US Embassy in Iraq

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US Tells Non-Essential Embassy Staff to Leave Iraq

Iranian leader issues veiled threat

(Newser) - The US Embassy in Iraq says the State Department has ordered all non-essential, non-emergency government staff to leave the country right away amid escalating tensions with Iran. The security alert , published on the embassy's website on Wednesday, comes after Washington last week said it had detected new and urgent...

Iraq's Shaky Dam Could Flood 1M in Hours

US Embassy warns Americans to have escape plan

(Newser) - Americans in Iraq should be poised to leave at any minute—but not because of any terrorist threat. In a security alert , the US Embassy in Baghdad notes more than a million people could be drowned or left homeless if Iraq's largest hydro-electric dam on the Tigris River breaks...

US Will Halve Vast Iraq Embassy

Officials cite Iraqi obstructionism, mutual suspicion for thwarting mission

(Newser) - The United States' hulking $750 million Baghdad embassy is home to 16,000 staff and carries a $6 billion price tag annually—and it's about to get slashed in half in the wake of US troops' departure, reports the New York Times . It's quite the about-face for the...

Iraqis Fume Over US Drone Use
 Iraqis Fume Over US Drone Use 
Jan 30, 2012 7:55 AM CST

Iraqis Fume Over US Drone Use

State Department is operating surveillance drones in the country

(Newser) - Many Iraqi officials are outraged that the US is operating drones in the country a month after the American military left, calling the drones a violation of Iraq's sovereignty, reports the New York Times . It's the State Department, not the CIA or Pentagon, that's behind the program,...

Mortars Rock Baghdad During Biden's Visit

Vice president unharmed; will meet with Iraqi political leaders

(Newser) - Mortar rounds exploded near the US Embassy in downtown Baghdad today during a surprise visit by Joe Biden, the New York Times reports. The vice president was inside the embassy compound when two mortars struck apartment buildings across the street. Two more rounds landed near the compound but didn’t...

US Inaugurates $700M Embassy in Baghdad

Buildings symbolize desire to 'continue the tradition of friendship'

(Newser) - The United States inaugurated its largest embassy yet in the heart of the Green Zone today, officially opening the fortress-like compound that was intended to stand as a testament to America's commitment to Iraq. Addressing an inauguration ceremony under tight security, Ambassador Ryan Crocker said the $700 million embassy was...

Diplomats to Be Ordered to Serve in Iraq

Lack of volunteers spurs biggest call-up since Vietnam War

(Newser) - Lacking volunteers for dozens of vacancies at the US Embassy in Baghdad, the State Department is set to order its diplomats to serve one-year postings in Iraq. Those selected for the postings will be notified Monday; if not enough take the bait, assignments will be made mandatory, on pain of ...

Iraq Embassy Costs Skyrocket
Iraq Embassy Costs Skyrocket
Oct 7, 2007 4:13 PM CDT

Iraq Embassy Costs Skyrocket

Project delayed for months due to shoddy workmanship, planning

(Newser) - Shoddy workmanship and poor planning have left construction of the new US embassy in Iraq—the biggest in the world—months behind schedule, and tacked $144 million onto what was originally a $592-million project. Scheduled to open last month, it won't be fully habitable until 2009. The State Department, already...

New Woes Beset Iraq Embassy
New Woes Beset Iraq Embassy
Jul 24, 2007 11:59 AM CDT

New Woes Beset Iraq Embassy

Size and security worry pundits already concerned about construction

(Newser) - Slated for a September opening, the new $592 million U.S. embassy in Baghdad may not be big enough—though it's the size of the Vatican—or safe enough—though tens of millions are going into security—the LA Times reports. The controversial complex can accommodate 1000 people, but analysts...

Construction Woes Threaten Workers at Iraq Embassy

Mistakes add up, causing officials to question their safety

(Newser) - Foul-ups and delays in the construction of the US embassy in Baghdad are not only an ongoing embarrassment—now they have workers there worried about their own safety. The Journal intercepted a stern cable the embassy sent to the State Department a month ago highlighting several serious hazards in the...

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