AMERICAN EMBASSIES

Embassies are a relic of a time when communication was slow and travel, arduous and time consuming. In today's world, virtual embassies are possible. A physical presence in a hundred countries is not necessary.  Communications, voice, printed and visual, are instantaneous and no point on the globe is more than a day's travel away.

I believe we should close all embassies in dangerous places NOW.  All the others should be shut down in some orderly way over time.  Other countries have embassies here so business could be done directly through them for matters concerning their countries and for matters involving Americans abroad, some electronic system could be devised for direct contact with the US State Department.

Besides providing a safer way for diplomats to do their job, there would be an enormous dollar savings.  It was nice seeing all those elegant, diplomatic balls in the movies, but are they necessary? There are hundreds of thousands of employees around the world who could be cut from the payrolls and the costs related to physical assets would be eliminated.

I can think of no objection that would preclude this action for which a solution could not be found if the will were there.