In Baghdad "George W's Palace" Is Bigger Than Anything Saddam Built!

[leftchick]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-2162249,00.html

what a shock, eh?

<snip>

THE question puzzles and enrages a city: how is it that the Americans cannot keep the electricity running in Baghdad for more than a couple of hours a day, yet still manage to build themselves the biggest embassy on Earth?

Irritation grows as residents deprived of air-conditioning and running water three years after the US-led invasion watch the massive US Embassy they call “George W’s palace” rising from the banks of the Tigris.

In the pavement cafés, people moan that the structure is bigger than anything Saddam Hussein built. They are not impressed by the architects’ claims that the diplomatic outpost will be visible from space and cover an area that is larger than the Vatican city and big enough to accommodate four Millennium Domes. They are more interested in knowing whether the US State Department paid for the prime real estate or simply took it.

While families in the capital suffer electricity cuts, queue all day to fuel their cars and wait for water pipes to be connected, the US mission due to open in June next year will have its own power and water plants to cater for a population the size of a small town.

[Richard D]

1. Damn

I didn't know this. What on earth would an embassy that big in a small country be used for?

[ContraBass Black]

3. The embassy of a homogeneous middle eastern super territory

After the US conquers the whole region.

[leftchick]

4. good question

and not one explained well anywhere I have seen.

[wtmusic]

2. The ironies never end. nt