[Vision2020] world's largest embassy

[Paul Rumelhart]

I just heard on NPR that the world's largest embassy is being built by 
the US in Iraq.

Here are a couple of news stories about this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070519/worlds-largest-embassy
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273940,00.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-04-19-us-embassy_x.htm


I realize this information is more than a year old, but I hadn't heard 
of it before.  Should we be spending this kind of money on an 
ultra-secure embassy?  Shouldn't we be spending it on basic 
infrastructure for the reconstruction efforts?  Wouldn't it be better to 
have basic plumbing and sewage working in the city before building this 
behemoth?  Various numbers I've seen are in the $500 million to $600 
million range.

Thoughts?

Paul