Pentagon: Halliburton falling short in Iraq

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4315146/

Oil giant Halliburton is falling short in its billion-dollar commitments to supply U.S.-led forces in Iraq and rebuild the country's oil industry, a senior Pentagon official said Thursday.

"There is no doubt that more needs to be done. We have to make sure that we can provide the services as quickly as they are needed," Dov Zakheim, under secretary of defense and the Defencse Departmant's comptroller -- chief financial officer -- said.

<snip>

Commanders told him that they lacked sanitary services and blast-proof barriers that KBR should have provided.

"We have heard some concern on the part of several of the units. The troops need to get what they need whether they are our troops or whether they are our allies and friends. We do not want anybody endangered unnecessarily," Zakheim said.

[ixion]

1. when the Bush administration started privatizing the gov't

I said that this precise thing would happen. We would pay billions and receive lousy service in return.

And lo and behold, there it is.

*sigh*

[lovedems]

2. That is pretty good

You are a "predictor" and that is more that we can say for the pResidnet! :)

[ixion]

4. lol... thanks. Not as much prediction as precedent though

so it wasn't even a tough call. This has happened more often than not when any branch of government has outsourced critical operations. There is simply no oversight.

[fla nocount]

3. Surprise, surprise.

The fox is in the hen-house and the chickens are gone. It's no wonder we're (by proxie and as an amorphous group) called sheeple. Jiggle your brother awake.......gently, otherwise he'll think you're a nut-job who doesn't realize that Gee Dubious is a saint. Always remember that we're seeking awakened numbers, converts if you will. We are all in this sinking ship together.......point to the depth marks on the hull and shake your head sadly.....this is a good time for a hug.

[Mari333]

5. and Cheney is making how much now on the murder of our soldiers?

[mopinko]

6. i knew this

cuz i live in chcago, where organized crime gets millions to lease trucks that go nowhere.

[scarface2004]

7. oh really??!!

tell me something i don t know!!!

[MrPrax]

8. Maybe Haliburton has competition?

Start-up Company With Connections
U.S. gives $400M in work to contractor with ties to Pentagon favorite on Iraqi Governing Council
by Knut Royce

Washington - U.S. authorities in Iraq have awarded more than $400 million in contracts to a start-up company that has extensive family and, according to court documents, business ties to Ahmed Chalabi, the Pentagon favorite on the Iraqi Governing Council.

The most recent contract, for $327 million to supply equipment for the Iraqi Armed Forces, was awarded last month and drew an immediate challenge from a losing contester, who said the winning bid was so low that it questions the "credibility" of that bid.

But it is an $80-million contract, awarded by the Coalition Provisional Authority last summer to provide security for Iraq's vital oil infrastructure, that has become a controversial lightning rod within the Iraqi Provisional Government and the security industry.

Soon after this security contract was issued, the company started recruiting many of its guards from the ranks of Chalabi's former militia, the Iraqi Free Forces, raising allegations from other Iraqi officials that he was creating a private army.
more
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uschal083671397feb15,0,735950.story

As the story reminds us...this guy was the same one that embezzled millions from Kuwaitii bank (Petra) largely from the reparations cash Iraq had to pay to Kuwait after Gulf One...

It could be the whole thing is a 'scam' of massive proportions

[Barrett808]

9. Pathetic.

Impeach.