Last month the Bush administration blocked an inquiry into the new U.S. Embassy in Iraq. More than the cost needs to be questioned. by rtbohan
(libertarian)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Last month the Bush administration blocked an inquiry into the construction of the new embassy building in Iraq. Demcrats had sought the inquiry because of the rising cost of the building and the delays in completing construction. The cost, originally set at $593 million has risen to $756 million, and the Kuwaiti construction company which is erected the building is not meeting deadlines for completion. When finished, the building will house an embassy staff of one thousand and cost an estimated $1.2 billion a year to run. It will be the largest U.S. Embassy in the world, if and when completed.
But more than the cost needs to be questioned.
Iraq is a country with a population of 27 million people, about 10 million less than the state of California. We are proposing a building which will cost nearly a billion dollars located on a 104 acre campus to "represent the interests of the United States in Iraq". This will certainly be the largest and most impressive building in the capital of the country. It will house a staff of 1000. The White House staff consists of 423 people. Quite obviously;, the purpose is not to maintain relations with the government and people of Iraq, it is to rule over the government and people of Iraq.
The current war in Iraq will come to a close next year or the year after, at least as far as U.S. presence and casualties are concerned. But the "Progressive" Democrats have already announced their intention of involving the United States militarily in Africa. President Bush and Senator McCain have made clear their eagerness for a military conflict with Iran. Protesting a temporary manifestation of a bipartisan policy of conquest and empire does little good. What we need to be focused on is the policy itself.
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