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What Corporations Would Profit from This War?
They are Bechtel Group Inc. of San Francisco; Fluor Corp. (NYSE:FLR - News) of Aliso Viejo, Calif.; Houston-based Halliburton Co.'s Kellogg Brown & Root; Louis Berger Group Inc. of East Orange, N.J.; and Parsons Corp. of Pasadena, Calif.
U.S. Quietly Soliciting Bids for Rebuilding Postwar Iraq
Mon Mar 10,12:33 AM ET
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is preparing to award a contract valued at as much as $900 million to begin rebuilding a postwar Iraq (news - web sites), in what would be the largest government reconstruction effort since Americans helped to rebuild Germany and Japan after World War II, Monday's Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. Agency for International Development quietly sent a detailed "request for proposals" to bid on the contract to at least five of the nation's infrastructure-engineering firms. All have already submitted bids or are preparing to do so.
The work would form the core of a plan that Bush administration officials say is meant to demonstrate its resolve to immediately improve the quality of life in Iraq if, as appears increasingly likely, that country is invaded by U.S.-led forces. The plan is laid out in a 13-page document, "Vision for Post-Conflict Iraq," which USAID has distributed only to a limited circle in Washington, in addition to the handful of American companies. The Wall Street Journal reviewed a copy of the document.
The administration is expected, after the onset of any hostilities, to ask Congress for money to reconstruct Iraq as part of a package of supplemental spending requests to finance the war and its consequences. The maximum value of just the initial contract would be more than double what the U.S. is spending in fiscal years 2002-04 to rebuild Afghanistan (news - web sites). And the proposed work schedule is ambitious, especially compared with the sluggish pace of large-scale reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, a bone of contention between the U.S. and the fledgling government there.
The plan sees starting reconstruction in Iraq immediately after a war ends and restoring essential water systems, roadways, ports, hospitals and schools. Planners envision wrapping up the rebuilding in 18 months, creating "a new framework for economic and governance institutions," the document says.
U.S. officials last month asked at least five large domestic construction companies with international operations to bid on the main contract. They are Bechtel Group Inc. of San Francisco; Fluor Corp. (NYSE:FLR - News) of Aliso Viejo, Calif.; Houston-based Halliburton Co.'s Kellogg Brown & Root; Louis Berger Group Inc. of East Orange, N.J.; and Parsons Corp. of Pasadena, Calif.
Wall Street Journal Staff Reporter Neil King Jr. contributed to this report.
Mon Mar 10,12:33 AM ET
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is preparing to award a contract valued at as much as $900 million to begin rebuilding a postwar Iraq (news - web sites), in what would be the largest government reconstruction effort since Americans helped to rebuild Germany and Japan after World War II, Monday's Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. Agency for International Development quietly sent a detailed "request for proposals" to bid on the contract to at least five of the nation's infrastructure-engineering firms. All have already submitted bids or are preparing to do so.
The work would form the core of a plan that Bush administration officials say is meant to demonstrate its resolve to immediately improve the quality of life in Iraq if, as appears increasingly likely, that country is invaded by U.S.-led forces. The plan is laid out in a 13-page document, "Vision for Post-Conflict Iraq," which USAID has distributed only to a limited circle in Washington, in addition to the handful of American companies. The Wall Street Journal reviewed a copy of the document.
The administration is expected, after the onset of any hostilities, to ask Congress for money to reconstruct Iraq as part of a package of supplemental spending requests to finance the war and its consequences. The maximum value of just the initial contract would be more than double what the U.S. is spending in fiscal years 2002-04 to rebuild Afghanistan (news - web sites). And the proposed work schedule is ambitious, especially compared with the sluggish pace of large-scale reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, a bone of contention between the U.S. and the fledgling government there.
The plan sees starting reconstruction in Iraq immediately after a war ends and restoring essential water systems, roadways, ports, hospitals and schools. Planners envision wrapping up the rebuilding in 18 months, creating "a new framework for economic and governance institutions," the document says.
U.S. officials last month asked at least five large domestic construction companies with international operations to bid on the main contract. They are Bechtel Group Inc. of San Francisco; Fluor Corp. (NYSE:FLR - News) of Aliso Viejo, Calif.; Houston-based Halliburton Co.'s Kellogg Brown & Root; Louis Berger Group Inc. of East Orange, N.J.; and Parsons Corp. of Pasadena, Calif.
Wall Street Journal Staff Reporter Neil King Jr. contributed to this report.
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HOUSTON, March 6 (Reuters) - A Halliburton Co. (nyse: HAL - news - people) subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR) has won the contract to oversee any firefighting operations at Iraqi oilfields after any U.S.-led invasion, a Defense Department source said on Thursday.
KBR was widely viewed by many in the oilfield services industry as the likely candidate to oversee firefighting in Iraq's oilfields. Halliburton does extensive logistic support work for the U.S. military.
Vice President Dick Cheney served as Halliburton's chief executive officer from 1995 to 2000,
A possible beneficiary of Thursday's deal is oilwell firefighting company Boots & Coots International Well Control Inc., with which Halliburton has had an alliance since 1995.
A Halliburton spokeswoman declined comment and referred all questions to the Defense Department.
http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/newswire/2003/03/06/rtr900049.html
KBR was widely viewed by many in the oilfield services industry as the likely candidate to oversee firefighting in Iraq's oilfields. Halliburton does extensive logistic support work for the U.S. military.
Vice President Dick Cheney served as Halliburton's chief executive officer from 1995 to 2000,
A possible beneficiary of Thursday's deal is oilwell firefighting company Boots & Coots International Well Control Inc., with which Halliburton has had an alliance since 1995.
A Halliburton spokeswoman declined comment and referred all questions to the Defense Department.
http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/newswire/2003/03/06/rtr900049.html
... the ever so quiet merging of government and business continues apace...
"if you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours, and together we can make america a corporatist state."
"looking for a high return investment sector? check out the defense, armament, oil and infrastructure services industries! with war on the way, and a mess to clean up, you can't miss! call 212-..."
"if you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours, and together we can make america a corporatist state."
"looking for a high return investment sector? check out the defense, armament, oil and infrastructure services industries! with war on the way, and a mess to clean up, you can't miss! call 212-..."
This writer has at one time or another been employed either directly or on contract by ALL of these oil giants and can tell you without doubt or reservation of any kind: The ONLY tactic that can be used successfully against these corpo behemoths is the GENERAL STRIKE!
This is obvious because these monstrously powerfull combines DIRECT the entire national economies, not only of the U.S., but also every other industrially developed smaller country which has any kind of oil revenues at all.
I have personally terminated my relationships with all these oil giants AND their contracting outfits like KBR(Kellog Brown Root) since Sept. of 2001 for the obvious reasons!
This is obvious because these monstrously powerfull combines DIRECT the entire national economies, not only of the U.S., but also every other industrially developed smaller country which has any kind of oil revenues at all.
I have personally terminated my relationships with all these oil giants AND their contracting outfits like KBR(Kellog Brown Root) since Sept. of 2001 for the obvious reasons!
Total Fina Elf has exclusive rights to develop the Majnoon and Bin Umar oil fields in Iraq which are believed to be the largest in the world and estimated to hold 35 billion barrels of oil; more than three times Total Fina Elf's current reserves.
Total-Fina-Elf, the result of a merger between French / Belgium / German industries is one of the leading oil companies in the world. They employ over 120,000 people world wide in 900 affiliated companies in over 100 countries.
the Al-Rafidain oil field in southern Iraq is under contract to Russia's Sayunefte company. A second contract covering exploration and development of a concession in Iraq's western desert by is held by Russia's Stroyangaz. A third provides for future plans and projects to be implemented by Russian companies in Iraq.
Iraq's deals with Russia alone may well be worth a $40 billion.
In case you haven't figured it out, the so called "anti-war" countries are in it for the oil. They want "peace" -- the kind that leaves Saddam in power and the Iraqi population for the life of the oil contracts.
Really nice guys, those anti-war folks.
Total-Fina-Elf, the result of a merger between French / Belgium / German industries is one of the leading oil companies in the world. They employ over 120,000 people world wide in 900 affiliated companies in over 100 countries.
the Al-Rafidain oil field in southern Iraq is under contract to Russia's Sayunefte company. A second contract covering exploration and development of a concession in Iraq's western desert by is held by Russia's Stroyangaz. A third provides for future plans and projects to be implemented by Russian companies in Iraq.
Iraq's deals with Russia alone may well be worth a $40 billion.
In case you haven't figured it out, the so called "anti-war" countries are in it for the oil. They want "peace" -- the kind that leaves Saddam in power and the Iraqi population for the life of the oil contracts.
Really nice guys, those anti-war folks.
For more information:
http://www.totalfinaelf.com/ho/en/index.htm
Contrary to (this forum's) popular opinion, this isn't a war to benefit US corporations.
FACTS:
1) for every company you list, there are hundreds that will suffer because of the uncertainties stemming from the war (airlines, tourism -- the #1 industry in SF, by the way, pretty much all businesses but those involved in energy infrastructure)
2) even for the energy companies that you claim are the purposeful beneficiaries of this so-called war for oil, think of how much cheaper and easier it would be for Cheney to have gone to Iraq, "negotiated" with Saddam, had Saddam perform a few reforms, and have Saddam issue new contracts with US oil and engineering firms. Simple. A few million bucks. Done. And the rest of the companies you feel are in the pocket of the government wouldn't have suffered nearly so badly. Recession over. Business booms. Everybody's happy (but the Iraqi people who still have to live under the thumb of the tyrant, the French, and the Russians).
This is the hole in your conspiracy theory. I challenge you to plug it. I look forward to reading your responses.
Ted
FACTS:
1) for every company you list, there are hundreds that will suffer because of the uncertainties stemming from the war (airlines, tourism -- the #1 industry in SF, by the way, pretty much all businesses but those involved in energy infrastructure)
2) even for the energy companies that you claim are the purposeful beneficiaries of this so-called war for oil, think of how much cheaper and easier it would be for Cheney to have gone to Iraq, "negotiated" with Saddam, had Saddam perform a few reforms, and have Saddam issue new contracts with US oil and engineering firms. Simple. A few million bucks. Done. And the rest of the companies you feel are in the pocket of the government wouldn't have suffered nearly so badly. Recession over. Business booms. Everybody's happy (but the Iraqi people who still have to live under the thumb of the tyrant, the French, and the Russians).
This is the hole in your conspiracy theory. I challenge you to plug it. I look forward to reading your responses.
Ted
Members of the Bush administration have a lot more money in oil and defense than they do in tourism and airlines. They are betting that the US will win and those industries will recover. Some losses to US based companies can be offset by taxpayers. In the long run, travel and tourism will be in demand. Oil and military may not, so demand is created.
Every dollar lost by tourism and airline companies, many of which are not US based, will be offset by tax dollars paying for military transport and contributions to local economies, such as food service, bars and brothels.
Negotiating with Iraq and institution of window dressing reforms, as was done in the 80's, would be cheaper. However, defense companies may suffer if taxpayers question the amount spent on military. It may be easier to turn your nation against a former ally and seek to replace their government than it would be to repeatedly negotiate reforms and justify the alliance to US citizens and other foreign governments. A new government is also more likely to be easily swayed into giving more contracts to companies the US favors than to other companies.
Every dollar lost by tourism and airline companies, many of which are not US based, will be offset by tax dollars paying for military transport and contributions to local economies, such as food service, bars and brothels.
Negotiating with Iraq and institution of window dressing reforms, as was done in the 80's, would be cheaper. However, defense companies may suffer if taxpayers question the amount spent on military. It may be easier to turn your nation against a former ally and seek to replace their government than it would be to repeatedly negotiate reforms and justify the alliance to US citizens and other foreign governments. A new government is also more likely to be easily swayed into giving more contracts to companies the US favors than to other companies.
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