That is really stupid...can you ka-boom?

They obviously have some agenda to fulfill. Our buildings, our people or our money, nothing matters. The Bush govt. might be dumb but once in a while even a bushman gets to see the face on inteligence.

If there is a dumber idea for wasting taxpayer money, I don't know what it would be. Are we that interested in providing a new target for the Islamic radicals to destroy? Or take over for their own us when they prevent our personnel from occupying it?

"Hey Bob, you've always wanted an out-of-country assignment, well have I got the place for you..."

Common sense and not common valor; apparently, is the requirement not needed for being hired by these idiots in that particular section of the State Department. Can you say Custard's last stand? So who wants to be volunteer to be first in line to be cannon fodder?

One might assume that there is some other reason (classified?) why our military folks want the embassy in that location.

I am confident that Brian Ross and his crack team will get their hands on (and disclose) the classified data in the near future...

This will help get us into that fight with IRAN they all want up there in WDC. Start building an embassy, they bomb it like they know they will and slick as a whistle we have a reason to attack IRAN that the people can get behind.

As they say in Real Estate - LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION - At least we will know who will attack us. Since ambassadors are political appointees this posting will have to be someone who really pissed off the President - although it will fall to the next administration if it is Hillary it will give her a great spot to ship Bill off to.

And the terrorists are already contemplating where the best place would be to drive the truck bomb. What fool would deliberately put our troops in harms way for the sole purpose of antagonizing a region of the world that doesn't want us there? And who will be the first near sighted person to ask "why do they hate us?" when the inevitable attack on this embassy and our soldiers guarding it are attacked??
We don't learn much from our previous mistakes do we?!

Why the hell are we trying to build embassies in countries that are not supportive of the Bush Adminstration.
Of course that kind of thinking would prohibit our building in just about every major AND minor country on earth...hehehehe

But that's the idea...a veritable bonanza for military contractors, especially those responsible for security before, during and after the construction (and inevitable destruction). Just another blatant money grab to reward the loyal subjects of Shrub and Angler.

Madness or what! Who is the genius that came up with this hair-brained idea?

It would have been glorious....

WUssssssssssies...wussssssieeeees

If ABC got it wrong, then why didn't the State Department just come out and say that, instead of putting the project on hold indefinitely?

ABC should go after the Secretary of State and find out who is advocating this stupid move.

Stomp out Hizbullah now....while we still can.

You are not a friend of the United States.

Ask Dr. Zawahiri why he hides out in a cave in a remote corner of the world. Bring him to me.

I think our currant Government Administration (Pres. Bush, ie) has and is still making shameful decisions. He will go down in history that way also. Bill Who? Oh, the guy who was almost impeached for denying diddling Monica.... Wow, doesn't seem so important now does it? But, then although I was a registered Republican, I never voted for Geo. Bush, I was terribly afraid of his decision making capabilities. Well, I was right about that. Keep it up Brian, please do your best to be an expliary American citizen by informing the people of the truth, as much as you can get to, anyway. Thanks for your reporting. Buying that property in Hezbollah for millions,,, of course, while we taxpayers just shell out for the Administration's faux pas. That's right when someone spoke about the variable $$$ bonanza for the military contractors,,, such as Hallyburton. Our extremely injured soldiers can't even have decent medical care when they come home. Boy oh boy. Something is terribly wrong with those in charge of the leadership of our country.

If Israel existed in 1941 and wanted to put an Embassy in Berlin is like the US putting an embassy In Beirut. We already lost over 200 Marines there. Why do we need embassy there ? Do we still have Americans walking around Lebanon ?? I would suggest they all get out of there quick.

How dumb is our government? Why do they willfully ignore lessons from history? They truly are not interested in us, we the people, who they are suppose to be representing and protecting. Why not build and staff another embassy in Tehran for the radical Muslims to take hostage again. Forget the suicide bombings in Lebanon that killed more than 200 of our marines. Never mind the declared intent of their President. Let's help spread Islamofascism. Stupid is as stupid does.

Hezbollah is a rebel terrorist group, Lebanon has an army an hezbollah are rebels dreaming of murdering official authoities they bomb goverment members and are trying to bring chaos to Lebanon thay hate stability and desire chaos. They are terrorists according to The United Nations, the USA, the EU and many others decent law loving peoples.

I'll bet Halliburton's plenty steamed about this. They're gonna lock Cheney down in his bunker again. That location would've justified a few billion in unaccounted for costs, then a whole new contract when it would've had to be built again in a new location. Billions of skimmed taxpayer dollars...gone with the wind now. Poor Halliburton.

This just shows us all, the stupidity that comes out of our government leaders. The land has already been purchased for 20 million dollars? How insane. Is this the way our government spends our tax dollars? What would you senseless, thoughtless individuals like to buy next? Yes the lowly citizens of this country will surely pay for it. It is this type of government that needs to be dissolved. Our congress, senate and legislation of this country need to get off their duff and start protecting the rights and monies of the people of this country. If you can't do that then get out of office.

Good job, ABC.

BTW there is an American Embassy in Lebanon and there are Americans living & working in Lebanon. Visit AUB (American University of Beirut) web site for some names. Some of the comments are racist and have no idea about Lebanon or the Middle East. Go and live over there before you judge... Baabda is not under Hizbullah control. It is were the Lebanese Presidental Palace is (the Lebanese White House without Bush of course) and the President is Cristian Catholic (Maronite)

I would be more afraid that Israel would bomb the US Embassy and the US Government would do the same thing they did when Israel attacked the USS Liberty,namely NOTHING.

I wonder what genius at the State Department dreamed up putting the embassy in the heart of Hezbollah terrorist stronghold? Great thinking,
incompetence as usual at top federal planning levels.

Key words in the story. Global building plans. Did anyone see that. It's pretty self-explanatory. Oh, and if this is the kind of decisions made by this administration,well, just how safe do you feel knowing people like that hold your safety in their hands. It's just another set up at any cost.

gee if it's true a Goodwill org was sending money to Hezbollah funding the terrorist over there for Hezbollah, that name with the H sounds fimiliar the tech school I seems that name came up a few times were I first heaed the name. In MIch

The real story here which needs to be understood is that Rice is not telling the truth about another Embassy debacle. How can our diplomats work when their senior leaders practice duplicity within the State Deparment on such a scale. Heck, they can't even distiguish between the truth from falsehoods--amongst each other. What a world of diplomacy we live in! No wonder the State Department is incapable of honest, decent management of our diplomcay. Sounds like they are almost becoming like the Iranians or the North Koreans as they all approach their work.

Hey, it is so weird. Reading the report doesn't match with what's really happening here in LEbanon. I am a foreign journalist in beirut and many comments here simply do not reflect the real thing here.
First, it is NOT Hezbollah's goals to destroy the USA, nor bomb or kill any americans.
Second, THERE ARE are many americans in lebanon, doing tourism or working. Many (journalists) worked with me in the south areas of the country. Not a single one was threatened by any hezbollah member. Many Shia lebanese even said they DO NOT hate americans.
Third. Some people need to reconsider their knowledge. The UN and the EU (with the always exception of UK) DO NOT consider Hezbollah a terrorist group.
And indeed, Hezbollah (with all its defects) DO NOT carry on terrorist attacks against civilians. They only exist to fight Israel.
But during the civil war in Lebanon, all the groups involved and the foreign armies did bad things to each other. No one was innocent at that time (nor the US forces either).
So, I wonder what kind of information American people learn from its media. It is so funny the things they put in your mind. Most americans in Lebanon have different visions of the region than the others who never travelled outside USA. Cheers!

Secretary Rice put this plan on hold months ago. Not sure why abcnews.com is taking credit for it.

Everyone is outraged and has to pour in their two cents. The proposed site of Baabda is home to the presidential palace, and is not controlled by any group. Throughout the Lebanese civil war, the president always remained safe in Baabda. Also, if it makes you feel better, Baabda is a "Christian" area (free from the heathens you so fear).

Come on people, this was supposed to act as a look out tower in Hizb'allah area. Probably it woudl prove useful for the Israeli's too now their spy rings have been exposed.

First off...the government is dumb as hell.Lets go and build an embassy in a country that doesn't want us there.Hmmm.sounds like a good use of tax money to me. Your right if you think an attack on this embassy will give the administration an excuse to attack Iran. Most likely they wont have any real evidence of Iranian involvement other than the alleged Hezbollah link. Now i dont follow CNN and Fox much i tend to do my own research, but every one of these "terrorsits" attack Hezbollah is allegedly behind has never been proven. Actually Hezbollah was formed in the 1980's as a militia that fought the illegal Israeli occupation of Lebanon.Once the Israeli's pulled out of Lebanon,Hezbollah turned into a political party that is made up mainly of Shi'ites but also of Christians and Sunni's. Hezbollah has played a major role in providing states services like free health care schools and other services to the poor. They are a large part of the lebanese community,and anyone who knows anything about Lebanon should no this. Just because your brainwashed everyday by media and so called experts doesn't mean its true.whether you like it or not the government will always try to make you believe what it wants you too.This goes for any government in the world.Its up to you to do your own research and find out the truth.

Maj. Gen. Charles Williams (RET), the man in charge of the new Embassy in Hezbollah Land is a lot smarter than you think! If we had built it last year, the Israelis wouldn't have carpet bombed the entire area and killed over a thousand civilians.

of course this proposal makes sense to the neocons.
just read 'aboe's comment.
says it all.

To start with, Baabda is not a Hezbollah controlled territory. It is the site of the Presidential Palace and a myriad embassies. Baabda is close to Dahye, Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut, but not enclosed by it.

Furthermore Hezbollah has no interest in attacking the US - at the moment. If they choose to do so, the location of the embassy would hardly be relevant.

My God, this administration is determined to fight with Iran by hook or by crook. So now, the Lebanese already have 22 mil for unusable land. The US had to know that Hezbollah controlled this area before purchase - this would have been a means of gaining footprint in the country to fight from the inside out - US inside, Israel outside.

The President of Lebanon is a Hezbollah sympathizer, that's why he is safe - another person is not guaranteed such protection - so that argument is specious. I predict the bases being constructed in Africa right now will become a source of conflict and death for US personnel. I must say, I have to admire this Ambassador, he is determined to save himself and his staff. I bet if he had not leaked this -the embassy would have gone forward with Condi making some typical assine statement about the "government of Lebanon invited/asked us to build here - just like the government of Iraq, ha.

Sometimes, a little news can work wonders to curtail the governmental waste.

The Embassy in Lebanon is a "new" one, you will notice that there is one there now or did you think the Ambassador was staying at Motel 6? Lebanon is considered a friendly country to US interests, even if there are people that do not share this view. Funny how the same people who advocate only talking when it comes to these countries don't think we should maintain an embassy there. Maybe if we had stayed after the Marine barracks bombing in the 80's some of these same bad people wouldn't be there still today.

If ABC were really interested in this they would follow the money, who is getting paid to build the embassy, what did they get now instead?

ABC just like all the main-steam media are in the pocket of Bush... they just throw us tidbits of information, to act like they are on the case, give me a break... Maybe they can take five minutes of footage and make it into a 2 hours prime time show.. they latest tactic for those who can't remember what transpired two minutes before in one of their special reports

Dear TS: The fact that the UN and EU do not consider Hezbollah a terrorist group does not prove that they are not a terrorist group. Hezbollah has close links with terrorist sponsoring states Iran and Syria. Hezbollah is a Lebanese umbrella organization of radical Islamic Shiite groups. It seeks to create a Muslim fundamentalist state modeled on Iran, and is a bitter foe of Israel. In June 2002, Singapore accused Hezbollah of recruiting Singaporeans in a failed 1990s plot to attack U.S. and Israeli ships in the Singapore Straits. This makes them an enemy of the west. Hezbollah is a terrorist group that has planned or been linked to a lengthy series of terrorist attacks against the United States, Israel, and other Western targets. These attacks include:
1) a series of kidnappings of Westerners in Lebanon, including several Americans, in the 1980s;
2) the suicide truck bombings that killed more than 200 U.S. Marines at their barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983;
3) the 1985 hijacking of TWA flight 847, which featured the famous footage of the plane’s pilot leaning out of the cockpit with a gun to his head;
4) two major 1990s attacks on Jewish targets in Argentina—the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy (killing twenty-nine) and the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center (killing ninety-five).
5) a July 2006 raid on a border post in northern Israel in which two Israeli soldiers were taken captive. The abductions sparked an Israeli military campaign against Lebanon to which Hezbollah responded by firing rockets across the Lebanese border into Israel against innocent civilians.

I completely agree with what Doug says above; good points. The US has maintained a diplomatic presence in Beirut since 1833, and has only closed the embassy for brief periods during WWI and the civil war (Lebanon's, not the US'). Why would the US NOT maintain a relationship with the Lebanese government?

It's just that the specific location is portrayed in this story as being in a not-too-cool location. Perhaps the security of the new location isn't even an issue...it's hard to find information on Baabda (even on the Dept of State's website.

Why waste the money if the US and Israel are going to destroy them sooner than later?

Am I dreaming or what? What would be the point in building something in that location? These people will keep killing each other, until Kingdom Comes. The tax dollar, seems to go everywhere, except to the people of the USA. Why not build it in Pakistan? They hate you also. That way, you can keep the billion, you give them each year.

None of you know lebanon or have been to beirut. so stop talking. i lived there for 5 years. and been all over the world.. NO PLACE LIKE LEBANON! do some research before talking

hmmmmmmmmm a US embassy in hizbullah control area in Lebanon that would be very convenient for another MAJOR FALSE FLAG operation done by the USA friendly neighborhood ISRAEL.KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
remember USS LIBERTY attacked by ISRAEL n what does the US govrn do?NOTHING

Janeyre, I think the US already HAS an embassy in Pakistan...also, you seem to incorrectly generalize the people of these two countries and oversimplify the whole concept of international diplomacy...clue in...

Our only hope is the Senate and the House! We have got to take back the country! Bush has got to be stopped.
Who signed the check for this?

Obviously, the Pentagon wants all the excuses it can get, such as an attack on the U.S. embassy in Beirut, to crusade in Muslim (oil) countries.