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Diplomats Duke It Out Over Forced Assignments in Iraq
Foxnews.com ^ | Nov 6, 2007 | AP

Posted on 11/06/2007 7:09:47 PM PST by RDTF

A bitter dispute over forced assignments to Iraq has erupted inside the State Department with diplomats taking decidedly undiplomatic potshots at one another.

The latest public salvo came Tuesday with a harshly critical post on the department's official blog in which a foreign service officer in Iraq skewered those who spoke out against the prospect of ordered tours of duty at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and outlying provinces.

The message, titled "A Letter From Iraq to My Overwrought Colleagues," accused opponents of being spoiled elitists whose revolt against so-called "directed assignments" is embarrassing.

"To my vexed and overwrought colleagues, I say take a deep breath and calm down," wrote John Matel, a career diplomat working in a provincial reconstruction team in al-Anbar province. "All of us volunteered for this kind of work and we have enjoyed a pretty sweet lifestyle most of our careers."

"This sound and fury at Foggy Bottom truly signifies nothing," he said, referring to the State Department's headquarters. "Get over it! I do not think many Americans feel sorry for us and it is embarrassing for people with our privileges to paint ourselves as victims."

-snip-

"I find the sentiments expressed by some at the town hall meeting deeply offensive," he wrote. "What are they implying about me and my choice? And what do they say to our colleagues in the military, who left friends and family to come here and do their jobs?"

"Calling Iraq a death sentence is just way over the top," he added. "I volunteered to come here aware of the risks but confident that I will come safely home, as do the vast majority of soldiers and Marines, who have a lot riskier jobs than we FSOs (foreign service officers) do.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: civilservants; cowards; foggybottom; johnmatel; pantywaists; shadowgovernment; statedepartment; wusses

1 posted on 11/06/2007 7:09:48 PM PST by RDTF
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To: RDTF

Matel for the next Secretary of State!


2 posted on 11/06/2007 7:10:46 PM PST by RDTF ("Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear". Mark Twain)
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To: RDTF

Well, too many of the State Department weinies have outted themselves.
By showing they repudiate this sentiment:

“Ask not what your country can do for you;
ask what you can do for your country.”
—John Kennedy


3 posted on 11/06/2007 7:15:14 PM PST by VOA
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To: RedRover; freema; SandRat; StarCMC

this guy gets it


4 posted on 11/06/2007 7:16:56 PM PST by RDTF ("Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear". Mark Twain)
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To: RDTF

“A Letter From Iraq to My Overwrought Colleagues,”

SB

“A Letter From Iraq to My OverWEIGHT Colleagues,”


5 posted on 11/06/2007 7:17:12 PM PST by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: RDTF
"Get over it! I do not think many Americans feel sorry for us and it is embarrassing for people with our privileges to paint ourselves as victims."

Dear Foggy Bottom: I volunteer to go where the State Department's selfish liberal wimps won't. (Please FReepmail me.)

6 posted on 11/06/2007 7:17:42 PM PST by sionnsar (trad-anglican.faithweb.com |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: RDTF

Great letter!!


7 posted on 11/06/2007 7:23:42 PM PST by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: RDTF

Duke it out all they want on the pavement. If they wont go where they are assigned, they are less than worthless and should all be fired immediately.


8 posted on 11/06/2007 7:25:17 PM PST by DGHoodini (" I'm singin these words 'cause they fit in well with the notes i'm playin...")
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To: DGHoodini

These leftists and cowards are what have rotted our foreign service since the Carter years, and have worked on undermining Reagan and both Bushes. Too many Clintonistas still remain embedded like termites in the State Dept. and have brought with them their ‘surrender” mentality in a world in which “surrender” is tantamount to death.

Time to thin the herd, starting with this crybaby Croddy.

PS: A member of my synagogue served both in Iraq and Afghanistan, while HER son served in Iraq. She is a Lt. Col. and one brave woman. A great family of American heroes, not like those State Dept. wimps.


9 posted on 11/06/2007 7:31:28 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper (Madmax, the Grinning Reaper)
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To: VOA

I wouldn’t have used that statement in context with these weenies since JFKs writers pretty much lifted the statement from Martin Van Buren’s inaugral in 1837. It is true that these weasels have no honor or dedication to the service of their country.


10 posted on 11/06/2007 8:34:47 PM PST by RJS1950 (The democrats are the "enemies foreign and domestic" cited in the federal oath)
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To: RDTF

They are just the tip of the iceberg of spoiled-elitist-brats-who’ve-never-known-a-hardship-they-couldn’t-turn-their-backs-on-kinda-people this ‘Administration’ should have FIRED en-masse in January 2001 but didn’t, for ‘feel-good’, “can’t we all just get along?!” reasons. Naive.


11 posted on 11/06/2007 8:55:26 PM PST by NDNBill
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To: RDTF
"Matel for the next Secretary of State! "

We definitely need a new one NOW! Condi is "nice", and her intelligence is unquestioned, but I do not believe that she possesses the requisite leadership attitude for a Secretary of State. I would say that we need a John Bolton or a Don Rumsfeld. Her control of her own employees (lack thereof) in this current scandal is particularly damning.

12 posted on 11/06/2007 9:06:49 PM PST by matthew fuller (Crop-circles, killer rabbits and UFO'S are caused by GLOBAL WARMING!)
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To: sionnsar
Dear Foggy Bottom: I volunteer to go where the State Department's selfish liberal wimps won't. (Please FReepmail me.)

Me, too!
I'd love to see, first hand, the job our troops have done. Imagine being present at the birth of a new democracy. I would be honored to be chosen to go.

13 posted on 11/06/2007 9:08:41 PM PST by reformed_democrat ("... it's a dishonor to leave your allies." President Traian Basescu, Romania)
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To: Max Friedman
Time to thin the herd

If only it could be done sooner than later.....

14 posted on 11/07/2007 2:13:21 AM PST by x_plus_one (The entire Islamic moral universe devolves solely from the life and teachings of Muhammad.)
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To: RDTF; 1stbn27; 2111USMC; 2nd Bn, 11th Mar; 68 grunt; A.A. Cunningham; ASOC; AirForceBrat23; ...

Ping


15 posted on 11/07/2007 2:37:15 AM PST by freema (Proud Marine Niece, Daughter, Wife, Friend, Sister, Aunt, Cousin, Mother, and FRiend)
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To: RDTF
"This sound and fury at Foggy Bottom truly signifies nothing," he said, referring to the State Department's headquarters. "Get over it! I do not think many Americans feel sorry for us and it is embarrassing for people with our privileges to paint ourselves as victims."

LOL! Matel sure hit it the nail on the head with that one.

16 posted on 11/07/2007 10:06:47 AM PST by SuziQ
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To: freema

A person’s true colors comes out when the rubber meets the road. This people have in most cases lived lives of luxuary in safe conditions, with all kinds of perks. Now the rubber will meet the road.


17 posted on 11/07/2007 2:54:35 PM PST by Marine_Uncle (Duncan Hunter for POTUS)
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To: RDTF
Mr. Matel has a office right next to mine. I am proud to work with him. He has been more than professional and very enthusiastic about his work and has no fear....

Semper Fidelis to Mr. Matel!

18 posted on 11/08/2007 8:54:56 AM PST by XtreMarine
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