General Discussion

trof

(54,274 posts) Sat Mar 31, 2012, 09:01 AM Mar 2012

The WTF? File: New $500,000,000 U.S. Embassy in London. [View all]

B.L. Harbert to build $500 million U.S. embassy in London

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Birmingham's B.L. Harbert International said today it will build the new $500 million U.S. embassy compound in London.

The Birmingham construction company, which has built embassies around the world, beat out several other companies vying for the high-profile job.

"We are honored to have been selected to perform this prestigious contract by the OBO (Bureau of Overseas Building Operations) and look forward to being a part of the team that will manage the design and subsequently build the iconic London Embassy," Chuck Bohn, president of the International Group, said in a statement.

B.L. Harbert International will initially participate in the pre-construction design phase and then proceed with construction of the facility, which will house U.S. diplomatic functions in London.
http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2012/03/bl_harbert_to_build_500_millio.html

So...what the hell is wrong with the 'old' embassy?
We're in hock up to our eyeballs and we can build a $500 mil embassy?
Anybody else heard about this?

50 replies

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Highlight:

The WTF? File: New $500,000,000 U.S. Embassy in London. [View all] trof Mar 2012 OP

Nope. Another boondoggle for crony capitalists. Do the Brits have complaints about the old embassy? freshwest Mar 2012 #1

Only inasmuch dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #8

Ah, the lust for new and shiny things. Yes, the UK loves them too. freshwest Mar 2012 #17

eah, but we can' t afford them. mr blur Mar 2012 #38

Yes, those are always an amazing nationalistic spectacle. Do they actually keep people... freshwest Mar 2012 #39

Sky news has it possibly costing upto as high as £24bn (nt) MichaelMcGuire Apr 2012 #50

Washington is nothing but a den of thieves which needs to be erradicated think Mar 2012 #2

Want to go the direct corporate route? freshwest Mar 2012 #16

I'll take the law abiding and constitutional route thank you. think Mar 2012 #20

Hoping by your signature line you mean reducing the debt by ending war and not killing off the poor. freshwest Mar 2012 #22

Without cutting security & defense spending and ending the Bush tax cuts think Mar 2012 #24

What do you think about Ron Paul's vision for doing all of that? freshwest Mar 2012 #25

What do you think of Ron Paul's vision for doing this since you choose to bring it up? think Mar 2012 #27

They lead to fascism, but his points sound just like yours. freshwest Mar 2012 #29

Wow. I sound like a fascist for being against the military industrial complex? think Mar 2012 #30

Being new, you may not have read the arguments here. freshwest Mar 2012 #31

So advocating ending the Bush tax cuts sounds like a Ron Paul stance? SERIOUSLY think Mar 2012 #32

Alright, my bad. I was still typing a rant about the other one. freshwest Mar 2012 #33

It's all good. I realize some of my points overlap RP's when it comes to think Mar 2012 #36

We are cool, and I'm impressed. Thank you for who you are, and my apologies again. freshwest Mar 2012 #41

Looks like they're moving south of the river to Nine Elms dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #3

"Fetchez la vache." eShirl Mar 2012 #12

That occured to me to dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #13

Reminds me irresistably of this. oldironside Mar 2012 #28

this is kind of old news but worthy of discussion maddezmom Mar 2012 #4

Sorry, those are all obsolete links from DU2. trof Mar 2012 #7

They work for me dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #9

Me, too. nt MADem Apr 2012 #46

you probably need to be signed in maddezmom Mar 2012 #10

Check the last, dipsy mentioned what was in it. And it shows how the money is just flying around. freshwest Mar 2012 #19

There's dipsy's barricades. Why not anchor a huge ship offshore. Would be more private. freshwest Mar 2012 #18

You may be on to something. Bring U.S. Carrier Constellation out of mothball. trof Mar 2012 #42

I doubt the Thames has the depth, but what a show of elite status for the visitors. They could be.. freshwest Mar 2012 #43

Ouch. MADem Apr 2012 #47

I can see the need for a big Embassy in London edhopper Mar 2012 #5

I don't know any of us peons who did... Except we'll be paying for it. freshwest Mar 2012 #34

A real estate investment is better than bombs. Glimmer of Hope Mar 2012 #6

That's almost as much as our "embassy" in Iraq cost. eShirl Mar 2012 #11

FYI the "old" one was built in the 1970s dickthegrouch Mar 2012 #14

No it wasn't dipsydoodle Mar 2012 #21

It was finished in 1960. nt MADem Apr 2012 #45

A United States Embassy is a sales office for military hardware. unhappycamper Mar 2012 #15

Richie Rich at work stealing more of your dough. lonestarnot Mar 2012 #23

"A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment." DefenseLawyer Mar 2012 #26

He knew and then the MIC media 'manufactured' our consent. Nice circle. freshwest Mar 2012 #35

That's huge seattleblah Mar 2012 #37

This reminds me of my job.. SomethingFishy Mar 2012 #40

We've been in the "old" embassy since 1960. MADem Apr 2012 #44

500 million dollars. That's just wrong. Zorra Apr 2012 #48

China volunteered to build it for free! dems_rightnow Apr 2012 #49