State Dept misfires in Iraq pitch to diplomats.
State Dept misfires in Iraq pitch to diplomats.
Patricia Butenis, deputy chief of the U.S. mission in Iraq, today tried to convince her diplomatic colleagues that working in Iraq isn’t so bad — despite all the attacks:
“There are all kinds of opportunities here,” said Patricia Butenis, the deputy chief of the US mission.
“There are people who think we live under a constant barrage of mortar attacks, but it isn’t that way all the time.” [...]
“I think some of it is based on not knowing what it is to be here. It’s true, two days after I got here we had 36 EFP (explosively-formed penetrators) strikes,” she said.
“That was serious, it’s scary. But you adapt, you get used to it.”
Another senior official, Charles Reis, also insisted that “service here is not as rough as I thought it was. The AC is functioning!”
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Time for Condi to sign up for duty in Baghdad. No more quick flights in and out. Give her an assignment on the streets of Iraq.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:10 pm“It’s true, there’s a risk of cholera, but hey! It’s a great high colonic!”
November 5th, 2007 at 8:14 pmshit im sold! sign me up!
November 5th, 2007 at 8:14 pm…Service is not as rough as I thought…, specially when you begin to enjoy the ‘Surge’.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:19 pmWow. Just wow. We’re so screwed.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:23 pmIraq is Great Once You Get Used to the Mortars
Sounds like a realty agent that tried to sell me a condo near the train. “They only go by so often and you get used to it”….except there wasn’t a chance of the train to come crashing on top of me in the middle of the night and killing me.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:37 pmNeat! It not just a job…it’s an adventure. I’m sure they’ll make a real difference there
November 5th, 2007 at 8:44 pmWelcome to the Jerry Springer Zone . . .
If you aint trailor trash, venture no further.
Daily Kos & The Notion offer fine alternatives.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:45 pmIt’s just gets better and better, doesn’t it?
November 5th, 2007 at 8:55 pmNow listen, you guys. You know how hard it is to hear a train rumble by the house when you first move in, but you get used to it to the point you really don’t notice it anymore? Same thing with mortars. They may bother you at first, but you get used to it. It’s really not that bad. There is nothing like the smell of burning aluminum wiring in the new embassy to get your blood pumping in the morning.
November 5th, 2007 at 9:04 pmSo this is why some State Department employees will have to be drafted into Iraq?
Come on, this comes on heels of the story released this weekend about the SD workers stating they do not want to go work in Iraq.
Well, if this Bimbo is having good time over there, good for her, we can do without another Bimbo in this country.
November 5th, 2007 at 9:05 pmWas the stress on the words, by any chance:
“but it isn’t that way **ALL** the time”
There are 0.2 seconds between each bullet fire?
November 5th, 2007 at 9:17 pmOne can’t help but wonder: How many of those forced to serve in Iraq will prove to be “dissenters”, “whistle blowers”, or Democrats? I can’t shake this image of Maj. Hochstetter (Hogan’s Heroes) screaming, “You vill go to the Eastern front, and you vill serve until you are dead!”
November 5th, 2007 at 9:31 pm“Hey, Man, the wound wasn’t that bad! It only hurts when I laugh, breathe, walk (maybe! I just haven’t learned to stand on one leg yet), and have to eat or pee. Other than that this is a wonderful assignment which I will begrudgingly leave to you. Which, by the way, is the only way they will let me leave: when I find a willing replacement.”
November 5th, 2007 at 9:32 pmWow! It’s so great there, she’s alive to tell the tale!
November 5th, 2007 at 9:40 pmThere is so much opportunity there that I am surprised 2,500,000 people have left the country. I am surprised that it has been declared the #2 failed state in the world. I am surprised that only one in eight children live to the age of five.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:01 pmI meant one in eight children do not live to the age of five. One in four in Afghanistan.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:03 pmare they trying to tell us,
“the odds of getting out of here alive are better than getting hit by lightning!”
ahhh, the grass is always greener.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:09 pm“Like, hey,… if you get blown up, you won’t feel a thing!” :-)
What a deal! Who do these guys think they are kidding?? That is NOTHING compared to what the Iraqis wake up to and deal with every single day.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:10 pmI’ve never seen such a totally incompetent bunch in my life. These people have no clue.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:13 pmThese diplomats are just so negative. Really, every day in Iraq is like the Fourth of July. KABOOM.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:39 pmSign up for Iraq duty…
November 5th, 2007 at 10:58 pmThe AC works most of the time.
Ear plugs provided.
If you liked the Halloween haunted houses, you will love this place.
“There are all kinds of opportunities here,†said Patricia Butenis, the deputy chief of the US mission.
“There are people who think we live under a constant barrage of mortar attacks, but it isn’t that way all the time.†[…]
“I think some of it is based on not knowing what it is to be here. It’s true, two days after I got here we had 36 EFP (explosively-formed penetrators) strikes,†she said.
“That was serious, it’s scary. But you adapt, you get used to it.â€
***********************************
When trying to think of a way to describe this, the saying “damning with faint praise” seems to leap almost immediately to mind for some unaccountable reason…
November 5th, 2007 at 10:59 pmI suppose this is more evidence that liberals can’t handle good news from Iraq.
No matter how much the situation in Iraq improves, the far-left is so invested in defeat, they simply cannot accept it.
If the folks who are actually working there can accept it, why can’t you?
Comment by O. Bigfoot — November 5, 2007 @ 10:48 pm
Because, after all, the air conditioning works in the Green Zone. Everything must be grand.
It’s so damn wonderful that a whole bunch of State Department employees were objecting to their superiors about being conscripted to serve there.
What in God’s name are you blathering about/
November 5th, 2007 at 11:11 pmwow, the AC is working, is that because the Green Zone has backup generators courtesy of Halliburton? Is the Green Zone even on the Iraqi power grid?
November 5th, 2007 at 11:14 pmOne can’t help but wonder: How many of those forced to serve in Iraq will prove to be “dissentersâ€, “whistle blowersâ€, or Democrats? I can’t shake this image of Maj. Hochstetter (Hogan’s Heroes) screaming, “You vill go to the Eastern front, and you vill serve until you are dead!†— Pete
********************************
Actually, that was one of the very first things I thought when I heard that some State Department personnel would be forced to serve in Iraq…I found myself wondering “how many of those who will end up going are the same ones whom the Bush administration perceives to be undesirables within the department — people who don’t march in lockstep quite as well, quite as often, or quite as successfully as they should? Is it possible that these people are more likely to be chosen (even if only unconsciously) out of the desire to punish them for having the temerity — for having the colossal gall — for demonstrating independence of thought and having opinions which do not perfectly coincide with administration policy?” Impossible? I think not — especially not with people at the helm such as Bush, who has shown throughout his presidency a pronounced tendency to take personal offense at any disagreement or criticism no matter how slight.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:15 pm…two days after I got here we had 36 EFP (explosively-formed penetrators) strikes,†she said.
“That was serious, it’s scary. But you adapt, you get used to it.†– said Patricia Butenis, the deputy chief of the US mission to Iraq
===========================
“He loves me, that’s why he keeps beating me”.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:19 pmThe chickens are coming home to roost.
I realized the Bush/Cheney administration was Big Lying our nation into unleashing war upon Iraq during the summer of 2002. In point of fact, it took but a single radio/propaganda broadcast for me to instantly comprehend what was about to unfold. Not because I’m wise, mind you. I’m just old enough to have understood the import of what is was that I was hearing.
These state department professionals played along with The Machine, to which they swore their allegiance, when the chips were down.
As a citizen and voter, if asked (ha-ha), I’d support their refusal to be stationed in the hell-hole that is Iraq.
But they insult even my intelligence by play-acting that somehow they’re innocent sheep being led to a potential slaughter.
They knew the score way back, most of them anyway, but chose to put career before country. They understood the character of the administration, and willfully turned a blind eye.
However understandable, their collective bleating today leaves me cold.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:33 pmMs. Butenis, what a perfect name: a variation on Butt-in-ski… it sums up the whole sorry mess in a word…
Just sing along now, “I’m just wild about I-rack, and I-rack’s just wild about me…”
These Bushies are totally out of their farking minds…
November 5th, 2007 at 11:49 pmThe AC is working? Dude, sign me up!
November 5th, 2007 at 11:52 pmDo you have a coherent point, francie?
Ironic name, by the way…
November 6th, 2007 at 12:00 amAw crap! Vichy Francy is in the house. I’m not in the mood for such monumental idiocy. G’night humans.
You too Trolls.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:01 amZooey,,, since NEW ORLEANS is not safe FEDERAL employees should not HAVE to go there (like IRAQ)..
I hope this clears up your confusion…
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:03 am
Thanks, Scooter. I’m no longer confused. You’re batshit insane.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:08 amWhat if a federal employee does not want to go to a place (not necessarily dangerous) but kinda lame nonetheless…. do they still have to go?
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:07 am
Yes. It’s called “part of the job.” Have you always been this dumb, Scooter?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:09 amAre you talking about the deaths from Katrina, and it’s aftermath, Scooter? Yes, I’m sure you would agree that the misunderstood Bush government just needs another chance.
It used to be a lovely place.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:15 amZooey,,, who decides what and WHERE is part of the job?
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:14 am
The boss.
Thanks for acknowledging your stupidity.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:16 amIf the folks who are actually working there can accept it, why can’t you?
Comment by O. Bigfoot — November 5, 2007 @ 10:48 pm
The people hired to work in Iraq for the US were practically Bush cultists. You wouldn’t accept the word of a Peoples Temple member as to the true conditions of Jonestown.
But since they are having a great deal of trouble now getting enough State Dept people to work there, there are not enough who “accept it”.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:17 amNEW ORLEANS a “lovely place,, even before katrinaâ€,,
OK DUDE get off the meth now,,,
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:18 am
I guess you had never been there. I have.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:19 amc’mon,,, zooey,,, your parents did’nt name you that for nothin,,,, out with the answer already…
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:15 am
My parents didn’t name me at all. They let me choose my own name when I was 14. Do you like it?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:20 amfrancie,
We have made over 20% of Iraqis either dead or refugees. Don’t compare that to the US, because that would equate to 65,000,000 Americans being either killed or made refugees in the past 4 3/4 years.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:23 amHell, Scooter. If this government and State Dept weren’t such hell holes themselves, the employees wouldn’t be having this problem, don’t you see? Yeah, the Prez is the ultimate Deciderer, but since he f_cked up the whole process, people are having to go public to expose it. That’s just too sad, ain’t it?
Hey, thanks for the help with my issues, man.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:24 amHey Zooey, who’s your friend?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:25 amdo they still have to go?
Comment by francie
Yeah, Baghdad must be lame…not dangerous but lame. Riiight.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:25 amI love it…..
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:23 am
Yeah, I live the totally free life. No birth certificate. No social security card. Completely anonymous. I can kill people and bury ‘em on my back 40, and no one would ever know….
November 6th, 2007 at 12:26 amNew Orleans has (i believe) the highest murder rate of any city in this country… even after all the folks after KATRINA left… I mean who’s left to kill who..?
Comment by francie
Welcome to STRAY OUT OF TOPIC.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:26 amI have read that the Green Zone has its own power grid, own gasoline, own water, own sewage treatment, own restaurants, own bus routes,etc.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:28 amHey Zooey, who’s your friend?
Comment by Keith — November 6, 2007 @ 12:25 am
Hey, Keith. This is my friend Scooter, who is currently going by the name francie. We just met tonight. ;)
November 6th, 2007 at 12:28 amWelcome to STRAY OUT OF TOPIC.
Comment by Juan C. — November 6, 2007 @ 12:26 am
Hey Juan, don’t be so mean to my new friend Scooter. ;)
November 6th, 2007 at 12:30 amI have read that the Green Zone has its own power grid, own gasoline, own water, own sewage treatment, own restaurants, own bus routes,etc.
Comment by Keith — November 6, 2007 @ 12:28 am
I bet NO is totally jealous of that sweet deal.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:31 amI really think Iraq is stable now.
4.4 million Iraqis have been forced to leave their homes.
Yeepee. Yapi. Yoo.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:31 amMy parents didn’t name me at all. They let me choose my own name when I was 14. Do you like it?
Comment by Zooey — November 6, 2007 @ 12:20 am
Oooh, ooh! I know! I know! A Thousand Clowns!
Do I get a prize?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:31 amHey Juan, don’t be so mean to my new friend Scooter. ;)
Comment by Zooey
You still got it, baby. :D
November 6th, 2007 at 12:32 am,,, and considering 100 years of LIBTARD run city,,, they most certainly have passed 20% a long time ago,,,
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:28 am
But if that was a Conservative city, that would be a total tragedy, right?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:32 amZooey,,,, i’ll take the plane bomb over the neighborhood METH dude any day…
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:31 am
That wasn’t me, sweets. Try to keep track…
November 6th, 2007 at 12:33 amDo I get a prize?
Comment by gummitch — November 6, 2007 @ 12:31 am
You get to pick your own name!!
November 6th, 2007 at 12:34 amIf Bush had spent a tiny amount of money to properly maintain the levees, New Orleans would not have been destroyed and the murder rate would be lower. If he had not invaded Iraq (based on a pack of lies) we would have saved one million lives, $2 Trillion, 4.5 million refugees, and be more secure.
Red states receive more from the taxpayers than Blue states—you are arguing on a false assumption, francie.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:34 amYou still got it, baby. :D
Comment by Juan C. — November 6, 2007 @ 12:32 am
Heh.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:35 amNow thats somthin
Comment by francie
Must be something related to the defunding of Engineer Corp´s budget by the Bush admin knowing the chances of a 5 level hurricane.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:35 amNO,,, a total trajedy would make it a conservative city with LIBTARD policies… Of course it by definition would fail to be a conservative city….
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:34 am
Yeah, but what if, Scooter!! What if the next big one hits Lynchburg, VA? And what if there’s a Dem president, you know y’all are due a little payback, right? Complete clusterf_ck!
November 6th, 2007 at 12:37 amComment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:36 am
Wrong again. Do you just make these things up as you go along?
And Zooey, can you give us “subtitles” explaing what your friend means?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:39 amBush put more towards the levees in that city than Clinton did,,, of course Clinton just hates blacks so it makes perfect sense…
Comment by francie
Yeah, that drowned man whose floating body was shown all around the world at a corner of flooded New Orlean street would agree…I guess.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:39 amI lost my troll-english english-troll dictionary.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:40 amZooey,, whether the next one hits wherever is not the point,,, being FORCED to go to NEW ORLEANS or IRAQ as a FEDERAL employee is….
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:39 am
Come on, Scooter! They’ve got some sweet music down there, and potent drinks. And the strippers? Wooo!!
November 6th, 2007 at 12:40 amAnd Zooey, can you give us “subtitles†explaing what your friend means?
Comment by Keith — November 6, 2007 @ 12:39 am
If only I knew…. ;)
November 6th, 2007 at 12:41 amIs francie really from Lynchburg? Because Patrick Henry H.S. just whipped E.C. Glass’ @$$ !!
November 6th, 2007 at 12:41 amohhhhhhhh, poor scooter. back again playing the victim. why, scoots? why do you always whine away w/ the victim card held firmly against the heart?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:42 amZooey,,, thankfully most big cities in this countries are overpopulated with liberals,,,, so the chances are good that something beneficial would occur with a bomb in the most likely places,,,,
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:41 am
Dude, you got a bombing planned? Where? I’ve got a sweet camera.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:43 amBut ,,, PLEASE PLEASE,,, as a FED employee don’t make me or the FAMILY LIVE there,,,, just like IRAQ>..
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:43 am
I see how it is, Scooter. What goes on in NO, stays in NO, right?
*wink wink*
Don’t you think the little wife would love some of that shrimp creole, boudin, jambalaya, or crawfish etoufee? She might make it for you at home! Or she might be so grateful…..you know…
November 6th, 2007 at 12:46 amI’m beggin you,,, please,
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:45 am
Dude, are you a fed?
I was just joking around about hiding bodies on the back 40, ya know.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:48 amaw, scoots! them big bad libtards pickin’ on ya again? you’ll weather the storm, trooper. after all, if you can’t beat the namby pambies, how are you gonna play when the big bad whambe bambies start droppin?
you’ll be fine. take Zooey’s advice… learn the culture, speak the language… find some common ground for once in your life, scoot.
i little jambalaya is like chicken soup for your…. eh.
you’ll like it anyhows.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:50 amBut on the other hand it does have some really nice things,,, maybe overlooking getting killed can be arranged..?? HMMMMM
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:48 am
If you’re scared of dying, you just stay home, snug in your bed, ok? No one will think any more of you than we already do.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:50 amNo,,, not a FED,,, but don’t tell my neighbors, they let my dog crap on thiers because they THINK i’m one….
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:50 am
Dude, that’s brilliant! How come your neighbors are so stupid?
November 6th, 2007 at 12:52 amCan’t ,,, the wife already says i’m one lazy son of a B…
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:52 am
Well, women usually are pretty smart, Scooter. Damn, women! Can’t live with ‘em, can’t kill ‘em.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:54 amNow thats an open relationship,,,,
Comment by francie — November 6, 2007 @ 12:55 am
That just warms my heart, Scooter.
Welp, I gotta go sock my wife in the eye, and go to bed. Garbage run starts pretty early.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:58 amfrancie,
Are you really in Lynchburg, or was Zooey just making a Falwell/Liberty U. reference?
November 6th, 2007 at 1:02 amI was exposed to the Falwell culture in my Sunday school class at the age of nine and didn’t like it then. I like it a lot less today.
I wanted to razz about my high school football team beating the Lynchburg hs team.
November 6th, 2007 at 1:10 amI was just reading at mother jones about http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2007/10/romney-versus-log-cabin-republicans.html the log cabin commercial
November 6th, 2007 at 1:19 amHeh. What a f_cking dingleberry.
November 6th, 2007 at 1:38 amMaybe she has Rush’s pharmacist.
heyyy, you take enough oxy-cotin and it’s kinda fun…. your bed vibrates and you don’t even have to put a quarter in!
November 6th, 2007 at 2:48 am>the wife already says i’m one lazy son of a B…
perphaps your wife should take the keyboard away from you and keep you busy doing something more worthy of your mental efforts, like mowing the lawn or sweeping the leaves out of the storm-gutter. Am I correct in assumuing english isnt your first language? Have we sent the negroes to Iraq and moved the asians to Al-Orleans yet?
November 6th, 2007 at 3:11 am#13: Hilarious, I can picture him saying saying that.
#22: You first.
#35: Good one!
The rest of the thread (with a few exceptions) was allowed to be hijacked by a troller and was a big waste of time.
November 6th, 2007 at 3:39 amThis is what happens when you make war without the full support of the people.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:16 amI lived through eight months of rocket attacks in DaNang. You do get used to it.
November 6th, 2007 at 9:36 amOr dead.
The story of Iraq has always been about a small group of spineless government employees who tried to show the world their little dicks and were laughed at. they are the Bush administration, who every day show what failures they are, and how unAmerican a government they can run. Republicans can’t govern, and can’t defend the USA. Never could do either.
November 6th, 2007 at 9:39 amThat’s why they went to the ends of the earth to take Clinton down, as he was showing them up so badly. That didn’t work, either. GOP=losers.
Why, yes, patricia; even those who were condemned to the Nazi concentration camps got “used to it” after a while.
moron.
November 6th, 2007 at 11:39 am