US envoy to Iraq says embassy ready

[Barrett808]

Source: Associated Press

US envoy to Iraq says embassy ready
By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The U.S. ambassador to Iraq said Friday that American diplomats will start moving into the new embassy in Baghdad at the end of May, and should be safer in the more fortified complex inside the so-called Green Zone, which has been hit repeatedly by insurgent rocket fire.

The envoy, Ryan Crocker, also defended the work of private security contractors like Blackwater USA, which has been accused of using unnecessary deadly force while protecting U.S. diplomats in Baghdad, as "absolutely essential" to the functioning of embassy staff.

Crocker said buildings at the massive, Vatican-sized embassy compound have been completed, although they have not yet all been certified for permanent occupancy, and that the long-delayed move-in, originally scheduled for last fall, would begin at the end of next month after a spike in rocket attacks on the Green Zone that have killed several Americans.

"It's been a difficult few weeks, rockets are bouncing off your buildings, and maintaining focus can be an occasional challenge," he told reporters.

"We will begin moving into the new embassy -- some of the office space and the apartments -- probably the end of next month, the beginning of June, so that will certainly improve quality of life and provide some added protection," Crocker said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080411/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_embassy

[maddezmom]

1. Crocker defends role of private security contractors in Iraq

Associated Press - April 11, 2008 11:23 AM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. ambassador to Iraq is defending the work of private security contractors like Blackwater USA.

Ryan Crocker says the contractors are "absolutely essential" to the functioning of embassy staff in Baghdad because "the challenges of getting the nation's business done in Iraq are pretty substantial."

Blackwater guards have been accused of using unnecessary deadly force while protecting U.S. diplomats in the Iraqi capital. The State Department last week renewed Blackwater's contract despite the fact that an FBI investigation into one incident is still under way.

Crocker says he and his team would not able to do their jobs if they did not have protection from the private contractors.

more:http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=8152823&nav=menu612_2

[Wizard777]

2. The link doen't work

[maddezmom]

3. works for me

:shrug:

[Wizard777]

8. I keep getting page not found.

[Barrett808]

4. Hmm, works for me...

...fwiw.

[maddezmom]

5. here is another: US Ambassador to Iraq says diplomats will begin moving into new Baghdad embassy in

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200804110287

[Wizard777]

7. Thank You! That one works.

[damntexdem]

6. Halliburton is done -- the embassy is ready ...

to fall down.

[Wizard777]

9. The embassy was built by a Kuwaiti company.

[katty]

10. It was NEVER the U.S. Plan "to leave" - not gonna happen

[Javaman]

11. Wasn't there a report late last year that stated

that the colossal ego mansion had so many problems that it would take years before it could be occupied?