NYT: In Jordan's Scrapyards, Signs of a Looted Iraq

SAHAB, Jordan, May 26 — As the United States spends billions of dollars to rebuild Iraq's civil and military infrastructure, there is increasing evidence that parts of sensitive military equipment, seemingly brand-new components for oil rigs and water plants and whole complexes of older buildings are leaving the country on the backs of flatbed trucks.

By some estimates, at least 100 semitrailers loaded with what is billed as Iraqi scrap metal are streaming each day into Jordan, just one of six countries that share a border with Iraq.

American officials say sensitive equipment is, in fact, closely monitored and much of the rest that is leaving is legitimate removal and sale from a shattered country. But many experts say that much of what is going on amounts to a vast looting operation.

In the past several months, the International Atomic Energy Agency, based in Vienna, has been closely monitoring satellite photographs of hundreds of military-industrial sites in Iraq. Initial results from that analysis are jarring, said Jacques Baute, director of the agency's Iraq nuclear verification office: entire buildings and complexes of as many as a dozen buildings have been vanishing from the photographs.

"We see sites that have totally been cleaned out," Mr. Baute said.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/28/international/middleeast/28SCRA.html?hp

They are liberated, dammit!

If they actually 'fix' something, they can't bill for it anymore. If, however, the oil well gets busted again (somehow), they have to order more replacement parts at cost + 15% profit.

starts with nothing except 14 US military bases and a gigantic US embassy? Why the #$%& wouldn't they recycle the "scrap" metal in Iraq itself? And how much of that "new" metal is stuff we ourselves bought, being recycled simply to improve the bottom line of Republican-friendly companies?

Better mark-up on the brand-new, you know. HAL not only gets the cost-plus-10%, but they get a kickback or two from the bidding-out process, another kickback from the subcontractor that they first sign-on, then another kickback when they void the first contract and go with the second, higher-priced bidder.

SOP.

halliburton!...cost plus ten!

got a nice jingle to it.

The U.S. shouldn't be allowing this, as the occupation authority. Jordan shouldn't be cooperating. One more in a long list of war crimes and shameful episodes.

to rebuild?

ain't that how it goes?

flacking the U.N. Oil for Food "scandal".

"the CPA has lauched an investigation, very serious matter"...about 24-48 hours into it.:eyes:

right into Jordain scrap yards!!!!

Now THAT'S looting!

"Entire buildings and complexes of as many as a dozen buildings have vanished from the photographs, he said."

Quote from here:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/afp/us_iraq_jordan_looting

I'd be willing to bet the Chalabi is involved in this somehow. Probably Halliburton too. What a scam.

This is how it works:

US pays Halliburton to build a building. Halliburton builds it, skimming money off the top by overcharging. Halliburtion employees get paid by Chalabi to look the other way and allow his guys to loot the bldg. Chalabi sells the loot to the scrap yard. Lather, rinse, repeat.