Drawn to Iraq by idealism and résumés
Glen Justice

WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times

See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
< < Back to Start of Article WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a

See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
< < Back to Start of Article WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.

See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
< < Back to Start of Article WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he

See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
< < Back to Start of Article WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
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So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
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He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
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"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
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Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
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Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
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"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
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The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
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Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
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The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
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Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
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Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
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Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
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"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.
.
The New York Times WASHINGTON Ty Cobb Jr. was fresh from law school and eager to add to a résumé that already included answering mail in the Virginia governor's office when he heard that the Bush administration was looking to fill civilian jobs in Iraq.
.
So despite having little foreign experience beyond touring Europe and studying there for a summer, Cobb headed to Baghdad. He has since traveled the country to help educate Iraqis about democracy.
.
He says he is committed to the U.S. mission there, but he is not shy about saying that there are career calculations behind his adventure: He hopes it will lead to a government job.
.
"If they look at a résumé and see that someone picked up and moved to Iraq for seven months, they will put their faith in you to handle the rigors of any position," Cobb said.
.
Hundreds of Americans have converged on Iraq for all kinds of reasons. Some consider it rewarding to try to bring democracy to the Iraqis. Some are in it for the adventure. For some, it is a combination of the experience, the fervor for supporting the administration's goals and the sense that it is more exciting than work back home.
.
Many of these recruits have top-notch skills. But the downside, foreign policy experts say, is that some lack the proper experience for such difficult and often unsafe assignments.
.
"A vast number of people are being recruited who have no qualifications, no background and who have never done anything serious in the U.S.," said Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
.
The jobs are filled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S. civilian administration that is running Iraq. Created last year, the authority has 1,160 employees, including more than 325 members of the military and 150 workers from other countries, according to authority officials. Some are on loan from government agencies in Washington, while others have been hired.
.
Most recruiting is done through a Defense Department Web page called Sofia (for Support Our Friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, at cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/sofia/). "People who submit a résumé need to understand that conditions may be harsh, primitive and hazardous," the Web page says. "Conversely, there may be few opportunities in life to make such a lasting contribution to world peace."
.
The authority has received more than 11,000 résumés, and though officials say political affiliation carries no standing, Republican connections seem to help some of them stand out.
.
Mike Hardiman, a former aide to a Republican congressman, was self-employed as a Washington lobbyist and public relations specialist when a Pentagon official he would not identify asked him to go to Iraq. As a lobbyist, Hardiman has handled clients like the American Land Rights Association, which represents property owners opposed to government land regulation.
.
Van Smith was at lunch one day when he ran into a college friend and the friend's father, Steve Casteel, a senior U.S. adviser to Iraq's Interior Ministry. They started talking about Iraq.
.
Smith was working at his first job after college, as director of public outreach at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, his alma mater. He happened to be reading a biography of Winston Churchill at the time.
.
"I was at the chapter where we were the same age and he was having life adventure after life adventure," said Smith, who is 23. "I was saying I wish I had a chance to be involved in something international and in war, I wish I had a chance to make a difference in a foreign place."
.
He had a résumé to Casteel before the day ended and he is now in Iraq, working in the Interior Ministry.

From: http://www.iht.com/articles/521402.html