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Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Iraq

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 05:00:14 PM EST
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As President Bush flew off on his cheerleading trip to Iraq last week, the U.S. Embassy in Iraq sent a cable with some very distressing information about problems employees are facing. The Washington Post published a copy of June 16 cable.

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    Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Iraq | 26 comments (26 topical)
    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#1)
    by Che's Lounge on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 05:59:41 PM EST
    Other than that , things are going really, really great.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 06:03:58 PM EST
    Occupation of Iraq or else there would not be an U.S.A Embassy during wartime. That's how it usually goes. Meanwhile no guns are fired at our troops only bombs. That's taking whatever is being reported by the military to the press at face value. Our troops are at the mercy of those dissatisfied with our presence. Our Military is basically sitting ducks. Can they seek help through our Embassy in Iraq. Perhaps seek political asylum.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#3)
    by Sailor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 06:20:48 PM EST
    The employees aren't safe; they get harassed at american check points, they are afraid if any one hears them speak english or carry an american cell phone, the women have fweer rights than they did under saddam ... and that's just in and around the 'green zone', imagine what the rest of the country is like. I'm sorry our resident wrongwingers won't like this truth, but facing reality is better than living, or dieing for, a lie.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#5)
    by Sailor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 07:07:39 PM EST
    Yep, just another sign that we are winning, our employees can't even mention they work for us. it just shows how desperate the insurgency is, we can't protect our own employees. Heckuva job bushie.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#6)
    by Repack Rider on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 07:28:44 PM EST
    Maybe I'm missing something here but if terrorists cannot attack either Iraqi or Coalition forces without severe repercussions it would seem that those same terrorists would target individual Iraqis and thier families instead. That seems to be working very well for them. If no Iraqis can come in contact with our forces, the "insurgents" will win. Does it bother you that our presence is deadly for anyone who cooperates? Are you willing to sacrifice your life or the life of a family member to the effort in Iraq? No? I guess if you were, you would be there. But it's okay with you if other families lose their loved ones, as long as it isn't anyone you know, or just some dumb old Iraqis dying? STFU.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#7)
    by soccerdad on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 07:39:50 PM EST
    Jimcee - thanks for all the straw men - just what we needed more of.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#8)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 07:48:10 PM EST
    But it's okay with you if other families lose their loved ones, as long as it isn't anyone you know, or just some dumb old Iraqis dying?
    Repack Rider, please understand that jimcee belongs to a class of people that believe the natural order of the universe includes hiring people to do the dirty work. In that context, Iraq is just another toilet bowl to be scrubbed by the cleaning staff. He is perfectly content to let others suffer the unpleasantness as long as he sees the benefits. He is, to quote his own words from the Lindh thread, "living his parents dreams". No matter that they are the nightmares of so many others.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 10:07:18 PM EST
    It's actually a June 6th memo, pre-Presidential-visit.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#4)
    by jimcee on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 10:11:28 PM EST
    Maybe I'm missing something here but if terrorists cannot attack either Iraqi or Coalition forces without severe repercussions it would seem that those same terrorists would target individual Iraqis and thier families instead. You know just like the fictional Tony Soprano and his minions won't attack the Feds but will threaten thier families if they don't cooperate. Now the real question: Is TL suggesting that terrorist threats are to be taken more seriously than the threat to terrorists from Iraqis who want a better country than Saddam gave them or the Jihadist would give them? The Left broke my heart long ago as I am a classical liberal. What ever happened to the liberal belief that everyone should be able to believe what they choose and choose what they believe? POOF!, lost in a parochial, partisan tantrum. [remainder deleted for inaccuracies, commenter warned.]

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#9)
    by Edger on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 10:12:46 PM EST
    Jimcee -- That has got to be, without doubt, one of the most vile and sick, twisted, offensive, disgusting accusations I've ever seen posted on Talkleft. It is beneath any reasonable human being to make such a charge, Jimcee. Have you really bought so deeply into the 'yer either with us or yer with the terrists' bullsh*t that the bush and rove propaganda machine spits out that you believe what you said there, and would try to blame the murder of Iraqi's and bushco's failed public image on the people who opposed attacking Iraq in the first place? I wouldn't have thought it of you. Of one or two other regular commenters here, yes... but not of you. Till now...

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 10:15:51 PM EST
    Curious, you are right, the memo is June 6th, but the WaPo article begins with:
    Hours before President Bush left on a surprise trip last Monday to the Green Zone in Baghdad for an upbeat assessment of the situation there, the U.S. Embassy in Iraq painted a starkly different portrait of increasing danger and hardship faced by its Iraqi employees.
    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#12)
    by Che's Lounge on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 11:19:07 PM EST
    Is this what's around the latest corner? Now we blame the Iraqis for the "continued violence" in Iraq? Like a manipulative child, "I knocked the vase over but it was the floor that broke it!" How convenient. How criminal.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 11:56:33 PM EST
    way way off topic, (i was waiting for an open thread, but you haven't had one for a while) so... [Skippy, it was too off topic so I am deleting the comment here, but have reprinted it on the thread on your topic.]

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#14)
    by bad Jim on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 03:40:33 AM EST
    One lesson to take away from the cable is that working for the Americans is a very dangerous thing for an Iraqi to do. Half of the embassy employees won't even tell their families who they work for. The truth is, we aren't being received as liberators.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#15)
    by DonS on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 05:09:51 AM EST
    . . . more information no one's willing to give Bush.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 06:29:02 AM EST
    Oh, gee, three years after a blood-soaked police state that murdered at least 2 million people in 24 years was overturned Iraq is not yet as safe as Vermont. Well, I'm shocked. Impeach Bush now! So, a secret memo was leaked. I'm sure the NYT will be demanding an investigation on a par with the Plame affair.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#17)
    by Che's Lounge on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 07:39:43 AM EST
    TallDave, Short attention span. The memo is not classified. Oh, gee, three years after a blood-soaked police state that murdered at least 2 million people in 24 years... We should know. We paid for it. Chemicals, delivery system, targeting coordinates and all. Are ya proud now Dave? This link's for you big boy.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#18)
    by Sailor on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 07:48:18 AM EST
    Oh, gee, three years after a blood-soaked police state that murdered at least 2 million people in 24 years
    where do you pull the numbers out of? Not even the WH claims that. And what does it have to do with the fact that the area we 'control' the most still isn't safe enough for our employees that they can tell their families who they work for. or wear shorts. or worship freely?
    So, a secret memo was leaked.
    it wasn't secret so the rest of what you said really doesn't apply. And as I recall it was the cia who demanded an investigation into the Plame leak after bushco orchestrated a leak of secret intelligence to trash a man telling the truth.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#21)
    by Sailor on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 11:51:13 AM EST
    But it's okay with you if other families lose their loved ones, as long as it isn't anyone you know, or just some dumb old Iraqis dying?
    if you wanted the war you should be willing to die for it. We didn't want the war and don't want anyone to die for it. See the difference? One is cowardice, the other is consistency.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#23)
    by jen on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 03:00:54 PM EST
    Narius Your failure to listen does not constitute silence on our part. We haven't been silent. You've been deaf.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#24)
    by jen on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 03:01:52 PM EST
    Your failure to listen does not constitute silence on our part. We haven't been silent. You've been deaf. We have always cared. You ... well, I guess not.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#25)
    by Sailor on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 04:24:04 PM EST
    And since when do Americans cares about how many people we kill overseas
    once again another case of wrongwingers projecting their bloodthirst on everyone else. narius apparently can't help it, just like the gov't claims child molestors can't help it, and the gov't contends folks like him (sociopaths at best), should be locked up and monitored for the good of society.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#26)
    by jimcee on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 04:24:46 PM EST
    Repack Rider, Actually my nephew was killed in Iraq a year or so ago. Our family still mourns him everyday. We are heart-broken to say the least but I won't tell you to STFU because it is your right to be an obnoxiuos fool. TalkLeft, I'm sorry I stepped over the line. With apologies, Jim

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#27)
    by Sailor on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 04:37:30 PM EST
    What is so great about consistency?
    then why would you continue to support 'stay the course' when the course keeps hitting icebergs?

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#28)
    by Sailor on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 04:46:03 PM EST
    I do want a war
    You are not willing to die for it, yet you are willing others die for it. That is the definition of a either/both a hypocrite and a coward.

    Re: Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Ir (none / 0) (#30)
    by Sailor on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 08:47:40 PM EST
    The war is Afgan is great and dandy
    uhh, not so much.

    Employees Voice Concerns at U.S. Embassy in Iraq | 26 comments (26 topical)