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| Yes | 41% | 126 votes | Total: 310 votes | |
| No | 59% | 184 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesLet's put it this way. If you or a loved one was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in beautiful, downtown Baghdad today, would you want it to be protected as securely as possible? Doggone right you would! Since the 1970s, when U.S. Embassies have been attacked freqently by terrorists all over the world, it is grossly unfair to expect the civilian employees, mostly unarmed, to live their tours of duty as if they were combat troops?
The leaders of the mobs who plan the attacks are fully aware of the fact that U.S. Embassies are lightly guarded by a token force of Marines, and that the Marines are under orders not to use their weapons unless they are in imminent physical danger. Even then, if a Marine fires into a howling mob of murderous hairballs, he knows the only result will be his own death and possibly the deaths of unarmed civilian employees.
One example was when current nutcase President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a student and led a screaming mob over the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979. He was clever enough to know he wasn't in much danger of having his butt shot off, and it was the beginning of his highly-successful career. He parlayed years of propaganda from that unheroic deed to move himself up the ranks of America-haters to become the big bragging boss of Iran and international pain in the butt he is today.
Of course, the other side of the argument has very valid points, too. It begins with ... why did we go there in the first place, and why are we still investing billions of dollars and the lives of our young GIs in Iraq? Further, the cry is ... we wouldn't need to build any Embassy mega fortresses anywhere if we'd just get our military the hell out of Iraq and Afghanistan and establish normal relations with all the countries of the world. Fed-up Americans who say those Middle East religious freaks have been killing each other for a thousand years are absolutely right, and whether we have GIs there or not, the murders will go on for another thousand years.
Sure, and there will be sweetness and light throughout the world. Unfortunately, that is a long way off, if it will ever happen. Meanwhile, we need to do everything possible to protect the lives of American diplomatic staffs throughout the world who may be in danger. And the ones serving in Baghdad are certainly in the most danger.
Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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No
Way back when, there was a mayor of New York City known as Boss Tweed. Because of his efforts, the city hall was redecorated at a huge cost to the citizens of that marvelous city.
Later, is was discovered that that the contractors who did that work were very well connected with the Mayor. The end result is known to us as the Teapot Dome Scandal.
Yes, the work done was only worth about 10% of what was charged to the city.
That and the only difference between the embassy built in Iraq is the fact that the embassy is in a Foreign Country and the new Boss Tweed appears to be our President and his administration. The area complex covers more than four football fields in size. Why? Then again, why not just build a military base like the one we have in Germany?
I'd really like to know the true purpose of that huge building. Why would any person in their right mind spend more than 600 million dollars for just one embassy? Keep in mind that the money is taxpayers money. As such, the Congress needs to take a good look at the whole situation and punish those responsible for such a flagrant waste of our money.
So too, the President wants the Government of Iraq to stabilize before the troops come home. I wonder how many troops will be requires in which to guard that embassy?
I also wonder when the people of Iraq will have regular electric service and be able to go to work without having to avoid suicide bombers? Something is clearly wrong somewhere when, more than once, Government police attacked our own troops. What real good is being accomplished?
Maybe, what we don't see in the news could be dozens of U.S. oil tankers loading oil from the Iraq oil fields free and clear of payments to anyone while the price for gasoline is inflated to about 300% in our Country.
After we leave, maybe the Arabs will take apart that embassy and build new houses for themselves? Then again, they could remove the doors in order the replace all the doors that our soldiers kicked down in order to find Terrorists? Maybe, as a result of our invasion, starving Iraq people needed jobs in order to stay healthy and alive?Your guess is as good as mine.
Learn more about this author, Joseph Malek.
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