US short of diplomats for Iraq, Afghanistan reconstruction ("the appetite is unlimited")

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The State Department is short of staff to meet the Pentagon's need to reinforce the provincial reconstruction teams (PRT) in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior US official said Monday.

To press his point, Eliot Cohen, counselor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, noted that the Defense Department employs more musicians than the State Department has diplomats.

According to government data, the State Department employs 12,000 people, 5,500 of whom are diplomats deployed in Washington and abroad.

"When I tell the 5,500 figure, the generals are usually shocked," Cohen told reporters after commenting that at the Defense Department "the appetite is unlimited" for diplomats to join the understaffed PRTs.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080428/pl_afp/usiraqafghanistanreconstructiondiplomacy

[Hulk]

1. Hell, you would think all the repugs would be lining up to go over there...

Too old to join the military? Got a family to feed, and can't just settle for military pay? Here's your chance, chicken hawks.

Sign up to go over to Iraq and be part of the embassy staff. Chances are you won't even get hit with a rocket. You'll make good money doing a job that will make this puppet government and your own criminal government link up like love mates.

No excuses now...just line up and sign up. Chicken shits!

[snot]

2. it's not just the danger. it's

that all their facts and insight are now ignored, and they're instead supposed to help implement horrific policies.

there have been massive State Dept. resigations commencing with and continuing since the invasion of Iraq. Another under-reported story.