Plan: Use Wounded Troops If Diplomats Refuse Service
World Net Daily:
Responding to reports that State Department officials are refusing to serve in Iraq because it’s too dangerous, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., has proposed a novel plan to President Bush – to bypass the agency and recruit from among U.S. military troops discharged after suffering injury.
Hunter, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, told talk-radio host Glenn Beck today he met with Bush just 30 minutes prior to the interview and gave him a letter outlining the plan.
“I said, ‘Let’s go over to Bethesda and Walter Reed (hospitals) and as we get these new – these soldiers and Marines who are embarking on new careers,” Hunter said, “let’s recruit them for the State Department; and let’s fire these guys that refuse to go, and we’ll give the State Department careers to these military guys.”
A State Department proposal to have “directed assignments” in Iraq caused an uproar among foreign service officers, CNN reported, resulting in a contentious town hall-style meeting Wednesday.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded today, saying “people need to serve where they are needed.”
The directed assignments would be necessary, the State Department says, if enough qualified foreign service officers don’t step forward to fill open positions at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
If State decides to enforce the assignments, it would be the first time since the Vietnam War era.
At the town meeting, one official called the order to serve in Iraq “a potential death sentence.”
In the radio interview today, Beck responded enthusiastically to Hunter’s idea.
“That is fantastic,” Beck said. ” … These guys are some of the most remarkable humans I have ever met and none of them, as you know, none of them want to leave service.”
Hunter replied, “Exactly. And this would be great service for them. In Baghdad, in the State Department, the embassy, they know the lay of the land. They know the people, and they are professionals, and they are patriotic.”
Hunter said Bush indicated he might be open to the idea.
“He was fairly noncommittal, but I gave him a letter,” the congressman said. “I said I wanted to look at it, and I’m going to be following up with Secretary Rice.”
Hunter said his letter to Rice urges the secretary to “immediately send a team of State Department recruiters to Walter Reed and Bethesda hospitals to our wounded warriors who will serve our country efficiently, effectively and with undying patriotism. And they won’t hold a town meeting to tell you that they don’t want to go.”
Beck interjected, “You know what, it makes too much sense. They would never do it.”
But Hunter sounded optimistic.
“I tell you, I think were going to do it,” he said.
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Hey, if these guys want to do it, give them back there guns and send them back with gov. issued credit cards and an expense account!!
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:16 pm“I tell you, I think were going to do it,” he said.
Outstanding!
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:19 pm“a potential death sentence” - so is driving on the Washington beltway during rush hour.
“people need to serve where they are needed” - evidently most of these career diplomats do not deserve the opportunity to serve even if they are needed.
I would hope at least a couple of them would step up to the plate as our young people in the military have - or am I expecting too much from the bureaucracy??
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:57 pmThe troops at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval are a highly motivated bunch, and they all want to get back into action.
These are some tough hard-nosed people. It would be a great opportunity for them to carry on a mission that they believe in. And frankly, the females got more balls than these wussy ass diplomats. Who better to fill the slots, than someone who’s been there and done that?
Give the wounded warriors a hefty raise, a weapon and let ‘em do the job.
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:59 pmSounds like a pretty good plan! I hope GWB really considers it.
November 2nd, 2007 at 10:20 pmI bet that there a lot of jobs for career State Department weenies. “Hey, would like to supersize that?”
November 3rd, 2007 at 5:26 amBrilliant plan.
It could be used as the opening salvo in the campaign to remove ALL fifth column liberals from our governmental process.
Its time we borrowed a slogan from our Israeli friends, “NEVER AGAIN”.
November 3rd, 2007 at 6:55 amWeve got enough enemys in the world, we don’t need thier collaborators “helping out” here on our soil.
No more liberalism, ever again.
Like an underwear skid mark,
this professer needs to be scrubbed out of the American tapestry.
http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=156138&zoneid=500
November 3rd, 2007 at 7:17 amThe more I hear from Duncan Hunter the more I really really like the man. I heard him propose this the other day on Glenn Beck’s radio show (and Beck asked Hunter if he would soon do a full hour on his TV show).
This has to be one of the best new ideas I have heard come out of Washington in … forever. While I believe Hunter is a strong and very smart man and would make a fantastic president, I doubt his chances in the primary against the top 2-3 who are currently getting all the attention.
Hopefully, when Rudy sets up his administration Hunter will be a big and important part in it … Sec. of State sounds damn good. The State Department needs a major house cleaning, and an update to the realities of the world we live in today … and Duncan Hunter could be the man to head it all.
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:52 amAll the more reason to vote Hunter in the WH in 08.
This IS the man for the job.
November 3rd, 2007 at 2:03 pm