State Department warns diplomats of compulsory Iraq duty

[babylonsister]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/04/state_department_warns_diploma.php

State Department warns diplomats of compulsory Iraq duty

APNewsBreak: State Department warns diplomats they may be forced to serve in Iraq

MATTHEW LEE
AP News

Apr 15, 2008 15:55 EST


The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats they may be forced to serve in Iraq next year and says it will soon start identifying prime candidates for jobs at the Baghdad embassy and outlying provinces, according to a cable obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.

A similar call-up threat last year caused a revolt among foreign service officers who objected to compulsory work in a war zone, although in the end the State Department found enough volunteers to fill the jobs.

Now, the State Department anticipates another staffing crisis.

"We face a growing challenge of supply and demand in the 2009 staffing cycle," the cable said, noting that more than 20 percent of the nearly 12,000 foreign service officers have already worked in the two major hardship posts — Iraq and Afghanistan — and a growing number have done tours in both countries.

As a result, the unclassified April 8 cable says, "the prime candidate exercise will be repeated" next year, meaning the State Department will begin identifying U.S. diplomats qualified to serve in Iraq and who could be forced to work there if they don't volunteer.

The prime candidate list will be comprised of diplomats who have special abilities that are needed in Iraq, such as Arabic language skills, deep Mideast knowledge or training in specific areas of reconstruction.

Source: AP News

[elizfeelinggreat]

1. no kidding

"the State Department anticipates another staffing crisis"


At least they figured THAT out.

[jtrockville]

2. Lead by example.

Maybe if Condi set up shop in the Green Zone, others would follow. Why hasn't she?