Our Big Digs in the Desert
(cross-posted at firedoglake)
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| Photo by AP |
People were surprised about the long-term
bases, which have been in the planning since 2004. Well, wait until they
get a load of this monster.
It's a U.S. complex consisting of 21 buildings and 104 acres, according to
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. You know how big that is? Try Rome's
Vatican City, baby. We're talking huge.
It's the largest in the world and sends forth only one message. We're going
to be in Iraq for a very long time, as a serious power challenge to the Iraqis,
which will be unmistakable once it's finished and action starts taking place.
Wonder how that's going to go down?
The fortress-like compound rising beside the Tigris
River here will be the largest of its kind in the world, the size of Vatican
City, with the population of a small town, its own defense force, self-contained
power and water, and a precarious perch at the heart of Iraq's turbulent future.The new U.S. Embassy also seems as cloaked in secrecy
as the ministate in Rome.“We can't talk about it. Security reasons,”
Roberta Rossi, a spokeswoman at the current embassy, said when asked for information
about the project.A British tabloid even told readers the location was
being kept secret — news that would surprise Baghdadis who for months
have watched the forest of construction cranes at work across the winding
Tigris, at the very center of their city and within easy mortar range of anti-U.S.
forces in the capital, though fewer explode there these days.
According to the article, the U.S. embassy will be ready in 2007. I say, according
to this article, because there’s not much popping on it anywhere else. The
land was transferred to the U.S. in 2004 under a secret agreement. Well, at 104
acres, it’s a miracle it’s been a secret this long, but since journalists
can’t roam very far without getting kidnapped, maybe that actually worked
to keep it all under wraps. There’s been gigantic cranes working and a lot
of action over the months, which will eventually open out on Embassy Baghdad that
has its own “defense force, self-contained power and water.”
The Senate report talks about it being a “hardened” structure, meaning
that it stands alone, without any help from any outside company, electricity,
or anything else, because it’s 100% independent, for obvious reasons.
It’s “six times larger than the United Nations compound in New York,
and two-thirds the acreage of Washington’s National Mall.” Think
about that a minute. There’s going to be a lot going on in this building
and it doesn’t seem plausible that it’s all for Iraq. Surprise,
surprise, right?
The project went to First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting, with other contracts
going to six other companies, five of which are American. However, no one knows
who they are, because they’re working in classified sections of Embassy
Baghdad. Want to take a guess?
Congress appropriated $592 million in the emergency Iraq budget last year,
but the “original cost estimates ranged over $1 million.” However,
if we’ve learned anything from Bush’s preemptive adventure, it’s
that the bottom line has no bottom line.
We haven’t heard much about this from anyone, no single Democrat talking
about it. We know the Republicans will stay mum. But just like the long-term
bases, it sends the signal that’s not altogether comforting. Except for
this
guy, as the propaganda
campaign continues.
Look, no one is naive enough to believe that we’ll vamoose from Iraq,
leaving no trail behind. However, between the gigantic long-term bases and Embassy
Baghdad, a place that replicates the empire image of Vatican City, this is falling
into the I told you so category for permanent residency. It sure would be nice
if the pin headed politicians in Washington let us know what we’re spending
our tax dollars on. You know, just to inform us that we’re going to be
on the ground in Iraq permanently. After all, our plans in Saudi Arabia worked
out so well, now didn’t they?
UPDATE: A member of the terrific community over at FDL left a link in the comments that offers up an important link on this issue. Take a look at it for more infor on Embassy Baghdad.
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