Halliburton's Deals Greater than Thought

Thursday, August 28, 2003; Page A01

Halliburton, the company formerly headed by Vice President Cheney, has won contracts worth more than $1.7 billion out of Operation Iraqi Freedom and stands to make hundreds of millions more dollars under a no-bid contract awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to newly available documents.

The size and scope of the government contracts awarded to Halliburton in connection with the war in Iraq are significantly greater than previously disclosed and demonstrate the U.S. military's increasing reliance on for-profit corporations to run its logistical operations. Independent experts estimate that as much as one-third of the monthly $3.9 billion cost of keeping U.S. troops in Iraq is going to independent contractors.

Services performed by Halliburton, through its Brown and Root subsidiary, include building and managing military bases, logistical support for the 1,200 intelligence officers hunting Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, delivering mail and producing millions of hot meals. Often dressed in Army fatigues with civilian patches on their shoulders, Halliburton employees and contract personnel have become an integral part of Army life in Iraq.

(snip)

But according to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) and other critics, the Iraq war and occupation have provided a handful of companies with good political connections, particularly Halliburton, with unprecedented money-making opportunities. "The amount of money is quite staggering, far more than we were originally led to believe," Waxman said. "This is clearly a trend under this administration, and it concerns me because often the privatization of government services ends up costing the taxpayers more money rather than less."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56429-2003Aug27.html

I am not surprised.

With all due respect to Rep. Waxman, many of us 'on the left' were screaming to high heaven about Halliburton and Cheney before this "war" got started! But, very few were listening.

I have no sympathy for anyone who voted for Bu$h...nor, do I feel sorry for the Congress who voted for the "Iraqi war resolution". They should have all listened to Sen. Byrd and the rest of us!

Reap what ya' sow!

:evilfrown:

"This is clearly a trend under this administration, and it concerns me because often the privatization of government services ends up costing the taxpayers more money rather than less."

I am finding more and more people are starting to open their eyes to the fact that this administration is robbing this country and its citizens. By 2004, we will really have a chance to 86 these clowns - unless they steal the election.

Independent experts said the trend toward outsourcing logistic operations has resulted in new problems, such as a lack of accountability and transparency on the part of private military firms and sometimes questionable billing practices.

Independent???? I thought that the news was supposed to be "independent"????

They have been cheerleaders!!!!

:mad:

"The practice of delegating a vast array of logistics operations to a single contractor dates to the aftermath of the 1991 Persian Gulf War and a study commissioned by Cheney, then defense secretary, on military outsourcing. The Pentagon chose Brown and Root to carry out the study and subsequently selected the company to implement its own plan. Cheney served as chief executive of Brown and Root's parent company, Halliburton, from 1995 to 2000, when he resigned to run for the vice presidency."

:wow:

</sarcasm>

Wake the fuck UP AmeriKKKa!!!!!!!

say it ain't so, Dick!