Reply #6: Halliburton: ISSUE: Company losing big Army contract. [View All]

[ProSense]

Halliburton

South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
Posted July 20 2006

ISSUE: Company losing big Army contract.

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After all, when the vice president of the United States pushes hard for a war and then the contract for logistics is given to the company he used to head, it raises a heap of suspicions, both at home and abroad. In short, it looks like war profiteering.

It looks even worse when audits reveal more than $1 billion in questionable billing by Halliburton, which subcontracts the logistical work to subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root Services Inc. According to a report by Griff Witte of The Washington Post, published in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, whistleblowers said the company charged exorbitant prices, double-billed on meals and "allowed troops to bathe in contaminated water."

You would think that Vice President Dick Cheney, a chief adviser for the ill-advised war in Iraq, would not want American soldiers bathing in contaminated water. You'd think he might say something to his former company, with which he still has considerable influence. You'd think he'd summon company officials to his office for some tough talk about their billing practices.

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In any case, it's good the Army is terminating its multibillion-dollar contract with Halliburton, a deal that never should have been signed. But the firm will be allowed to bid on a new contract to be shared with two other companies. Its bid should be rejected.

Unfortunately, the decision to terminate comes far too late. Halliburton has milked Iraq almost dry and will now cry all the way to the bank.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-edittdhalliburtonjul20,0,1732109.story?coll=sfl-yourmoney&track=mostemailedlink