[ARTICLE] U.S. diplomat resigns over Iraq war plans

gandalf

This is the 2nd US diplomat to resign over the war plans. It must be galling for men like these who have spent their working lives trying to foster a positive image of their country to see it ruined in a fairly short period of time by this short sighted and dangerous regime.

Gandalf.

U.S. diplomat resigns over Iraq war plans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) --A U.S. diplomat resigned from government service Monday in protest at President Bush's preparations to attack Iraq, the second to do so in less than a month.

John H. Brown, who joined the U.S. diplomatic corps in 1981 and served in London, Prague, Krakow, Kiev, Belgrade and Moscow, said in a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell made available to the media: "I cannot in good conscience support President Bush's war plans against Iraq.

"Throughout the globe the United States is becoming associated with the unjustified use of force. The president's disregard for views in other nations, borne out by his neglect of public diplomacy, is giving birth to an anti-American century," the diplomat added.

Brown has recently been attached to the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University in Washington. Immediately before that, he was cultural attache at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

A senior U.S. diplomat based in Athens, political counselor John Brady Kiesling, 45, resigned in protest at the Bush administration's policy on Iraq last month.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/03/10/sprj.irq.diplomat.resignation.reut/index.html

Éomer of Rohan

I think that these resignations are actually a result of Macchiavellian tactics; consider the threatened resignation of Claire Short in Britain should the UK go to war without UN consensus - her mentor is Gordon Brown, the man who will succeed Blair if he is toppled (and if you believe certain political commentators for example several in the Daily Mail yesterday, this is looking increasingly likely) and thus by distancing herself from Toady's regime as it crumbles, she may be assuring her place in a future government. It is quite likely, though I am unaware of the exact details of the second resignation state side, that this may be repeated in several nations.

commie comrade

i think he was jumping out a sinking ship, when this blows up in bush's face and he is toppled at least one us diplomat will be able to sat "nothing to do with me".