Halliburton Bailing Out

[bluecuracao]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

How they paid workers, how they operated thier board room, how they paid thier share holders, really not a damm bit of that mattered. None of it.

Huh. That's a funny thing to say, for someone who's apparently so concerned about how their tax dollars are being spent.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by tw

Of course he forgets to mention that the Pentagon also had same people who could have done it. What KBR provided is materials necessary for a long term occupation. Nobody wants to touch that issue because we were not there to take over the country, were we? Only Rush Limbaugh tells you how to think. Project for a New American Century was a little more honest. Note the boldface word is theirs: To protect our oil.

Really? Who? KBR was at nearly every deployment I went on in the last 8 years of my AD. They were doing it long before I ever hit the field, for years.

Protect who's oil? the oil in Texas?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by bluecuracao

Huh. That's a funny thing to say, for someone who's apparently so concerned about how their tax dollars are being spent.

Oh, I am concerned. Concerned that it not be spent on non-citizens who are here in the US illegally. For troops on deployment it would be an extremely appropriate use of funds. Come to think of it we have been doing that since the birth of the nation.

[tw]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Protect who's oil? the oil in Texas?

Playing dumb works for you.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by tw

Playing dumb works for you.

You want me to belive your conspiracy theory? No thanks.

[bluecuracao]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Oh, I am concerned. Concerned that it not be spent on non-citizens who are here in the US illegally. For troops on deployment it would be an extremely appropriate use of funds. Come to think of it we have been doing that since the birth of the nation.

How can that be, when income tax wasn't imposed until the Civil War? Even then, the average American didn't really pay any until the 20th century.

A government contractor wasting funds on overly-high salaries and perks doesn't count as spending for troops on deployment--but you know that, since you avoided the comment.

[Happy Monkey]

Salaries and perks are the least of the problems. (last 3 links are pdf)

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

I have heard this argument a million times. After years on active duty I can tell you one thing. At the time of the deployment, no company, absolutely no company had the ablity, capacity, infrastructure, and history to provide us with what we needed to go to war, of for any other deployment for that matter.

How are you qualified to make that generalization? How the fuck do you know what companies not given a chance would or wouldn't do?

Historically I think you can look at the system over the years, and I mean 20 or so, and judge the way this situation got to where it is now, meaning that how did one company so totally domintate this market.

I suggest you ask Ike.

Well guess what, when troops need support neither I or anyone else really gives a crap about how or where it comes from, as long is it is there when you need it and on time in running order. After that it just doesn't matter who is doing the supplying. Understand?

The problem is not the troops getting supplied, it's the taxpayers getting fucked. Overcharging on no-bid contracts, and charging for supplies and services not delivered. Understand?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

How are you qualified to make that generalization? How the fuck do you know what companies not given a chance would or wouldn't do?
I suggest you ask Ike.
The problem is not the troops getting supplied, it's the taxpayers getting fucked. Overcharging on no-bid contracts, and charging for supplies and services not delivered. Understand?

Why of course I understand. And the govenment has gone after KBR and Haliburton for those over charges.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Some of the ones they can prove, but as the years drag by, yes it will take years, the evidence disappears. Tell you what, give me say 5 or 10 billion and demand it back in 7 or 8 years, I'll cooperate fully, to the penny, no problemo.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Some of the ones they can prove, but as the years drag by, yes it will take years, the evidence disappears. Tell you what, give me say 5 or 10 billion and demand it back in 7 or 8 years, I'll cooperate fully, to the penny, no problemo.

Look, don't think I don't understand your point. Decisions were made in haste no doubt. But here is the deal. And let me preface this with a disclaimer, I am only one guy, one soldier, who had this experience, KBR was the BEST and ONLY pre-positioned company to make this all happen. They have been doing it for years. I experienced it. Their support is real, tangible, effective. So not to discount all of the critical statements, because there is merit to them, no one and absolutely no one could have done the job they did. Opportunist companies sprung up overnight to take advantage of the needs required by the military, but guess what, experience and history were more important than fair play at this juncture. They had the ability, the contacts, the supply trains, the wherewithal, the experience, the list goes on, to deliver to the boots on the ground. And for that I am grateful. No disrespect to you personally but fuck everyone else who doesn't get it. I am tired of the bull shit. Ok, lets go back and get what they owe the taxpayer, fuck them, take them to court, whatever... But quit the sniping about how or why they were chosen in the first place. IMHO it had very little to do with Cheney or any other idiot. The defense industry is a revolving door of insiders, get over it already.

Originally Posted by bluecuracao

Huh. That's a funny thing to say, for someone who's apparently so concerned about how their tax dollars are being spent.

I don't think the two jive... a contract and how much they pay their employees are not connected.
Of course IF they are the lowest bidder.

[bluecuracao]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

I don't think the two jive... a contract and how much they pay their employees are not connected.
Of course IF they are the lowest bidder.

They are indeed connected--by billable (and "billable") hours, and employees who are hired to work on specific contracts.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

IMHO it had very little to do with Cheney or any other idiot. The defense industry is a revolving door of insiders, get over it already.

Heh. A revolving door of insiders, except Cheney?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Heh. A revolving door of insiders, except Cheney?

No, the point is that they ALL are insiders, including Cheney.