An Iraq draft for AID workers?

Published November 24, 2004 3:37PM (EST)

George W. Bush insisted during the presidential campaign that he would not reinstate the military draft. He didn't offer any such assurances about compulsory service for U.S. foreign-aid workers. It may be coming. Managers at the Agency for International Development are apparently close to ordering employees to serve in Iraq, whether they like it or not.

Al Kamen has the story in today's Washington Post. Kamen says AID administrator Andrew Natsios is pushing employees to volunteer for positions in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as Pakistan and Sudan.

If AID doesn't get enough volunteers -- and given the fate of people like Margaret Hassan, folks aren't exactly racing to apply for spots in Iraq at the moment -- then Natsios said employees "will be required" to volunteer for the jobs.


By Tim Grieve

Tim Grieve is a senior writer and the author of Salon's War Room blog.

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