US to Allow British Firms to Bid for Iraq Contracts:Report

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1503&ncid=1503&e=3&u=/afp/20031115/ts_afp/iraq_us_britain_rebuild_031115170719

<snip>
US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) is expected to signal the concession, which The Times described as a major shift in policy, when he comes to Britain on a state visit next week.

British companies were excluded from the previous round of bidding for the lucrative contracts.

"British firms are excellent firms and I'm sure they will be able to bid competitively," said a leading Bush administrator quoted by The Times.

"I can't prejudge the process, but let's just say it's likely" that British firms will be bidding for the contracts, the source was quoted as saying.

Washington is preparing to award at least 10 contracts worth as much as 15 billion dollars (12.7 billion euros) to rebuild Iraq's oil, electricity, health water, and other infrastructure within the next three months.

The first 2.2 billion dollars of primary contracts were confined to US firms.

[alexwcovington]

1. Ooooooohhhh....

So the big boys are finally dividing the spoils.

[Catch22Dem]

4. Nah

They're allowing them to bid, but I doubt they have any plans to actually award any contracts to them.

[soothsayer]

2. US firms don't get to bid---all goes to BFEE cronies by award

Empire building at its finest.

[IndianaGreen]

3. It's not America's oil to give away!

Colonialism at its worse! I am sure that this bit of news will be well received by the "democracy-loving" Iraqis.

[0007]

6. "Colonialism at its worse!"

....and neocolonialism at its best.

[JohnyCanuck]

5. Maybe this is why the Brits are being let in on some of the goodies

They're shortly going to be asked to supply some more of the canon fodder.


Fear UK soldiers may be flown in for GIs

FEARS were growing today that British troops could be sent to replace American soldiers in Iraq as President George W Bush tries to pull out United States servicemen in a bid to secure re-election next year.

Following talks in Washington, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said he wanted to see a local administration in place in Baghdad "as soon as possible".

And amid growing suggestions in Washington that the Bush administration wants to start pulling US troops out of the country within six months, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw acknowledged the UK was ready to send in more forces if necessary.

<snip>

With US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld estimating it could take two years to bring peace to Iraq, this has heightened fears that British soldiers could be used to replace Americans if the security situation deteriorates.


http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/paperboy.cfm?id=1259522003

[Gin]

7. The bids will be accepted during shrubs visit to England.....then...

once queenie returns home and is safe...the bids are lost..or closed and the Brits were not the winners. More smoke and mirrors from the master baiters ???? in office.

[young_at_heart]

8. "Allow" ............don't you think the world will embrace that word?

BushCo. will award lucrative contracts, etc. etc. Why does this sound so VERY disgusting?

[young_at_heart]

9. $2.2 billion for US firms.........Halliburton is the winner!

[kalazh]

10. Pick up crumbs

You know how lions throw hyenas at the end of their meal to pick up crumbs and squabble for the bones. Who is next Bulgaria, Poland or Romania?

[mbperrin]

11. Mighty white of them Bush fellers to let the Brits in, yes?

n/t