What's The Message?

Jack Cafferty of CNN recently asked his viewers: "What message does the $592 million U.S. Embassy in Baghdad send to the Iraqi people?"

My guess would be that the average Iraqi citizen isn't thrilled especially if they are among the thousands of Iraqi refugees that had to leave their homes, jobs, family & country because of the war. In fact, I would suggest that the Iraqis may feel the same way about the US Embassy in Iraq as the thousands of displaced and homeless gulf coast residents felt when they found out that FEMA contributed a large portion of the $185 million used to rebuild the New Orleans Superdome.


Of course, once the embassy is complete the Bush administration will try to use it as a symbol of the Iraq recovery and "democracy". I'm sure that the Republicans are praying that the embassy is ready before the 2008 presidential election so Rove & a savvy PR firm can stage a feel good moment like the reopening of the New Orleans Superdome. Hopefully Bono will decline if he is invited.

Don't get me wrong, I had to reach for the kleenex when the New Orleans Saints marched on the field of the rebuilt Superdome that Monday night. Of course, I once cried over a scene in the Muppet Movie but the drama of that night was enough to make even macho arm-chair quarterbacks blink back the tears. I, and football fans across America, cheered for the Saints that night and for the rest of the season. On Monday night, September 24, 2006, I truly hoped that the reopening of the Superdome was a sign that New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast was on mend. But the next day I had to ask myself was rebuilding the Superdome the best use of FEMA funds when post-Katrina debris still had not be removed from much of the region.

So back to the question, "What message does the $592 million U.S. Embassy in Baghdad send to the Iraqi people?"

It sends a message that the US government cares more about the confront of his high-level officials than it does about restoring the lights, water and safety to the Iraqi people.

Now I have a question. "What message does the $592 million U.S. Embassy in Baghdad send to the soldiers in Walter Reed, the people in the Gulf Coast, the American people and the people of the world?"