Mary
2007-05-20 07:16:05 UTC
The $592 million dollar Baghdad embassy built with Washington's approval
By Mary MacElveen
May 20, 2007
Much to my amazement the mainstream news finally woke up today and reported
of the multi-million dollar American embassy being built in Baghdad. Are
some of you astonished to read where this embassy also known as 'Bush's
Baghdad Palace' by the Nation Magazine will cost you the tax-payer $592
million dollars? Well don't be. The reason why should not be surprised is
that the AP is only reporting of this now where other writers such as your's
truly have written of it before.
The AP reports that this embassy will contain, "secure apartments for about
615 people. The comfortable but not opulent one-bedrooms have offered hope
for State Department staff now doubled up in tinny trailers." Oh, don't you
feel sorry for these State Department officials having to live in tinny
trailers considering how Katrina victims were treated? Don't you feel sorry
for these State Department officials as our soldiers were denied a $6 dollar
raise in pay? Don't you feel sorry for these State Department officials
when the casualty rate of our soldiers presently stands at 3,395? Don't you
feel sorry for these State Department officials when the town of Greenville,
Kansas was wiped off the map by a devastating tornado?
What the AP leaves out, Military.com reports that this palace will contain,
"two major diplomatic office buildings, homes for the ambassador and his
deputy, and the apartment buildings for staff, the compound will offer a
swimming pool, gym, commissary, food court and American Club, all housed in
a recreation building." Now please remember what the living conditions are
for most Iraqis since we invaded their country back in 2003. As Iraqis and
our soldiers continue to die and suffer from massive injuries, we must
insure through our hard earned tax dollars that these State Department
officials along with others will get to recreate. I find that obscene. In
fact no word can best describe this abomination.
Over the years numerous sites have reported of the squalid conditions that
Iraqis are being forced to live without. They are living without clean
water, a lack of electricity, lack of proper sewage treatment systems and
morgues overflowing. Meanwhile as Military.com reports, our State
Department officials and others will have "its own water wells, electricity
plant and wastewater-treatment facility, "systems to allow 100 percent
independence from city utilities," I do not think that the city of Baghdad
has anything to give since we bombed their city to kingdom come.
Back in October of 2006, Alternet.org reported that this embassy is being
built by Asian workers. To my readers, it is not often that I ask you to
read an entire article that I have hyperlinked within a piece written by me.
But, this one you MUST.
You will read where these workers were, "assaulted and beat the construction
workers, demonstrated little regard for worker safety, and routinely
breached security."
The bile rose in my throat as I read these workers suffered from, "poor
sanitation, squalid living conditions and medical malpractice in the labor
camps where several thousand low-paid migrant workers lived. Those workers,
recruited on the global labor market from the Philippines, India, Pakistan
and other poor south Asian countries, earned as little as $10 to $30 a day."
This is the most obscene case of outsourcing I have ever read in which State
Department officials will reap the rewards.
I literally wanted to scream when I read, "State Department officials
involved with the project also have ignored or rejected opportunities for
comment." These are human beings our government is treating like yesterday's
garbage for them to live in opulence. Where is any congressional
investigation to look into this matter of human right's abuse?
In a past piece I wrote of our crumbling infrastructure so you will be happy
to hear that this massive embassy "will dwarf new U.S. embassies elsewhere,
projects that typically cover 10 acres (4 hectares). The embassy's 104 acres
(42 hectares) is six times larger than the United Nations compound in New
York."
In reading in the past of this massive monstrosity a feeling came over me
that we are not leaving Iraq nor will we be leaving for a long time to come.
We have too much invested as this embassy proves. So as everyone pressures
congress to do something like pulling our forces from that country; guess
who they are most likely listening to? Oh the companies that are building
this embassy and yes, defense contractors. It is not a war, but an
occupation and a trigger for yet another blow-back such as 9/11.
I received an email from someone who said that Congressman Ron Paul's
opinion of this blow-back affect was "nutty". Now after reading of this
embassy; does anyone who believed as that person who emailed me still see it
as "nutty"? We have been told through various news reports that the Iraqi
people do not want us there, but through the building of this embassy, we
are not listening. This is the ignorant foreign policy that Ron Paul was
speaking of at the Republican debates. You tell me how long it will be
before the next blow-back? What terrorist organizations can exploit this
anger towards us as we occupy Iraq?
Do you want to hear more of the embassy? Back in November of 2006, I wrote
this piece of how this embassy will look. As reported in the Nation
Magazine the, "American Embassy being built in Baghdad. Surrounded by
fifteen-foot-thick walls, almost as large as the Vatican on a scale
comparable to the Mall of America" The funding for this immense embassy was
slipped through when the GOP led senate passed an $82 billion dollar war
appropriations bill back in September of 2005. Whatever the status is as it
relates to its construction, our only moral choice at this point is to at
some point hand it over to the Iraqi people so that they can use it as a
crisis center in helping them deal with the chaos brought upon them all by
the Bush administration." I bet you anything that this suggestion will be
listened to when pigs can fly.
All of which leads me to speak of the current war supplemental bill in which
President Bush is almost screaming poverty to fight his war in Iraq. He
says it is to support the troops, but if the past $82 billion dollar package
was also for that reason; then how did the building of this monstrosity fail
to get the attention of our congress members? Even though the Democrats
were in the minority; I did not hear one single congress member or senator
bring this embassy up. Did you? Republicans say that they are for fiscal
conservancy, yet they can approve $592 million dollars for what is
equivalent to the Waldorf Astoria in Baghdad? Oh and built with slave labor.
Oh but it gets so much better, folks as one reads this UK Guardian article
in which the House voted for a $646 billion defense bill which contains, "an
additional $142 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." Is the
current supplemental bill presently being worked an added bonus? Does the
president want an extra $120 billion on top of that $142 billion dollar
figure? By the way this expensive defense bill was approved by the House
397-27.
In this runaway freight train known as the federal government you will read,
"Lawmakers want to protect suppliers in their districts; the Bush
administration typically has sided with industry in opposing tough new
restrictions." While these lawmakers wish to protect these suppliers; how
about the rest of us? What about bringing some of that money home for jobs
training and education? This past week, those in NY State went to the polls
to vote for their school board budgets and it is becoming increasingly hard
to make ends meet as one's property taxes continue to rise. To the members
of both parties serving us in Washington, D.C., America is in need of your
help. Yet you continue to turn your backs on us.
I think that others can commiserate with me as I stood at the check out line
at my local grocery store today watching how the food bill was increasing as
every item was scanned only to read, "The House voted to increase the
president's request by $205 million for U.S.-Israeli anti-missile programs."
As I watched that dollar amount climb not only this week but week after
week, I am blistered when I read that $205 million dollars coming from the
American tax payer is going towards Israel's defense.
Here is a note to you nitwits in Washington, D.C. stop sending our money to
Israel. If they cannot defend themselves, it's their problem not ours.
Maybe if they changed their foreign policy, it would ratchet down the
violence.
Do not even get me started on that illegal immigration bill presently being
studied by congress. All 700 pages or so which according to Lou Dobbs reads
as a legal document. One wonders how many will actually read that bill and
know of the specific details within it. How much is that bill going to cost
you the American tax payer? Will it put strains on our hospitals and our
school districts? No one really knows. Why can't the Mexican President,
Felipe Calderón take care of his own citizens as well as the wealthy within
Mexico? No, the Mexican president wants us to take care of his citizens and
our president capitulates. Will our congress approve this bill? Oh of
course it will. Next time any bozo running for office asks for a donation
to their campaign, I will place within the envelope Monopoly Money since
that is how they see our money.
This past week, looking at the corruption taking place in Washington, D.C.
with Alberto Gonzales, again the illegal wire tapping issue, the illegal
immigration bill, this war supplemental bill and again this monstrosity that
will house State Department officials in Baghdad, at one point I threw up my
hands saying; why vote? You know, you go to the polls and it seems like
nothing ever changes. I try to be optimistic, but in the face of this ship
of fools in Washington, D.C., it is truly hard to be.
My sentiments were mirrored as I read this depressing article in which "25%
of Americans now say they satisfied with the state of their country -- down
8% in just one month -- and one of the lowest ever measured." One of the
reasons they give is the high gas prices. This past November many did feel
a sense of hope, but when reads, "Over the past month, satisfaction fell
more among Democrats, suggesting that some of them may be souring on their
party's actions or inactions in Congress." If our Democratic controlled
congress does not get a handle on this, I do feel we stand a chance in
losing control of both houses and even the presidency in 2008. I just do not
know how much the American people can take being run by this ship of fools
coming from both parties. To Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid; are
you listening to the American people?
I feel we need a leader to lead us to the end of this dark tunnel into the
light and in the spirit of hope, I am literally praying for him to emerge.
While in a previous piece I stated that Gov. Bill Richardson was my
candidate of choice, there is one man that is out there that I do thirst for
to help lead this nation. He once said, "I will fight for you; are you with
me?" In the eighteen presently declared candidates of both parties that
feeling I long for is just not there. If you can hear me, Al Gore, your
country needs you.
Author's note: To my readers here at OpEdNews.com, to view the pictures of
this massive Baghdad embassy; please go to this link:
http://tinyurl.com/2s5nmc
My email address is, ***@optonline.net
http://www.marymacelveen.com/blog/_archives/2007/5/20/2962452.html
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/opedne_mary_mac_070520_the__24592_million_dol.htm
By Mary MacElveen
May 20, 2007
Much to my amazement the mainstream news finally woke up today and reported
of the multi-million dollar American embassy being built in Baghdad. Are
some of you astonished to read where this embassy also known as 'Bush's
Baghdad Palace' by the Nation Magazine will cost you the tax-payer $592
million dollars? Well don't be. The reason why should not be surprised is
that the AP is only reporting of this now where other writers such as your's
truly have written of it before.
The AP reports that this embassy will contain, "secure apartments for about
615 people. The comfortable but not opulent one-bedrooms have offered hope
for State Department staff now doubled up in tinny trailers." Oh, don't you
feel sorry for these State Department officials having to live in tinny
trailers considering how Katrina victims were treated? Don't you feel sorry
for these State Department officials as our soldiers were denied a $6 dollar
raise in pay? Don't you feel sorry for these State Department officials
when the casualty rate of our soldiers presently stands at 3,395? Don't you
feel sorry for these State Department officials when the town of Greenville,
Kansas was wiped off the map by a devastating tornado?
What the AP leaves out, Military.com reports that this palace will contain,
"two major diplomatic office buildings, homes for the ambassador and his
deputy, and the apartment buildings for staff, the compound will offer a
swimming pool, gym, commissary, food court and American Club, all housed in
a recreation building." Now please remember what the living conditions are
for most Iraqis since we invaded their country back in 2003. As Iraqis and
our soldiers continue to die and suffer from massive injuries, we must
insure through our hard earned tax dollars that these State Department
officials along with others will get to recreate. I find that obscene. In
fact no word can best describe this abomination.
Over the years numerous sites have reported of the squalid conditions that
Iraqis are being forced to live without. They are living without clean
water, a lack of electricity, lack of proper sewage treatment systems and
morgues overflowing. Meanwhile as Military.com reports, our State
Department officials and others will have "its own water wells, electricity
plant and wastewater-treatment facility, "systems to allow 100 percent
independence from city utilities," I do not think that the city of Baghdad
has anything to give since we bombed their city to kingdom come.
Back in October of 2006, Alternet.org reported that this embassy is being
built by Asian workers. To my readers, it is not often that I ask you to
read an entire article that I have hyperlinked within a piece written by me.
But, this one you MUST.
You will read where these workers were, "assaulted and beat the construction
workers, demonstrated little regard for worker safety, and routinely
breached security."
The bile rose in my throat as I read these workers suffered from, "poor
sanitation, squalid living conditions and medical malpractice in the labor
camps where several thousand low-paid migrant workers lived. Those workers,
recruited on the global labor market from the Philippines, India, Pakistan
and other poor south Asian countries, earned as little as $10 to $30 a day."
This is the most obscene case of outsourcing I have ever read in which State
Department officials will reap the rewards.
I literally wanted to scream when I read, "State Department officials
involved with the project also have ignored or rejected opportunities for
comment." These are human beings our government is treating like yesterday's
garbage for them to live in opulence. Where is any congressional
investigation to look into this matter of human right's abuse?
In a past piece I wrote of our crumbling infrastructure so you will be happy
to hear that this massive embassy "will dwarf new U.S. embassies elsewhere,
projects that typically cover 10 acres (4 hectares). The embassy's 104 acres
(42 hectares) is six times larger than the United Nations compound in New
York."
In reading in the past of this massive monstrosity a feeling came over me
that we are not leaving Iraq nor will we be leaving for a long time to come.
We have too much invested as this embassy proves. So as everyone pressures
congress to do something like pulling our forces from that country; guess
who they are most likely listening to? Oh the companies that are building
this embassy and yes, defense contractors. It is not a war, but an
occupation and a trigger for yet another blow-back such as 9/11.
I received an email from someone who said that Congressman Ron Paul's
opinion of this blow-back affect was "nutty". Now after reading of this
embassy; does anyone who believed as that person who emailed me still see it
as "nutty"? We have been told through various news reports that the Iraqi
people do not want us there, but through the building of this embassy, we
are not listening. This is the ignorant foreign policy that Ron Paul was
speaking of at the Republican debates. You tell me how long it will be
before the next blow-back? What terrorist organizations can exploit this
anger towards us as we occupy Iraq?
Do you want to hear more of the embassy? Back in November of 2006, I wrote
this piece of how this embassy will look. As reported in the Nation
Magazine the, "American Embassy being built in Baghdad. Surrounded by
fifteen-foot-thick walls, almost as large as the Vatican on a scale
comparable to the Mall of America" The funding for this immense embassy was
slipped through when the GOP led senate passed an $82 billion dollar war
appropriations bill back in September of 2005. Whatever the status is as it
relates to its construction, our only moral choice at this point is to at
some point hand it over to the Iraqi people so that they can use it as a
crisis center in helping them deal with the chaos brought upon them all by
the Bush administration." I bet you anything that this suggestion will be
listened to when pigs can fly.
All of which leads me to speak of the current war supplemental bill in which
President Bush is almost screaming poverty to fight his war in Iraq. He
says it is to support the troops, but if the past $82 billion dollar package
was also for that reason; then how did the building of this monstrosity fail
to get the attention of our congress members? Even though the Democrats
were in the minority; I did not hear one single congress member or senator
bring this embassy up. Did you? Republicans say that they are for fiscal
conservancy, yet they can approve $592 million dollars for what is
equivalent to the Waldorf Astoria in Baghdad? Oh and built with slave labor.
Oh but it gets so much better, folks as one reads this UK Guardian article
in which the House voted for a $646 billion defense bill which contains, "an
additional $142 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." Is the
current supplemental bill presently being worked an added bonus? Does the
president want an extra $120 billion on top of that $142 billion dollar
figure? By the way this expensive defense bill was approved by the House
397-27.
In this runaway freight train known as the federal government you will read,
"Lawmakers want to protect suppliers in their districts; the Bush
administration typically has sided with industry in opposing tough new
restrictions." While these lawmakers wish to protect these suppliers; how
about the rest of us? What about bringing some of that money home for jobs
training and education? This past week, those in NY State went to the polls
to vote for their school board budgets and it is becoming increasingly hard
to make ends meet as one's property taxes continue to rise. To the members
of both parties serving us in Washington, D.C., America is in need of your
help. Yet you continue to turn your backs on us.
I think that others can commiserate with me as I stood at the check out line
at my local grocery store today watching how the food bill was increasing as
every item was scanned only to read, "The House voted to increase the
president's request by $205 million for U.S.-Israeli anti-missile programs."
As I watched that dollar amount climb not only this week but week after
week, I am blistered when I read that $205 million dollars coming from the
American tax payer is going towards Israel's defense.
Here is a note to you nitwits in Washington, D.C. stop sending our money to
Israel. If they cannot defend themselves, it's their problem not ours.
Maybe if they changed their foreign policy, it would ratchet down the
violence.
Do not even get me started on that illegal immigration bill presently being
studied by congress. All 700 pages or so which according to Lou Dobbs reads
as a legal document. One wonders how many will actually read that bill and
know of the specific details within it. How much is that bill going to cost
you the American tax payer? Will it put strains on our hospitals and our
school districts? No one really knows. Why can't the Mexican President,
Felipe Calderón take care of his own citizens as well as the wealthy within
Mexico? No, the Mexican president wants us to take care of his citizens and
our president capitulates. Will our congress approve this bill? Oh of
course it will. Next time any bozo running for office asks for a donation
to their campaign, I will place within the envelope Monopoly Money since
that is how they see our money.
This past week, looking at the corruption taking place in Washington, D.C.
with Alberto Gonzales, again the illegal wire tapping issue, the illegal
immigration bill, this war supplemental bill and again this monstrosity that
will house State Department officials in Baghdad, at one point I threw up my
hands saying; why vote? You know, you go to the polls and it seems like
nothing ever changes. I try to be optimistic, but in the face of this ship
of fools in Washington, D.C., it is truly hard to be.
My sentiments were mirrored as I read this depressing article in which "25%
of Americans now say they satisfied with the state of their country -- down
8% in just one month -- and one of the lowest ever measured." One of the
reasons they give is the high gas prices. This past November many did feel
a sense of hope, but when reads, "Over the past month, satisfaction fell
more among Democrats, suggesting that some of them may be souring on their
party's actions or inactions in Congress." If our Democratic controlled
congress does not get a handle on this, I do feel we stand a chance in
losing control of both houses and even the presidency in 2008. I just do not
know how much the American people can take being run by this ship of fools
coming from both parties. To Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid; are
you listening to the American people?
I feel we need a leader to lead us to the end of this dark tunnel into the
light and in the spirit of hope, I am literally praying for him to emerge.
While in a previous piece I stated that Gov. Bill Richardson was my
candidate of choice, there is one man that is out there that I do thirst for
to help lead this nation. He once said, "I will fight for you; are you with
me?" In the eighteen presently declared candidates of both parties that
feeling I long for is just not there. If you can hear me, Al Gore, your
country needs you.
Author's note: To my readers here at OpEdNews.com, to view the pictures of
this massive Baghdad embassy; please go to this link:
http://tinyurl.com/2s5nmc
My email address is, ***@optonline.net
http://www.marymacelveen.com/blog/_archives/2007/5/20/2962452.html
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/opedne_mary_mac_070520_the__24592_million_dol.htm