War in Iraq is good for small Washington companies

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http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP09082007news194077.cfm

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Iraq war has been good business for a number of small Washington state companies, thanks to earmarks inserted in military budgets by the state's congressional delegation.

Some are working on exotic new technologies and others are modifying consumer products for military use.

Various Washington companies are designing, developing or producing individual water purification systems, wound patches, food preservation systems, electronic tracing systems and other projects.

Others are working on unmanned surveillance aircraft, drugs for treating radiation exposure, remote security for buildings, long-term blood-platelet storage, flame-resistent gloves and twist-proof ropes.

In the 2006 and 2007 defense budget, Seattle's Cascade Designs Inc. got three earmarks totaling $7.275 million. Two other earmarks worth $3.3 million went to another Seattle company, Outdoor Research.