by Oui
Wed Jun 15th, 2005 at 12:10:09 AM EST
~ Cross-posted from BooMan Tribune ~
No not the result of the Dutch Vote on the EU Charter!
US EMBASSY STAYS IN CITY HEART OR ...
The move Ambassador Clifford Sobel wanted to Park Clingendael, led to a people's revolt. I personally witnessed and participated on May 24th hearing with Mayor Wim Deetman, who came to the community and clarified why the US should move into our neighborhood! The conference room with 650 angry neighbors, led within 10 minutes to a statement by the mayor he would leave the meeting. The mayor called upon the citizens of The Hague, a highly educated group of people, to behave or else. LOL followed.
US Embassy on Lange Voorhout
When I studied the building and landscaping plans developed by the US for its Embassy, and presented to the Dutch Foreign Office of Minister Ben Bot, it looked more a duplicate of Camp Bucca in Iraq. Meters high fences or walls, 30 mtr free zone within the perimeter of embassy grounds and campus style buildings of three flours maximum.
Be careful with the security guards in the towers, as you move below the fold ...
In case of an explosion, this would limit the damage. No one questioned what would be the resulting damage to our homes near by, or some high rising office building that would become a target of convenience.
The present location in city centre has 4,000m², in the beautiful landscape of Park Clingendael the US had proposed a tenfold: 35-40,000m² or approx. 10 acres. Most likely the security perimeter would have as final touch extra rolls of razor barbed wire surrounding the new location.
The district called Benoordenhout, is one of the beautiful areas for living with recreation in the nearby wooded areas, parks and sports accommodation. The Dutch citizens, all liberal right-wing VVD supporters and US allies, threatened the city of The Hague and mayor Deetman with long legal procedures to block the US embassy move. See earlier letter send to the US State Department - Condoleezza Rice.
What made my day last night, June 1, 2005 - the proposal was voted down before the city council of The Hague!
It didn't stop there though. Most important, you won't believe it, in a new proposal by the city council: the US Embassy and Sobel would be welcomed in a new development district to be created on the premises of the Frederik Military Barracks near Scheveningen. Main party to lease buildings in this project is the ICC - International Criminal Court of the United Nations. Must read the bill passed by US Congress - The Hague Invasion Act.
Ambassador Sobel
Isn't that beautiful, Sobel and his bullying tactics must have really pissed off some administrators within the city and Dutch government. The NEW US EMBASSY next door to the UN-ICC -- it made my day!
Pax
SERIES ON EU CHARTER VOTE & POLITICS
Oui aka @dKos as creve coeur and new creve coeur
Oui - Liberté - Egalité - Fraternité
