I just learned today that a mega-embassy is being built in the heart of the green zone in Baghdad, Iraq. Dubbed "Fortress America" by some and "Bush's Baghdad Palace" by others, the embassy is the only construction project in Iraq to finish on time and on budget.
The embassy is described by MSNBC as;
-- the largest embassy in world history
-- a bomb-proof super-bunker with a 15-ft thick perimeter wall
-- 21 buildings on 104 acres, the size of 80 football fields
-- wired for state-of-the-art communications and surveillance
-- "extraordinary" security measures
-- residences for the Ambassador, his deputy, and six posh apartments for senior officials
-- a water-treatment plant and power generator
-- two huge blocks of offices for 8,000 US staff workers
-- the biggest swimming pool in Iraq
-- a well-equipped gym
-- tennis courts
-- movie theater
-- restaurants serving US food chain favorites
-- a "swish" American Club for evening social functions
And what did you and I pay for this building project? MSNBC is reporting that the costs so far are in the neighborhood of $700 million dollars. They believe that another $30 million will be needed to upgrade security so that senior military staff can be housed there. It's believed that it will cost $2 billion a year to run it once it is fully functional.
It leaves me with two thoughts;
1) How can we in good conscience build such a behemoth in the face of the Iraqi people who still don't have electricity for more than a couple of hours a day or clean water?
2) If you had any thoughts about the U.S. pulling out of Iraq anytime soon, I think this embassy and the four military bases we are building should put that to rest.
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