U.S. Engineers Working Under the Gun in Iraq (Bechtel)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fi-bechtel26oct26,1,1853708.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Tom Rodenfels looks a little silly, wearing a combat helmet and body armor in the middle of a decrepit school courtyard. He's surrounded by a dozen Iraqi laborers, none of them clad in much more than coveralls.

He seems less ridiculous when the shooting starts.

The gunfire is coming from somewhere beyond a trash-strewn field, with at least three people firing. They might be guests at a wedding or mourners at a funeral or guerrillas shooting at the U.S. Army. Whoever it is, they're close.

Rodenfels' hired guards, two British ex-soldiers sporting MP-5 machine guns, take up positions at the edge of the construction site. But the Bechtel Group engineer barely notices. "Just another day at the office," he says.

If you're hired to rebuild Iraq, you can't let gunfire stop you — even if you're the target. You're not supposed to worry about being stoned by the locals or having your work looted, sometimes while you're still doing it. (One Bechtel-rebuilt school was even looted by its teachers.)

[teryang]

1. As long as George Schultz gets his dividends

...who gives a damn who gets killed?

[Submariner]

2. This really sux......bigtime

My firm bid on a project in Iraq, and if we win it I'm going into Nasiriyah in about a week. I didn't need to read this.

[brainshrub]

3. quit n/t

[pfitz59]

4. I live on Bizarro planet!

I know Tom Rodenfels, or knew him at least! We went to school together 21 years ago! Given his position it has to be the same guy! Too wierd.......