Just In Case

Ryan Crocker, the very same one who just testified about how wonderful things are going in Iraq, has a little employment problem ....

The Washington Post leads with the request by the U.S. ambassador to Iraq that all Iraqi employees of his mission be issued visas that would allow them to emigrate to this country in the event of an American withdrawal.

Ambassador Ryan Crocker proposed issuing the visas in a two-page cable to State Department higher-ups, which was apparently leaked to the Post. In it, the ambassador describes the grim state of existence of Iraqis who help the U.S., including constant death threats. (The plight of these people was the subject of a heartbreaking New Yorker story by George Packer in March.) Though the Bush administration has previously promised to speed up the visa approval process for endangered Iraqis, only 133 have been admitted to the United States since October because of bureaucratic lethargy and terrorism concerns. Crocker is arguing that he won't be able to retain his local employees if he can't offer them the promise of safe passage.

But but but .... I thought it was improving in Iraq? Why would they worry if progress is on the march?