Forced to Iraq? 'Get Over It,' Diplomat Says

The debate over potential forced reassignments of Foreign Service officers to Iraq has spilled over into Dipnote, the State Department's new blog. Yesterday, Dipnote posted an entry called "A Letter From Iraq to My Overwrought Colleagues" by John Matel, a career Foreign Service officer who leads the Provincial Reconstruction Team embedded in Al Asad in Al Anbar Province.

"Take a deep breath and calm down," wrote Matel. "I have been here for a while now, and you may have been misinformed about life at a PRT."

The "wailing and gnashing of teeth" about Iraq being a "death sentence" is "just way over the top," Matel said.

"We all know that few FSOs will REALLY be forced to come to Iraq anyway," he added. "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."