The massive U.S. embassy building under construction in Baghdad appears to be sinking faster than the Titanic. But at least the Titanic had a maiden voyage; that may not be the case for the over-budget, shoddily built, behind schedule embassy located deep in Baghdad's Green Zone. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack now says he doesn't have a clue when the mother ship of U.S. diplomacy in Iraq will be ready for actual occupancy:
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"I can't tell you when the embassy is going to open," said McCormack. "We don't have an answer." *
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*McCormack said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was prepared to "cut everybody involved some slack" if the delay fell within the norms of opening a large embassy complex but would demand answers if it dragged on too long. *
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*"Anytime you have a large construction project you have punch list items, and we shall see in, I would hope, the not-too-distant future whether or not ... these delays ... fall outside the norms that one might expect for this kind of project," McCormack said. *
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"We're not going to buy ourself a turkey here. We're going to make sure that we get what we paid for," he said.
The turkey comment is great, but my favorite McCormack quote, however, is this one: "It is not a cost overrun. It is an additional contract requirement."
Also:
* Half Billion Dollar U.S. Embassy in Baghdad 'Not Big Enough'?
* Foodfight at U.S. Embassy in Iraq
* Building a Fortress on the Hill: Welcome to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad
