News that the US is to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran, creates a unique set of job opportunities - and some tough HR challenges.
The proposed 'US interests' section is to be housed in the Swiss embassy in the Iranian capital and is said to indicate a softening of the US position with regard to president Ahmadinejad.
But if ever a job was a poisoned chalice, this is surely it. Surely?
For with George Bush backing Israeli missile strikes against Iran only last week, what kind of fool would be hectoring their boss for this 'chance of a lifetime'.
And how will the Whitehouse HR team determine who to send on what could be a very short-term mission?
'Wanted: Gullible, unthinking and expendable idiot.' Don't all rush.
Of course, the Iranian's will be expecting whoever turns up to actually be a CIA agent at the very least, if not a Navy Seal or some other 'Special Ops' bonehead.
And conspiracy theorists would no doubt point to the fact that without bodies on the ground (in all senses) the US can have no reason to get in there and 'kick some ass' - much as we use military personnel in tanks and helicopters to ensure casualties and provoke sympathy/anger rather than send in perfectly serviceable remote-control weapons.
Yet the sudden emergence of this softly softly approach to the Iranian problem smacks of a job creation scheme for the mildly unhinged. A job creation scheme that needs some path-clearing if its intended incumbent is to take up their seemingly impossible post.
Why, it reminds me of a similar ground-clearing exercise carried out by former UK prime minister Tony Blair, who managed to ease Middle East tensions before taking up wide-ranging role in as Middle East envoy. And in the same fashion, the HR dept will have little input into the appointment in Tehran.
But who would take up such a dangerous post? What kind of mentality would you need to put yourself in the firing line? What kind of moron would not spot the inherent danger in doing the job?
Yes, soon to be available for parties and after-dinner speeches idiot in the room - sorry our (their) man in Iran - will be George 'no job' Bush.
HR is off the hook then.
And who'd have imagined God's own war-starters would link up in such an... um... holy alliance in the desert? Anyone would think they feel guilty about something.
