More news on whether or not the U.S. foreign service has enough qualified volunteers to man Iraq's diplomatic posts. (NYT) The NYT reports that there are not enough older and mid-level people who want to go to Iraq in the foreign service, but that there are a bunch at the junior level who are offering their services. However, as we have heard from the yahoogroups and others, it is not advisable to go to Iraq on an early tour, because a junior level officer is not learning the basic skills that will serve them in the long run as they go through various embassies. Worst of all, Condi Rice has asked the arms of the military to fill in for those posts left empty by those missing mid- and upper-level diplomats in Iraq; military types are irate.