I am shocked and amazed

[RetNav]

on msnbc's web site there is an article that stated Halliburton cleared in any charges of overbilling. Can you inagine that?

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

Halliberton wasn't chosen because they were the<br />low bidder sir.

 

[Raghauler]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

I'll probably take #$%@## for this, but...<br /><br />Contrary to the mASS media, Halliburton was not chosen because of VP Cheney... they were chosen because they are the most qualified. I've been in the business for 20 years, and I assure you, no other company can do what Halliburton can do in that war zone. Other companies will come forward and say they can, but they would be less than adequate in their performance. Just my opinion, of course...

 

[SCO]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

This linkage w Cheney attempt to discredit the Admin is all part of that great left wing conspiracy that fuels 99% of the political discussion on this board. Thank you raghauler for an unbiased insight on this. Fasten your seat belts.

 

[JB]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

As I understand it, the contract that Halliburton is operating under was awarded by the Clinton administration.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

bullseye JB . most folks just don't understand how<br />GSA contracts work... can you say "failure to perform"?

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

You are absolutely correct, JB. It was the Clinton admimistration that awarded this contract. There's also a little bit more to getting the job done in a war zone-the average contractor is not equipped for it.

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

Thanks JB, mellowyellow, and Jack Shellac, for knowing that it was the CLINTON ADMINISTRATION that contracted Halliburton.<br /><br />I am really getting sick and tired of hearing that there is a link between Halliburton and V. P. **** Cheney!<br /><br />The Bush Bashers continually bring this up, trying to convince whoever they can, that the reason Halliburton got the job in Iraq, was because of **** Cheney's association with Halliburton, which is completly false and totally unfounded!<br /><br />If anyone wishes to blame anyone for Halliburton getting the contract in Iraq, how about putting blame where it truely belongs...<br /><br /> WITH THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION !!!!!!!<br /><br />But we can't critizize the Clinton Administration now, can we, even though it was the Clinton Administration's do nothing attitude that has gotten the U.S. into this situation in the first place!<br /><br />And, what is wrong with Halliburton?<br /><br />So far, Halliburton has done nothing wrong, it was a sub-contractor who falsely billed the U.S. Government, NOT HALLIBURTON !! <br /><br />So, Bush Bashers, find something real, that Bush made a mistake on, and STOP MAKING THINGS UP TO FIT YOUR NARROW MINDED POINT OF VIEW , and stick to the FACTS !!!!

 

[SCO]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

ouch, glad i'm not a Bush Basher. Nice wrapup Kenny

 

[rolmops]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

Hello.<br />Halliburton is a very big oil related company and there is no reason to believe that they are any better or worse than the next company on the block.Which means that whoever is checking on the billing this company does, better be wide awake because it is your and my taxes that are involved.<br />That however is not the problem that realley irks me.What bugs me is that Halliburton and other companies are selling services,like logistics,base maintenance and many other services that were formerly done by the military for the military.These companies get paid from a different budget than the defense Irak budget that we can all see very clearly.Thereby blurring the real cost of this war.In fact ,and you can ask any soldiers who came back, there is such a huge private service system for what was formerly purely military that we might actually see that what used to be the "camp followers" have become a huge mercenary logistics back up system.The difference between them and the army is often blurred.The big difference between these guys and our forces is that when the going gets tough they might not stay around, although our forces are very dependent on them.<br />If you are interested in this subject you can read an article in the New York Times Magazine,dated June 22 2003 called "Nation Builders For Hire" by Dan Baum.<br />Rolmops

 

[mattttt25]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

well said all. since this is what i do for a living, i feel i understand it quite well. i'm glad to see the company and administration cleared for now.<br /><br />rolmops- sorry, but that's how we do things these days. it's a better system that saves money (and that's coming from a naval officer). our entire military has made the move to the private sector. over time, we as the military took on too many roles. and it began costing too much money. trust me, it costs you taxpayers a fortune to employ me. not only do i get a nice salary, but i get super benefits, paid travel and training thoughout my career (off to any grad school i desire in 3 years. thanks!), and a tremendous retirement package that starts at age 42 and lasts as long as i'm alive! it doesn't make sense to pay me to move fuel or build roads (although that's what i do as a civil engineer corps officer). it is much, much cheaper to bid the work out and let the experts (civilians) handle that type of work. let the military do what they are paid to do and do best- fight wars. nothing more.<br /><br />it's a fact of how our government is doing business and saving you money. here at the u.s. naval academy, we just completed an exhaustive c.a. study (a76) to determine whether it was cheaper to keep our civil service public works dept, or transfer it to an outside contractor. guess what? an outside contractor (afm) took over on 15 dec. will save you $3 mil over the next 5 years. not much, but it's something. so in this example, it even made sense to get rid of the civil service workers.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

I posted a while back titled "Dont believe the headlines". I said that when Halliburton is cleared it will not be a headline. Only sensational accusations (that later prove unfounded) make headlines.<br /><br />Back to the topic. Yes Clinton did the contract, but like Raghauler said, they are the only ones that can do this job correctly. I dont know of any stories of "halliburton screwed up". Maybe there are, but I haveant heard.<br /><br />Cometition from private companies will ALWAYS be cheaper than the government, because market forces require it.<br /><br />Ken

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

I know where my vote is going

 

[rolmops]

Re: I am shocked and amazed

Hello Again.<br />Matttt it saddens me to hear your logic about the economics of this matter.You are probably right as far as the money is concerned and as a logistics man that makes sense.From a soldiers(Israeli army) point of view it scares me.I do not want a private company to guard my base,I do not want to be out there,where an enterprizing civilian with business interest is actually giving orders to soldiers direct or indirect.In fact I do not want anybody around me whom I can trust less than the soldiers I trained with and fought alongside with me.<br />Rolmops