Bechtel ends Iraq rebuilding after a rough 3 years

[Newsjock]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/01/BECHTEL.TMP
a very long story

Bechtel Corp. went to Iraq three years ago to help rebuild a nation torn by war. Since then, 52 of its people have been killed and much of its work sabotaged as Iraq dissolved into insurgency and sectarian violence.

Now Bechtel is leaving.

The San Francisco engineering company's last government contract to rebuild power, water and sewage plants across Iraq expired on Tuesday. Some employees remain to finish the paperwork, but essentially, the company's job is done.

... But Bechtel -- which charged into Iraq with American "can-do" fervor -- found it tough to keep its engineers and workers alive, much less make progress in piecing Iraq back together.

"Did Iraq come out the way you hoped it would?" asked Cliff Mumm, Bechtel's president for infrastructure work. "I would say, emphatically, no. And it's heartbreaking."

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. "And it's heartbreaking" all the way to the bank.

What a pack of mercenary shits. They have been brutally driven out in the most historical terms.

[saigon68]

6. Driven out by a Resistance Movement, after looting Billions

A big "Fuck You" to the mercenaries who lined their pockets with our tax dollars

Some of which, is going to a never ending series of politcal attack ads, for the Chimp's political puppets.

[Erika]

2. Yeah, heart breaking indeed

Our tax $ to W's globalists friends. The GOP income redistribution plan.

[Laelth]

3. Bechtel isn't all that's leaving.

When I see reports of an emergency $50 mil. to the Air Force, I can't help but wonder if all US forces will be coming home soon (just after the election, of course).

:tinfoilhat:

-Laelth

[Nostradammit]

4. I think they are asking 50 Billion

The Air Force spends 50 million before breakfast.

[Laelth]

12. You're right, of course.

Very sloppy of me. $50 billion (either for a new Baghdad Air Lift or to start getting our troops out). Even the Neocons aren't stupid enough to mess with Iran right now. At least, I hope they're not.

-Laelth

[magellan]

5. I'd like to see receipts for what they allegedly tried to rebuild

...reconciled against a full accounting of the tax money BushCo siphoned to them.

[dbt]

7. WHAT rebuilding?

Show me the infrastructure!

:evilgrin:
dbt
Remember New Orleans

[Solly Mack]

8. How much were they paid for those 3 years?

Back at the start of the invasion,various contractors were already on the ground and waiting. People, myself included, said then that it's suicide for contractors to go into a "war zone" and expect to get anything done.

But those contractors went anyway - and many died. Many continue to die.

And for what? Profits

So, how much did Bechtel earn in their quest for profits?

Because that's their bottomline and that's what they care about.

People dying meant nothing to them. Or they would not have gone.

And is the reason they are leaving because the money has run out?

Are they getting out ahead of the rush?

Because people have absolutely nothing to do with their reasons for leaving - so what is the reason?

The real reason.

and it's not a contract issue, that could be easily renewed with a phone call.

[tanyev]

9. Say, who is in charge of building our ENORMOUS new embassy

building in Iraq? I wonder if those plans are still on track.

[Canuckistanian]

11. It's unclear who the principal contractor is

But the bulk of the contracting is done by First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting.

Some american companies are there, too, but are not disclosed for "security reasons".

In a final absurdity, even the location of the embassy is considered secret - which is a surprise to Baghdad locals who are watching the construction.

Your tax dollars at work while Katrina victims still suffer.

[0007]

10. 'Tis a ruff go being a big time whore for the good old yankee dollar

Much like when junior left the National Guard when failing to make a physical to fly because his body was laced with cocaine.

[Thor_MN]

13. 52 dead is an enivable safety record? WTF!?!?!?!

In a statement issued to the Congressional committee on government reform in late September, company president Cliff Mumm stood by the company's efforts.

"We provided training to thousands of Iraqi professionals and craft workers. And we accomplished all this with a safety record that would be the envy of any firm operating in the United States," said Mumm. "We are proud of our record in Iraq."

[saigon68]

19. Love the quote "We are proud of our record in Iraq."

Their mercenary forces killed thousands of innocents

A few of these mercenaries got the old "Rose Petal Parade" as the vehicles they were riding in made them into flying astonauts, after huge bombs blew up beneath them.

[pinniped]

14. The hell with all this crap.

They made tons of $$$$ and nothing else matters.

... But Bechtel -- which charged into Iraq with American "can-do" fervor -- found it tough to keep its engineers and workers alive, much less make progress in piecing Iraq back together.

[daleo]

15. A rough 3 years and $$$billions

Spare a tear for Bechtel.

[Blackhatjack]

16. They see Democratic Congressional Oversight Coming ....

... and realize the good old days of raiding the public treasury with no Congressional oversight are about to end. I guess they have other matters more pressing that they need to attend to ... like shredding docs, moving money offshore, etc.

[upi402]

17. "Take the Money and Run"

not just a Woody Allen flick

[NoSunWithoutShadow]

18. You are exactly right! n/t