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1.5 Billion

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 9:54 pm
by Vander
Aides said about three-fourths of the $80 billion was expected to be for the Army, which is bearing the brunt of the fighting in Iraq. It also was expected to include money for building a U.S. embassy in Baghdad, which has been estimated to cost $1.5 billion.
Link

I realize the embassy probably won't cost that much, but damn, 1.5 billion? Isn't that a bit obscene?

For reference:
Pacbell Park (SF Giants) = $319 million
Freedom Tower (WTC site) = $1.5 billion (estimate)

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:08 pm
by woodchip
Well for one, the parks you mentioned don't need to be worried about bombs blowing up at their front gate or mortor rounds landing on the roof. Then there are the electronic security equipment needed. Don't know how much of the allocated funds that'll be but I suppose a chunk.

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:46 pm
by Top Gun
That does seem very pricey, but unless any one of us knows the exact building specifications, we can't really form a realistic price expectation.

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:19 pm
by MehYam
I always wonder if these things are creative accounting... maybe some of that wad of cash gets shuffled to something else. Like covering the cost of the war effort, but I guess the whole 1.5B isn't much of a dent, anyway.

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 12:20 am
by Couver_
Hey I demand the right to poop on a 1000 dollar toilet seat!!! :P

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:57 am
by roid
maybe it pays for staffing for a certain amount of time. or perhaps some of the budget is for PR.

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:31 am
by Birdseye
i'm betting there is a whole lot of $500 hammer goin' down

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:25 am
by t-pilot
I think so too. A 1.5 Billion dollar building should either be really big, or they use diamons for the windows, instead of glass.

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 12:30 pm
by Will Robinson
For 1.5 billion they should be able to build a giant toilet and just flush the whole region! :D

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 1:20 pm
by woodchip
Having worked on new high schools that were 400 thousand square feet and a price tag around 50 million. I'd have to say 1.5 billion should build one heck of a structure.

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:32 pm
by bash
Considering it will be the modern version of Fort Apache, my guess is it's going to be big, fortified like crazy and filled with really expensive spying equipment. The ghost of Tehran lingers nearby and no pol ever wants that to happen again, especially not on their watch. As such, the expense doesn't surprise me.