Bechtel contractor, based in Dubai, gets lucrative U.S. security contracts

[Roland99]

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Bechtel_contractor_based_in_Dubai_gets_0306.html

A British security firm headquartered in Dubai has won lucrative contracts for U.S. security in Iraq and the United States, providing security in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and training Iraqi port security officers under the Coalition Provisional Authority, RAW STORY has found.

The firm, the Olive Group, is largely comprised of ex-British intelligence officers. While a British company, its main headquarters are in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates city that caused a stir when it was revealed that the Emirates were set to take over control of 21 U.S. ports. Olive was founded in 2001.

The revelation that a Dubai-based firm provides security consulting for myriad U.S. operations at home and abroad shows the increasing tendency of the U.S. government to privatize security efforts. It comes on the same day that the Drudge Report discovered that a foreign company handles security at an Indianapolis airport.

Olive’s consulting in Iraq is underwritten by U.S. taxpayers under an umbrella contract awarded to Bechtel. It has won three major contracts from Bechtel since the invasion in 2003. A recent estimate suggests the U.S. spends $2 billion a year on private security services in Iraq; Olive had scored at least $100 million when the study was published in 2004.

Outsourcing national security. Isn't that what the Propagandist and his campaign said Kerry would do if Kerry were elected President?


Fucking hypocrites.

[seemunkee]

1. But Kerry would have out sourced it to France

And we all know how evil those cheese eating surrender monkeys are

And just in case I'm not clear enough
:sarcasm:

[Bozita]

2. hmmm ... "The firm’s attorneys are Baker, Botts, LLP"

from the article:

"Also of note: The firm’s attorneys are Baker, Botts, LLP – a lawfirm where former Secretary of State to President George H. W. Bush is a partner. Baker Botts opened an office in Dubai last year."


double hmmm.

[Roland99]

3. I missed that part. Damn good catch. Shines a light on the cockroaches.

[goforit]

11. Yes this was a great catch and one that America needs to be informed

on.
Certainly MSM won't label these hidden interests.

[Bozita]

13. "From Secretary of State to money whore" - possible country song title

No need for drugs, drink, dogs, or runaway wives.

Or is it runaway dogs?

[sattahipdeep]

4. Remember

[Marie26]

16. The usual suspects

You almost don't know whether to laugh or cry. I truly would not be surprised to see Halliburton as a silent partner. They don't even try to cover up the corruption anymore.

[Auntie Bush]

17. Maybe that's how the Administration awarded Howard Baker for

sacrificing his personal time to help them win/steal the 2000 election.
I'd say he and his company were well paid!

[Jamison]

5. I knew all along.

I knew that this ports deal was all about making *'s corporate cronies even more wealthy.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Why are we fighting a so called War on Terra

When they're all in bed with each other anyway?

Imagine if they used all that time, money, resources and talent doing good things for people? We certainly wouldn't be creating 1000's of people who really do want to kill us.

[EVDebs]

7. Friends in High Places by Layton McCartney

http://www.namebase.org/sources/JX.html

""McCartney, Laton. Friends in High Places: The Bechtel Story, The Most Secret Corporation and How It Engineered the World. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1988. 273 pages.

It's trite to observe that some of the world's most powerful people and corporations are rarely in the newspapers. An example of the former is John McCone (1902-1991), who made $44 million during World War II on an investment of $100,000. Then he was Deputy to the Secretary of Defense (1948), Under Secretary of the Air Force (1950-1951), Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (1958-1961), and CIA director (1961-1965). McCone was involved in the 1973 coup in Chile as a director of ITT, and his other corporate connections are too numerous to mention. He didn't give interviews.
From 1937-1945 McCone was the president of Bechtel-McCone, which became the privately-held Bechtel Corporation when he was bought out after the war. Bechtel thrived on its government and intelligence connections, along with its huge energy-engineering contracts in the Middle East. After Steve Bechtel was appointed to the advisory board of the Export-Import Bank in 1969, generous Exim loans were available for Bechtel projects in the Philippines, Egypt, Algeria, Indonesia, USSR, and nuclear power plants in Brazil and elsewhere. When Ronald Reagan needed help at the White House, all he had to do was to place a call to Bechtel and ask to have George Shultz and Caspar Weinberger transferred to his administration.
ISBN 0-671-47415-4""

The same old song. With LBJ, Brown and Root was the biggie with Cam Rahn Bay's port in Vietnam etc. Favorite contractors, all.

[sattahipdeep]

8. Favorite contractors.

:hi:

[EVDebs]

10. Begs Office of Inspector Gen of DOD to investigate (tee hee)

but they're busy harassing (Nelda Rogers)

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2003/06/266752.shtml

Too bad, cause the lid would be blown. BTW, the DOD's OIG is a CPA who can't account for the $2.3 TRILLION the DOD has "lost" ! Per CBS News article War on Waste. You'll have to google that article since google makes 'cut and pasting' it to DU a real hassle (just type in 'CBS News War on Waste $2.3 trillion', read the article and laugh or cry as the spirit leads you).

[Roland99]

12. DoD IG is as feckless as the DoJ's.

[RazzleDazzle]

18. and SINCE then -- Bechtel --> KBR --> Halliburton

[lovuian]

9. Setting up his kingdom in Iraq...

with OUR MONEY!!!

[salin]

14. Hadn't heard about the Indy airport... wonder how that will go down

here? After years of pushing xenophobia and fear - Mitch is hitting some road blocks per his desire to give a 75 year lease deal to a foreign consortium to run the Indiana toll road for some quick upfront cash. It doesn't sit well with a lot of Hoosiers, and the "foreign" part, is a part of why (wish more were as worked up on the privatization part... ) Wonder if the press will cover this tidbit about the security operations at the airport.

[Roland99]

15. Read up here yesterday that * is losing support in Indiana.