Top Democrat: Halliburton Violated Multibillion Dollar Iraq Contract

[radfringe]

IRAQ: Top Democrat: Halliburton Violated Multibillion Dollar Iraq Contract
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14250
December 9th, 2006

Halliburton Corp., the oil field services company once headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, breached the terms of its multibillion dollar contract to provide US soldiers logistical support in Iraq when one of its subcontractors outsourced security work to Blackwater USA, according to new documents released Friday by Congressman Henry Waxman.

In a December 7 letter to outgoing defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Waxman alleged that taxpayers have been paying sky-high prices for Blackwater's services, which were not authorized under the terms of Halliburton 's contract with the US Army. Waxman said he could not ascertain the exact cost of Blackwater's work, because the Army has refused to respond to questions about the deal for the past two years.

Waxman contends Halliburton was fully aware that its subcontractor ESS Support Services, food supplier to the military, hired armed guards employed by Blackwater to provide security for its convoys.

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Melissa Norcross, a Halliburton spokeswoman, denied that Blackwater was retained by ESS under the terms of Halliburton 's LOGCAP contract with the military. She said Blackwater was one of its subcontractors but that its work was strictly related to Halliburton 's Middle East regional office, and was not associated with any government contract.

Waxman disagreed.

He released documents that disclose how Halliburton violated the terms of its multibillion dollar Iraq contract by participating in a multilayered scheme that concealed the company's use of armed Blackwater guards.