US diplomats harshly criticize forced Iraq postings

By Arshad Mohammed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. diplomats on Wednesday bitterly criticized plans to force them to go to Iraq, with one calling it a "potential death sentence" and another pleading for psychiatric treatment for those who return scarred.

The comments surfaced in an emotional, hour-long town hall meeting after the State Department announced after normal office hours on Friday that "prime candidates" for service in Iraq may have to accept compulsory one-year tours or risk losing their jobs.

Among other things, diplomats told State Department Director General Harry Thomas they resented the fact that the decision broke in the news media before it was cabled to U.S. diplomats around the world late Friday night.

About 250 people received notifications this week that they are in a pool who may be forced to go to Iraq to fill roughly 50 positions for which no qualified diplomats have volunteered to fill next summer.

They could be sent to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone," which is often hit by mortar fire, or to civilian-military provincial reconstruction teams that seek to nudge Iraq's 18 provinces toward greater government transparency, rule of law and other political milestones.

"I'm sorry but basically, that's a potential death sentence and you know it," said Jack Crotty, who was nearing retirement after more than three decades in the foreign service, including a stint as political adviser to NATO's southern command.

Thomas, who heads human resources for the State Department and sent out the cable on the forced assignments last week, did not respond in detail to Crotty's comments beyond saying that they were full of inaccuracies.

'CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE' - THOMAS