Embassy of the United States in Manila

In Iraq, a Crucial Role for the State Department

Publication: Washington Post
Date: 04/27/2004
Author: Francis Ricciardone
Coordinator, Iraq Transition Team
U.S. Department Of State

In her April 21 op-ed column, "Having It Both Ways," Anne Applebaum said that the State Department has "washed its hands" of Iraq. This is news to Secretary Colin L. Powell and to the hundreds of others who have made Iraq the department's top priority.

Had Ms. Applebaum asked, we would have told her that:

• The State Department has more than 170 people in Iraq working with the Coalition Provisional Authority.

• When we announced 142 new State Department positions for the embassy in Baghdad, we quickly received more than 1,000 bids. When we've assembled the staff, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad will be one of the largest in the world.

• The president paid high tribute to the State Department's commitment to Iraq by nominating one of our most senior and effective career diplomats, John D. Negroponte, to be his envoy in Baghdad.

• Our team has a cell in Baghdad under Ambassador John Holzman that works directly with L. Paul Bremer and the military Joint Task Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez. Every evening we send Mr. Powell a consolidated summary of transition-related activities for the day.

Some State Department personnel in Iraq are on the front lines around Fallujah and Najaf, and we take particular pride in the example these colleagues set of our shared spirit of service in this mission, as the president has put it, of "changing the world."

Iraq can be tough going these days for U.S. civilian as well as military personnel. But we do not flinch, and we will not flee. There is, and there will be, no washing of hands.

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In Iraq, a Crucial Role for the State Department Publication: Washington Post Date: 04/27/2004 Author: Francis Ricciardone Coordinator, Iraq Transition Team U.S. Department Of State In her April 21 op-ed column, "Having It Both Ways," Anne Applebaum said that the State Department has "washed its hands" of Iraq. This is news to Secretary Colin L. Powell and to the hundreds of others who have made Iraq the department's top priority. Had Ms. Applebaum asked, we would have told her that: • The State Department has more than 170 people in Iraq working with the Coalition Provisional Authority. • When we announced 142 new State Department positions for the embassy in Baghdad, we quickly received more than 1,000 bids. When we've assembled the staff, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad will be one of the largest in the world. • The president paid high tribute to the State Department's commitment to Iraq by nominating one of our most senior and effective career diplomats, John D. Negroponte, to be his envoy in Baghdad. • Our team has a cell in Baghdad under Ambassador John Holzman that works directly with L. Paul Bremer and the military Joint Task Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez. Every evening we send Mr. Powell a consolidated summary of transition-related activities for the day. Some State Department personnel in Iraq are on the front lines around Fallujah and Najaf, and we take particular pride in the example these colleagues set of our shared spirit of service in this mission, as the president has put it, of "changing the world." Iraq can be tough going these days for U.S. civilian as well as military personnel. But we do not flinch, and we will not flee. There is, and there will be, no washing of hands. ###
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