[NYTr] Meanwhile, Slave Labor Builds the Mother of All Embassies in Baghdad

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

AP via WBay - Jul 26, 2007
http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=6846232

State Department accused of stonewalling probe of Iraq embassy
construction

Associated Press

CAPITOL HILL (AP) - The State Department has dismissed allegations by
Democrats that foreign workers were mistreated in building the US
Embassy complex in Iraq.

The department's internal watchdog says his conclusions are based on
random interviews with several workers and inspection of dining room
facilities, a medical clinic and trailers in which they were housed.

But the inspector general did acknowledge to a House panel recruiters
in foreign countries may have misled potential workers about the pay
and living conditions and says he had told the Justice Department about
the situation.

Despite the assurances, Democrats at the hearing alleged the prime
contractor used forced labor to build the embassy and that the State
Department is stonewalling Congress.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.