Posted on 11/05/2007 8:52:18 AM PST by pissant
JACK CRODDY, FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER: It's one thing if someone believes in what is going on over there and volunteers. I am sorry, but, basically, that is a potential death sentence, and you know it.
And then another thought—who will take care of our children? Who will raise our children if we are dead or seriously wounded?
REP. DUNCAN HUNTER, R-CALIF.: I think we should fire those folks that don't want to go. You can't have people on the payroll who refuse to be deployed to the tough places.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRET BAIER, CO-HOST: There you see some of the back-and-forth over this issue at the State Department this week at a town hall meeting, where some officers said they did not want to be assigned to go to Iraq.
Now the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has weighed in with a cable to all diplomats, sending it out today, saying "Regardless of how the jobs may be filled, they must be filled. It is our duty to do our part towards succeeding in the vital mission in Iraq given to us by the President."
Now some analytical observations from Jeff Birnbaum, columnist of the Washington Post, Mort Kondracke, executive editor of Roll Call, and syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer, FOX News contributors all.
Some of the back and—it was amazing to watch that town hall meeting, Jeff. The vitriol for some of these Foreign Service officers about possibly being assigned to Iraq—there has not been a decision yet, but it might be that.
JEFF BIRNBAUM: That's right, they may be forced to go. And they should be forced to go. I think that is part of their duty.
I think you can make too much of these protests. There were also plenty of Foreign Service officers who
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
‘Now the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has weighed in with a cable to all diplomats, sending it out today, saying “Regardless of how the jobs may be filled, they must be filled.’
Weak response from Rice and or the WH. She is telling them, however you do it, get it done. They are missing a fantastic opportunity to weed out the wine and cheese elitists who don’t give two snoots about America. I am disheartened with that response.
WAAAHAHAHA!!!!
I love him.
Rice needs to publicly fire this Croddy traitor.
I did not say you were a coward. I just said you took some kind of oath when you entered the FS. And perhaps that oath is not compatible with family life but you took it willingly. Our military in particular our reservists are in the same, albeit more dangerous, position.
The Green zone is where some of our soldiers go for R & R, but most of the diplomats don’t even want to go there.
bttt
George W. Bush, Not true, many of our soldiers speack Arabic and even those not trained to know more of the language then those who have not served in Iraq. Also what you said about having to know ME history, our soldiers KNOW the recent history of Iraq better then anyone, they have lived it. Not the lies that the media wants the world to know but the truth, that is also a plus. God bless Duncan Hunter.
Yes. And he is ACTUALLY a conservative. How novel.
Is that your pic on your profile page??
Yes
You have a Simpson like quality. And I don’t mean Homer. LOL
hahaha thank you.
LMAO love it.
foreign service jobs with the State Department is titled “Dream Jobs.” It describes the income potential ($130,000 for senior diplomats) plus such perks as embassy housing, moving all belongings to and from their assignment, free air travel back to the U.S. during a two-year tour, observance of all U.S. and local holidays while overseas, and “hardship” incentives (extra pay) while serving in a country that creates some sort of privation. For example, diplomats serving in El Salvador received 5% extra pay and extra R&R because of the likelihood of earthquakes in that country. It should be noted that not all diplomats end up in Iraq or El Salvador. During a 20-year career or longer, many can expect assignments in such places as Paris, London, and Rome. Diplomats are also represented by a union, the American Foreign Service Association.
One of the reasons for the high pay is the slight element of risk. It’s nothing like the risk a soldier faces, but there is a risk. Guess which job comes with the money? You’ve been paying someone named Jack Croddy who wants no part of this risk....
Jack Croddy, a Foreign Service veteran of many postings and a former political advisor with NATO forces
he sharpest comments came from Jack Croddy, a 36-year veteran of the Foreign Service.
To loud applause from his fellow workers, he asked how the State Department could protect people in Baghdad or the Iraq countryside when “incoming is coming in every day. Rockets are hitting the Green Zone.”
Diplomat can’t be immune to war zone dangers
I am appalled by the U.S. diplomat’s comment regarding assignment to Iraq, “Who will raise our children if we are dead or seriously wounded?”
Who will raise my son’s children when he goes to Iraq next year? Who will raise my nephew’s children? Who is going to raise the children of every member of the military who has died?
How dare diplomat Jack Croddy separate his children from ours. After reading “Many expressed serious concerns about the ethics of sending diplomats against their will to serve in a war zone,” I think perhaps Jack Croddy needs to join the military to understand what the war zone really is.
Catherine Gunneson-Dyer
Greenwood
There are supposedly 48 slots open in the embassy of the United States in Iraq for the next year and there aren’t the volunteers in the State Department to fill them. At what was billed as a “town meeting” of approximately 300 concerned employees, one staff member, a Mr. Jack Croddy, was quoted as saying this assignment was “potentially a death sentence.”
If one considers three State Department employees reportedly killed in four and a half years adequate evidence of this “death sentence,” you would have to agree with Mr. Croddy. Of course, on a statistical basis one might be equally endangered in many other supposedly safe employments. But to clear up the three deaths: One is said to be an embassy political officer (possibly a CIA case officer on assignment) and the other two were State Department security personnel. Heroes all!
The State Department job in Baghdad and throughout Iraq certainly is different from many other postings around the world and (in the best of times) it would be hoped they could have been filled with willing volunteers rather than “draftees.” This is not a new problem. It existed in the late 1960’s in Vietnam. It was essentially an anti-war statement then and it’s the same today.
http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12262
BTTT
Some at the hourlong meeting questioned why they were not told of the policy change directly, learning about it instead from news organizations last week. Video Watch the diplomats exchange angry words »
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/02/state.iraq/#cnnSTCVideo
“I just have no respect for the whole process because you’ve demonstrated a lack of respect for your own colleagues,” said foreign service officer Jack Croddy.
“Thank you for that comment. It’s full of inaccuracies, but that’s OK,” Harry Thomas Jr., director general of the foreign service, shot back.
Others pointed out the risks of such assignments, considering the dangers of a war zone, lack of security and regular rocket attacks on U.S. personnel.
I’m sure you’ve seen some unpleasant things, but there are lots of fathers and husbands, not to mention some mothers and wives in Iraq right now, and they don’t just get to quit their jobs, never mind a decrease in retirement. A prayer will be sent for you and your family for decisions such as this that may come your way.
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