USA: Auditors Support 15 Percent Witholding on Halliburton's Iraq Work

[NVMojo]

USA: Auditors Support 15 Percent Witholding on Halliburton's Iraq Work

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army should withhold some payments to Halliburton Co. for its work in Iraq, a government auditor said on Wednesday, in a move that could cost the contractor tens of millions of dollars a month.

In another development involving the Texas company, the lawyer for an Army Corps of Engineers whistle-blower said his client was interviewed by the FBI last week over her claims of contracting abuse involving Halliburton, which was run by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney from 1995-2000.

The Houston-based company is the U.S. military's biggest contractor in Iraq with the potential to earn up to $18 billion for multiple contracts there. Its tasks range from cooking meals for troops to rebuilding Iraq's oil industry.

more...

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11703

[Erika]

1. I'm Sure the Freepers Will Support Halliburton...

completely and initiate a law change to protect these fine companies from abuse by consumers. They know their oil president will back them in their total admiration and hero worship of him. Heck, they will suggest Halliburton gets a 300% unquestioned raise for its service. Do away with American evil "social programs" will be their suggestion. It must be pretty repulsive to be a Bushie at this time. But then again, they don't realize how much they hurt their country by voting for Bush.

[talk hard]

2. Taxpayers pay for their fraud

I have been seething, absolutely furious since I read about Halliburton torching Humvees when they got a flat tire. Those bastards!! Our soldiers are given sandbags and plywood to reinforce their vehicles and these SOBs are torching Humvees and staying at 5-star hotels rather than the modest accommodations in their contract.

Either Republicans have no soul or they are completely in the dark about this. Anyone approving of this crap and still votes for the fraud is bereft of integrity as a human being.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. A republican relative told me one.... "they are the only ones capable of

doing such work in Iraq" this was his reasoning for Halliburton getting the no bid contracts.... let me see.... how many bags of laundry would you do for 100 bucks a bag?? How much soda would you sell if you could charge for a case and give up a can?? Yup... they are the only ones who can do this sort of work AND GET AWAY WITH IT because of their ties to the WH.

This is pure unadulterated BS and the sheeple just sit back and say oh me oh my... what can we do? There are terrorists at the door you know.. so let them have their way a little whilst our schools suffer, our vets suffer, our dadblame infrastructure goes to hell, or debt goes way beyond the stratosphere.... our elderly can't afford medications... jeezus is there ANYTHING that these bastards won't corrupt or screw up once they get their tentacles around it??

Their right to govern must be fired in the pits of hell. Don't forget the tractor trailers that were abandoned due to no spares... and don't forget the EMPTY TRUCKS going up and down the Baghdad Highway just to procure a trip ticket for some more of that taxpayer cash.

This just really frosts me... but the average rube sits back and has his football and his budweiser and believes all is well as long as we have such wonderful strong leaders at the helm... never realizing that his little world is being ripped apart all around him. He has NO CLUE what the near future is brewing up... and remaining uninformed about what is going down will not get him a pass when the crap hits the fan. He will be in it up to his ears... uh... what was it??

Oh yeah... "Not I said the little red hen"....

[Carolab]

3. TOO LITTLE

TOO LATE

[NicRic]

5. The whole deal stinks !

Halliburton, our V.P.'s relationship with the company .The war for profit is so obvious, in this case. Of course there was plans for a war in Iraq,B/4 9/11 even took place. 9/11 just gave them the excuse they needed to begin the build up of our armed forces in the region. The part that confuses me ,is the American voters that have fallen hook line and sinker ,for such a blantant conflict of interest. What could be more morally disgusting then sending young American men & women off to die ,and thousand of inocent Iraqies ,all to stuff the pockets of bush & chenneys best buddies , they are all going to helliburton in a hand basket ! Believe me, this was never intended to be a fast in and out deal, they are digging their heals in for the long haul , the longer this "war" continues the bigger all of these evil peoples bank accounts get ,and with greed at this level,they never can get enough money or power !

[JDPriestly]

6. Outsourcing Makes America Less Secure

The Halliburton scandal has a far more menacing aspect. Think of it. The U.S. military cannot fight a war at this time without the support of international megacorporations like Halliburton that supply food, fuel, etc. But corporations like Halliburton owe their duty of loyalty to their stockholders, no to the U.S.

What could the U.S. do if it were under attack from another country -- say X State, but Halliburton and other military supplier companies capable of providing food, fuel, etc. to the U.S. military refused to do so. This could easily happen if the companies had huge economic interests in X State that could be severely damaged if the U.S. defended itself. The companies would owe their loyalty to their stockholders, not to the American people. If Americans want to be safe, the U.S. military needs to be able to defend America without relying on international megacorporations for logistics and supplies.

Extending this idea, we could only enter and stay in Iraq with the consent of the countries that are supplying the fuel and other basics for the troops in Iraq. To what extent could or do our supplier countries decide where and when our military fights? Could there be a situation or time when American soldiers were used as mere mercenaries for the interests of specific megacorporations or other countries? Are we already at that point?

[Ardee]

7. An old story

While Halliburton has a history of over-billing and charging for nonexistent overtime, for which they have paid millions in fines in the past, this is simply an old story.

It is an extension of the hackneyed term "pork barrel" in which legislators get lucrative contracts to ensure voter satisfaction in their districts, repay those large campaign contributions from their CEO buddies and screw the taxpayer yet again.

That a company with a checkered history of deceiving the government could receive "no-bid" contracts is an indication of just how dirty this system has become. That we are privatizing our national defense, including private prisons in which we can hide important terrorists from the Red Cross inspections, in which firms supply almost all services to the military and do so safe from GAO investigatory processes are only two of the most blatant examples of our need for reform.

One can only wonder why nothing of this was heard during that election campaign? Cannot piss off the source of all campaign funding now ,can we?