TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Envoys Won't Be Forced To Iraq

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 16, 2007

WASHINGTON - The State Department is dropping plans to force diplomats to serve in Iraq because volunteers have filled all 48 vacant positions at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and in outlying provinces, The Associated Press has learned.

The department will announce it no longer needs to move to "directed assignments" for Iraq once personnel panels give a formal OK to foreign service officers who signed up for the remaining three open jobs, U.S. officials said Thursday.

The announcement could come as early as today, the officials said.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced.

Officials had indicated this week that a forced call-up might not be necessary after volunteers cut the number of vacant posts to 11 by Tuesday.

All were filled by Thursday with only the final screening process for the last three spots pending, they said.

The Associated Press

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT