Foreign service officers balking on Iraq

[bj229r]

link
Well...they could quit--noone ever said you'd spend you whole career sipping martinis in DC

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is trying to quell a revolt among U.S. diplomats angry over attempts to force foreign service officers to work in Iraq or face dismissal.
Rice plans to send a cable to all U.S. embassies and missions abroad explaining the decision to launch the largest diplomatic call-up since Vietnam, following a contentious town hall meeting on Wednesday where angry diplomats raised deep concern about the "potential death sentence" of being ordered to work in Iraq, the State Department said.

Several hundred foreign service officers participated in the gathering at which several diplomats, backed by the vocal support of their colleagues there, vehemently complained about the prospect of "directed assignments" to Iraq to make up for a lack of volunteers.
"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 Jack Croddy, a senior foreign service officer. "I'm sorry, but basically that's a potential death sentence and you know it. ... Who will raise our children if we are dead or seriously wounded?"

The State Department says three foreign service personnel — two diplomatic security agents and one political officer — have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003.

We prolly had a couple hundred killed in the 90's in various bombings across the world..Iraq seems safe by comparison. What goes unstated is there are VERY few Bush fans in the State Dept.---many of the leaks in the last few years have come from there. Duncan Hunter has a cool idea:

"I said, 'Let's go over to Bethesda and Walter Reed (hospitals) and as we get these new – these soldiers and Marines who are embarking on new careers," Hunter said, "let's recruit them for the State Department; and let's fire these guys that refuse to go, and we'll give the State Department careers to these military guys."

[eagl]

Service before self is part of public service, whether you're carrying a gun or an attache case.

Those pansies in the state dept who are too weak at heart to serve their country in a time of need can get the hell out and make way for real patriots who will be willing to take their places.

This whole story has had me pissed off for the last couple of days.  Damned self-serving govt employees... They dare to style themselves public servants...  I'm glad Rice served them a big cupful of STFU.  The whiny crybabies don't have a place representing the US anywhere, let alone overseas.

[Trell]

They ALL can get jobs Out side of the goverment.  Cant be that hard, At least 40% in this country are not goverment people.

[crockett]

Well they do have a point, if this was any other country the embassy would have been closed. It's also not just the Foreign service officers you have to think about. They also have staff that has to go with them and be put at risk.

[bj229r]

Did we close the Tanzania and Kenyan embassy's after 257 were killed and 5000+ wounded? Since 2003, THREE foreign service employees have been killed in Iraq, two of whom were body guards

[eagl]

We lost a few thou in the twin towers collapse, and they didn't close New York...  

[crockett]

Originally posted by bj229r
Did we close the Tanzania and Kenyan embassy's after 257 were killed and 5000+ wounded? Since 2003, THREE foreign service employees have been killed in Iraq, two of whom were body guards

Yea but it was terrorism related and the countries wern't in the middle of a war zone.

[texasmom]

They ain't forced to go anywhere. They always have the option of quitting.

[texasmom]

Originally posted by eagl
Service before self is part of public service, whether you're carrying a gun or an attache case.

Those pansies in the state dept who are too weak at heart to serve their country in a time of need can get the hell out and make way for real patriots who will be willing to take their places.

This whole story has had me pissed off for the last couple of days.  Damned self-serving govt employees... They dare to style themselves public servants...  I'm glad Rice served them a big cupful of STFU.  The whiny crybabies don't have a place representing the US anywhere, let alone overseas.

[lasersailor184]

Originally posted by crockett
Yea but it was terrorism related and the countries wern't in the middle of a war zone.

  Easily... EASILY the dumbest thing you've ever said.

[Reschke]

They are just whining, cry-babies who all were brought up under the Clinton era of active pacifist diplomacy.

[Hornet33]

Originally posted by crockett
Well they do have a point, if this was any other country the embassy would have been closed. It's also not just the Foreign service officers you have to think about. They also have staff that has to go with them and be put at risk.

No they don't. Their job is to represent the policies of the United States whether they agree with them or not, and their job sometimes requires them to do so in countries that aren't exactly safe to be in. Every single one of those people including their staffs took a job with the State Department knowing full well that they might have to go overseas to a potential or overt hotspot to represent this country. If they don't want to go they have several options. Quit, or get fired from their job.

Their "point" is irrellevant to what their duty is. They weren't elected, they were hired to do a job. They deserve no special treatment just because they think it's a bad idea to go over there, or they are just plain afraid of going.

Personaly if I was running the State Department I would send every single one of them that complained and made statements to the media over there. The first one who refused or spoke out about it to the media I would fire them on the spot.

What it really boils down to is that they are diplomats. They are treated as VIP's every where they go and their heads have gotten a little to big because of all the special treatment. Now when it comes time to do something that might be a little dangerous or they disagree with it for political or personal reasons they think they can dictate terms, make policy, and that they should get their way because their important. Well their job isn't to make policy for this country, their job is to implement the policy handed down to them. If they can't do it, or don't want to do it, then they are no longer needed.

[Maverick]

They took an oath to serve at the pleasure of their employer and government. I say fire them and move on. If they are unable or unwilling to fulfill the dictates of their position they should be working elsewhere. Preferably immediately after they refused to report for duty.

If they opened a job service looking for replacement diplomats I'd be tempted to put in a resume.

[Thrawn]

Originally posted by Reschke
They are just whining, cry-babies who all were brought up under the Clinton era of active pacifist diplomacy.

Are you one drugs?  Are you that ignorant of Clinton/Albright's foreign policy?

[Reschke]

Can't you leave it alone and let the Clinton loving lefties come into the kill zone of the ambush.......Geez some people never know when to keep their fingers off the keyboards.