LINKS Massive US Embassy Being Built in Baghdad -- What you need to know...

[Blackhatjack]

Several links tell you all you need to know about the Massive US Embassy being built in Iraq:

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/49518/

Building an Embassy Fit for an Empire

By Adil E. Shamoo, The Baltimore Sun. Posted March 22, 2007.

"The United States is building a massive embassy complex in the heart of Baghdad that is already becoming a symbol of America's imperial ambitions in the Middle East.
<snip>
Congress has appropriated nearly $1 billion to build the largest embassy in the world. A significant portion of that money is for security infrastructure. This future "fortress" is housed in Saddam Hussein's former palace -- providing more bad symbolism to the Iraqis.
<snip>
Why are we building such a mammoth embassy in the heart of Baghdad? The embassy complex is on 104 acres, with 21 buildings and facilities. It will eventually house a U.S. staff of 5,000. According to a recent report in the Washington Post, it has more than twice the staff and 20 times the budget of our Beijing embassy. The embassy will surpass all others in terms of size and staffing."

MORE

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article712424.ece

"Officially, the design of the compound is supposed to be a secret, but you cannot hide the giant construction cranes and the concrete contours of the 21 buildings that are taking shape. Looming over the skyline, the embassy has the distinction of being the only big US building project in Iraq that is on time and within budget.

In a week when Washington revealed a startling list of missed deadlines and overspending on building projects, Congress was told that the bill for the embassy was $592 million (£312 million).
The heavily guarded 42-hectare (104-acre) site — which will have a 15ft thick perimeter wall — has hundreds of workers swarming on scaffolding. Local residents are bitter that the Kuwaiti contractor has employed only foreign staff and is busing them in from a temporary camp nearby.

After roughing it in Saddam’s abandoned palaces, diplomats should have every comfort in their new home. There will be impressive residences for the Ambassador and his deputy, six apartments for senior officials, and two huge office blocks for 8,000 staff to work in. There will be what is rumoured to be the biggest swimming pool in Iraq, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, a cinema, restaurants offering delicacies from favourite US food chains, tennis courts and a swish American Club for evening functions."

MORE


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12319798/

"The fortress-like compound rising beside the Tigris River here will be the largest of its kind in the world, the size of Vatican City, with the population of a small town, its own defense force, self-contained power and water, and a precarious perch at the heart of Iraq’s turbulent future."

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Over $1 Billion allocated to build it, set to be finished in June of 2007, will the US 'walk away from this Embassy?" I don't think so.

Will the Iraqis ever accept it with over 8000 fulltime 'employees'(troops?). I don't think so.

A symbol of American dominance of any government in Iraqi? Bingo!

And what about the other military bases the US has built throughout Iraq?

WE are way past the idea of 'winning and going home' --WE are there for as long as there is oil in Iraq --IMHO.

[Atman]

1. "We have to stay until the job is done." - GWB

This is one of the "jobs." The military bases are the others. We can't leave until Halliburton has drained every last penny from the treasury...that is Job One.

Thanks for the links. I've tried pushing this story several times...last time it received TONS of recs, and a surprising number of vitriolic responses from DUers who couldn't believe it is true.

.

[Blackhatjack]

2. Regardless of the Motives Ascribed --You Cannot Ignore the Facts(Can Be Seen From Space)

I guess the US would be just as happy as the Iraqis if China built an 'embassy' this size in D.C., right?

[TwilightGardener]

3. Yup--those "vital interests" rear their ugly heads, just when we think

there might be a chance of getting out of Iraq for good.

[conspirator]

4. NEOCON-OLONIALISM (I thought they had given up building the fortress)

[Botany]

5. This embassy will be like the steel mills in Youngstown, OH

out of date and unused very quickly.

[AndyA]

6. 5,000 Employees in an Embassy in Baghdad?

2,500 Employees in an Embassy in Beijing?

What the hell do all those people do? How can the United States possibly justify that many people employed?

I see no legitimate reason whatsoever why we'd need such a large facility in Iraq. And to build it around one of Saddam's former Palaces sends a very bad message to the Iraqi people, in my opinion.

And we wonder why there's such an insurgency over there. This could be one of the reasons.

[Skink]

7. This is where we keep the Laser.

[BlooInBloo]

8. Saddam had a lot of palaces, didn't he? Which one? Trying to look it up on Google Earth.

[unhappycamper]

9. Speaking from past experience,

incoming sporadic mortar and rocket fire tends to limit one's desire for outdoor recreational activities. Betcha $5 USD the pool doesn't get used much until they get that pesky incoming taken care of.

[Blackhatjack]

10. Well I did hear that 8000 were needed to conduct 'diplomacy' ... LOL Joke of the day!

It takes a 'heck of a lot of employees' to carry out an effective 'diplomatic initiative' that is based upon ultimatums like 'do what we want or we won't talk to you.'

Yep, Condi probably had a hand its design and construction. (Wonder how many Show Stores will open inside that Embassy?)

[Monk06]

11. It is not an Embassy it is a fortress. It is meant to ensure Roman rule over Iraq forever.

[Blackhatjack]

13. Oh come on! It says in the building plans '...shall not be referred to as a fortress.' Satisfied?

However, that probably just applies to the Kuwaiti construction workers.

[Monk06]

16. OK I'm overreacting. Blast proof 15 ft thick concrete walls are just a security fence. Silly me

:spank:

[Monk06]

18. BTW they are not Kuwaiti construction workers .......

A Kuwaiti company is the labor contractor.

Workers apply for jobs in Kuwait thinking
they will have jobs in Kuwait.

Stories have surfaced (sorry can't give you a link)
that these workers have there passports seized in
Kuwait. After signing up they are shipped against
their will in some cases to the Embassy site in
Baghdad.

Workers that have managed to get out tell stories
of not being paid. If they refuse to work they are
shipped out and land in Kuwait with no money and no
passport to return home.

Also there are accounts from some ex workers that
complainers are being held as virtual prisoners
to prevent the story from getting out.
their stories

[Blackhatjack]

21. If you don't have a link, when did you read it/hear it? Maybe someone else has a link...

I know there is lots of Iraqi resentment against the US for all the labor projects being done by 'foreigners' rather than fellow Iraqis.

[Monk06]

23. I couldn't recall on my post above but here's just one link I found

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13258

and here's the Google search result for

Kuwait, Baghdad Embassy workers

http://www.google.ca/search?q=Kuwait+Baghdad+Embassy+Workers&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

[leftchick]

26. I remember reading about that too

I will see if I can find a link.

[Blackhatjack]

12. Better be careful taking a fast food service job, you might end up in Baghdad!!!

Imagine how wonderful life will be having 'fast food' restaurants there --just like home!

[Stephanie]

14. Photo here > I posted on this the other day >>>

I was wondering why nobody asked the candidates in the debate about this - are we really pulling out of Iraq, or not???

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x767367

[Blackhatjack]

17. Thank you for the link! You were on top of it, but obviously it just keeps falling off the radar...

How much more obvious can it be that 'We" have no intention of leaving Iraq until the flow of Iraqi oil according to US interests has been secured?

Prediction: The NeoCons will populate the 'new US Embassy' with private contracters(ie. Blackwater) and claim that it houses very few 'troops' who are maintained for security purposes.

[Stephanie]

22. For some reason it's hard to generate interest in this topic.

Even though it is the KEY to what the real intention is in Iraq. If the Democrats were serious about pulling out, they would address this question. Are we keeping the Giant Embassy? Are we keeping the Enduring Bases? If so, we're not really leaving, we're still colonizing.

[Blackhatjack]

24. If the Maliki govt is not just an American Puppet, did they vote to authorize the Embassy & bases?

I think not.

And I share your opinion that it is amazing that this issue is avoided by almost all the leaders.

Why? It sure cannot be hidden.

[karlrschneider]

33. I wonder if there are any recent pictures? That one is over a year old.

...

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. In five years time, it won't be American soldiers protecting that fort.

It will be mercenaries for Halliburton.

[Lasher]

19. So Fort Dubya is being built around one of Saddam's palaces.

Is that right? Is it being built around the palace where our embassy resides right now? Because I remember reading that Iraqis are already demanding that we get our embassy staff out of the palace they're in right now.

[Az_lefty]

20. Jr's setting the stage for the coming anti-Christ...just thought I'd throw that in.

:shrug:

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

25. FYI, Jr is the Anti-Christ

nm

[Monk06]

30. Also in the Qumran Scrolls the Essenes called him the evil one who could not be named

[Jcrowley]

27. K&R

[leftchick]

28. Is there any mention of this in the Funding bill?

that would have been a great project for the Dems to remove. If we are pulling the troops out why the fuck do we need the US palace anymore?

[leftchick]

29. Have you seen the US Embassy in Iraq website?

http://iraq.usembassy.gov/

and here we have "careers in Iraq for Americans"

http://careers.state.gov/opportunities/iraq/

:crazy:

[Blackhatjack]

32. Interesting Leftchick, neither site mentions the Embassy or has pictures....

And I also noticed that there are no contact numbers or physical addresses you may correspond with to get more information. It is like the construction of the new Embassy does not exist.

I did however read that if you are a Fed Employee you will be paid the same rate of pay as stateside, and you will NOT be allowed to carry a weapon.

Sound appealing? I think not.

[yellerpup]

31. New Orleans would look so much better

if they were spending our billions in NOLA instead of Iraq.