Talk:Iraqi Embassy in U.S.

Okay .. timelines are interesting .. first, in December 2002, at the expense of the U.S. government (i.e. U.S. taxpayers), the Iraqi Embassy in U.S. was renovated. Then, in August 2003, it was announced that the "new government in Iraq" was going to reopen both the U.S. and other embassies. Then, within the past couple weeks, it was announced that a 30-year ex-patriot Iraqi (with U.S. citizenship) was to be the new ambassador from Iraq, but that she (Rend Rahim Francke) was going to take up residency at the Bahrain Embassy.

So, let me get this straight .. "we" get the domicile ready last December but the "tenant" will not take up occupancy there because??? Looking at her credentials and affiliations, it might cause one to wonder why she would be housed at the Bahrain Embassy, wouldn't one?

12/02/03 08:07 (EST) AI

Okay .. update, .. it always pays to continue researching before coming to conclusions .. [red-faced here].

"After Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the orange-brick building of the Iraqi Embassy near Dupont Circle in Washington was taken over by the Algerian Embassy. A group of Iraqi diplomats remained in the building, operating under Algerian auspices in the Iraqi interests section.

"During the 1990s, the entrance hall of the sparsely furnished building was dominated by two huge portraits of Saddam: one in military uniform, the other in a blue suit.

"The ambassador's residence, a vintage brick mansion in the upscale Cleveland Park neighborhood, was taken over by the U.S. government in 1990 and has remained empty since. Recently, the State Department made extensive repairs on the building after its roof began to leak."