With the rising threat level in Iraq there is no shortage of kibitzing about what to with the American government personnel who are still there. For the present the decision is to keep the embassy open and beef up security.
State Dept Will Beef Up Security at Baghdad Embassy
The U.S. State Department announced Sunday that the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad will stay open as militant extremists in Iraq continue their offensive toward the city, but it will also take a number of increased security measures to protect its staff.
“As a result of ongoing instability and violence in certain areas of Iraq, Embassy Baghdad is reviewing its staffing requirements in consultation with the State Department,” spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.
The State Department said it will increase the number of security personnel in Baghdad, while other embassy staff members will be relocated to the Consulate Generals in Erbil and Basra as well as the Iraq Support Unit in Amman, Jordan. Most of the embassy staff will remain on site and “continue to engage daily with Iraqis and their elected leaders — supporting them as they strengthen Iraq’s constitutional processes and defend themselves from imminent threats.”
The Pentagon also announced that the U.S. military would provide security assistance to diplomats stationed in Baghdad. “A small number of DOD personnel are augmenting State Department security assets in Baghdad to help ensure the safety of our facilities,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby.
This public statement is likely influenced by the effort to generate controversy over the occurrences in Benghazi. In addition to the embassy personnel, there are a number of other Americans still in Iraq as well as non-American US contractors. Some of those who were based in Mozul have already been taken out of the country after the city was overrun by the rebels. This is a situation that is likely to change frequently and rapidly.