The U.S. 'castle' by the waters of Babylon

Monday, Jan. 5, marked the dedication of the new U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The mainstream media — focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza — barely mentioned the event, and some newspapers didn’t even carry the story. Wouldn’t you think that the opening of the world’s largest embassy — not to mention the most expensive — would deserve more attention? This massive structure will always be tied to the American occupation of Iraq.

The official U.S. embassy website states that the project cost $592 million, which is a drop in the bucket compared to what we have spent to invade and occupy that country. So what are the Americans getting for their tax dollars?

Let’s start with the size. Tom A. Peter of The Christian Science Monitor reports that the “104-acre compound will house at least 1,200 U.S. government employees from 14 federal agencies.” The land is often compared to 80 football fields. Martin Fletcher of The Times in London says the “architects — Berger Devine Yaeger, of Kansas City — posted drawings on its website briefly until the State Department ordered their removal.” From the drawings we know there are “six apartment blocks containing 619 one-bedroom units, spacious residences for the

Ambassador and his deputy, a school, shopping center and food court; a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts; a gymnasium, cinema, beauty salon and social club.” The facility will also have its own water system, electricity, and sewage treatment.

Built on the bank of the Tigris River — one of the two rivers that gave rise to the ancient Babylonian civilization — the U.S. embassy is a city within a city — actually one of the world’s most dangerous cities: Baghdad. It is “a fortress within the fortress” of the Green Zone according to Martin Fletcher. “It will be protected by a detachment of Marines with their own barracks.”

Embassies have altered their designs in recent years to prevent them from attack. The new U.S. embassy is no exception — in fact it is probably the world’s most secure embassy. However, the security can also be a form of isolation, both for the Americans on the inside and the Iraqis on the outside.

In the September 2007 issue of Foreign Policy, Jane Loeffler, an expert on embassy architecture, called the design of the U.S. embassy a “citadel.” “Encircled by blast walls and cut off from the rest of Baghdad, it stands out like the crusader castles that once dotted the landscape of the Middle East.” She is also critical of the embassy’s disconnect “from the realities of Iraq.” Although the American diplomats will “technically be ‘in Iraq,’ they may as well be in Washington.”

The fortified design of the embassy suggests that the Americans don’t have much faith in the stability of Iraq. On New Year’s Eve at midnight, the U.N. Security Council resolution, which allowed the U.S. to invade and occupy Iraq, expired. As of January 1, 2009, the U.S. military falls under the authority of the Iraqi government. The security pact agreement between Baghdad and Washington also has the American troops leaving within three years. The U.S. embassy will remain as a symbol of U.S. domination.

Barbara Slavin of USA Today writes that the U.S. Senate wanted more Iraqis to be hired for the construction of the embassy, if the Kuwaiti lead contractor, First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting, could get them “properly screened.” There was bad blood between Iraqis and Kuwaitis even before Desert Storm. William Branigin of The Washington Post reports that First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting was accused in a Congressional hearing of abusing its foreign workers on the project, including 51 Filipino workers who were told they were going to Dubai but ended up in Baghdad to build the U.S embassy.

For the average Iraqi who will never get beyond the gated wall, the U.S. embassy is an intimidating structure. It is designed to suggest a long-term commitment to Iraq at a time when the Bush administration did not have an exit strategy.

Iraqi President Jala Talabani stated at the dedication ceremony, as reported by Fox News, “The building of this site would not be possible without the courageous decision by President Bush to liberate Iraq. This building is not only a compound for the embassy but a symbol of the deep friendship between the two peoples of Iraq and America.” The citizenry of Iraq may disagree.

One Iraqi dignitary was noticeably absent from the opening ceremony — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. According to United Press International, he was in Iran “wrapping up meetings with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other officials.” Should we be worried? It makes one wonder.

ABOUT THE WRITER
Carol Jensen is a long-time Barstow resident, graduating from Kennedy High School and Barstow College, where she was an English instructor for many years. Much of her time now is spent writing political and social commentary. She may be contacted at cajensen49@msn.com.