Comments on: U.S. Diplomats Warned Of Forced Iraq Duty

Amid Staffing Crisis, State Department Says They May Have To Serve In War Zone Next Year

[xzonz]

how patriotic! our soilders are ready to risk their lives yet to find diplomats willing to work in the war zone is difficult...

[ubrew12]

LolaEspanola said: "These workers should go to war zones too. Isn''''t that part of what they sign up for when they agree to work for the government? "

Soldiers sign up to go to war zones. Diplomats sign up to prevent soldiers [and diplomats] from having to go to war zones.

Lola, these are the people who get the education on the Middle East that, properly consulted, could have kept us out of Iraq altogether. Bush, in a display of pure Republican partisan hatred for educated people, refused to consult them (and in case you didn''t notice, sacked their chief, Colin Powell). Now, Bush''s clone Condi is telling these same people to go into harms way, a place Bush and Condi refuse to go.

I''m with them. Ya wanna start a war? Fight it yourself. Don''t ask the rest of us to fight it for you. That''s just a form of Republican predation.

My guess is, its the kind you practice yourself.

[rebelscout]

Condi looks like she''s going to puke. Must be that ulcer!

[shingles1]

Condi looks a little pinched.

[rebelscout]

IOWEIGN,some people don''t seem to know the difference. It''s the King George syndrome.

[ioweign]

Any member of the dipolmatic service should be required to put in a year''''s time of service in the same areas that our military troops are stationed even if that be, Iraq or Afghanistan. Why should they be any different? Why are they so reluctant to give up their comfort and safe jobs, when hundreds of our young men and women are sacrificing their lives for them. These workers should go to war zones too. Isn''''t that part of what they sign up for when they agree to work for the government?

Posted by LolaEspanola at 01:13 AM : Apr 16, 2008

When violence broke out in Bosnia and Kosovo, the State Department closed the embassies and pulled the State Department employees. Why not the same for Iraq?

[rebelscout]

Lola, THEIR NOT SOLDIERS! Diplomat''s DO NOT have the same training as troop''s. To send someone into a war zone without proper training is a death warrant. Iraq is a kill zone. Everywhere else we pull out our diplomat''s when it gets this bad. This is another example of the ineptitude of the Dumbya regime!

Any member of the dipolmatic service should be required to put in a year''s time of service in the same areas that our military troops are stationed even if that be, Iraq or Afghanistan. Why should they be any different? Why are they so reluctant to give up their comfort and safe jobs, when hundreds of our young men and women are sacrificing their lives for them. These workers should go to war zones too. Isn''t that part of what they sign up for when they agree to work for the government?

[rebelscout]

Why doesn''t Jenna serve in the state dept. if the job is so worthy? Oh, that''s right ,I forgot that those who start the war are exempt from serving in a combat zone as are their kid''s.

[pleiku1]

If they don''t want to go, they should quit. Unlike the military, they have that option.

[inventagod]

The image of Congoleeza looks as if she just found out how Republicons really feel about their token Suc of State... Poor Condee

[singingrick]

What? Didn''t Bush staff the State Department with loyal stay the course Republicons? They should be chomping at the bit to serve in Iraq. It''s going so well over there isn''t it?


lol!

[ontheleft]

An embassy worker in the Green Zone was killed within the last month.

Why don''t they advertise these jobs during the Hannity or Limbaugh shows? I''m sure they''d get zero volunteers. They talk the walk, but don''t walk the talk. These hypocrites would complain that embassy workers were "wimps".

[kissamaarse]

The suddenly their will be no State Department. Never has there been a more destructive presidential administration to this nation than this Bush one. Inept at each and every step.

[aross1--2008]

who the heck would WANT this duty?

[andrew_693]

Nobody with an inch of common sense would serve in this suicide-diplomat mission impossible.

[stn_sage]

The failure of career diplomats to come forward and volunteer for duty in Afghanistan & Iraq is a demonstration of the lack of faith they have in Ms. Rice and this administration!

The diplomats themselves are fully aware of the lack of competence of this administration and don''t want to be penalized because of it.

It''s this argument that dissuades me from the argument offered by other posters that---yes, they agreed to serve, so they should do so! Normally, I''d agree with that argument. But the caveat is, they agreed to serve under administrations that are competent---this one isn''t. Consequently, their reluctance to do so. If I were in their shoes, I''d probably feel the same way!

[ubrew12]

Winstrv said: "Nobody is making you [state dept employees] stay. Once your term is up, quit. What is so hard about that?"

I think many state dept employees just dont like taking orders from an imbecile (Bush), who never tried to draw on their thousands of YEARS of collective experience about the Middle East before he cluster-fvcked the nation into this black hole. I don''t blame them, but apparently you do. We don''t ALL live our lives to take orders, ya know. Some of us got a hard earned education for the PRIDE of knowing that that made us worthy of being consulted in our area of expertise. Having a partisan demogogue like Bush ignore their capabilities IN A TIME OF WAR, of all things, must be a bitterness beyond belief. They''re hanging ON, hoping for a change in leadership. Much like the rest of us. Bush/Cheney has been a nightmare from which we can only hope to awaken.

[ontheleft]

''What is so hard about that?''
Posted by Winstrv at 11:40 PM

There is a huge difference between the expectations of what a soldier and a diplomatic worker are expected to do.

Why don''t some of these loudmouth war supporters apply for these diplomatic jobs? That would solve the problem.

[nearl4511]

Was fully expected. About 6 months ago there was asimilar story that was denied. Of course this was bound to happen.

Truth of the matter is that the economic and political progress of Iraq since the surge has been ZILCH!