As Christmas approaches, her 17-year-old son Sari checks daily for the arrival of his permit to travel 20 minutes' drive to East Jerusalem to see his sister on Christmas Eve.
Timberman said the State Department teams working out of the provincial capital, Hillah, were grounded most of the time because the State Department regional security officer would not permit them to travel despite their high-priced security personnel and armored vehicles.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri said travel would be granted by an "entry permit system" - rather than a passport - once the identities of travellers are verified.