My childhood dream was to be in the Foreign Service, so it's with some interest that I'm watching this story. Condoleeza Rice has said that if enough volunteers can't be rounded up, there will be mandatory tours into Iraq for some FS employees. They will either have to go or quit the FS, which I assume would cause them to forfeit generous benefits. FS workers are comparing a tour to Iraq with "being given a death sentence" and say normally embassies are closed down in war zones (which is true). The Green Zone is regularly breached, and we've seen people like diplomatic staff and journalists given no immunity from the horrors of the war.
Personally I think it is wrong to force FS employees to work in a war zone, and if it were me, I'd probably resign before I'd go. What do you think? Should they have to go? Would you?