Electrician: (KBR) Contractor did faulty wiring in Iraq

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – An electrician hired by the Army to help inspect electrical work at facilities where U.S. soldiers operate in Iraq said Wednesday that 90 percent of wiring done in newly constructed buildings by one military contractor was done improperly.

The inspector, Jim Childs, said in prepared testimony that an estimated 70,000 buildings in Iraq were not up to code. The work was performed by Houston-based KBR Inc.

"When I began inspecting the electrical work performed by KBR, my co-workers and I found improper electrical work in every building we inspected," Childs said. An advanced copy of Childs' testimony before the Senate Democrats' policy committee Wednesday was obtained by The Associated Press.

At least three service members have been electrocuted while showering at U.S. facilities in Iraq. Others have been injured or killed in electrical incidents.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090520/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_contractors_electrocutions_2

[Captain Hilts]

1. This is a VERY big issue to folks that have served in Iraq. nt

[Raster]

11. As well as it should be!! The no-bid contractors purposely cut corners and did shoddy work

endangering hundreds of service personnel. The contractors should be tried for treason.

[FightingIrish]

2. There are 90,000 U.S.-maintained facilities in Iraq?

Do we own the whole damn country?

[hootinholler]

16. Nah, that's only 1 for each troop, or nearly so.

Jesus, that's incredible. What are all these buildings?

-Hoot

[derby378]

3. And Obama has yet to order KBR out of Iraq

What the hell is going on here? Why is KBR still being allowed to put our soldiers at risk? Is Obama the Commander-in-Chief or not?

:shrug:

[opihimoimoi]

4. Electrical wires and water pipes are 2 different things...its hard to wire

a water pipe unless its intentional...

We got snookered and paying 57687x for it...fucking Cheney and his boys...Damn them all....

[theoldman]

5. KBR did not hire electricians.

They just hired a warm body who needed money. I would bet licensed electricians were scarce.

[FightingIrish]

6. Maybe it was Joe the Electrician

[Mnpaul]

7. What could possibly go wrong with wiring like this?

[dvdaves75]

8. tragic

A guy i served with in the Navy was killed on a base in Iraq when he turned on the water at the sink. Evidently nothing is grounded in those buildings. Can you imagine that, living through combat in that hellhole, and get killed washing your hands after taking a crap. Those "contractors" should be in prison.

[mayahbird]

9. Rep. Darrell Issa

We need to get Rep. Darrell Issa on this and let Nancy Pelosi alone. There is a reason to investigate here!!!

[Raster]

12. Issa?!? Surely you jest? He couldn't find his ass with both hands.

[pinniped]

10. Did they hire that dork in those stupid Wyotech commercials?

?

[Wednesdays]

13. K&R

:kick:

[jtrockville]

14. WHY is KBR still being awarded contracts for elec. work?

They KILLED our troops! The very LEAST that should happen, is we stop giving them more work.

[hootinholler]

15. This is Fucking MANSLAUGHTER

At a minimum, I'm not sure at what point disregard for human safety crosses from manslaughter to murder.

-Hoot

[badgervan]

17. And Get This....

... KBR was recently awarded massive "performance" bonuses. Are we in bizzaro world or what? When will we demand that justice be served?