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Building an Embassy Fit for an Empire

By Adil E. Shamoo, The Baltimore Sun. Posted March 22, 2007.


The United States is building a massive embassy complex in the heart of Baghdad that is already becoming a symbol of America's imperial ambitions in the Middle East.

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The headline reads: "Thousands of angry Iraqis pillage billion-dollar U.S. Embassy in Baghdad." The article details the ransacking of the grandiose American Embassy by Iraqi mobs.

This is the story I expect to read one day within the next decade.

In the 1950s, when I was in high school in Baghdad, my friends and I admired the technological advances of America and the West. But we resented the colonial tendencies of the West (especially, at the time, those of the British). Many demonstrations were held in front of the British and American embassies. The Iraqis are a proud people, and they resented foreigners meddling in their affairs. And the British were, in reality, running the country through a puppet regime.

You may call it false pride; you may call it a preoccupation with dignity; or you may simply call it an honest concern about sovereignty. In any case, this is what the culture of the region dictates.

So, with this in mind, why has Washington never taken the cultural context of the Iraqis into consideration? Instead, Congress has appropriated nearly $1 billion to build the largest embassy in the world. A significant portion of that money is for security infrastructure. This future "fortress" is housed in Saddam Hussein's former palace -- providing more bad symbolism to the Iraqis.

Why are we building such a mammoth embassy in the heart of Baghdad? The embassy complex is on 104 acres, with 21 buildings and facilities. It will eventually house a U.S. staff of 5,000. According to a recent report in the Washington Post, it has more than twice the staff and 20 times the budget of our Beijing embassy. The embassy will surpass all others in terms of size and staffing.

One would think that we would be more clever than that in camouflaging our occupation. Are we to believe that Iraqis will not take notice of this massive complex in the heart of Baghdad?

We will be attempting to legitimize our presence with a "negotiated" agreement with the government of Iraq. If that happens, the people of Iraq will know that their elected government no longer is representing them but rather has become another puppet government. More Iraqis will become radicalized and join foes of the government.

American forces left Saudi Arabia in order to reduce hostilities toward us and to prevent further recruitment by groups opposing the United States and the Saudi royal family. Why would our officials think that the same will not happen in Iraq?

The Roman Empire, which (depending on your definition) lasted from 1,000 to 1,500 years, was the longest-lasting empire in history. Empires are destined to decline. Despite our intentions to stay in Iraq for a long time, Iraqis will not allow their country to be an extension of the American empire.

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See more stories tagged with: permanent bases, embassy, iraq

Adil E. Shamoo, born and raised in Baghdad, is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He is a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus.

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This is ridiculous
Posted by: Tom Degan on Mar 22, 2007 12:12 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
A billion dollar embassy right in the heart of Baghdad? Wonderful! Hey, I've got an idea: Let's just burn the fucking place down right now and save the Iraqi people the effort.

The sad and undeniable fact is this: eventually America will retreat in disgrace and utter, humiliating defeat from Iraq. This conflict will bankrupt us financially and psychcologically. Why piss away all that money on a facility that will probably never even see a day's worth of use?

Did you ever, in your wildest dreams think you'd ever live to see the day when you'd be ashamed to call yourself an American? Isn't life strange?

Pray for peace.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
"The Rant" by Tom Degan

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» RE: This is ridiculous Posted by: robmikejas
» RE: This is ridiculous Posted by: Thelma
» RE: This is ridiculous Posted by: andyc
How stupid can Bush's cronies get?
Posted by: kgs1947 on Mar 22, 2007 4:02 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
One more stupid move on Bush's part. We continue to be the Ugly Americans. Damn! We went to a war with Iraq to dominate...not to liberate, but to dominate. The truth. Bush sent our men and women there without cultural education, without translators, without the least bit of sensitivity or know-how in the plan to make friends and not enemies. I guess Bush skipped out on preschool or elementary school when he was a kid...to learn the basic give and take that can happen between human beings. His Mom and Dad sure couldn't be more embarrassed by their stupid son. And, we as a nation, should hang our heads in shame for having elected him!

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It is about world empire
Posted by: Bushguiltyof911 on Mar 22, 2007 4:41 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
please go to my website which is www.911insidejob.net. Iraq and Afghanistan were not possible without the Bush administration planning and orchestrating 9/11.

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Why is this news?
Posted by: HughScott on Mar 22, 2007 5:43 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
AlterNet readers know about Bush's PNAC-driven goal for world domination with the U.S. military, including permanent occupation of Iraq. A super embassy in Baghdad is simply part of the neocons' imperialist agenda.

For a list of 225 PNAC signatories including rightwing Democrats in liberal clothing, visit King-George.biz -- the only website with hardcopy proof of White House corruption.

Hugh E. Scott, editor of King-George.biz.

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The cherry on the cake
Posted by: Catherine Martell on Mar 22, 2007 5:51 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"... why has Washington never taken the cultural context of the Iraqis into consideration?"

Hahahahahahahaha! Ha ha! Haaaa! Ha ha ha!

"This future "fortress" is housed in Saddam Hussein's former palace"

STOP IT! Haaaaa! Hahahahaha! Ha! Haaa!

Good grief, this is just so insane. Professor Shamoo's articulate, well-reasoned, measured article is actually too dignified a response. The building of this embassy is a disgrace, and the fact that they are building it in Saddam's palace is just hilarious - I can't imagine how the Americans could do more to reinforce their image as the root of all evil to the Iraqi people.

Shamoo's analysis of the probable effect of all this is spot-on. The question, then, is what the motivation might be for Washington. I'm racking my brains, but the only possibilities I can think of are that (a) they actually want the region to become more unstable and fundamentalised; (b) they are really giant, evildoing, baby-eating lizards; or (c) they are total, irredeemable morons. Seeing as I don't find (a) or (b) very plausible, that leaves... oh yeah. Bush = chimp.

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» RE: The cherry on the cake Posted by: yellow
» RE: The cherry on the cake Posted by: cashelboylo
» RE: The cherry on the cake Posted by: yellow
» RE: The cherry on the cake Posted by: andrushka
It's not just Bagdad...
Posted by: Swithun Mason on Mar 22, 2007 7:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Great to see some recognition of how ridiculous this is becoming... Bagdad is just one location of course, though. The US builds embassies on a collosal scale everywhere these days. The new one in Sierra Leone for eg: absolutely huge, stunningly ugly, involving the deforestation of a massive area of tropical forest. The contrast with the total poverty around it could not be greater if deliberately designed. So maybe that is the whole point? Ours (UK) aren't particularly funny either - but they are an order of magnitude away from the crazy situation with the US embassies. Presumably it has to stop at some point though? Someone tell how and when, please!

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Let it Burn!
Posted by: Phosphorescent on Mar 22, 2007 7:22 AM   
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If we start burning their buildings here in the states, maybe they wont have as many resources to build in other nations.

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Where's the moat & drawbridge?
Posted by: DanoM on Mar 22, 2007 7:56 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm sure they probably have them, but it will be interesting to see. I can picture a dry moat, or ditch, surrounding the whole compound, even at different security levels, and then drawbridges to keep vehicles at bay. At least it's large enough that it makes an easy target for mortars too!

Taking over the presidential palace is imperialist? Why would anyone thing that??

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» RE: Where's the moat & drawbridge? Posted by: cashelboylo
The George Armstrong Custer gambit
Posted by: dancerkc on Mar 22, 2007 9:58 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
200-plus soldiers charging into the middle of some 19-20-thousand Sioux seemed like a "slam-dunk" to Custer too. Just shows the army can do lessons never learned very well, thank you.

Sooner or later someone will look at that embassy as a small number of invaders surrounded by a hell of a lot of pissed-off natives. Just like Custer at The Little Big Horn. And no way a "surge" would have saved his bacon either. Which 10 guys would have wanted to add their might to that little band on that hillside?

Although - I do give props to Custer for one thing: for all his recklessness and arrogance, he did lead from the front. You'll never see a neo-con do anything but send others to die.

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I Love My Country
Posted by: Knobby on Mar 22, 2007 11:07 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
BUT I FEAR MY GOVERNMENT

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Presidential Library?
Posted by: ExoticElectron on Mar 22, 2007 11:13 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Is there a precedent for having a presidential library in a foreign country? I think this would be a great place for the #43 Library.

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» Presidential Library? Posted by: CatDad
» RE: Presidential Library? Posted by: cashelboylo
maninmoon
Posted by: maninmoon on Mar 22, 2007 11:15 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
How could we pull out now? Why...The Embassy isn't even finished yet! Who would protect the Halliburton crews building it? And, do you have any idea how much money Che...I mean Halliburton would lose?
You goddamn liberals have no respect for Our Vice President! If you're not behind The New Resor...uh, Embassy, then you're not supporting The Troops. The Hero's that keep the supply road for The New Bahgdad Embassy open! Maybe $1,000,000,000 sounds like alot, but I don't think you tree huggers realize the cost of air conditioning 21 huge buildings over there. It gets hotter than hell there! And if not allowed to finish, It would cost billions more to change the laws so it CAN be finished!

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The Way...
Posted by: bob t on Mar 22, 2007 11:42 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...to stop the republicans/Bushies is to attack their supporters or wait two more years until the next election and hope the sheeple have finally awakened.
The Republican Party supporters are: Big Religion, both Catholic, (my religion but not me) and evangelical fundies. Big Neocons(the warhawks and chickenhawks) and we all know who they are. And Big Corporatocracy aka the military-Industrial complex which must be extended to include Big Pharma, Banking, Insurance, Health Insurance, Diebold, ES&S(Chuck Hagel) etc.
And the worst of these is Big Religion because it is full of 'DRIVEN' people. People who are the most vicious, vehement and ideology driven. They are convinced they and only they know the mind of God. They will do whatever it takes to force their Ideology down the throats of everyone at the expense of stripping each person the right of choice due to the free will God gave each of us when He gave each of us our soul. But they will violate this soul no matter the cost to humanity or the planet. The very concept of 'born again' is that a person of sufficient age and sufficient reason and with clear understanding of what they are doing freely makes a choice and chooses Jesus. No free will=no choice=no 'born again'.
They want that for themselves but are committed to denying the right to freely choose to everyone else.

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» RE: The Way... Posted by: tdee
And people ask whether we are there to stay?
Posted by: Sojourner on Mar 22, 2007 1:01 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
For the indefinite future, Iraq is the 51st state. Yes, the time will come when we shall have to exit, but between then and now, the oil barons are in charge.

Contrary to the viewpoint of this article, my expectation is that the pressure for us to leave will come more from our global competitors, Russia and China. At the moment, both are busy with their own prosperity and problems. They will continue to fire up their coal furnances and build nuclear power stations, but the competition for oil will remain.

China need only roar across the straits to Taiwan to provoke an excuse to go to the brink of nuclear war with us. Russia need only push the Scandinavians around a bit. Both nations will be, sooner or later, in desperate enough circumstances from lack of oil (especially if we add Iran to our empire) that they will be willing to fight over the last dead rat. It's what folks do when they have no alternative.

So Iraqis storming the US embassy in Bhagdad? Until they have Russia and China as their allies, all in good time, they are just canon fodder.

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» China's deal with Iran Posted by: asilsfable
» That sounds right to me. Posted by: Sojourner
Istanbul (not Constantinople) by The Four Lads
Posted by: mdharold on Mar 22, 2007 2:24 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
So we have our Capital City and Emperor of the West in Rome (I mean Washington) and our Emperor of the East in Constantinople (I mean Baghdad).

You guess who The Four Lads are.

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disillusioned
Posted by: perplexed on Mar 22, 2007 2:56 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Iraq's have no electric, no clean water, bad sewage, no jobs, no privacy-doors kicked in by Am. troops, no security, Am bombs reining down on them, killing them
but we can build a billon dollar embassy and how many perament military bases??????? When are going to say look what we have done????

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» RE: disillusioned Posted by: ataraxia
mrs
Posted by: jjdoggie on Mar 22, 2007 6:29 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I've read the other comments, and I cannot compare with their humor. Too, too right on and funny (in an "oh my god, what next?" sort-of way). Seriously, when did this happen? With all the problems over there and demonstrations over here, what are they thinking?! It's incredible that Bush hears nothing that is going on; he has brought disgrace to my country that I love, countless times, but this insensitivity to the people of Iraq really shows how totally out-of-touch he is. How do we stop this travesty of arrogance? Not to mention, we could use a billion over here.

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mrs
Posted by: jjdoggie on Mar 22, 2007 6:29 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I've read the other comments, and I cannot compare with their humor. Too, too right on and funny (in an "oh my god, what next?" sort-of way). Seriously, when did this happen? With all the problems over there and demonstrations over here, what are they thinking?! It's incredible that Bush hears nothing that is going on; he has brought disgrace to my country that I love, countless times, but this insensitivity to the people of Iraq really shows how totally out-of-touch he is. How do we stop this travesty of arrogance? Not to mention, we could use a billion over here.

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cashelboylo
Posted by: cashelboylo on Mar 22, 2007 6:53 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Great info. Great comments.
But why does nobody sheet the blame home to where it belongs.
Svengala Condolleezza, the National Security ADVISER who advised Bush to invade Iraq, is now Secretary of State, the actual Decision Maker when it comes to building, fortifying, budgeting and staffing Embassies.

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Twenty more years.
Posted by: Melvin on Mar 22, 2007 8:20 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Get used to it USA; you will be in Iraq for another twenty years.
The Democrats are not much different to the Republicans. they are just as much reliant upon the money launderers as the Republicans!

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» RE: Twenty more years. Posted by: ateo
» RE: Twenty more years. Posted by: Melvin
Stupid is as stupid does
Posted by: Jackieo on Mar 22, 2007 10:28 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
And I mean it, actually you bet this is all very funny in a very sad way. I still love America, the country where I was born and grew up, this has me not so much enraged as very very sad that we were conned so many many times with our so called elections, that in the end turned out to be nothing more than scams - they knew who they wanted and they got it and it is stupid, very stupid. I think just maybe we can do something, guess it would take another war right here to take them down, can it happen, do we have enough to do that, or then there is another alternative and that would be to keep thinking positive and expressing love and peace to all right here on our own land, elsewhere too, but mainly here because of what has happened right before our eyes, maybe we all were a little stupid to let them get away with it a couple of decades ago, who knows.

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Tim McVeigh
Posted by: Dboy on Mar 23, 2007 4:17 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Tim McVeigh knew who the real enemy was, and he attacked that enemy.

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» RE: Tim McVeigh Posted by: yellow
» RE: Tim McVeigh Posted by: edgar_michel
We Won't Leave Iraq On My Watch
Posted by: edgar_michel on Mar 23, 2007 10:51 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We won't be leaving Iraq ever. Iraq has been permanenetly compromized. You don't build multi-billion dollar bases and an over one billion dollar initial cost embassy without the intent to remain for a very very long time. Consider Bagdad and Dubai as part of the same complex.

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These comments are very short sighted
Posted by: ateo on Mar 23, 2007 1:57 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You are very pessimistic about America's chances in Iraq. The difficulties we have faced thus far are nothing. 3,000 dead soldiers? Laughable to a nation of over 300 million people. A few hundred billion dollars? The Pentagon has "lost" more money than everything we've spent on the Iraq war. That speaks volumes.

If we want to "win" in Iraq (winning in Iraq has always meant turning Iraq into a permanent ally and base of operations for the U.S. military) we can do so. We have the money, we have the man power, we have the military technology. If 3,000 dead soldiers cause America to pack up and run I'd hate to see what would happen if we were to face a real enemy and suffer real casualties. What's happening in Iraq is a joke even by Vietnam standards.

People love to point out that all empires through history have eventually fallen. Well the U.S. "empire" hasn't even risen yet and already people talk of its failure. If there is an American "empire" it is American culture (such as it is) and technology.

Suffice it to say the costs of the Iraq war are currently overshadowed by the benefits and as long as that is the case the people who manipulated public sentiment (there is nothing wrong with that, the sheep need to be manipulated - shepherded - for their own good in a "democracy") to get us there will keep us there. Luckily the ones calling the shots are concerned with what is best for America and its people - not stuck in some sort of multicultural illusion.

America needs oil. A simple statement that most of you really don't seem to understand. The surest way to see the American "empire" fall would be to pull out of Iraq and allow the moderate regimes of the Mid-East to crumble one by one until the Islamic super state is realized. At that point America is at the mercy of its enemies, with no say in the matter whatsoever.

That's not where I want to be, do you? That's not what I call responsible government, do you?

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