Halliburton gets the Iraq contract without competitive bid

[furie]

<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2003/BUSINESS/05/07/sprj.nitop.haliburton/" target="_blank"> WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Army Corps of Engineers says a contract awarded without competition to a subsidiary of Halliburton included not only putting out oil well fires in Iraq but also "operation of facilities and distribution of products." </a>

Like no one saw this coming.

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[HBox]

This angers me. That is all.

[JerryTaker]

Halliburton has said accusations that it received preferential treatment were off-base. It has said KBR is the only contractor that could implement the complex contingency plan.


Oh, and they <I>didn't</I> know that when the war started, right?

money-sucking scumbags....



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<marquee width=300 scrollamount="5">Wet and raving, The needle keeps calling me back.. To bloody my hands forever. Carved my cure with the blade That left me in scars, Now every time I'm weak, Words scream from my arm</marquee>

[TheMojoPin]

I'd say I was suprised, but then I'd be an ugly liar. So I'll just stay quiet. And ugly.

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[mdr55]

Capitalism at its best. It's not what you know but who you know. America, Got to love it.

[The Jays]

In a letter to Waxman dated May 2, Lt. Gen. Robert Flowers, the U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, gave further details about what the contract entails: that the company would put out oil well fires and assess the facilities; clean up oil spills or other environmental dangers at the sites; repair or reconstruct damaged infrastructure; operate facilities and distribute products.



Instead of merely bitching about Halliburton, making the evil capitalist pigs comments, and lamenting about the terrible administration, how about suggesting alternative and better solutions to the problems in Iraq that Halliburton has been asked to solve.

Are there companies out there better suited to solve these problems? Are there companies in Europe, or in the Middle East that can solve these problems? Please, I would like to hear the alternatives.

<font color="blue" face="Trebuchet MS" size=-2> Fuck what you heard.</font>
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[HBox]

Are there companies out there better suited to solve these problems? Are there companies in Europe, or in the Middle East that can solve these problems? Please, I would like to hear the alternatives.


So would the Army Corps of Engineers, which is the whole point of the article. Halliburton got a contract without competition, and just so happens to be connected with Cheney. Coincedence? Maybe, but probably not. Halliburton said they were the only company that was equipped to handle the problem, but they would say that.

[The Jays]

So would the Army Corps of Engineers, which is the whole point of the article.


No, the article is about lawmakers inquiring about the contract that the Army Corps of Engineers awarding, specifically about its apparent expansion of the scope of work.

The Army Corps of Enigineers is not seeking any other alternative solutions, because they have already found a proper solution. That is evident in the fact that they awarded this contract to this company.

<font color="blue" face="Trebuchet MS" size=-2> Fuck what you heard.</font>
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[Se7en]

Please, I would like to hear the alternatives.

Wh.....wha?

NO!!!!!!

Bush / Cheney evil!

Capitalism bad!

HULK SMASH!!!!!!!!!

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Cap sez: The mods are all Nazi fascist cocksuckers drunk with power. Does THAT fit inside 3 lines, asshole?

[HBox]

No, the article is about lawmakers inquiring about the contract that the Army Corps of Engineers awarding, specifically about its apparent expansion of the scope of work.


You're right, I misread the article. But it still doesn't change the fact that there is some impropriety here. There are other American companies qualified to do the work, but their offers were never heard. I remember reading articles before the war of how there were at least four American companies putting in bids for Iraqi reconstruction contracts, and at that time the Halliburton bid was considered one of the weakest.

[TheMojoPin]

"What th-?!?!

Bush/Cheney decision...automatically A-OK with me!!! Who wants a ham sammich?!?"

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[TheMojoPin]

There are other American companies qualified to do the work, but their offers were never heard.

That's the key. Not even WHO was chosen, but just that from all appearances, no one else was even seriously considered. Sure, maybe they're the best for the job...but how we do we even know that? Just given the connection to the White House, you can't help but be a tad wary...

Please, it IS ridiculous to assume EVERYTHING this White House does is shady. But it's just as absurd to assume it's all kosher, all the time. If Gore were president, and this were a company Lieberman had ran, it would seem just as questionable, so don't kid yourselves.

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[HBox]

What is annoying me is this: At the time Halliburton got this contract it was only supposed to be for putting out oil well fires and dealing with other emergencies. Nobody really suspected anything dirty because it was accepted that swift action was needed. Now, it seems they may be expanding this emergency contract to include other things. This, after Halliburton dropped out of the bidding for reconstruction contracts to take heat off the White House. It seems they took the back door into Iraq and hoped nobody noticed.

[Bergalad]

But it still doesn't change the fact that there is some impropriety here.
That's a pretty certain statement, and I can't yet go that far. I do think that Halliburton is the most qualified to do this job. The US used a subsidiary of Halliburton (Brown and Root) to get the infrastructure started for US soldiers in Bosnia when we went in. I remember them all over the base camp I was in working on the generators and (eventual) showers. They are also a contractor in Kuwait I think. Halliburton has been around for 40-50 years, and while it is incredibly unfortunate that they have such close ties to the current administration, I can't wholly endorse that there is absolute impropriety here. Cheney is just the most recent in a long line of past and present officials with connections to Halliburton. I would like to see how this plays out, and if the government will field new bids for the expanded work. Of course if this was all wrapped up in the initial price quotes to Halliburton, then maybe it is cheaper in the long run to let them continue. I am sure this story will continue and we will find out more soon.