Angry US Diplomats On Forced Iraq Posts: It's A "Potential Death Sentence"

AP:

Several hundred U.S. diplomats vented anger and frustration Wednesday about the State Department's decision to force foreign service officers to take jobs in Iraq, with some likening it to a "potential death sentence."

In a contentious hour-long "town hall meeting" called to explain the step, these workers peppered the official who signed the order with often hostile complaints about the largest diplomatic call-up since Vietnam. Announced last week, it will require some diplomats - under threat of dismissal _ to serve at the embassy in Baghdad and in so-called Provincial Reconstruction Teams in outlying provinces.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[sugarmoes]

hasn't bush just been such a tremendous success? goooooolllllllllly sarge!

barf.

[dd39203]

This is a sad situation. I feel for the diplomats, but we do need diplomats who can speak the language to help us out of this mess -- so we can solve problems without shooting first. I just wish they would have been brave enough to speak out and come forth before. This war needs to be resolved and diplomats are one of the ways to go.

[politicalcentrist]

Let's give these poor folks a few quotes for solace in their hours of quaking cowardice:
"We do know that Saddam is actively pursuing a nuclear weapon" C. Rice 9/10/02
"We will in fact be greeted as liberators" Cheney 3/16/03
"I think that it will go rather quickly...weeks rather than months" Cheney 3/16/03
"We believe Saddam has in fact reconstituted nuclear weapons" Cheney 3/16/03
"We know where the WMDs are" Rumsfeld 3/30/03
"We found the weapons of mass destruction" Bush 5/29/03
"There's no question that Saddam had alQueda ties" Bush 9/17/03
"Boo frickin' Hoo" Dr. Evil in "Austin Powers" 1997
Only Dr. Evil was telling the truth.
Get your sorry asses over to the Green Zone, and show us that you have half of the bravery and dedication that we get from our soldiers outside of that safe haven every day.

[Ihaveadream]

What's not to love. Here's the latest photos of their new embassy courtesy the current issue of Vanity Fair:

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/11/langewiesche200711

[Ammobob]

Well, darn it! They can resign, can't they? Stop your WHINING! Next you'll be posting on HuffPo with the rest of the WHINERS.

[OilWarsDotCom]

What a bunch of pussys!!!!! You work for a killer, don't you expect to get your hands dirty as well? Go over to Iraq and die for bush's oil wars, you gutless wonders....Hey, you could quit and get a job in WallyMart, right?

[Sundialsvc4]

How very peculiar ...

... to hundreds of thousands of Americans, it has already been a Death Sentence.

What do you fear?

And if you fear it so, when it finally applies to your OWN skin, why have you for so long been so uninterested about the skin of OTHERS?

[RadicalRepublican]

...it will require some diplomats _ under threat of dismissal _ to serve at the embassy in Baghdad and in reconstruction teams in outlying provinces...

Tell it to a soldier or marine who'd like to leave without being court martialed. What's the threat again? You may lose your cushy job. Sorry, it was diplomats who executed NAFTA. It was also career diplomats who didn't speak out about the truth in Iraq circa 2002/2003. You won't find much sympathy here.

[PODdem]

Well I guess it is time for them to cut bait or start fishing. Crap or get off the pot. According to their Commander Guy everything is going great and they can help water the seeds of democracy there.

[DJBrunner]

I especially liked the comment 'State Department spokesman Sean McCormack acknowledged the session was "pretty emotional." He praised Thomas for holding it and he stressed that all diplomats sign an oath to serve, obligating them to be available to work anywhere'.
While that may be true, it's just another case of hypocrisy by members of this criminal administration. Since when does an oath mean anything to these people, after all, didn't the President & Vice-President take an oath to uphold the Constitution? How's that oath coming along?

[booker52]

Nothing says wrong like your own employees!!

[polish]

What's so difficult? Make the republican diplomats go. They want the war and want to be there.

[BC33]

Hmmmm, does Blackwater have private diplonats Bush can hire? Is he trying to privatize the Embassy? Get rid of the current employees and high Erik Prince's friend.

[FirstShirt]

Don't like your job, quit. You weren't drafted.

[sheaftosser]

I'm sure the grunts who have been on the ground in Iraq three tours or more are VERY concerned for the safety of the fancy pants Bushies who've spent their entire careers sucking up to the creeps who are now sending to the this war they all support so strongly.