US Forces Diplomats to take Iraq Posts

A girl stands by as a US soldier on patrol in the Sunni neighbourhood of Arab Jabour in south Baghdad.

27 October 2007

Washington: US diplomats will have to accept a year-long posting in Iraq or face losing their jobs, the US State Department has declared.

At least 250 "prime candidates" for vacant posts in Iraq would be notified on Monday, said State Department human resources director Harry Thomas on Friday.

He said they would have 10 working days to respond to the demand that they go to Iraq in 2008, and only those with valid reasons such as a medical problem, would be exempt.

Until now postings to Iraq have been on a voluntary basis and often hard to fill. Many diplomats say they fear being posted to Iraq because of the risks to their life.

"We have all taken an oath to serve our country and so if someone decides they do not want to go, then we would then consider appropriate actions," said Thomas.

"We have many options, including dismissal from the foreign service," he added. Currently there are about 200 US diplomats in Iraq who serve on a one-year basis.

Iraq assignments will be handed out from November 12 to 22, but Thomas said he hoped that enough diplomats would step forward voluntarily.