This New York Times article on the supposed reconsideration of the size of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq has some surprising bits of truth:
“The main issue between Iraqis and the U.S. Embassy is that we have not seen, and do not know anything about, an agreement between the Iraqi government and the U.S.,” said Nahida al-Dayni, a lawmaker and member of Iraqiya, a largely Sunni bloc in Parliament.
Expressing a common sentiment among Iraqis, she added: “The U.S. had something on their mind when they made it so big. Perhaps they want to run the Middle East from Iraq, and their embassy will be a base for them here.”
Even as U.S. officials claim they’re “slash[ing] by as much as half the enormous diplomatic presence” in Iraq, the Associated Press reported less than two weeks ago preparations by the Obama administration for negotiations with Iraq for a new defense agreement that may include an expanded number of U.S. troops.
I especially liked the bit about dwindling salads and a shortage of splender for the coffee. It conjured up a picture of tough-guy security types demanding to know who took the last spoonfull of splender.
Hillary & state will be furious that they are not going to get quite the army they wanted.
They'll just pay fr a better army, and shell out tons of dough to pay for their splenda, and personalized coffee mugs (occupatin' is my occupation)
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Thanks
What I'm interested in seeing is how it effects the future of their politics. Anyone worth their salt will point a huge finger at the base to garner support. (All while assuring the powers that be that it isn't going anywhere.) It's diplomatic ripple hasn't even begun to be fully realized it serves as a beacon for the entire middle east, and when people start to go hungry (hungrier) and conditions worsen, it'll be a great starting point for the masses. Whether it was intent or not that base is now a symbol of our middle east occupation, and can only be construed as the mechanism through which our occupation will expand.
If we really want to look like, and possibly do good, we'd either turn it over to the iraqis (at least on paper) or use it as a staging point to negotiate with Iran, Israel, Syria etc. If were going to be an empire we could at least look like a fair and benevolent one.
Whether it was intent or not that base is now a symbol of our middle east occupation, and can only be construed as the mechanism through which our occupation will expand.