The indispensable McClatchy reports deteriorating conditions in the Green Zone.
Civilian embassy staff are complaining that they are being left in a risky situation just to protect the Administration from the embarrassment of pulling the staff. Security officials in the Green Zone have apparently gone so far as to ignore safety procedures during VIP visits, so as not to ruin media moments:
The officials also complained that important security precautions appeared to have been set aside during highly publicized official visits. During a March 31 visit from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a high-profile presidential candidate, the embassy lifted a requirement that bulletproof vests and helmets be worn at all times. When a rocket landed outside the U.S. Embassy while Vice President Dick Cheney and several reporters visited last week, no warning sirens were sounded.
"Where were the sirens then?" one official asked. "We don't belong here, and people are afraid to say it."
Move them now
When people worry about the American's on duty in Iraq, probably the last group on their minds is the Embassy staff in the Green Zone. They are volunteers in the safest spot in Iraq. And buildings are so spread out, accurate mortar hits are rare. But the zone is surrounded by dangerous areas and the situation is changing. Olympia Snow called conditions "infinitely worse" than one year ago. While our thoughts are with the soldiers on endless patrols, it is simply inexcusable to leave civilians in this situation. One of the staff said it best:
"In any other embassy, we would have been evacuated," one of the employees said. "As always, the U.S. government is reactive, not proactive. They are going to wait until 20 people die, then the people back in Washington will say we have a problem."
Right now, most staff sleep in flimsy trailers. At this rate, it is simply a matter of time till one of those trailers is hit. Even if they were moved to the airport, they would be in a far better location, ready to be evacuated.
And Congress should be asking questions as to why security precautions are being ignored for photo ops.
Update: Changed the title slightly, I can't really prove the alarms were "silenced" with the information available. Still, this report needs an answer from the Administration.