Contracts Go to Allies of Iraq's Chalabi

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-contracts7nov07,0,4832819.story?coll=ny-worldnews-headlines

BAGHDAD — Businessmen with close ties to a leading — and controversial — member of Iraq's Governing Council have won large contracts for the country's reconstruction, leading to charges by some council members and other Iraqis that the actions are fueling a cronyism that threatens to sabotage the nation-building effort.

The men are associates of Ahmad Chalabi, an American-trained financier who has close ties to senior Pentagon officials and is a prominent member of the council, the U.S.-appointed interim government in Iraq.

Although it is perfectly legal for entrepreneurs with ties to top government officials to land reconstruction contracts, the perception of favoritism is setting back the rebuilding effort in Iraq by discouraging some foreign companies from seeking contracts, Iraqi and U.S. businessmen and officials said in interviews in Washington and Iraq.

It is further damaging the image of a reconstruction effort already hurt by the granting of huge no-bid awards to the politically connected U.S. firms Halliburton Co. and the Bechtel Group, Iraqis said.
<snip>

Welcome to American economics and Democracy, Iraq.

[saigon68]

1. Bribery, Corruption Illegal influence

What could be more Amerikan!!!!

[realFedUp]

2. Somebody must owe Chalabi bigtime....

He seems to be in the middle of this whole Iraq invasion.
Bet he has a lot of information on a few people
high up....

[denverbill]

5. Where do you think Bush got all his 'intelligence'?

Clinton too, for that matter, but Clinton didn't use it to invade.

Bush was deadset on invading even before he came into office. Chalabi pretended to have sources inside Iraq feeding him the goods on Hussein's weapons programs. Bush fell for it hook, line, and sinker, because he wanted to believe it anyway. Now that it's turned out to be a pack of lies, nobody cares anymore anyway. Hussein is gone, and that's all that matters to Bush and Chalabi. Chalabi got his country and all the free embezzling that goes with it. Bush got contracts for Halliburton and Bechtel.

[Tempest]

3. Ferdinand Marcos all over again

Crony capitalism was the norm during his dictatorship.

And guess who put him into power?

The good 'ole U.S. of A.

[loudnclear]

4. Anybody know Chalabis religion?

I bet he is not Islamic.