Halliburton Chief's Move to Dubai Evokes Warnings on Hill

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031201299.html?referrer=emailarticle

Halliburton Chief's Move to Dubai Evokes Warnings on Hill

By Steven Mufson and Dana Hedgpeth
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, March 13, 2007; Page A02

Ever since Erle P. Halliburton established the New Method Oil Well Cementing Co. in Oklahoma in 1919, his name has been associated with American corporate know-how in the oilfield services business.

But over the weekend, the company now known as Halliburton announced that its chief executive, Dave Lesar, would move to a new corporate headquarters in Dubai to focus on business in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia.

The announcement sparked warnings from members of Congress, who suspected that the company once run by Vice President Cheney was trying to trim its tax bill and remove itself from the limelight here, where it has come under fire about the way it obtained and executed government contracts, especially those connected to troubled reconstruction projects in Iraq.

"The CEO of Halliburton has decided to leave this country to move his offices to Dubai because he says it is 'a great business center.' That is a bizarre announcement," said Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.), who is a member of the Senate Commerce Committee.

Dorgan, who said he would seek hearings on the move, added: "I want to know, is Halliburton trying to run away from bad publicity on their contracts? Are they trying to run away from the obligation to pay U.S. taxes? Or are they trying to set up a corporate presence in Dubai so that they can avoid the restrictions that currently exist on doing business with prohibited countries like Iran?"

more...

[dapper]

1. or perhaps they are trying to hide their payoff to Bush and Cheney...

Bush and Cheney will be receiving their (war profits) checks from Halliburton once they leave office. Since they are moving their head offices out of the United States, it will be an easy way to hide where their money is going.

Dapper

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Heh, heh, heh. It just occurred to me, that someday Bush or Cheney

will be flying back into this country as civilians, and their names might be on a list which will obligate them to a body cavuty search at some international airport.

[KamaAina]

2. Enron's Jeff Skilling could not be reached for comment

but guards did hear "Why didn't WE think of that?!" echoing down the prison corrdors...

[atommom]

3. Interestingly, I was polled a few weeks ago about Halliburton.

The poll asked questions about several military contractors, but it was clearly centered on Halliburton, and wanted to know what I knew of them and what I thought of them. Kind of a fun poll. :evilgrin:

Were they trying to get a feel for how the public felt about them? I can only imagine that they got an earful.

[texpatriot2004]

4. Thank you Dorgan for asking why. I want to know too. nm

[goforit]

5. Yesss....this is what should be front and center now!!!

[Justice Is Comin]

6. One of their motives is surely to avoid taxes,

no question. But the real hurry up has to do with two other things in my opinion:

1. Investigations are really heating up. They need to put their principals where subpoenas are difficult to bring them in.

2. They want to get on the gravy train with Exxon and be in place to take advantage of all the oil stealing from Iraq and profits from it.

The two slimes are oozing together.

[bonito]

7. It wouldn't surprise me if they controlled Dubai already

I mean even before moving there. I wonder if their blackwater army will be going with them at the same time.

[JCMach1]

9. Oh please, Shk. Mohd. of Dubai could by ALL of Halliburton several times over

Trust me on that!

[blm]

10. Are they trying to remove ALL THE PAPERWORK away from congressional investigations?

That's what Enron was able to do with some of their most 'sensitive' paperwork that went to UBS in Europe BEFORE the prosecutor stepped in.