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Article: Iraq, the Foreign Service, and duty.
- Article from:
- American Diplomacy
- Article date:
- November 6, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 American Diplomacy Publishers. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Many of us older Foreign Service veterans have been dismayed, and, yes, made ashamed of an institution we love, by recent press reports of a "revolt" in the Foreign Service over the prospect of "directed assignments" to Iraq. Calling service in Iraq "a potential death sentence," one FSO at an October 31 "town hall meeting" in the State Department, attended by several hundred of his colleagues, drew "sustained applause" when he asked "Who will take care of our children?" and called for the closure of the Embassy in Baghdad.
As should have been expected, these sentiments do not play well with most Americans, even those who oppose the war. Here are some comments ...