Three suicide bombings in Iraq yesterday and today (in Baghdad, the Diyala province, and the village of Amarly) have killed 143 people and wounded 247 (Washington Post). Also in today's WaPo is an editorial by retired foreign service officer Kiki Munshi, titled Lessons Unlearned in Iraq.
Though distantly related, I can't help thinking of the embassy embarrassment. For reasons beyond my grasp, some time ago our leaders committed nearly $600 million to building America's largest embassy complex in the world, which is partly built. Where? In Iraq, while we're still fighting the war.
America's luck with contractors being what it is, the building project and the people involved not only face the regular threat of mortar attacks and suicide bombings, but they've also fallen prey to shoddy work, some of which has posed safety risks. (See posts on fraud suits involving defense and healthcare contractors).
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