Disconnect!

Two stories from today's Washington Post (December 5, 2007):

1. "Iraq Urges Refugees To Stay Put: Cabinet Endorses Another Year for U.S.-Led Mission" by Amit R. Paley:

   The Iraqi government on Tuesday urged some refugees not to go back to their homes yet, saying the country was unprepared to accommodate their return. "The reality is that we cannot handle a huge influx of people," Abdul Samad al-Sultan, the minister of displacement and migration, said at a news conference to announce a joint plan with the United Nations to help returning Iraqis. "The refugees in some countries, we ask them to wait."

2. "Good News, Bad News for Evildoers" by Al Kamens:

   The opportunity of a lifetime! The government is paying up to $144,000 for a "business development/tourism" expert to "work with private sector businesses and local governments in fostering business development with a particular focus on tourism and related services." The 13-month job also offers a 35 percent "danger pay" premium and other bonuses because it's based in Baghdad.

Comment: I don't suppose Iraq can expect a "huge influx" of tourists, even with the services of an expensive foreign tourism consultant for a year.

File this under "What were they thinking of in the State Department"! JAD