White House blocks inquiry into construction of $736m embassy in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/29/usa.iraq?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

The Bush administration is blocking an inquiry into the delay-plagued construction of the $736m US embassy in Baghdad, a senior Democrat in Congress said today.

Henry Waxman, who is chairman of the oversight committee in the House of Representatives, asked US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice today to explain why her department certified the embassy as "substantially completed" in December despite inspections that reveal continued deficiencies in the facility's water, fire alarm and kitchen systems.

The Baghdad embassy, which stands to become the largest US diplomatic facility in the world, had an original opening date of mid-2007. But the project stalled amid ballooning cost estimates as well as charges of corruption and shoddy work by the private contracting company overseeing the project.

In addition, two US state department employees who worked on the embassy project are now under criminal investigation. Waxman urged Rice to release subpoenaed documents related to the Baghdad embassy project next week or risk being forced to do so.

"It appears that the state department is concealing from Congress basic information about the status of the embassy project and the activities of the individuals and contractors involved," Waxman wrote to Rice. "This continued intransigence is inappropriate."

The private construction company, First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting, declined repeatedly to provide safety inspectors with reports on fire protection systems at the embassy, according to reports released by Waxman. First Kuwaiti, based in Kuwait, remains the target of a separate US criminal probe into allegations of labour trafficking.

[malaise]

1. THey'll soon be out of power

Truth will out. Now how will they try to stop all these scandals?

[babylonsister]

2. What gall; here's a thread on Waxman calling for hearings this p.m.:

can this be legally blocked, and what are they hiding? :grr:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2943380&mesg_id=2943380

[Disturbed]

3. The Busholini Regime believes that Congress is a qaint

institution that has no business inquiring about how the Busholini Regime
is spending Tax Payer's money.

[BlueManDude]

4. this is the building where they'll hold our people as hostages after we evacuate.

[NEOhiodemocrat]

5. Is it just me

Or do we hear the phrase "the Bush administration is blocking an inquiry".... way to many times? Or maybe just "the Bush administration is blocking...." Man I can't wait until he is out.

[Frustratedlady]

6. Why wouldn't they block? No one does anything about it.

I am sick to death of these characters getting by with this takeover of our government. I can't, for the life of me, see them leaving in January.

[Catchawave]

7. Why couldn't they just hire HGTV to remodel one of Saddam's castles?

:shrug:

Such decadence certainly sends the wrong message in trying to win hearts and minds in the Middle East.

[lumpy]

8. Future US diplomats in will need plushy accomodations in the

Imperial American palace being built in the territory of New Iraq.