Rumors of labor trafficking and abuse have plagued building contractor now
completing the $592 million Baghdad embassy building project, but a State
Department Inspector General investigation reported finding nothing untoward.
Now an IraqSlogger exclusive reveals previously unreported instances of
appalling living conditions, abuse, and coerced labor, making clear that the
allegations against the contractor managing the embassy project remain
unresolved.
In congressional testimony last week, Rory Mayberry, a former subcontractor employee for First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting Company, gave a statement:
Mr. Chairman, when the airplane took off and the captain announced that we were
heading to Baghdad, all you-know-what broke out on the airplane. The men started
shouting, it wasn’t until the security guy working for First Kuwaiti waved an
MP5 in the air that the men settled down. They realized that they had no other
choice but to go to Baghdad. Let me spell it out clearly: I believe these men
were kidnapped by First Kuwaiti to work at the US Embassy… I’ve read the State Department Inspector General’s report on the construction of the embassy. Mr. Chairman, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on. This is a cover-up and I’m glad that I’ve had the opportunity to set the record straight.”
This is explosive, disturbing testimony.
What do you suppose the Iraqis make of all this? We spent years ridiculing the opulence of Saddam Hussein's former palaces (although we now use one as American HQ in the Green Zone), while George W. Bush is building a $592-million embassy -- the world's largest -- right there in the country we effectively destroyed.
I'm reminded of that old bumper sticker that says: "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."
No comments:
Post a Comment