Obama administration plans to spend $150 million in security assistance this year in the Arabian Pen

[midnight]

Obama administration plans to spend $150 million in security assistance this year alone trying to help the Sanaa government battle Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36913.html



There are Embassies set to get new ambassadors....Jim Jeffrey, currently ambassador to Turkey, will succeed Hill, current and former U.S. officials told POLITICO. A career Foreign Service officer, Jeffrey served as a deputy national security adviser during President George W. Bush’s second term and will take up his assignment at the U.S.’s largest embassy as the drawdown of combat forces continues to an estimated 50,000 by September from 90,000 currently.

Joining Jeffrey as deputy chief of mission in Baghdad will be Stuart Jones, currently the deputy assistant secretary of state for Europe, managing the Balkans.

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. confusing story, needs clarification. here:

The 150 million is to be spent in Yemen.

We have an embassy in Iraq which "cost $600 million to build, and is expected to cost another $1.2 billion a year to run—a high price even by the profligate standards of the war in Iraq.,"
from http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/11/langewiesche200711

is the size of Vatican city, and yet theoretically Iraq says there will be no more American military in Iraq after this new year of 2011.

We have a bunch of 'ambassadors" who seem to have spent most of their time
rotating thru the countries we have invaded.

does not sound as if there ANY plans for ending any of the occupations, and indeed sounds as if we are expanding them.

That is what I got from reading the story, anyhow.

[midnight]

2. I think the point about expanding occupations is the whole point.

I found it to be the whole point of concern for me at least. Thank you for your thoughtful input.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Thank YOU for posting it.

The way the story itself was written was not helpful, which is why I took the liberty of clarifying it.

I agree totally with you...imperialism continues.
No way they built that monster embassy just to turn around and leave.
Of course, with Haliburton and KBR getting all the money, maybe they care not if what they build is functional.

[jwirr]

3. Gotta keep Halliburton and Xe busy and getting richer.