Above is the Pig Pen Ambassador himself, Chris Hill. Chris Hill was Barack Obama's first nominee for US Ambassador to Iraq and he was confirmed despite a confirmation hearing that served only to confirm how ignorant of Iraq he was (see the March 25, 2009 snapshot and the March 26th snapshot ).
He lasted a little over a year. As a parting gift, when he left Iraq August 13, 2010, he swore to Anthony Shadid (New York Times) that the political stalemate he'd been no help in resolving was nearly over and that a power-sharing agreement "was just weeks away." If he meant 12 weeks, also known as 3 months, he might have -- for once in his life -- been correct.
We always knew he was ignorant. We always knew he was inept.
But who knew he was that disrespectful?
While in Baghdad and US Ambassador, he decided to celebrate Halloween in October 2010 by taking part in a 'joke' about the assassination of JFK. Yes, the assassination of a sitting president was something a US diplomat, the head US diplomat in Iraq, felt the need to send up.
He dressed as a Secret Service Agent. A tacky piece of trash under him dressed as Jackie Kennedy on that fateful November day. They thought they were cute and funny.
It's doubtful the taxpayer footing the bill for their salary, their lodging and their party would agree.
Peter Van Buren posted the photo to his blog here and here. (The caption is Van Buren's.) He recently published the book We Meant Well: How I helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People and the US government's been after him. They're trying to force him out of the State Dept and they've gone after him as part of their continued War on Whistle Blowers.
Truth tellers get in trouble. But government officials who mock assassinations don't?
Do you know how many people have spent the last three and a half-years in fear that a presidential assassination was about to take place? Do you know that's not just Barack's supporters but his opponents like us? It doesn't matter that we didn't vote for Barack, we would never want to see him or any other US president assassinated. That's a serious crime and an attack on the nation. To pretend otherwise is to show extreme ignorance.
But that's all Christ Hill ever had to offer, extreme ignorance.
The State Dept. would show a lot more sense if they left Peter Van Buren alone and instead publicly rebuked the disgusting Halloween 'joke' Chris Hill pulled.
-------------
Elaine covered this topic here, C.I. covered the topic in here, here and here.