State Department Blog Publishes Letter Calling Anti-Iraq War Diplomats ‘Wimps’ And ‘Weenies’
State Department Blog Publishes Letter Calling Anti-Iraq War Diplomats ‘Wimps’ And ‘Weenies’
The State Department recently announced that it will force at least 50 diplomats to take posts in Iraq next year “because of expected shortfalls in filling openings there, the first such large-scale forced assignment since the Vietnam War.” Several hundred diplomats swiftly “vented” their “anger and frustration” over the forced posting, likening it to a “potential death sentence.”
The right wing has angrily attacked these diplomats. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), for example, said he had personally urged President Bush to fire them for speaking out:
I’ve recommended to the President today that we do this — that we fire those recalcitrant State Department personnel who say it’s too dangerous for them to go back to Baghdad. They want another assignment — let them leave the service.
Yesterday, the State Department joined in the bashing. On its Dipnote blog, it published an open letter by career Foreign Service Officer John Matel. In the letter, Matel insinuates that diplomats who refuse to serve in Iraq are “embarrassing” “wimps and weenies”:
We signed up to be worldwide available. All of us volunteered for this kind of work and we have enjoyed a pretty sweet lifestyle most of our careers. I will not repeat what the Marines say when I bring up this subject. I tell them that most FSOs are not wimps and weenies. I will not share this article with them and I hope they do not see it. […]
We all know that few FSOs will REALLY be forced to come to Iraq anyway. Our system really does not work like that. This sound and fury at Foggy Bottom truly signifies nothing. 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.
The State Department’s blog post appears aimed at providing fodder for the right-wing blogosphere, which has been ripping the “diplowimps” who refuse to serve in Iraq.
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38 Responses to “State Department Blog Publishes Letter Calling Anti-Iraq War Diplomats ‘Wimps’ And ‘Weenies’”
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the state dept is corrupt to the core, who cares what those LIARS say? better to be alive then take a chance dying for republican/taliban ideology.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:43 pmCan’t we just throw Condi under the bus and get it over with?
November 7th, 2007 at 1:49 pmgood….that should finally drive home the constant threat of death that others live under.
next? draft the young republican chickenhawks to the front lines….starting with the bush twins.
can’t wait to see these idiots leading the charge into iran.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:50 pmWorldwide available = WWA
John Matel’s cry!
November 7th, 2007 at 1:51 pmCan’t we just throw Condi under the bus and get it over with?
Comment by kindness — November 7, 2007 @ 1:49 pm
yeah and be sure to backover her for good measure.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:51 pmVery disgraceful. I agree. Rotten to the core. It is a shame that Girlfriday Rice and State Department are making those diplomats write their own death sentence in forcing them to Iraq.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:52 pmyup - sounds like Repig neocons:
You’re a wimp if you don’t do what we tell you! Aren’t we going? No, we have better things to do here.
Just like in Vietnam when the chickenhawks now in charge had a chance to FIGHT FOR FREEDOM and CONTROL THE COMMUNIST SCOURGE (and most if not all of them got deferment after deferment after deferment)…
ahh but that’s the beauty of being part of the privileged class: you get to have others fight your wars, do your dirty work, while you sit back and collect the cash.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:52 pmSo, is Mr. Matel going to be the first to request an assignment to Iraq?
November 7th, 2007 at 1:53 pmYikes. That’s wrong on so many levels - I just don’t know where to start…
November 7th, 2007 at 1:57 pmAnd yeah, send CONDI to Iraq. Permanently.
November 7th, 2007 at 1:57 pmThe State Department’s blog post appears aimed at providing fodder for the right-wing blogosphere, which has been ripping the “diplowimps†who refuse to serve in Iraq.
Um…and all those bloggers are already serving in Iraq themselves? Pot, meet kettle.
I am assuming that our diplomats who DO serve in Iraq under the “death sentence” will receive the same advantages given our military there — combat training, body armor, armored equipment, guns and training in their use — plus hazardous duty and combat pay?
November 7th, 2007 at 1:58 pmUnsaid in the post, but Condi had asked the Marines to fill these spots, initially. She knew that many of these ‘career diplomats’ would not be open to actually putting body where mouth is.
The Marines said no.
Every congress critter that voted for the war should, by default, have to serve a minimum of 6 months in Iraq. Everyone of them.
This would be a quicker solution than a draft and allow our elected officials a first hand look at the mess’Opotomia quagmire.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:02 pmIf it’s so safe to be there, then Bush, Cheney and Condi shouldn’t be such WEENIES and they should move into Baghdad as a show of solidarity!
November 7th, 2007 at 2:03 pmFormer Repub Gov. reduced to cleaning toilets…or whatever
November 7th, 2007 at 2:10 pmIf they’re looking for cowardly weenies, they should stop by the Oval Office or the Veep’s palace.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:12 pmIf antiwar diplomats are “weenies”, doesn’t that make the pro-war ones criminals?
I think it does.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:17 pmTP, you must read this post which Mr Matel links to in his State Dept blog post:
http://johnsonmatel.com/ blog1/ 2007/ 10/ we_few_we_happy_few.html
In it, he writes of his decision to go to Iraq:
“I would not have made the same choice when my kids were younger.”
On the State blog, he writes:
“I volunteered to come here aware of the risks but confident that I will come safely home”
I don’t intend to impugn Mr Matel, just want to know how he squares what he wrote on his blog with his sudden criticism of State colleagues.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:18 pmThe State Department’s blog post appears aimed at providing fodder for the right-wing blogosphere, which has been ripping the “diplowimps†who refuse to serve in Iraq.
I bet those bloggers were typing from Iraq…and not in the Green Zone.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:26 pmhow diplomatic of matel to post that message denouncing his colleagues.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:26 pmI am assuming that our diplomats who DO serve in Iraq under the “death sentence†will receive the same advantages given our military there — combat training, body armor, armored equipment, guns and training in their use — plus hazardous duty and combat pay?
Comment by missmolly — November 7, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
That’s why they have Blackwater. Duh!
Besides, it’s not like the Diplo-Rambos who do go to Baghdad are going to be leaving the 104-acre compound all that often. They’ll have more contact with Iraqis in Foggy Bottom than in Baghdad.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:27 pmI bet those bloggers were typing from Iraq…and not in the Green Zone.
Comment by Juan C. — November 7, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
Are there any Iraqi bloggers left? I thought they all were “guests” in Jordan and Syria by now.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:28 pmwow and they wonder why Bush is more hated than Nixon go figure
November 7th, 2007 at 2:29 pmUnsaid in the post, but Condi had asked the Marines to fill these spots, initially. She knew that many of these ‘career diplomats’ would not be open to actually putting body where mouth is.
The Marines said no.
Every congress critter that voted for the war should, by default, have to serve a minimum of 6 months in Iraq. Everyone of them.
This would be a quicker solution than a draft and allow our elected officials a first hand look at the mess’Opotomia quagmire.
Comment by Zimzone — November 7, 2007 @ 2:02 pm
#
Wow. Do you have a link to this?
November 7th, 2007 at 2:29 pmWas Mr. Matel in Iraq when he said this or was he just toying with us?
November 7th, 2007 at 2:29 pmI thought they all were “guests†in Jordan and Syria by now.
Comment by toasterhead
Guests means prostitutes, right?
November 7th, 2007 at 2:30 pmGuests means prostitutes, right?
Comment by Juan C. — November 7, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
We like to call them “subcontractors” now.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:35 pmNote that ‘Dipnotes’ comments have to be approved by moderator - I wonder how many non-right wing messages will they publish?
November 7th, 2007 at 2:38 pmUnsaid in the post, but Condi had asked the Marines to fill these spots, initially. She knew that many of these ‘career diplomats’ would not be open to actually putting body where mouth is.
The Marines said no.
Every congress critter that voted for the war should, by default, have to serve a minimum of 6 months in Iraq. Everyone of them.
This would be a quicker solution than a draft and allow our elected officials a first hand look at the mess’Opotomia quagmire.
Comment by Zimzone — November 7, 2007 @ 2:02 pm
Wow. Do you have a link to this? -Comment by Chris L
No, Chris, I don’t. I believe it was in the first quarter of this year, and I read it here on TP. It struck me as unbelievable that a Sec/State would ask the military to subsidize diplomatic efforts, but the ‘MSM’, as usual, didn’t see it as news.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:42 pmCaption:
November 7th, 2007 at 2:44 pm‘Hmmm, which little lie did I tell them back then?’
Force the fools at the Weekly Standard go in their place and see if the story changes…This is stupidity.
November 7th, 2007 at 3:08 pm#23 - Chris L. Here’s one link (from Feb, 2007):
“In Senate testimony yesterday, it was revealed that while the State Department is creating 350 new positions to support the Iraqi government during the surge, it has a manpower shortfall so severe that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is requesting the U.S. military — already overburdened — to fill up to a third of the civilian jobs. Defense Secretary Gates told Senators pronounced himself disappointed by Rice’s request; be sure that Rice will have to answer for it in testimony tomorrow before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.”
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002496.php
November 7th, 2007 at 3:36 pmThey do need to fill positions like ‘missionary’, ‘doggie style’, etc…
November 7th, 2007 at 3:42 pmLeadership! Condi becomes Head of Mission and the Dips will flock to her banner in the Emerald Zone!
November 7th, 2007 at 4:22 pmHmmm? they created 350 new positions. Filled all but 50 and have to force people to take the last 50. I bet they do a heck of a job. : )
November 7th, 2007 at 5:39 pmlove that photo
“Did you cut that fart or did moi?”
November 7th, 2007 at 5:59 pmOkay then; sign up Rep. Duncan Hunter, FSO John Matel, & Condi Rice to be first on the list to serve at posts in Iraq.
If I’m not mistaken, Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, and Donald Rumsfeld are looking for work. Paul Wolfowitz is available too, I think!
Heck, why doesn’t the whole neocon crowd that got America into the worst foreign policy debacle in US history just just shut up and sign up?
While they’re at it, how about Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, O’Reilly, Morgan, Malkin, Beck and the all the rest just lead the way with a media PR blitz to sign up all the war for profit supporters, and then join them in the green zone. They can then be in charge of all Iraqi media and convince the 4+million displaced Iraqis, along with the additional 5000 displaced monthly, to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain and just click their heals.
Problem solved!
November 7th, 2007 at 6:29 pmThe State Department’s blog post appears aimed at providing fodder for the right-wing blogosphere, which has been ripping the “diplowimps†who refuse to serve in Iraq.
—————–
I have an idea: Condi should set up her State Department office in the Green Zone in Baghdad.
Her EXAMPLE would do wonders for the recruitment effort!
November 7th, 2007 at 11:18 pmhahah these idiots keep eating thier own.. love it!
November 8th, 2007 at 5:28 am