You’ll be glad to know that the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has finally been cleared for occupation (*cough*cough*), and that the 950-person staff will be moving in throughout the month of May.
Sure, it’s about 6 months late and $140 million over budget…..but isn’t that just a pittance compared to the expected annual operating cost of $1 billion…..not bad for 21 buildings over 104 acres, replete with 600 blast-resistant apartments, huh?
It’d be great if you read this article about it in the Christian Science Monitor, because they had this crazy idea of finding out what random Iraqis feel about what some call a ‘castle’….
“Saddam had his big castles; they symbolized his power and were places to be feared, and now we have the castle of the power that toppled him,” says Abdul Jabbar Ahmed, a vice dean for political sciences at Baghdad University. “If I am the ambassador of the USA here I would say, ‘Build something smaller that doesn’t stand out so much, it’s too important that we avoid these negative impressions.’ “
Eh, what does he know, anyway? After all, he’s only vice dean of political sciences….I’m sure the dean thinks it’s a lovely use of space….or not….
“If it is so big, it is a reflection of the size of the designs they have for Iraq and the Middle East,” says Maimoon al-Khaldi, an actor and professor at Baghdad’s Fine Arts Academy. “It is a sign of their energy agenda and of their security agenda in this region,” he adds. “This building faces the Iraqis, yes, but also the Iranians they have declared to be their enemies.”
Now, how he got that from a 104-acre ‘compound’ with 600 blast proof apartments, I’ll never know….can you even get tin foil in Baghdad? And, who calls it ‘tin’ foil anymore anyway…???…
hmmm….maybe http://iraq.usembassy.gov/ can clarify…
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Are they sure it’s enough? I mean, where are the polo field and tennis courts going to go? Can’t have a proper raj without ostentation, you know.
Boy! I say, boy! Where’s my gin and bitters?
this pony has broken out of the barn!!!
loved the perspectives of the academics (heh… intellectuals are always spoil-sports)
I mean, wouldn’t it be a travesty if all those blast resistant buildings were built by illegal aliens (AKA starving Iraqi’s) for slave labor wages?
I cannot imagine it…though I suspect they have yet unrevealed potential.
just sit back and enjoy that depleted uranium Iraqi air!
i told her our thoughts and best healing energies were with her… and asked if she had seen Night Owls’ blurb on the fake sweetner…