U.S. suspends embassy operations in rebel-hit Central African Republic

[No Elephants]

U.S. suspends embassy operations in rebel-hit Central African Republic

WASHINGTON | Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:36pm EST

(Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it was suspending operations at its embassy in the Central African Republic as rebels appeared poised to move on the capital of the impoverished but resource-rich nation.

U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the U.S. embassy had temporarily suspended operations and that the U.S. ambassador and other embassy personnel had left the country.

"This decision is solely due to concerns about the security of our personnel and has no relation to our continuing and long-standing diplomatic relations with the CAR," Ventrell said in a statement.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/28/us-car-rebels-usa-idUSBRE8BR01I20121228

The AP site has a story about the President of CAR's having sought help from France, which declined his request.

Meanwhile, I am going to repeat one of my modest proposals. Why do we still feel compelled to conduct diplomatic relations the same way as I read about in the Old Testament when I was a little girl? Then, the only way to communicate/negotiate was to physically dispatch your envoy to the other land. Now, we have instantaneous communications in a variety of ways, from fax, to teleconference to Skype. All a lot cheaper than embassies, too. And, heaven knows, we don't need embassies to spy any longer, either.

So, why do we still party like it's 5800 B.C.E.?