Downsizing Baghdad

From the BBC:
"US to cut Baghdad embassy staff"

The United States is looking to cut the size of its embassy in Iraq - the largest and most expensive US diplomatic mission, officials say. A state department spokeswoman said the objective was to reduce the cost of the embassy, which employs about 2,000 diplomats and 14,000 contractors. The New York Times quoted officials as saying that the US was preparing to cut the number of staff by up to a half. The US military left Iraq in December, eight years after the invasion. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that the US ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, and other senior state department officials were reconsidering the size and scope of the embassy in Baghdad. It was originally thought that the $750m embassy, which sits inside the heavily-fortified Green Zone, and the huge diplomatic operation, which reportedly costs $6bn a year, were necessary to establish normal relations and help ensure Iraq became a stable democracy. However, diplomats now believe that approach was ill-advised, with many complaining an inability to leave the embassy because of security concerns and Iraqi obstructionism, according to the New York Times. The Iraqi authorities have reportedly made it difficult for supplies to be delivered to the embassy compound and for diplomats to get visas, and have launched a crackdown on security contractors protecting diplomats.

^ It's about time people in the US Government started to wake up. The only reason why we built the most expensive and largest embassy in the world in Baghdad was because we felt obligated to do so - there was and still is no other diplomatic reason to do so. Now that the Iraqis have begun to stretch their muscles (ie not giving American soldiers immunity under SOFA, harassing diplomats and contractors, etc) it is only fitting that we downsize out presence in the country. If the Iraqis think they can rule things in a stable country without us then let them - so far it isn't working and there are more Iraqi bombs killing Iraqis (at least it's no longer Iraqi bombs killing US soldiers.) I have the feeling that the Iraqi Government will eventually officially acknowledge that they need outside help and when they do I hope the US stands firm and refuses. ^

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16946414