[ohio]

Remind me again about our pure motives for this war.

I've got almost a billion dollars that argues against anyone saying those in power won't profit directly from this campaign.

 

[Serial Midget]

At the time you wrote your post only one contract had been awarded and it was to a company out of Seattle...

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by Serial Midget
At the time you wrote your post only one contract had been awarded and it was to a company out of Seattle...

The news I heard as of about 5pm today was two contracts. One to the Seattle-based company (two names "blank & blank"... can't think of it) for $1.6 billion, and one to Halliburton for $900 million.

I'll see if I can find it online. Probably in (less-than-reliable) blogs.

 

[Serial Midget]

"The conventional wisdom is that Halliburton, the oil-services and heavy construction company that Vice President Richard Cheney led, stands to be one of the big winners in the postwar reconstruction bonanza. The Houston-based company is believed to have won a contract to modernize Iraq's oil production facilities, even though neither the company nor the federal government will confirm it."

May be announced later this week...

 

[Serial Midget]

Originally posted by ohio
The news I heard as of about 5pm today was two contracts. One to the Seattle-based company (two names "blank & blank"... can't think of it) for $1.6 billion, and one to Halliburton for $900 million.

I'll see if I can find it online. Probably in (less-than-reliable) blogs.

Ah... I left at 4PM and may have missed it in the news somehow... didn't see it on the News Hour but I was doing other stuff as well. :

I heard a 3 or 4 minute segment about the Seattle firm but nothing on Halliburton.

 

[ohio]

Here:

Motley Fool

SRiMedia

Since the news only hit today, the numbers are all approximate, but Halliburton is publicly traded so it will (should?) all come out eventually...

Oh and the Seattle company was Stevedoring (edit: according to SRiMedia for around $4+ billion)... I got it confused with Kellogg Brown and Root, the Halliburton Subsidiary.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Geez.... Halliburton is only one of the largest defense contractors in the US. I can't imagine why they would be on the list....???

This is shocking news to me....




...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.......

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by N8

...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.......

Yes, we realize there's only about 5 contractors in the US that could fulfill our postwar needs. I posted this because several monkeys have questioned the claim that those in power will benefit directly from this war... not to promote conspiracy theory. It's a "see how simple it is?", not an "I told you so."

 

[Spud]

Remember the Frenchies are only opposed to the war because of their economic ties to Iraq.

We are pure
We are pure

repeat as needed....

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by ohio
Yes, we realize there's only about 5 contractors in the US that could fulfill our postwar needs. I posted this because several monkeys have questioned the claim that those in power will benefit directly from this war... not to promote conspiracy theory. It's a "see how simple it is?", not an "I told you so."

Those in power...???

Huh..???

Are we still hung up on the US VP/Halliburton connection thingy???

You do know the Veep is no longer the president of that corporation nor has been so since he became Geo. Bush's running mate..... right..??

However, if you meant to illustrate the fact that the US economy will benifit from a stable, Saddam-Free, US neutral/friendly Iraq... well... ok then!

 

[fluff]

Originally posted by N8
Those in power...???

Huh..???

Are we still hung up on the US VP/Halliburton connection thingy???

You do know the Veep is no longer the president of that corporation nor has been so since he became Geo. Bush's running mate..... right..??

However, if you meant to illustrate the fact that the US economy will benifit from a stable, Saddam-Free, US neutral/friendly Iraq... well... ok then!

And of course he no longer has any friends there, or any possibility of benefititng in the future so there is no point in pointing out any connection whatsoever.

Clearly the current power holders cannot benefit in any way from US companies who get post-war reconstruction ..

 

[Spud]

Halliburton is very well-qualified to do this work as are numerous other U.S. and international firms. They have a unique position as the Vice-President of the United States was a high level executive with the firm before leaving to gallantly heed the call of public office. Some of us recall the big stink that Vice-President Cheney got into when he fought congress to keep names and affiliations of participants in his energy planning group secret.

While they are very well qualified to do some of this reconstruction, the links to the vice-president and his disregard for open government give this deal a certain lingering aroma that all the free market spinning and flag waving will not clear.

This deal with Halliburton looks bad from the outside and is just another example of the administration being tone-deaf to political sensitivities that will only undermine them and future administrations in the world view.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I am all for the UN and Iraq to fund the rebuilding of their country...

Of course that ain't gonna happen!

The US gov can only award US gov contracts to US companies though... however, the prime contractors can use local companies if they choose to (which the most likely will).

 

[fluff]

Originally posted by N8

The US gov can only award US gov contracts to US companies though...

So rebuilding Iraq will be a US government contract?

Sounds a bit dodgy to me.

I'm sure there are many imaginative ways to fund reconstruction of such a potentially rich country.

I wonder if there are any Iraqi's clued-up and intelligent enough to work them out? Hey, mabye there are one or two who could even be smart enough to run their own country on their own?

 

[N8 v2.0]

I believe the UK is also ponying up some bucks for this rebuild effort too...

 

[fluff]

Originally posted by N8
I believe the UK is also ponying up some bucks for this rebuild effort too...

I'm guessing you think that is relevant as I'm from the UK?

It's actually completely beside the point. If the UK were offering contracts to rebuild Iraq to UK companies I would have a problem with that also.

Here we have a difference of position, not nationality.

The striking thing about your earlier post was the reference to US Government contracts.

 

[Spud]

I’ve worked on many projects where the US EPA, Department of Energy and Defense Department had contracted with foreign companies including the Brits, Swedes, and Canadians for engineering and construction services.

AMEC
BNFL
Sverdrup
AGRA
British Petroleum to name a few.

I don’t have a problem eventually awarding contracts to Halliburton, but a large contract to them 8-days into the war doesn’t pass the straight-face test.

Sticking the UN for the bill is a novel idea, especially considering how they dragged us kicking and screaming into Iraq.
:devil:

edit see below, I do have a problem with Halliburton getting their fingers in the pie.

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by N8
Those in power...???

Huh..???

Are we still hung up on the US VP/Halliburton connection thingy???

You do know the Veep is no longer the president of that corporation nor has been so since he became Geo. Bush's running mate..... right..??

Aside from the $1 million salary... oops, I mean "pension" he is paid by them every year?

You're not running on all cylinders if you think he is no longer tied to that company. That alone is not a terrible thing... I would expect any politician to be influenced by their previous colleagues. However, when those ties call into question the very motivations of our nation in the eyes of the world, creating enemies and making those he was elected to serve less safe... well, yes, I have a problem.

 

[Spud]

In light of Ohio’s information on Cheney’s compensation (I checked and it is confirmed from several news and investment sites) I am a little pissed off The vice president is pulling in $1million a year from Halliburton and we give those guys a contract for $900 million for reconstruction.

We’ve been busting our asses off in the engineering and construction fields for years trying to get Qualification Based Selection to be the preferred selection process insuring the best value for the taxpayer and a level field for companies. The vice-president, free market industry titan, is still a fan of back room deals at taxpayer expense.

Fvck Halliburton, they may be qualified, but don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining. :angry: :angry: :angry:

 

[SandMan]

Where is Danm True on this?

Had mentioned this about a week ago, and DT was the first to try to disprove the info, even if it was the BBC that first reported it.