White House blocks inquiry into construction of $736m embassy in Iraq

[cal04]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/29/usa.iraq

The Bush administration is blocking an inquiry into the delay-plagued construction of the $736m US embassy in Baghdad, a senior Democrat in Congress said today.

Henry Waxman, who is chairman of the oversight committee in the House of Representatives, asked US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice today to explain why her department certified the embassy as "substantially completed" in December despite inspections that reveal continued deficiencies in the facility's water, fire alarm and kitchen systems.

The Baghdad embassy, which stands to become the largest US diplomatic facility in the world, had an original opening date of mid-2007. But the project stalled amid ballooning cost estimates as well as charges of corruption and shoddy work by the private contracting company overseeing the project.

In addition, two US state department employees who worked on the embassy project are now under criminal investigation. Waxman urged Rice to release subpoenaed documents related to the Baghdad embassy project next week or risk being forced to do so.



This computer generated architectural rendering recently posted on the architect's web site reportedly shows the pool house in the American Embassy complex in Baghdad, Iraq, currently under construction. Photograph: AP

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

1. Why the @#(*&$@#!!!!! are we spending $736 million on an EMBASSY?

Nothing better to spend that money on, I guess. :eyes:

[DJ13]

2. Are we SURE our candidates will get us out?

Three large military bases, one so big its larger than a small American city in the middle of nowhere with most every amenity of a typical US suburban area, including restaurants, multiplex theaters.

Now an embassy bigger than anywhere else in the world, bigger than the Vatican, a country itself.

What a disgusting waste of American taxpayer dollars.