Number: RS21867 Title: U.S. Embassy in Iraq Authors: Susan B. Epstein, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Abstract: Construction of the New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Baghdad is completed and, as of early August 2008, about 50% of post staff have moved in. Construction problems and additional requirements, including adding space at the embassy compound for General Patraeus and his staff, as requested in a mid-2007 report by State's then- Director of Management and Planning, delayed the opening by a year and raised the cost from the original $592 million estimate to about $736 million. The Department of State has a goal of having all U.S. government personnel moved in by the end of 2008. Pages: 5 Date: August 8, 2008