U.S. State Department Employees Protest Iraq Assigments

Not surprised in the least that Brother Franklin posted this. I've already written my congressman over the issue, and if anybody remembers my distrust of the politicians, you'll notice what a momentous thing I think this is. A brief exerpt from my email to my Representative

What really sets me off about the whole thing is how this bureaucrat doesn't even consider the fact that some self-sacrifice on their part might be the right thing to do. "Ask not what your country can do for you..." anyone? 18 year old Privates in the Army step off the plane on a regular basis, fully willing to sacrifice their youth, their future, their health because thats what the country demands of them. Jack Croddy, who has clearly been with State for some time, doesn't understand that his country needs him to serve not for his own good, but for the good of the many. And the fact that he thinks what he "believes in" makes the slightest difference is another travesty. At what point did government jobs become voluntary? Everyone remembers the coward that "didn't believe in" going to Iraq because he said it was an illegal war - he's being Court Martialed. If someone in the FBI said "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't believe in arresting that guy because he didn't steal all that much," the Agent would probably go to jail. But the State Department? Oh, they can't be forced on assignment.

The State Department should be embarassed. This guy should be cleaning out his desk right now.

(The State Department should be embarassed anyway for the utter failure concerning their parts in the Iraq campaign, but that's an entirely different discussion.)

These guys need to wake up and realize that the world has changed. The State Department used to play a major role in American diplomacy and it was precisely the guys who worked in the shittiest little backwaters that made the biggest difference. The Cold War, however, had the same deliterious effect on the State Department as it had on DoD. We didn't want to go out and fight little wars in little backwaters either, we wanted to use our sexy high tech new toys in massive formations in Central Europe, go home, drink some German beer and pat ourselves on the back for doing a great job. Likewise, the State Department got used to hobnobbing with Europeans at big black tie affairs fancying themselves as James Bond wanna-bes or sculpting their career track to make ambassador. DoD had to swallow the bitter pill that we aren't very likely to fight a big peer enemy in a place where they make great beer. We forgot that those big wars we reminisced about (WWI, WWII) that led to the Cold War were started in a crappy little backwater, and so did 9/11. It looks like we are going to be focusing on such out of the way places for some time. State guys were involved in the Philippine reconstruction and heavily involved in Central America in the Wilson era. They used to be a really significant player in US foreign policy. Now they seem to be messenger boys.

If the State Department doesn't do diplomacy in such places BEFORE we have to get involved, what hope do we EVER have at achieving peace and stability? If we have to go into some of these failed states, like Afghanistan, how will we ever get them stablized and back into a functioning society that won't go down the path of the dark side again without people who know a little bit about governance? Counter-insurgency is NOT the same thing as counter-guerilla tactics--the biggest, most important piece is building legitimate, functioning institutions. Even if the DoD had people qualified to do that, such institutions must be in accords with national policy and have international legitimacy--hence STATE DEPARTMENT, who has all the connections and know all the rules.

Ok, so maybe some of these people are ideologically against the war in Iraq. That's OBE (Overcome by Events). The fact is that Iraq must be rebuilt, and it will be one way or another. Rebuilding Iraq does not necessarily condone the invasion, and if you are a member of the State Department, then as with the military, you receive your orders and carry them out or you resign. Hiding out in some position to maintain your job until this "blows over" and letting others do the leg work is unacceptable. Again--you are either a USG employee, or not. Picking and chosing your fight is as wrong for State as it is for DoD.

As for risk, as I mentioned earlier, State guys used to go on the risky tough missions all the time, especially in the Wilson era. They were major players in executing US foreign policy. During the Cold War they were nearly eclipsed by DoD and State guys gripe about the disparity in their budgets, resources and personnel all the time. That should change, but that also means State has to suck it up and actually use those people and resources. As for risk, a major complaint in Iraq and Afghanistan is that you can't get the State people you do have out of the FOB. There is little interagecy cooperation (they stove-pipe back to their bosses up the chain of command all the way back to DC). They insist security must be in place BEFORE going out and doing their part. What they don't seem to get is that their part is an integral part of setting lasting security--it's not sequential. Don't get me wrong, there are some great people out there, but my statement here reflects the bulk of what I've seen and heard about the State Department.

My answer is they need to find capable people willing to go do the tough jobs and reward them accordingly. The guys who make stuff happen in Afghanistan should be promoted and rewarded far more lavishly than the guy who takes the cushy posting. I understand they don't want to promote some knuckle-dragger who spent his life in the bush to suddenly be the ambassador to some country where certain courtly manners count, but I submit that most "knuckledraggers" who do well would fully appreciate the importance of cultural awareness and manners more than a Yale grad who never saw the more fatal consequenses of poor manners. On the other hand, if I am wrong (I have had my understanding and adherence to protocol questioned often, so what do I know about courtly manners?) then perhaps they could have different tracks--just as long as they sufficiently reward the expeditionary guys well enough and have the promotion headroom for them to attract the best and brightest to that line of work. Right now that obviously isn't happening, and the wanna-be Black Tie State guys are obviously over-compensated and need a dose of reality as to where their agency needs to focus.

Here is Condoleezza Rice's message to Diplomats. I think they have to go.

You know, these foreign service guys are right. Who are we to make them serve in a foriegn country. I bet that it's not even in their job description. Besides, it would totally suck to go to Iraq right now. I bet a lot of them have stuff going on in their personal lives that they don't want to leave. What if one of their wives has a baby while they are gone?

I've been to the Green Zone a few times in my travels around here and let me tell you, amen on the death sentence comment. The current embassy there is classic B-team. The coffee shop inside is called the "Green Bean," not "Starbucks." Ghett-ohhhh. The indoor plumbing is so overrated too. The pressure leaves a little bit to be desired. For lunch, they have this little sandwich bar set up that actually is ok. The bars that you slide your tray on are bent slightly towards you though, so you have to hold your tray with your hips so it won't fall off while you are serving yourself. Our foreign service guys shouldn't have to put up with shit like that. The Fed-Ex place is second rate as well. They aren't open all the time and the guy there has this, like, foreign accent. Blech. Yeah, shut that place down.

The foreign service guys should stay home and leave the sentences of death, worrying about who will take care of their children, and the actual work of putting a country back together to the Army (even though they are mostly trained for stuff like fighting and not for stuff like contracting, which they do anyway). At least when they come home they appreciate what they have. Don't worry diplomats, we'll just chill out over here while you make up your minds on what kinds of people you are.