In the Chaos of Iraq,One Project Is on Target:
A Giant US Embassy
By Daniel McGrory - The Times on Line UK, Wedneday 03 May 2006
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? ...
...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.
...Officially, the design of the compound is supposed to be a secret, but you cannot hide the giant construction cranes and the concrete contours of the 21 buildings...
...The heavily guarded 42-hectare (104-acre) site - which will have a 15ft thick perimeter wall...
...After roughing it in Saddam's abandoned palaces, diplomats should have every comfort in their new home. There will be impressive residences for the Ambassador and his deputy, six apartments for senior officials, and two huge office blocks for 8,000 staff...
...[not surprisingly] Iraqi politicians opposed to the US presence protest that the scale of the project suggests that America retains long-term ambitions here.
1 comment:
Dear James,
Regarding leaving feedback to your articles:
I bet a lot of people read this blog - I certainly check it out a few times a week.
However, I don't see anyone commenting or giving feedback, and I wondered why. Therefore this "feedback regarding feedback"!
A lot of the articles don't really provoke responses I guess, like the US embassy one - what could I say, apart from "Yes, that's really upsetting!" or maybe "I don't believe it!"?
I would be more inclined to leave feedback on articles regarding the solutions which give me simple starting points.
You have suggested solutions to do with money (LETS) or food (local growing co-ops) and others (Open Space Technology).
So maybe if you had articles asking for specific skills or contributions that would get more of a response, such as "Who can write up a user manual for a growing co-op?" or "I need to find people who are keen to set up a LETS on Waiheke - who is willing to meet up and contribute skills?"
Anyway, just my 2c worth. I am happy to contribute to this development, but I suggest a starting point could be to make two main divisions, like "State of the World" which would not be very interactive, and something like "Solutions for the Good Future" which would be more of a forum.
Hope this helps,
Milan
Post a Comment