Report: Big cuts needed at huge Baghdad embassy built by Bush

[ensho]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/72267.html


The U.S. Embassy in Iraq, the government's largest overseas diplomatic mission, is significantly overstaffed and needs to be downsized to reflect the reduced American role in the country, according to a new State Department report.

"There is a clear consensus from the top to the bottom of the embassy: The time has come for a significant rightsizing," says the report Wednesday by the department's inspector general.

-snip-

In addition to downsizing the embassy, the report recommends ending the Provincial Reconstruction Teams by 2011, which have been the prime U.S. tool for rebuilding civilian life in Iraq's provinces.

-snip-

The report recommends, however, that the State Department launch a review to downsize the embassy staff. It says that at the new compound, which became fully occupied in January, 1,200 people are "jammed into apartments designed for about 600."

"After rightsizing, the embassy should be able to carry out its mission in Iraq with a staff able to fit comfortably in 600 apartments," it says.

-snip-

The embassy employs 1,873 people, including locally hired staff, and more than 13,000 contractors, the report says.
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that should free up some money

13,000 contractors?!

[eShirl]

1. "rightsizing?"

That's one I haven't heard before.

[lib2DaBone]

2. 13,000 Contractors... $12 Billion a month for Iraq War.....

....But we can't afford Healthcare?

[valerief]

3. Hell, the whole Pentagon budget is a money laundering setup. nt