U.S. Govt Sues KBR as Army Awards New Contract

[laststeamtrain]

Source: Inter Press Service

U.S. Govt Sues KBR as Army Awards New Contract
William Fisher

NEW YORK, 20 May (IPS) - Only hours after the U.S. Justice Department said it plans to pursue a lawsuit accusing KBR Inc. of taking kickbacks from two subcontractors on Iraq-related work, the Army announced it would award a 568-million-dollar no-bid contract to the former Halliburton Corporation subsidiary.

The company, which won the contract over objections from members of Congress who have pushed the Pentagon to seek bids for further logistics contracts, will provide military support services in Iraq through 2011.

Several hours earlier, the Justice Department (DOJ) said the government will join a suit filed by whistleblowers alleging that two freight-forwarding firms gave KBR transportation department employees kickbacks in the form of meals, drinks, sports tickets and golf outings.

"Defence contractors cannot take advantage of the ongoing war effort by accepting unlawful kickbacks," Assistant Attorney General Tony West said in a statement.

Read more: http://ipsnorthamerica.net/news.php?idnews=3068

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Just f**kin wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!

[aquart]

2. Can we retire the people awarding the contracts?

I'm sure they have jobs waiting for them at KBR.

[laststeamtrain]

5. I'm so harsh.

Maybe we can outsource the job to Cheney's hit squad to retire them with extreme prejudice. But what would that mean? They kill themselves? I need a program. I can't tell the players.

[LakeSamish706]

3. WTF is with these no bid contracts still happening in the military? This should have been

stopped the day that Bush left office.

[No Elephants]

6. When will it--and who will end it?

:wtf:

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[ixion]

4. Ah, perfect. That way KBR can roll their legal costs into the contract

it's a real win-win... for KBR. :argh:

That this continues well into the Obama admin makes me very, very sad. :(

[HCE SuiGeneris]

7. Irony, is alive and kicking

the taxpayers in the teeth.