State Department Hired Corrupt Contractor To Build U.S. Embassy In Iraq
The State Department has come under intense criticism recently for its lavish $592-million embassy in Iraq. The embassy complex will have a staff of 1,000 people and operating costs will total $1.2 billion a year.
At a July hearing, the State Department official overseeing the construction assured Congress that the project was “on schedule and on budget” and bragged about the “extremely high quality of construction.” Yet the cost of the embassy is now expected to be $144 million more than projected and the opening of the embassy, set for September, has been delayed because of severe construction problems.
*Dit wordt de grootste en duurste ambassade van Amerika ter wereld.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
This comes as no surpise to me. When I was in the military overseas, the people used to say how stupid the US government was I they were stating it based on things they knew about. Like paying $1000.00 for a chicken the Army killed by accident. This is just why we don’t have money for things at home, we a too busy paying off crooked contractors in Iraq and all over the world. I think Rice should get a raise for screwing this up, don’t you?
October 10th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Corrupt?
They were using kidnapped Philippines, for God’s sake!!!
October 10th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
As a commander here in Iraq, I can tell you without a doubt that corruption and theft occur in just about all contracts here in Iraq. We are being fleeced like you would not believe. I’ve seen it first hand.
Unfortunately, our hands are tied, because corrupt business practices are the Iraqi way. Kickbacks and bribes are how they do business here. The problem is that we begin awarding contracts to honest, well-run, and competant foreign contractors, then we will not be achieving the goal of boosting the Iraqi economy, because most of the revenues will be flowing outside of the country.
So, the American military just has to accept a certain amount of corruption as yet another cost of this war. That is truly the bottom line here.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
As a commander here in Iraq, I can tell you without a doubt that corruption and theft occur in just about all contracts here in Iraq. We are being fleeced like you would not believe. I’ve seen it first hand.
Comment by ARealAmerican
uh oh, busted. Just how are you able to access TP if you’re in Iraq?
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/31/military-censors/
October 10th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Dude, I don’t know. All I can tell you is that I am sitting here at my desk, just south of Mosul, typing this message right now. It is 9:15pm, and I am getting ready to go to sleep. This particular network must not filter TP. Sorry to dissappoint you.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Unfortunately, our hands are tied, because corrupt business practices are the Iraqi way.
Comment by ARealAmerican
I’m sure Blackwater was relieved that this was the case!
More info on First Kuwait
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13258
October 10th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
‘So, the American military just has to accept a certain amount of corruption as yet another cost of this war. That is truly the bottom line here.’
Comment by ARealAmerican
And ‘democracy is sometimes messy’ was used to excuse the looting that took place after Saddam’s fall. This rhetorical shoulder-shrug dismisses the negative affects to our image of this practice, an ‘ah, shucks’ that just gives the international community more reasons to ignore American propaganda about installing ‘freedom and democracy’ abroad.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Private security firm executes two female Christians in Baghdad
October 10th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Very amateur troll mistake. Good luck next time.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Very amateur troll mistake. Good luck next time.
Comment by Candyce
Seriously, I’m in Iraq. Ramadan is coming to end. I’ll be eating lamb and kabobs in a few days to during the post-Ramadan feast with my Iraqi friends. I won’t even have to bribe them.
Anyway, after reading your link, it appears that the Baghdad network was shut down. I’m on a different network here in Mosul.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Dude. Actually you’re a ‘dude’ on a comments page on a blog you’re trolling.
Comment by DennisRaines
Why are you calling me a troll? I AGREE with you. The corruption here is ridiculous. However, there is not a whole lot we can do about it.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
I’m usually pretty good at spotting the troll. I don’t think this guy is a troll.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
My first-hand knowledge of this situation gives me an insider’s look on the corruption problem here. I thought it would lend me some credibility to mengtion that i’m in Iraq.
As a commander, I am responsible for contracts and projects all across my battlespace. I am very familiar with the contracting process. It is something that I hate dealing with because of the obvious corruption. As an honorable servant of my nation, it disgusts me.
October 10th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I’d be curious to know what a ‘military commander’ is?????
Sitting in Mosul, w/ nothing better to do than blog, and using language like ‘dude’
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
A military commander is an officer who commands an echelon of troops. As for my use of slang, hey. It’s late, I have some free time, and this is what I like to do from time-to-time. Enlighten you libs on the real world.
Going to sleep now.