YES, IT REALLY IS A "DEATH SENTENCE"

That's what a foreign service officer called a forced assigmnent to the Baghdad Embassy. According to The Blotter, Sec. Rice realized that over 2 years ago when she requested that Accountability Review Boards NOT be required to investigate the deaths of embassy officials in Iraq.

State Eschews Probes for Iraq, Afghan Embassy Attacks
November 12, 2007 9:35 AM
Justin Rood Reports:

Two years ago, the State Department quietly requested -- and received -- a legal provision exempting the secretary of state from a requirement she order rigorous after-action investigations into incidents against embassies or personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the congressman who sponsored the bill. The reason, the lawmaker told ABC News at the time, was that Rice was reluctant to send investigators into harm's way.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., introduced the bill, which exempted the secretary of state from convening the investigative panels, or Accountability Review Boards, in the aftermath of a bombing, murder or other attack on State Department personnel or facilities in Iraq or Afghanistan until September 2009.

At the time of his bill's passage, Smith told ABC News the State Department wanted the law changed "for the safety of the members of the Accountability Review Board." He did not respond to a request for comment.