Friday, September 08, 2006

Office of Hostage Affairs

The AFP released an article today that mentions the "Office of Hostage Affairs" at the US Embassy in Baghdad. It sounds like the same organization as the Hostage Working Group also at the US Embassy in Baghdad, first organized in the summer of 2004.

US reveals Iraq 'hostage affairs' office
AFP, September 8, 2006

The White House revealed what may be a US diplomatic first: the US embassy in Baghdad houses a formal "Office of Hostage Affairs" to handle abductions of American citizens and other nationals.

"The United States, through the Office of Hostage Affairs in Embassy Baghdad, is addressing the scourge of kidnapping in
Iraq, a key source of terrorist financing," the White House said in an official document. [...]

The White House offhandedly revealed the office's existence on Thursday in a document released to bolster a speech by US President George W. Bush about the war on terrorism he declared after the September 11 attacks.

More...
The following is the phrase from the White House referenced in the AFP article:

9/11 Five Years Later: Successes and Challenges
See under section heading: Disrupting Financial Support
White House, September 7, 2006
The United States, through the Office of Hostage Affairs in Embassy Baghdad, is addressing the scourge of kidnapping in Iraq, a key source of terrorist financing. Through interagency and international efforts, hostages have been freed and/or rescued.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Ryan Manelick - in his office

Two photos of Ryan Manelick in his Iraq office in September 2003. For readers unfamilliar with the background of Manelick, he was a contractor working for Ultra Services of Istanbul, Turkey. Ultra Services fulfilled logistics for the US Army in Iraq. Manelick was shot and killed on December 14, 2003. His colleague, Kirk von Ackermann, disappeared on October 9, 2003. The CID recently determined von Ackermann was killed that day.

According to data collected by Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, Manelick was the 18th contractor to die in Iraq. Today the number of contractors who have died while working in Iraq is over 550 (see ref below).

Ryan Manelick
Ryan Manelick. Photo courtesy of Robert Sinclair.


Ryan Manelick
Ryan Manelick. Photo courtesy of Robert Sinclair.


Ref:
Civilian Drivers Feel Neglected After Working in Iraq
NPR, May 26, 2006, Morning Edition

Addendum: ABC News reported on September 27, 2006 that 643 contractors have been killed in Iraq according to data from the Department of Labor. The ABC News report includes video of a convoy under attack.

World News: Anatomy of an Ambush
with Brian Ross, ABC News, September 27, 2006