Walley World II

I got laid off when they closed that asbestos factory,
and wouldn't you know it, the army cuts my disability pension
because they said that the plate in my head wasn't big enough
--Eddie, Vacation (1983)

If you build it, they will come
--Field of Dreams (1989)
___________

The movie Vacation could serve as a cartoonish morality tale for this story because of the hideously bloated imaginary theme park, Walley World, which was the Griswold family's monomaniacal goal--even though it was closed to him, and he had to breach the gates to enter.

Estimates for the cost of the newest U.S. real-world monstrosity-- the boondoggle that will be the U.S. Embassy in Iraq--range from $592 million to $1 billion dollars (''U.S. Embassy in Iraq Will be World's Largest.'')

Field of Dreams, for the obvious. Such ostentation will be a suicide-bomber magnet. So the question is, WHY?

''The new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad will be the world's largest and most expensive foreign mission, though it may not be large enough or secure enough to cope with the chaos in Iraq.

''The $592 million embassy occupies a chunk of prime real estate two-thirds the size of Washington's National Mall, with desk space for about 1,000 people behind high, blast-resistant walls. The compound is a symbol both of how much the United States has invested in Iraq and how the circumstances of its involvement are changing.

''The complex quickly could become a white elephant if the U.S. scales back its presence and ambitions in Iraq. Although the U.S. probably will have forces in Iraq for years to come, it is not clear how much of the traditional work of diplomacy can proceed amid the violence and what the future holds for Iraq's government.''

Imagine what $592 million could do for your community. And did the U.S. pay the Iraqi government for this sprawling compound, or did we just commandeer it?

If the U.S. forces will be in Iraq for years to come, then why is this embassy required? Forces are controlled by headquarters that should be sandbagged and tactical. Embassies are for diplomats, not soldiers. Using the troops as an excuse for the behemoth is a non sequitur, but of course, supporting our troops is always a reliable cover for any crazy and venal policies of the administration.

''Morale is at an ebb among the embassy staff, most of whom rarely leave the heavily fortified Green Zone during their one-year tours in Iraq.'' And of course, since the embassy personnel rarely interact with Iraqis, it is obvious that winning hearts and minds is not the order of the day. As always, Iraqi goodwill is purchased with U.S. combat power in urban street warfare. Welcome to the neighborhood.

''The second-most expensive embassy is the smaller $434 million U.S. mission being built in Beijing.'' Doesn't it seem strange that the Moscow embassy isn't the second largest U.S. embassy? Why does Iraq supersede Moscow in U.S. policy priorities?

''[The International Crisis Group, a nongovernmental organization that seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts] notes that the embassy is a sore point with Iraqis who are fed up with war, violence and roadblocks and chafing under the perception the U.S. still calls the shots more than four years after Saddam's ouster.''

Again--why are we building this?