others pointed out the risks of such a rule, considering the dangers of a war zone, lack of security and regular rocket attacks on U.S. personnel. One State Department worker complained she was not provided medical treatment for her post-traumatic stress disorder after she voluntarily served in Iraq. The session was marked by angry exchanges, according to an audio recording of the meeting held at the State Department. The sharpest comments came from Jack Croddy, a 36-year veteran of the Foreign Service. To loud applause from his fellow workers, he asked how the State Department could protect people in Baghdad or the Iraq countryside when "incoming is coming in every day. Rockets are hitting the Green Zone." "It is one thing if someone believes in what is going on over there and volunteers," he said, "but it is another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment. And I'm sorry, but basically that is a potential death sentence and you know it. Who will raise our children if we are dead or wounded?" Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Jack Last week's announcement said about 200 people would be informed this week they are "prime candidates" for assignment in Iraq, and those chosen would be notified later. Selection of personnel will be finished by Thanksgiving, said Harry Thomas, the Foreign Service's director general, who led the meeting. Those chosen will be given 10 days to respond, according to last week's announcement. Unless they have a valid medical reason to refuse, those who decline to go could face dismissal, it said. Thomas said he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are committed to what he called a fair, open and transparent process in filling the requirements for State Department employees in Iraq — at the Baghdad embassy and elsewhere in the country. Most of the 250 jobs to be filled in the next rotation over the coming months will go to volunteers, he said. But about 50 remain open. The State Department has relied solely on volunteers to fill overseas jobs in recent decades. Forced assignments have not been used since the Vietnam War era. "We cannot shrink from our duty. We have all agreed to worldwide availability," Thomas said. From now on, everyone in the Foreign Service would be required to serve one out of three tours in "hardship posts," he said. Thomas reacted angrily to criticism of how the new policy is being handled, saying, "Don't you or anyone else stand there and tell me I don't care about my colleagues. I find that insulting." Rice did not attend the meeting. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack addressed the issue at his regular midday briefing. "There are risks involved in going to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, other places around the world, and there are a lot of people who are making real sacrifices on behalf of their country — sacrifices being away from their family, taking certain risks with respect to their personal safety, just being in some of these places. "I understand that. The secretary understands that." |
| Posted by:gorb |
| #15 Send the word, send the word over there - That the Yanks are coming, The Yanks are coming, The drums rum-tumming Ev'rywhere. So prepare, say a pray'r, Send the word, send the word to beware. We'll be over, we're coming over, And we won't come back till it's over Over there. New Iraq policy prompts angry words at the State Department.. LOL, this is so precious.. Here comfortably at Home the Foggy Bottom Gurus have had no shortage of rules and orders to follow on every subject, A-thru-Z, Over There in Iraq & A-stan, . Well now a precious few 'Foggy Bottoms' will be Over There :) Hummm.. Now do any of youse guys recall hearing anything about a company named Blackwater? :) BlackWater! You know that evil Company that uses a pro-active "Cowboy" tactics when protecting their clients! IIRC I think I remember a few State Dept. officials Back Here Stateside bloviating and leaking details about the over protective Rogue Private Contractors overseas. Yes they more or less implied that they were Bad & Evil Contractors....and Insensitive Too. Perhaps these new draftees from State being assigned to Iraq don't need any armed personal for protection! Heh after-all everyone knows GUNS Cause Violence Not people. From the armchair then, We elites who have studies more than you and have more degrees than you are certain that the poor disenfranchised Jihadis in Iraq and A-stan will respect our folks if they go peacefully and unarmed! Over There!! /some folks at state are ok,...maybe ~:) |
| Posted by: Red Dawg 2007-11-01 22:51 |
| #14 Calling it "a potential death sentence," several hundred diplomats expressed their resentment Wednesday over a new State Department policy that could force them to serve in Iraq or risk losing their jobs. Yet these same feckless desk jockeys have no compunctions about our soldiers getting killed trying to implement the flaccid ROE of State's initial "soft power" approach to Iraq. I hope to hell that trailing wife is right and this is an attempt to thin the ranks of so many chair-warming weenies. The DoS has become worse than useless in recent years. As I mentioned when this issue first cropped up, a tour of duty in Iraq should be mandatory for all career officers and staff. It's time these elite little snivelers got a healthy taste of the witch's brew they have concocted with their worthless MME (Muslim Middle East) policies. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-01 19:44 |
| #13 Who will raise our children if we are dead or wounded? Given that child creation takes 2 people, is there any reason why the second party couldn't step up? Al |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2007-11-01 13:21 |
| #12 Now, once we are rid of the EEE's [Eastern Establishment Elitists] that have populated and polluted State for years, lets start recruiting our diplomats from U.or Nebraska, Iowa, Texas A&M, LSU, Florida, Weber State, BYU, et.al. Then I believe we will have a better chance of changing our diplomatic direction and avoiding the Stockholmization of our State department en mass. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-11-01 13:14 |
| #11 Good way to thin out the State Department but, One State Department worker complained she was not provided medical treatment for her post-traumatic stress disorder after she voluntarily served in Iraq. Not taking care of the worthwhile employees is complete f'd up! |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2007-11-01 13:09 |
| #10 From your mouth to Condi's ears, TW! |
| Posted by: Karl Rove, evil genius 2007-11-01 11:44 |
| #9 Hopefully this is what Secretary Rice has really been working on -- the single battle she needs to win. Two hundred given ten days to say yea or retire in order to find fifty... or if not then the next two hundred, and the next... The State Department could be down to a hard-working nub within six months! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-11-01 11:23 |
| #8 Weak. Work hard and make it safer. Post Office delivery probably have it worse driving in Oklahoma City after a frost (or any day for that matter). |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2007-11-01 11:14 |
| #7 The State department is worse that fucking worthless. Bunch of spineless, ivory tower, elitist snobs that want to cover their ass more than do actual work. Talk about an agency that needs burned down, dismantled and done over. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-11-01 10:09 |
| #6 These folks are getting a fat dose or reality. The "death sentence" comment is outragous. The only two State Dept employees killed in Irag have been DS agents. More FSOs have died in car accidents near Dupont Circle than in Iraq. Look - there are 11000 FSO and they want 50 to go to. Being a math major, that's less than one-half of one percent. Suck it up, pack your gear, or walk. |
| Posted by: Bangkok Billy 2007-11-01 10:06 |
| #5 IMHO one of the reasons Iraq became such a mess is that State refused to do ther work needed in Iraq. And State is istting on theri ass in Afghanistan as well. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-11-01 09:42 |
| #4 Long overdue that State be forced to do ALL their job, and stop sloughing things off on the military. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-11-01 09:41 |
| #3 I don't think it's gumption they lack NS. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-11-01 09:14 |
| #2 It is one thing if someone believes in what is going on over there and volunteers," he said, "but it is another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment. If you want someone who will do what they are told to with out a lot of backtalk, send someone from the military. Perhaps we should transfer the full diplomatic function to the Army. I also wish the cookie pushers would show as much gumption in defending the interests of the country with tyrants like Kim, Nutjob and Pencilneck. Hey, that's it, next time State has to tell its employees bad news, they should ask Kim to deliver it. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-11-01 09:10 |
| #1 Tough cookies. It should be implicit that working at foggy bottom means that you should get to see at least part of the world, not just fantasize about it. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-11-01 09:02 |