Loose Cannons

A Commander of Bush's Empire

"Captain John Peterson, chief of staff to the commander of the US Navy in the Middle East, received a CBE. His citation praises his role of leading British and American forces in 'the campaign to secure Iraqi oil assets'." — London Daily Mirror, April 28.

The emperor's new palace

"The question puzzles and enrages a city: how is it that the Americans cannot keep the electricity running in Baghdad for more than a couple of hours a day, yet still manage to build themselves the biggest embassy on Earth? Irritation grows as residents deprived of air-conditioning and running water three years after the US-led invasion watch the massive US embassy they call 'George W's palace' rising from the banks of the Tigris." — London Times, May 3.

Simply took it

"They are not impressed by the architects' claims that the [US$592 million] diplomatic outpost will be visible from space and cover an area that is larger than the Vatican city ... They are more interested in knowing whether the US State Department paid for the prime real estate or simply took it ... The International Crisis Group, a think-tank, said the embassy's size 'is seen by Iraqis as an indication of who actually exercises power in their country'." — London Times, May 3.

From Green Left Weekly, May 10, 2006.

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From GLW issue 667