Giant U.S. embassy rising in Baghdad

[NeoConsSuck]

Three years after a U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, only one major U.S. building project in Iraq is on schedule and within budget: the massive new American embassy compound.

The $592 million facility is being built inside the heavily fortified Green Zone by 900 non-Iraqi foreign workers who are housed nearby and under the supervision of a Kuwaiti contractor, according to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report. Construction materials have been stockpiled to avoid the dangers and delays on Iraq's roads.

"We are confident the embassy will be completed according to schedule (by June 2007) and on budget," said Justin Higgins, a State Department spokesman.

The same cannot be said for major projects serving Iraqis outside the Green Zone, the Senate report said. Many — including health clinics, water-treatment facilities and electrical plants — have had to be scaled back or in some cases eliminated because of the rising costs of securing worksites and workers.

"No large-scale, U.S.-funded construction program in Iraq has yet met its schedule or budget," the committee report said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-04-19-us-embassy_x.htm

---------------------------------

Hmmm.. If you believe the neocons, that we have no long term plans to occupy Iraq, who is this being built for, and who will be guarding it?? <edited for spelling>

[saigon68]

1. It will become the New Oil Ministry

[Javaman]

18. Ministry of oil, information, propaganda and Vichy all rolled into one.nt

[saigon68]

20. Guarded by a Group of Quislings

A female Iraqi Police officer waves the Iraqi flag during an Iraqi Police graduation ceremony at Camp Shield, Iraq, July 21, 2005. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ben Brody





New Iraqi Police officers celebrate after their graduation ceremony at Camp Shield, Iraq, July 21, 2005. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ben Brody

[Oversea Visitor]

2. Dont matter

Just proof to world
What US intend is
Anyway that is the EMBASSY of Perpetual Misery
It will always cause the dead of Americans
It is all a question of choice
The benefit to the American people is zero and require the long term spending of billions of taxpayer money and Americans lives.
The benefit to the corpoartion is the ability to reward its CEO in millions for job well done.

Last country in the world that I expect the people will let themselves be abused
But strange thing do happen and the fact that it can is a lesson to all people around the world.

[InsultComicDog]

3. Here's the design concept

[salin]

5. *snicker*

funny on multiple levels.

(deadly) Micky Mouse policies...

Magical Kingdom thinking...

[Oversea Visitor]

9. Ok me change mind

nice embassy
when ready

[dipsydoodle]

4. The bigger they are

the harder they fall.

[Demeter]

6. The First Line Says It All

So much for the publicly stated, press-release, feel good priorities....

[Disturbed]

7. Iraqis cannot be trusted to work on this Occupation Complex?

The US Occupation will last in Iraq as longs as the Shi'ites allow it to continue.

[leftchick]

8. um, why is Disneyland a source?

THE SITE HAS 21 STRUCTURES

U.S. diplomatic employees in Iraq are to move next year to a multimillion-dollar complex that will be among the largest U.S. embassies. The facility is slated for completion June 2007.


New office building: Includes classified activities
New office annex: For public diplomacy staff, consular affairs and the U.S. Agency for International Development
Interim office building: Designed for future use as a school
General services annex: Facilities management, break areas, staff locker rooms
Recreation building: Gym, exercise room, swimming pool, locker rooms, the American Club, commissary, food court, barber and beauty shop
Six staff apartment buildings: Each has one bedroom apartments
Residences for the chief and deputy chief of mission
Marine security guard quarters
Remaining buildings are dedicated to security, vehicle maintenance and facilities management, storage, utilities, and water and wastewater treatment

Sources: State Department, Mall of America, Disneyland, Architect of the Capitol, wire reports and Senate Foreign Relations Committee



???

[Oversea Visitor]

10. Crazy plan for an embassy

Imagine all the thinking involve here
They base on the plan of being in a hostile territory

On one hand they looking at reality
On other hand they rejecting it and say peace soon.

They so beleive that they can bring peace to Iraq
But by their action they know they screwed

This like guy playing share on margin
Stock price dropping all indication say going bust
Yet holding stock and say it will recover

Sure as long as you can cover your margin
Sorry US broke x(
STUPIDITY of the HIGHEST ORDER

[rodeodance]

11. THE SITE HAS 21 STRUCTURES (104 acres)

THE SITE HAS 21 STRUCTURES
U.S. diplomatic employees in Iraq are to move next year to a multimillion-dollar complex that will be among the largest U.S. embassies. The facility is slated for completion June 2007.

# New office building: Includes classified activities
# New office annex: For public diplomacy staff, consular affairs and the U.S. Agency for International Development
# Interim office building: Designed for future use as a school
# General services annex: Facilities management, break areas, staff locker rooms
# Recreation building: Gym, exercise room, swimming pool, locker rooms, the American Club, commissary, food court, barber and beauty shop
# Six staff apartment buildings: Each has one bedroom apartments
# Residences for the chief and deputy chief of mission
# Marine security guard quarters
# Remaining buildings are dedicated to security, vehicle maintenance and facilities management, storage, utilities, and water and wastewater treatment

Sources: State Department, Mall of America, Disneyland, Architect of the Capitol, wire reports and Senate Foreign Relations Committee

[rodeodance]

12. being built INSIDE Green Zone.. It will take an army to protect it.

[Imalittleteapot]

13. "900 non-Iraqi foreign workers"

One of the biggest mistakes of the Iraq occupation was giving jobs in Iraq to foreigners. We might have more Iraqis on the side of democracy had we given them the jobs they NEED.

[Benhurst]

15. Democracy? Under the thumb of BushAmerica? No way. NT

[cliss]

14. I don't believe this figure.

$592 million seems way too low. I've read other estimates that put this monstrosity at around $ 4 billion dollars. Another estimate said $3 billion. Look at the size of this thing: 104 acres, 21 buildings? For that amount? And think of the security nightmare.

You can really see American priorities at work here: Iraqi infrastructure plans have been abandoned. Bush decided to abandon plans for rebuilding Iraq.

And yet this is being done! No one will want to work there.

[Mandate My Ass]

16. slave labor

The Kuwaiti company (First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting) that's subcontracting for Halliburton pays their imported workers a few hundred dollars/month and they work 10-12 hour days, 7 days a week. They were recruited mostly from Asia and promised high-paying jobs in safer spots in the Middle East. If they balk at working in Iraq, the company tells them they have to get themselves back home.

They also feed them slop, outdoors, and refuse to treat any of them medically.

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

[Supersedeas]

17. $592 Million -- like one of them there Sadaam Palaces, ain't it?

[RedG1]

19. 104 acres...

nearly the size of Vatican City at 108 acres

[saigon68]

21. And like the Vatican filled with Criminals

[RedG1]

24. uh huh...

and all wearing $600 Prada loafers

[saigon68]

28. nice shoes

[elvisbear]

22. A little info on First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting (FKTC)

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

<snip>
“It's stunning what First Kuwaiti has been able to get from the State Department,” one contractor said.

Several other contractors that competed for the embassy contracts shared similar reactions and believe that a high-level decision at the State Department was made to favor a Kuwait-based firm in appreciation for Kuwait's support of the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

“It was political,” said one contractor.

<snip>

The company boasted of having $35 million in assets less than three years ago. Today, the firm has racked up hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. contracts in Iraq, pushing the company well past the $1 billion mark. With 7,000 employees in Iraq, the company claims to be holding $800 million in construction and supply contracts directly with the Army for military camps, plus more than $300 million under Halliburton 's multibillion dollar contract to perform military logistics for the occupation forces in Iraq.

[Supersedeas]

26. very interesting...thanks for the linkie elvisbear

[EVDebs]

23. Who will play the role of Amb. Graham A. Martin in Vietnam '75 ? nt

[saigon68]

25. This will be the way out

[MountainLaurel]

27. Embassy or colonial outpost?

For the newest U.S. territory?