> Bush 'palace' shielded from Iraqi storm
>
> Paul McGeough, Baghdad
>
> Melbourne Age
> August 26, 2006
>
> An army of more than 3500 diplomatic and support
> staff will have their own sports centre, beauty
> parlour and swimming pool. Each of the six
> residential blocks will contain more than 600
> apartments.
>
> After almost four years, the Americans still
> can't turn on the lights for the Iraqis, but that
> won't be a problem for the embassy staffers. The
> same with the toilets - they will always flush on
> command. All services for the biggest embassy in
> the world will operate independently from the
> rattletrap utilities of the Iraqi capital.
>
> Scheduled for completion next June, this is the
> only US reconstruction project in Iraq that is on
> track. Costing more than $US600 million ($A787
> million), the fortress is bigger than the
> Vatican. It dwarfs the edifices of Saddam's
> wildest dreams and irritates the hell out of
> ordinary Iraqis.
How can anyone possibly go to a site like this in a country like Iraq and not be deeply ashamed? I don't mean this rhetorically. I cannot for the life of me understand how any decent human being from a wealthy country can stand in the middle of such extravagance surrounded by so much unfilled need and not just break down. I understand for an Iraqi to get a job here could mean a chance to lift their family out of poverty, if they don't get killed for collusion. I don't understand how anyone from the west could go someplace like this and not just flee in disgust. I'm not suggesting the diplomats live in a tent but surely there is an option that lies between a tent and a palace?
John Thornton