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| Yes | 41% | 126 votes | Total: 310 votes | |
| No | 59% | 184 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesSee the devastation on car bomb can do and you will never deny that anything short of a super-fortress on the hill is needed to keep our diplomats in Iraq in safety. It's not most diplomats decision to go to Iraq. in fact, the United States government is forcing most of our ambassadors to the mess that we have made in Iraq. Most diplomats would rather be sipping Margaritas in some tropical paradise, with a cool breeze and by the ocean with some hot mamacita, not in the brutal heat of Baghdad, with the smell of smoke and burning cars, gunfire around them, and wondering if the next second will yield a explosion through the embassy wall, killing them and everybody else in the proximity.
Since we can't make our ambassadors comfortable, the very least we can assure is that they are safe, and not blown up or kidnapped. The only thing that can do that is a super-secure embassy that the terrorists in Iraq can not penetrate. And, I'm sure that will take alot of security measures to achieve. The bad apples of the Middle-East are pretty good at penetrating our secure places. And remember when The Viet Cong captured the U.S. embassy temporary. We can see from history that U.S. embassy's are not all that secure. That is, you don't build a 20 foot wall with razor wire and more security than Fort Knox.
The Super-Fortress of Iraq should only be temporary thing though. Hopefully, the U.S. will realize what is truly happening in Iraq and pull our troops the heck out of that snake's pit. Only then will the Iraqi Government help protect our civilians, instead of letting them fend for themselves. If Iraq refuses to do that, we should remove our ambassadors from Iraq until they can do that basic task. The super- embassy should only be a temporary measure to keep our diplomats safe until The Iraqis can sort out the mess of security they have.
Unfortunately, The United States has to resort to building a castle to ensure the safety of out ambassadors in a country in which we was told we made better. Let that carry a simple message. Support our Troops, get them the f* out of Iraq Now!.
Learn more about this author, Justin Patterson.
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No
In a word no. But I've got alot more to say on this subject before I make my main point.
(Note to reader - I like to talk. Alot.)
The US $592 million Embassy which is built in the Green Zone in Baghdad has been plagued with problems. Despite the international relations that will be further damaged (if thats even possible) which I shall go into later the building itself has been surrounded by scandal, and this is just in the contracting and building of it.
The latest on the embassy is that new restrictions have been set by the US State Department ordering staff working at the embassy to sleep inside reinforced structures and only travel in specially armoured vehicles. Hardly a good sign for the staff working there if they're basically being told that they are targets because of their association with the building.
In June last year the plans for the embassy building were leaked on the internet in a major security breach. Any developers of buildings are usually cagey about that sort of thing when it comes to the building of an office block, nevermind a maximum security building in one of the most dangerous places in the world. The plans were posted on the Berger Devine Yaeger website, the US architectural firm who were asked to design the facility.
Also the allegations facing the Blackwater security forces who are guarding the site can't really be doing the reputation of the building any good. The Iraqi government called for an inquiry into a shootout last year between Blackwater and Iraqi's in which 11 Iraqi people were killed. There was also an investigation by the US justice department into the rising cost of the project to develop and build with the initial budget rising by a further $144million.
Despite all these should we say nad omens which have stacked up against the building of this embassy its just wrong. Building a mega embassy in a country which the government claims to have 'liberated' when really it was a bit of an invasion - I think most of us agree on that one - it's wrong to claim part of that country for your own. That essentially is what an embassy is - staking a claim on something thats not rightfully yours and then setting up shop.
In conclusion this building is symbolic of the whole war in Iraq really. Wade in, stake claim, take over. Of course, this has nothing to do with oil...
Learn more about this author, Penelope Illston.
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