Tommy Franks and his own little military formation . . .

[kitkat65]

From a February 2004 New Yorker article

I don't know if an advisory board member would earn money. Does anyone here know?

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/040216fa_fact

<snip>

It is so complicated to secure an Iraq contrac from the United States government that severa big Washington law firms have gone into th business of shepherding applicants through th process. More than twenty billion dollars ha been set aside for Iraqi relief and reconstructio projects, with work contracts being awarded b the Defense, State, and Commerc Departments, and by the U.S. Agency fo International Development, in coördinatio with L. Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalitio Provisional Authority. There’s an additiona five billion dollars sitting in the Developmen Fund for Iraq, also administered by the C.P.A Officials at the C.P.A. say that contracts ar awarded on the basis of competitive bidding but rumors proliferate about political influence When asked if connections helped, a executive whose firm has received severa contracts replied, “Of course.” On businessman with close ties to the Bus Administration told me, “Anything that has t do with Iraq policy, Cheney’s the man to see He’s running it, the way that L.B.J. ran the space program.

Cheney’s spokesman confirmed that the Vice-President speaks “on occasion” with officials at the C.P.A., and refers inquiries to the authority from third parties “expressing interest in getting involved in Iraq.” The businessman offered an example of Cheney’s backstage role. He said that Jack Kemp, the former Republican congressman and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, got help from Cheney with a venture involving Iraq. Last summer, the businessman said, Kemp had Cheney over for dinner, along with two sons of the President of the United Arab Emirates. In an interview, Kemp confirmed the event, and his business plans, but denied receiving any special assistance from Cheney. “It was just social,” Kemp said. “We’re old friends. We didn’t talk about business.” He acknowledged, however, that Cesar Conda, who until last fall was Cheney’s domestic-policy adviser, was helping him with a study on how to fashion a public-private partnership plan to develop the Iraqi economy.

Kemp said that he is working on two business ventures in Iraq. He described the first project, a company called Free Market Global, as “an international company that trades in gas, petroleum, and other resources.” Although Kemp provided only vague details about the project, he said, “I can tell you that General Tommy Franks has joined the advisory board of Free Market Global.” Last year, General Franks commanded the invasion of Iraq.

Franks’s lawyer, Marty Edelman, confirmed his client’s participation: “That is correct. But it is my understanding that he won’t be dealing with Iraq or the military for a year” (to comply with government ethics rules). Asked how Kemp and Franks had joined forces, Edelman said, “It seems like everyone on that level knows each other.” Edelman himself is now on the advisory board of Free Market Global.

<snip>

[kitkat65]

1. I'm kicking this myself because I'm surprised no one responded

especially since the six General's are saying what Tommy Franks isn't.

I thought it would be worth going back and find the story that mentioned Franks's possible monetary involvment in the Iraq war. I really remember hearing this on the news (probably radio) because my first reaction was Huh? Isn't that a conflict of interest?

I would really like to know if an advisory board member makes money in this position. Is it considered consulting and is he able to charge whatever fee he wants. Or is it more like a board of directors position where they provide input for the direction of the company? Board members oftentimes have considerably large shares of stock in the company so naturally the main objective would be, above all else, increasing profits. I've personally experienced board members doing pretty shitty things to keep their stocks from tanking.

Board members will lie to their workers by painting a bleak picture of how your company is losing money in order to keep their workers from daring to ask for a livable wage. They will pull crap like calling the one person in a department the Production Manager, thus making them ineligible for overtime. They will pay a consultant an obnoxiously high fee (one that would pay for two weeks of salary of a full time worker) to come in for a day and tell everyone what they need to do in order to be successful which, of course, never seems to work because if it was working, you might what? Ask for a raise. Maybe overtime.

That kind of behavior was from a board that publishes very liberal weeklies for godsake. Imagine what board members of a huge corporation are capable of.

Tommy Franks has joined the advisory board of a private company that trades in gas, petroleum and other resources. And, I'm going to go on a limb here and add oil.

This begs the question of what is Free Market Global doing in Iraq and just what happens to the company if Rumsfeld is replaced AND/OR what happens to the company - or all U.S. companies, for that matter - if troops pull out and they are no longer protected by our military presence. It's a pretty safe bet to say they'd be pretty much fucked.

Other than some kind of loyalty to the White House, one wonders how much Tommy stands to lose should Rumsfeld no longer call the shots.

Oh, yeah, and earlier on a different post, someone mentioned that Tommy Franks is from the same Texas town as Laura Bush. Maybe even went to the same high school. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, what a small world for such a big state.

[oblivious]

2. That sounds so transparently corrupt.

Other retired generals who are now working for Pentagon defense contractors at comfortable six figure salaries have been warned by the Pentagon that if they join in the criticism of Rumsfeld and the Iraq war they can expect lucrative contracts to be canceled and their own employment jeopardized.
http://waynemadsenreport.com/ (April 14)