Diplomats eyed for Iraq duty next year

WASHINGTON - The State Department has begun to identify diplomats who could be forced to serve in Iraq next year unless enough volunteers come forward to fill about 300 positions, The Associated Press has learned.

A department-wide notice issued Tuesday says officials have looked through the files of all foreign service officers who will be applying or “bidding” for new jobs in 2009 and compiled a roster of candidates who are “particularly well-qualified” to work at the American Embassy in Baghdad and in outlying provinces.

Those on the list will be notified of their status this week and urged to volunteer, according to the internal notice, which was also sent by cable to all U.S. diplomatic missions abroad. If positions remain unfilled after the summer, they will become the core of a group of “prime candidates” who may be forced to go to Iraq, it says.

The announcements, accompanied by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s personal appeal for volunteers, were obtained by the AP.

“I am asking that you consider joining this highly motivated team of professionals as we look for volunteers for positions opening in 2009,” Rice said. She recorded a video of the message, which also deals with jobs coming open next year in Afghanistan, that is to be shown on the State Department’s internal television network.

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Diplomats eyed for Iraq duty

I have covered some of the stories about safety in Iraq, U.S. workers in Baghdad restricted and the diplomats that balked on serving in Iraq back in Oct. of 2007, U.S. diplomats vent over forced Iraq duty…

The new embassy in Baghdad is supposed to be a really nice facility from the reports I have received, all the amenities, and every comfort that could be incorporated into it was, so, it wouldn’t be lack of comfort that would make some diplomatic types balk, let’s see, it’s air conditioned, and in Iraq, that’s a BIG plus, creature comforts are important for diplomats…

I heard that the dining facilities were 2nd to none too, great good, top shelf chefs, fresh meat, produce, fruit and God knows what else, so, if diplomats balk at taking a position at the new embassy it won’t be because of the food…

What in the world could it be that would make U.S. diplomats balk at such a great assignment to a new and comfortable facility such as the one we have in Baghdad, a facility that offers fantastic opportunities for diplomatic types, a chance to ply their trade and help the impoverished nation of Iraq heal old wounds as they build a real and working democracy, I mean, how much better could it be for a diplomat??

Do you want to know how safe Iraq really is?? Watch and see how many employees of the State Department volunteer and how many are drafted, then watch closely and count the ones that quit their jobs at State rather than go to Iraq…

Our soldiers have no choice, they go where they are told and if it’s not raining bullets most troops will tell you, “it’s not all that bad, we can handle it” and that is why I so greatly love and admire our soldiers, let’s see if these diplomats have anything close to the GUTS our troops have…

I am of the belief that we’re about to see a real tale of the tape where safety and security in Iraq are concerned…

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