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U.S. Planning to Slash Iraq Embassy Staff by Up to Half
by Peter J. Munson
The NYT reports today that:
The expansive diplomatic operation and the $750 million embassy building, the largest of its kind in the world, were billed as necessary to nurture a postwar Iraq on its shaky path to democracy and establish normal relations between two countries linked by blood and mutual suspicion. But the Americans have been frustrated by Iraqi obstructionism and are now largely confined to the embassy because of security concerns, unable to interact enough with ordinary Iraqis to justify the $6 billion annual price tag.
About the Author
Peter J. Munson is a Marine officer, KC-130 pilot, and Middle East Foreign Area Officer currently assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command. He is the author of two books, Iraq in Transition: The Legacy of Dictatorship and the Prospects for Democracy (Potomac, 2009) and War, Welfare, and Democracy: Rethinking America's Quest for the End of History (Potomac, forthcoming in fall 2012). A frequent contributor to multiple journals and blogs, including his own, he is also the Editor of the Small Wars Journal. You can follow his Twitter feed @peterjmunson. All views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Marine Corps or Department of Defense.
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Original content is published under a Creative Commons License per our Terms of Use.
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