Pentagon Dismisses KBR Contaminated Water: Troops Should ‘Just Drink Bottled Water’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/kbr-water/


Pentagon Dismisses KBR Contaminated Water: Troops Should ‘Just Drink Bottled Water’

On Sunday, the AP reported that contractor KBR has been providing “unmonitored and potentially unsafe” water to U.S. troops in Iraq. According to a Pentagon Inspector General’s report, dozens of soldiers fell sick, suffering “skin abscesses, cellulitis, skin infections, diarrhea and other illnesses” after using the “discolored, smelly water for personal hygiene and laundry.”

In a press briefing on Monday, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell dismissed KBR’s gross negligence. He responded by joking about how everyone knows the water in Iraq is unsafe, and advised everyone to avoid drinking it:

You know, we’ve all been to Iraq several times. Everywhere you go they make it perfectly clear that you don’t want to drink the water, so I’m a little surprised myself that this is an issue. As I understand it, the bottled water, which is what you’re supposed to be drinking in Iraq, had no issues whatsoever in the testing that was done. Evidently, there was some issue with some of the other water that was, I guess, primarily meant for washing. <…>

But I think our encouragement is always — for journalists and warfighters alike is read the signs and just drink the bottled water.

Watch it/read transcript at link~

Morrell’s advice is useless. Troops didn’t drink the contaminated water. They used it for bathing and laundry. Does Morrell also propose that troops use bottled water for showering?

KBR has recently faced scrutiny for dodging paying more than $500 million “in federal Medicare and Social Security taxes by hiring workers through shell companies” based in the Cayman Islands. Between 2004 and 2006, KBR — previously a subsidiary of Halliburton — received more than $16 billion in government contracts.

[melody]

1. Two words, Dick -- "Marie Antoinette" n/t

[AZBlue]

3. That was my first thought too!

Although she never really said that. Nonetheless, look what happened to her in the end when everyone just thought she had...

[melody]

4. Yes, I know, but it's a helpful historical faux moment lol n/t

[PA Democrat]

2. That Morrell is one arrogant piece of work, isn't he?

It's insulting to anyone with a brain to think that bathing in contaminated water is safe. If this guy has kids, maybe he should take them down to the local sewage treatment plant and let them bath in untreated water.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. Supporting The Troops -- GOP Style!

:mad: The hypocrisy is stunning.

[PDJane]

6. This isn't new.

I watched an ex-Haliburton employee crying on camera because he knew the water was contaminated, and knew that "these kids" would come home with things like cyclosporidium just from showering in the water. Tents provided for the troops are so mouldy that they were making the troops sick. Laundry was being charged at $100.00 per bag, and it came back dirtier than when it was sent.

I watched that video at least a year ago, and the conditions are just starting to leak to the American populace now?

It infuriated me then, and it infuriates me now, and I don't live there, so I have no idea what to do about it.

[predfan]

7. Sounds like KBR is supplying water to Bonaroo.