A diplomat scolds State Department weenies
Morning must-read: Foreign Service Officer John Matel slaps the whiners and weenies at the State Department who don’t want to go to Iraq:
Calling Iraq a death sentence is just way over the top. I volunteered to come here aware of the risks but confident that I will come safely home, as do the vast majority of soldiers and Marines, who have a lot riskier jobs than we FSOs do…
…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.
If we had more John Matels in the State Department, Foggy Bottom wouldn’t be the bureaucratic basket case that it is. Give this man a promotion.
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I was beginning to wonder if all of the state department whiners were all liberals. I guess this guy proves that there are some conservatives still left in these government positions.
Bravo to John Matel. May you live long and prosper!
I agree Michelle … this guy needs to be commended for standing up to the people refusing to go where they are needed and where they get assigned … not only that … they should fire everyone of those FSOs (In Name Only) that are refusing to go where assigned for violating their oath of service … they have no more right to pick and choose where they serve than the military or any other government service employee …
John Matel for Assistant Secretary of State … or Ambassador to somewhere … he richly deserves it
I understand their fears, but I’m sure the security they get will be better than the average Iraqi gets. Foreign service means you go abroad and unfortunately some have to go where our brave military men and women are at war.
Failure to accept a post in Iraq should be the gateway to reducing the cost and deadwood at the State Department, then start over by recruiting folks who are prepared to serve.
The “diplomats” aren’t quite as diplomatic as they should be - two things wrong here - first, declaring a posting to Iraq to be a death sentence, and airing their dirty laundry in public. And, to top it all off, having to be told off by one of their own! The shame of it all! Oh, the humanity!
So much for the Old-Boy’s Network. I don’t foresee a long diplomatic career for John Matel, in that he didn’t mealy-mouth his disgust at his fellow diplomats. If he can’t call black white and make you believe night is day, how can he possibly deal with foreign leaders?
Sorry - sounds a little confusing even to me, but the idea is we can’t have a straight-talking diplomat - sort of like we can’t have an honest lawyer(no offense to any such creature).
John Matels - what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man!
He’s got some gumballs!
Can we conscript Pelosi, Reid and Kucinich for a mission? I’d like nothing more than to shut these poor-mouthing, anti-military slobs UP!
30: Ditto
meatpieandtatters: Dreaming but ditto.
Promotion?! No, not just any promotion. All GOP candidates should nominate him for SecState….
Unfortunately, it’s not just the field officers. As I recall, the writers at Diplomad http://diplomadic.blogspot.com/ (a Conservative blog by a couple of FSO’s provided an amazing inside glance at the State Department operations during the Tsunami aftermath) were read the riot act by the hierarchy and told to nix the blog due to (among other things) their consistent lambasting of the Liberal mindset from within, and the flat out falacies portrayed by the United Nations (which is the alter praised by a few too many FSO’s).
For a short time, before they were muffled…they were the cutting edge…and provided fantastic insight on our State Department (dirty laundry not excluded).
This story has been the best recommendation I’ve heard for supporting what Newt Gingrich has been saying for a few years now. We have to reform the State Department. There are good people doing good work there, but there are also too many striped panted whiners, as we now see clearly. These “Foreign Service Officers” do not get to keep their jobs and oppose executive branch policies. You can do one or the other, but not both. See Joseph Wilson III.
The other conclusion from this is I want John Bolton for Secretary of State.
That ought to stir up Foggy Bottom a little, eh?
What are they worried about anyway. Don’t they know that the troops have “obscene amenities…” Why, it’s just like home!
Foggy Bottom, or foggy brains? If they don’t like the job, then quit.
Disgraceful! Fire all of them.
J.Bolton said yesterday that part of his decision to leave was prompted by C.Rice’s push to talk to the Irainians. As if it hasn’t been done for years already. Sec. Rice looks as though she is embracing the Iraq Surrender Group’s main thesis that if only Israel would give up more and more we would not have the problems we are having.I think she sat to close to Sec. C Powell when he was in the Administration. It’s our fault again!
It is nice to hear from a real American at our State Department every now and then.
Those who go and serve should not be phsyco liberals so we don’t have to go thru another Beaucamp.
If you want to go serve in Iraq and do your job then fine do that. Just like
John Matel has. If you don’t want to go and serve in Iraq then find another job.
(Door SLAMS Hit’s Ass on way out)
If they do not want to go where assigned they can certainly quit. After all, to quote a line from the theme song from Superchicken….. “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.”
I almost didn’t think anyone in the State Department had any gumballs. Count me as pleasantly surprised by these statements. My assumption was all the cry babies came into the FSO business during the Clinton years. I would love to see everyone that cried about going to Iraq thrown out on the streets and forced to look for a real job. One thing I understood during my 25 years in the Military is there was a very good possibility someone on the planet wanted to kill me because I was a symbol of America. One of the risks one takes when one agrees to serve the Government in any capacity.
Where’s the John Wayne type characters when you need them????
I’m amazed at how so many of our young soldiers could join the military to risk their lives every day for me/us.
These people are paid quite well to do it, now get over there and do your job!!!
God Bless the military!!
A most refreshing breath of fresh air.
Unfortunately, it will most likely come to nothing — smothered by the foul, dank atmosphere that blankets the State Department.
Any day now, John Matel will become the newest FSO in Lesotho.
At the very least the FSO’s should have the moral courage to be honest about why they don’t want to go to Iraq- they disagree with the war…plain and simple.
Hiding behind the excuse that “it’s too dangerous” is disingenuous but par for the course for lyin’ liberals.
I agree with #21. Most of the people whining are probably opposed to this war and any war. They think that all we need to do is talk to our enemies and everything will be peachy and we’ll all be BFF.
Everyone should go read this from Newt.org. Here are the first three paragraphs:
It’s not Newt writing, here is the byline:
People from the Pentagon and the military overseas commands have been saying for years they need big improvements to the inter-agency processes with State, Treasury and Justice to really win in Iraq. Security for our people and the Iraqis is the pervue of Defense, but reconstruction efforts need other arms of the federal government closely integrated with the overall strategy, to act as force multipliers for the troops, so more of them are free to fight the enemy, and train Iraqi troops to take their country back for good.
There is also the Dept. of Homeland Security, which is another bureaucratic mess that needs attention badly, as Michelle has detailed for years now.
Who’s going to fix this?
And the fact that violence is now down to the lowest level it’s been for years makes their excuse all the more transparent.
liberals whine and play the victim card when none exists. i am a poor state department worker being forced to do my job. i just want to sit here and leak vital security information to the NYT in the safety of DC…
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - Web Reconnaissance for 11/07/2007 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
I like Duncan Hunter’s (R-CA) idea. Fire the whiners, then the personnel folks at the State Department should take a quick recruiting trip over to Walter Reed or Bethesda Naval Hospital. I think they would find no shortage of splendid American volunteers in the rehab wards.
I agree, that’s a great idea too. The CIA should think about that for their recruiting, also.
Foreign Service Officer John Matel;
Thank you for your efforts, your honor, and your integrity. We do hope more will follow in your footsteps, not so much just in location, but in the spirit of patriotism. Lead well sir, and Bless you.
John may need to watch his back, the lilly livers at State might shoot rubber binders at him.
I WANT THIS MAN TO BE PRESIDENT:
HUNTER RECOMMENDS WAR VETERANS REPLACE STATE DEPT PERSONNEL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 1, 2007 CONTACT: Gary Becks (619) 334-1655
San Diego, CA Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) today recommended to President Bush a proposal to replace State Department personnel who refuse to be deployed to Baghdad with wounded veterans from military hospitals at Walter Reed and Bethesda . Hunter, who is currently running for President, went to the White House earlier today and met with President Bush to outline and detail his “Wounded Warrior” project.
“My recommendation to the President was simply that we need people in these positions whose top priorities will be to get the job done regardless of the circumstances and I know which individuals meet those qualifications. Our wounded warriors have already exhibited courage, professionalism and work ethic on the field of battle. They have already answered the call to serve in difficult circumstances and they know firsthand the meaning of sacrifice. If the State Department is having trouble with reluctant personnel, I can think of nobody more qualified than these brave patriots to rise to the challenge.
“State Department recruiters should immediately be sent to Walter Reed and Bethesda hospitals and application forms should be provided and posted on relevant employment websites. As I indicated to the President, I have no doubt our men and women in uniform will once again answer the call of their nation.”
You State Department pantywaists do not want to go to Iraq? Fine, get your lazy arse to Mexico, and do your stinking job curbing the INVASION!
It’s their job!
Like it or lump it.
Bravo Mr. Matel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAKE THE POSTING OR QUIT WITHOUT SEVERANCE. YOU MAKE THE CALL