So How Much IS That Monstrous Iraq Embassy Costing?

You know, that gigantic luxury complex, the size of 80 football fields with six apartment buildings, a gym, a pool, a food court and its own power generation and water-treatment plants towering over the city ranked "worst place to live in the world"?

Well, figures are hard to come by and the state department maintains the fictional cost of $592 million. There are Congressional Research Service reports by a Susan B. Epstein that tends to paint a somewhat different picture:

Funding 2003-2007
$35.8 million (PL 108-11)
$105.75 million (PL 108-106)
$184 million (PL 108-106 - CPA funding)
$20 million housing and other expenses (PL 108-287)
$665.3 million (PL 108-287 - DOD funding)
$663.5 million logistical and security (PL 109-13)
$592 million new embassy construction (PL 109-13)
$1327.3 million operations and security (PL 109-234)

$3593.65 million Subtotal

Pending:
$823.9 million operations in Iraq (FY2007 supplemental request)
$1900 million operations in Iraq (FY2008 supplemental request)
$65 million regular funding for operations (FY2008 budget request)

$2788.9 million Subtotal

$6382.55 million Total
Or well over ten times what we've been told.
There is no intention of ever leaving Iraq.