U.S. Investigates Firm Building Embassy in Iraq

[sabra]

Source: WSJ

WASHINGTON -- Federal prosecutors are investigating the Kuwaiti company building the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, probing allegations that foreign employees were brought to work on the massive project against their will and prevented from leaving the country.

The Department of Justice launched the probe of First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting Co. after former employees alleged that workers at the company were told they were being sent to Dubai, only to wind up in Iraq instead, people familiar with the matter said. According to the allegations, First Kuwaiti confiscated the workers' passports, so they were unable to depart Baghdad, these people said.

A statement by First Kuwaiti said, "We are not aware of any DOJ investigation involving First Kuwaiti. The DOS has already fully investigated these ludicrous allegations and has found them to be without merit. First Kuwaiti is proud of its accomplishments and of its efforts to build the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on time, within budget, and in compliance with the law."

The $592 million project involves a heavily fortified compound of 21 buildings on 104 acres in Baghdad's Green Zone, and is set to be completed by September. First Kuwaiti won the project in a competitive-bidding process, besting several better-known firms.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118118318284127413.html?mod=home_whats_news_us

[global1]

1. Good Example - A Democratic Government (The U.S.) Building An Embassy......

in a country that they are trying to democratize - is using slave labor to build it.

Welcome to *'s Bizarro world.

[jwirr]

2. While I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, hardly anything

connected to *ss & co. has been on the up & up, so why should I believe this company is the exception? Especially when we already know that Hell-iburtin has connections in that country. Another one of their cover businesses?

[benld74]

3. Corpwatch links about it below-From 2006

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13258
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14173

[maddezmom]

4. US probes 'captive' workers in Iraq

US probes 'captive' workers in Iraq
UPI

June 11, 2007


BAGHDAD -- The United States is investigating allegations that forced foreign labor is being used to build its huge new embassy in Iraq.

Workers from African and Asian countries flown in to work on the Green Zone project claim that they were effectively shanghaied after believing that they were headed for Dubai, The Telegraph said Saturday.

The workers said that upon landing in Baghdad, their passports were seized, effectively keeping them on the project until further notice. The British newspaper said that the workers were being paid well, although conditions at the job site are hot and crowded.

more: http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070611-070240-5509r

[Supersedeas]

5. slave labor for Fat Cats