Many of us who opposed the continuing Iraqi and Afghanistan wars, it has been difficult to imagine how politicians and others in Washington could continue to sacrifice lives and hundreds of billions in these conflicts. Now there is a report giving an insight into just how profitable these wars are for key companies. For just Iraq alone, some $138 billion went to private companies with an army of lobbyists eager to keep the pipeline of cash flowing. What is rarely striking however is that some ten contractors received 52 percent of the funds and one company received $39.5 billion. That company is Houston-based KBR, Inc., which is an extension of its parent, Halliburton Co. in 2007. That of course is Dick Cheney’s firm.
Many of those contracts going to KBR lacked any competitive bidding process.
This includes the $568-million contract renewal in 2010 to provide housing, meals, water and bathroom services to soldiers — a contract that the Justice Department now says is rife with corruption and kickbacks.
For $40 billion, a single company may be willing to do a lot to keep a war alive. In the very least, it may not be eager to see it end.
Source: ZNet
what other American companies can do what Halliburton and KBR do? who should have been given an opportunity to bid on these projects?
Bron, There is Bechtel among others. They are the ones who had to pick up the pieces after Brown and Root totally screwed up the South Texas Nuclear project. B&R got that contract because they were the low bidder, even though they had NO experience building nukes and were non-union. So we got to pay over three times the original cost thanks to KBR.
By the way, I could do a better job than KBR and if I had gotten the contract, I know exactly where to go to get the workers and eqipment.
anonymous (ap),
“And there’s a domestic program that isn’t yet public knowledge.”
Wow, thank you for uncovering said program. It never stops, does it?
rcampbell,
“As I recall, President Obama didn’t want his first term mired in prosecuting the war criminals Bush & Cheney when he felt he needed and, at the time had, the cooperation of Republicans to get the country back on sound economic footing.”
It’s tough being mired — agonizing over whether to abide by legal obligations, or not, must be onerous — and of course the economy is just booming.
Maybe I missed something, (it’s very possible because I really don’t pay attention to anything, anymore), but I don’t recall much, “cooperation of Republicans,” in Obama’s first term.
Gene H. 1, April 8, 2013 at 4:42 pm
raff,
I think it’s a bigger mistake. That’s saying something considering I think the pardon of Nixon was one of the greatest screw ups of all time.
———
Yep.
And there’s a domestic program that isn’t yet public knowledge. Obama has played right along, from day one, and it continues unabated.
You are right rcampbell.
RWL,
“How do our women & men continue to serve our country, knowing that their [sic] fighting to keep the rich richer & the poor poorer?”
Jingoism runs deep in this country, RWL. This — plus the hollowing out of our economy and educational system since the early eighties — sort of answers your rhetorical question.
“How do you continue to serve this country when this same country is making and selling weapons which eventually will end up harming you?”
Yes, let’s forget about “them” and only see the war addiction in this country through the lens of when it might harm “you.” The fact that the US is by far the largest weapons dealer in the world surprises you?
You live in a warmongering state, RWL. It’s that simple.
raff
As I recall, President Obama didn’t want his first term mired in prosecuting the war criminals Bush & Cheney when he felt he needed and, at the time had, the cooperation of Republicans to get the country back on sound economic footing. Given that instead of appreciating his concilatory action and cooperating on the business of governance and acting like adults, the Republicanshave to acted like the petulant children they are, I agree it was a bad decision. Similarly, Harry Reid made a mistake recently by not blowing up the filibuster expecting intelligence and maturity from the same decaying stench that is the GOP. .
raff,
I think it’s a bigger mistake. That’s saying something considering I think the pardon of Nixon was one of the greatest screw ups of all time.
The BIGGEST mistake is continuing to vote for Democrats. If you want to see real change in your lifetime, and not more right-wing rule, then vote
for someone other than Saint “Goldwater Girl” Hillary in 2016.
And pay no attention to the people who are so offended by truth that they
try to prevent it by smearing its messengers/
I have endured enough change of the mean spirited and misinformed kind, even if one can believe that some other party tells the truth, I haven’t a clue as to what party? Or are you referring to Colbert’s “truthiness”?
Back on subject please.
raf,
I never looked at it in quite that way, ” … (as) big a mistake as Ford’s pardon of Nixon.” but you’re right.
Justice Holmes,
It was a huge mistake for Obama to not have gone after the torturers and those that approved it. In my opinion, it is a big a mistake as Ford’s pardon of Nixon.
I absolutely agree, a huge, rather a “hu-GE” MISTAKE.
But, can his decision be reversed in any way?
How do our women & men continue to serve our country, knowing that their fighting to keep the rich richer & the poor poorer? Knowing that if they suffer bodily and/or mental harm that they will be living a low income lifestyle? And people like Dick Cheney & major stock holders of Haliburton will be living a wealthy lifestyle? How do you continue to serve, while walking by that $700 million-30 football size building in Iraq, utilized for manufacturing weapons? The same manufactured weapons being sold to every country in the world, including the middle eastern countries. The same weapons being sold to the ‘Axis of Evil’ countries (per GWB, jr.). How do you continue to serve this country when this same country is making and selling weapons which eventually will end up harming you?
Darren,
Watched the clip of President Eisenhower. Sure sounded to me like he was a left wing radical liberal. If a public figure, say Russ Feingold, gave that speech today, FOX News would be calling it treasonous; or at least un-American. Dick Cheney would be scrambling to find a mic to rant about how Russ was making America less safe and inviting the “terrorists” to attack us.
KBR should be dismantled and it directors and officers should go to jail. Their negligence caused injury and death to our soldiers. If that isn’t giving aid and comfort to the enemy I don’t know what is. Of course, Obama doesn’t want to look back, what an idiot!
This is only a surprise to the wilfully blind, the gullible, and the flag worshippers. Those who spoke out against “no bid contracts” said this would happen, and those who set it up (e.g. Cheney) wanted it to happen. And the only people who have been punished were the whistleblowers who tried to stop it (e.g. Bunnatine Greenhouse, Robert Isakson, et al).
Redistribution of wealth? That’s exactly what this was – the redistribution of tax dollars from working people to rich corporate shareholders. It’s corporate welfare at its finest.
http://youtu.be/X3SQkUSe-ng
http://youtu.be/-g_t8tQ4zyo
@ ~ 3:13
Charles Lewis, Center for Public Integrity, about Cheney and Halliburton:
“His net worth went from a million dollars or less to 60 to 70 million dollars in a span of five years. … So we elected a government contractor as Vice President. This could be Indonesia, sounds like Russia, Nigeria. No, it’s the United States of America. And everything I said is entirely legal. And it is our system of corruption.”
John McCain:
“I would have a public investigation of what they’ve done. What’s that? The Vice President’s on the phone? (Reportedly, “the last time that he (McCain) used Halliburton and investigation in the same sentence.)”
http://youtu.be/Koar01Ug_Cw
Darren, that video should have served as the Alarm bells sounding. Sadly it did not.
Carter also tried to warn us about oil and we did not listen.
We have allowed ourselves to be herded like cattle….or sheep rather
KBR killing our troops, not paying taxes
Perhaps I missed it in the article or others’ posts, but, as I recall, many of these (Halliburton, Blackwater and others) were No-Bid contracts with immunity granted ahead of time from any prosecution in the US or Iraq. This was the most expensive way possible to run a war which adds credence to the theory that the war itself and its conduct were part of the same goal of emptying of the US Treasury to the benefit of Bush/Cheney cronies to raise the debt and interest payments so high it would “starve the beat” in the conservatives’ attempt to prevent a future Democrat President from getting any domestic programs passed (think economic stimilus, ObamaCare, Jobs Act). Add TARP, the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 which were not lowered, delayed or rescinded in spite of a worsening economy and the unfunded Medicare Part D and the picture of this cynical plan gets ever sharper.
Remember also that Halliburton moved its HQ to the middle east, as did USCENTCOM.
The marked up map of Iraqi oil fields, which was used in the Cheney Energy Task Force discussions with Halliburton and other oil barons, prior to 911, has now been made public.
KBR as an operative of Halliburton and Cheney in Iraq was carrying out what had been planned all along.