U.S. ambassador intervened in Halliburton contract, documents say

[Newsjock]

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/business/10148152.htm

LARRY MARGASAK
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The U.S. ambassador to Kuwait intervened last year to ensure that Halliburton, the oil services company once led by Vice President Dick Cheney, retained a Kuwaiti business as a subcontractor to deliver fuel to Iraq, documents released Wednesday show.

State Department documents appear to contradict the Bush administration's assertion that all decisions involving Houston-based Halliburton's contracts were handled only by career contracting officers for the government.

The ambassador's effort was aimed at ensuring that the company favored by the Kuwaiti government remained part of the contract.

With Iraq experiencing a gasoline shortage after the U.S.-led invasion last year, U.S. officials gave Halliburton the job of obtaining fuel in Kuwait and delivering it to Iraq. The work became part of Halliburton's existing $2.5 billion no-bid work to restore Iraq's oil industry.

more

[AlCzervik]

1. Well hey now, Bush is picking a new AG

so this will go in the dust bin along with the others.

[merh]

2. and so, this means what?

We told the rest of the nation about this and they don't care!
:shrug: My bumper sticker says "Don't blame me, I voted Blue!"

[hippiechick]

3. And James Baker was representing Kuwait for what ?

I'm getting confused with all these fucks and counter-fucks that the BFEE has going on over there.



:hippie:

[seemslikeadream]

4. DoD Statement on Jack Shaw and the Iraq Telecommunications Contract

DoD Statement on Jack Shaw and the Iraq Telecommunications Contract


For several months there have been allegations in the press that activities of John A. Shaw, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for International Technology Security, were under investigation by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense (DoD IG). The allegations were examined by DoD IG criminal investigators in Baghdad and a criminal investigation was never opened.



Furthermore, attempts to discredit Shaw and his report on Iraqi telecommunications contracting matters were brought to the attention of the DoD IG and were accordingly referred to the FBI.



Shaw carried out his duties in the investigation of Iraqi telecommunications matters pursuant to the authorities spelled out in the Memorandum of Understanding between the DoD IG and the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Shaw provided a copy of his report to the DOD IG and, at the request of the Coalition Provisional Authority, to the Iraqi National Communications and Media Commission.



Shaw is not now, nor has he ever been, under investigation by the DoD IG. Any questions concerning FBI activities should be addressed to the FBI.
http://www.dod.mil/releases/2004/nr20040810-1103.html


Winds of Change:Troubled Waters Ahead For the Neo Cons


by
Wayne Madsen

The neo-con attack on Shaw was predictable considering their previous attacks on Ambassador Joe Wilson, his wife Valerie Plame, former U.S. Central Command chief General Anthony Zinni, former counter-terrorism coordinator Richard Clarke, former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, CIA counter-terrorism agent Michael Scheuer (the "anonymous" author of Imperial Hubris who has recently been gagged by the Bush administration), fired FBI translator Sibel Edmonds (who likely discovered a penetration by Israeli and other intelligence assets using the false flag of the Turkish American Council and who also has been gagged by the Bush administration), and all those who took on the global domination cabal. But Shaw showed incredible moxie. When he decided to investigate Pentagon Inspector General Reports that firms tied to Perle and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz were benefiting from windfall profit contracts in Iraq, Shaw decided to go to Iraq himself to find out what was going on. When Shaw was denied entry into Iraq by U.S. military officers (yes, a top level official of the Defense Department was denied access to Iraq by U.S. military personnel!), he decided to sneak into the country disguised as a Halliburton contractor. Using the cover of Cheney's old company to get the goods on Cheney's friends' illegal activities was yet another masterful stroke of genius by Shaw. But it also earned him the wrath of the neo-cons. They soon leaked a story to the Los Angeles Times claiming that Shaw actually snuck into Iraq to ensure that Qualcomm (on whose board sat a friend of Shaw's) was awarded a lucrative cell network contract.

But nothing could be further from the truth. Shaw, who worked for Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, represented the Old Guard Republican entity that in August 2003 set up shop in the Pentagon right under the noses of Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and Feith to investigate the neo-con cabal and their illegal contract deals. The entity, known as the International Armament and Technology Trade Directorate, was soon shut down as a result of neo-con pressure. Not to be deterred, Shaw continued his investigation of the neo-cons. Although the neo-cons told the Los Angeles Times that the FBI was investigating Shaw, the reverse was the case: the FBI was investigating the neo-cons, particularly Perle and Wolfowitz, for fraudulent activities involving Iraqi contracts. And in worse news for the neo-cons: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was giving the Inspector General's and Shaw's investigations a "wink and a nod" of approval.

The financial stakes for the Pentagon are high - the Iraqi CPA's Inspector General recently revealed that over $1 billion of Iraqi money was missing from the audit books on Iraqi contracts. For Shaw and the FBI, it was a matter of what they suspected for many years - that Perle, Wolfowitz, and their comrades were running entities that ensured favorable treatment for Israeli activities - whether they were business opportunities in a U.S.-occupied Arab country or protecting Israeli spies operating within the U.S. defense and intelligence establishments.

Shaw certainly must have recalled how, during the Reagan administration, an Israeli spy named Jonathan Pollard was able to steal massive amounts of sensitive U.S. intelligence over a long period of time and hand it over to his Israeli control officer, a dangerous and deadly agent provocateur named Rafael "Rafi" Eitan. That had disastrous effects on U.S. intelligence operations throughout the world because some of the documents were handed by the Israelis to the Soviets in return for letting more Soviet Jews emigrate to Israel.

more
http://www.copvcia.com/free/ww3/081104_winds_change.shtml

[seemslikeadream]

5. Tracking weapons

NUSACC welcomes Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce & Industry
Monday, March 1st, 2004, U.S.-Arab Tradeline
Rebecca Givner-Forbes
TEXT On February 6, the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) welcomed to Washington H.E. Abdullah Al-Taweel, Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, with a luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel. More than fifty representatives from the government, press, business, and trade associations turned out for this high-level event.
Minister Al-Taweel arrived in the US on February 5 with his delegation, composed of government and private sector leaders, to sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the US Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Zoellick. NUSACC’s luncheon kicked off the delegation’s five-day visit.
NUSACC’s President, David Hamod, opened the event by welcoming Minister Al-Taweel and introducing Kuwait’s ambassador to the United States, H.E. Salem Al-Sabah. The Ambassador characterized the strong US-Kuwaiti alliance as “Partners in Peace,” describing Kuwait as a gateway into Iraq. He concluded by stating that Kuwait was working to recapture its leading trade and commerce status in the region and that Kuwait’s “prime partner in that effort will be the United States.”
The second guest speaker was Hon. John A. Shaw, Deputy Under Secretary for International Technology Security at the Department of Defense, who shared valuable information on the contracting process for Iraq reconstruction projects. He also described Kuwait’s vital role in providing inroads to Iraq and the opportunities available to Kuwaiti businesses to supply reconstruction materials.
Mr. Shaw highlighted efforts that are underway by the Public Affairs Committee of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) to improve the contracting process. In addition, he announced the establishment of an Inspector General’s office to improve the way reconstruction resources are distributed. The Inspector General’s office will have a significant presence, and will “alter the way a lot of things are being done on the ground,” Mr. Shaw contended.
The Iraqi office will be modeled on the one that was established in Kuwait to manage funds that the US provided for reconstruction there. In that case, a full $75 million was allotted for the Inspector General’s office to oversee $18.5 billion in reconstruction funds.
Speaking about future contract opportunities, Deputy Under Secretary Shaw noted that a lot of resources would be directed at further developing the infrastructure at Um Qasr and expanding the port’s capacity. He also reached out to the Kuwaiti delegation, emphasizing that opportunities would be available not only for American companies but for regional players as well.
more
http://www.arabdatanet.com/news/DocResults.asp?DocId=59...


Tracking weapons
The Pentagon has started an effort with the difficult task of tracking conventional arms transfers around the world and working to fix weak weapons-export controls.

The program is led by John Shaw, the deputy undersecretary of defense for international technology security, who also is a Pentagon inspector general for international armament and trade through a memorandum of understanding with the Pentagon inspector general.

"We handle international technology-transfer issues, as well as the investigative side of things," said Edward Timperlake, the Pentagon's director of technology assessment, who works with Mr. Shaw.

The focus of the effort is not on weapons of mass destruction. Rather, the group is looking at conventional arms and dual-use items with commercial as well as military applications. The program began after Operation Iraqi Freedom, which uncovered huge stockpiles of foreign weapons in Iraq. The weapons came from a variety of suppliers, including Russia, France and China.
more
http://www.gertzfile.com/gertzfile/ring022704.html

Kuwait Economic Mission Urges Closer U.S. Ties
A high-level delegation from Kuwait came to Washington last week showcasing business opportunities in the nation, particularly regarding reconstruction projects in Iraq. Keeping up the profile of wireless broadband as key in the communications component of such projects, I participated on behalf of WCA in a luncheon Friday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, hosted by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce and its new President David Hamod. Featured speakers included Kuwait Minister of Commerce and Industry Abdullah Al-Taweel and the Hon. John A. Shaw, who is Deputy Under Secretary for International Technology Security at the U.S. Department of Defense. A key figure in the reconstruction effort, he described the Coalition Provision Authority website http://www.rebuilding-iraq.net as the best first stop for any would-be contractor. I spoke with the featured speakers at the luncheon, a fairly intimate function introduced by Kuwait's Ambassador to the U.S. and with about 55 attendees - members of the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry, relevant U.S. government and Kuwait government agencies, plus Reuters and the Washington Times. These are the kinds of ties that WCA fosters for members through the year, and will be especially prominent during WCA 2004 this June in Washington, DC. For those with more immediate interests in Kuwait opportunities, visit the site of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry (www.kcci.org.kw ), illustrating a major theme from the Friday luncheon, "Kuwait: A launching pad for the region."
http://www.wcai.com/hs_news2004.htm


New agency for Iraq contracts
by correspondents in London, news.com.au
October 14th, 2003



THE United States will create a new agency, under the aegis of the Pentagon, to oversee the distribution of contracts to rebuild Iraq, a US defence official told a conference today.

The new agency, as yet unnamed, will be introduced at the beginning of next month under the direction of retired admiral David Nash, said Deputy Under-Secretary of Defence for International Technology Security John Shaw.
It will be charged with coordinating sub-contracting work in Iraq, notably by US groups Bechtel and Halliburton, the main contractors in Iraq's reconstruction, Shaw told the Doing Business in Iraq conference.

Shaw admitted there were "divergences" between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) - responsible for the rebuilding of Iraq under the supervision of the State Department - and the Department of Defence over the distribution of sub-contracts.

The US administration was represented by several officials at the conference, which also heard calls for Western firms to set aside their doubts and help to rebuild war-torn Iraq.
http://www.occupationwatch.org/article.php?id=1383


Nomination of John A. Shaw To Be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce
September 12, 1991
The President today announced his intention to nominate John A. Shaw, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement. He would succeed Quincy Mellon Krosby.

Since 1988 Dr. Shaw has served as Associate Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce. Prior to this Dr. Shaw served as senior advisor to the Administrator of the Agency for International Development, 1988; and as vice president for Washington Operations for the Hudson Institute, 1987 - 1988.

Dr. Shaw graduated from Williams College, (B.A., 1962) and Cambridge University (M.A., 1967: and Ph.D., 1976). He was born July 1, 1939, in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Shaw is married, has two children, and resides in Washington, DC

http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/papers/1991/91091208.html

[Rose Siding]

6. THIS old article says that was the only co approved by the ARMY

snip>
Pentagon officials said the source of the overcharging was the high price charged by a Kuwaiti firm which supplied the gas to Halliburton. Halliburton said the Kuwaiti firm was the only one approved as a supplier by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the contract.

Pentagon officials have also said the Kuwaiti company was the only one approved by the Kuwaiti government to export gasoline from the oil-rich monarchy. Lieberman identified the firm as the Altanmia Commercial Marketing Co.

Halliburton said it had suggested getting gasoline supplies from Turkey, which charged a lower price. Pentagon auditors said Halliburton charged $1.09 per gallon more for gasoline from Kuwait than from Turkey.

Turkey is now the source of about two-thirds of the gasoline distributed in Iraq, Halliburton said. Using the Turkish supplier instead of the Kuwaiti firm has saved the U.S. government about $164 million, Halliburton said.

Lieberman said he met with Michael Thibault, an official with the Defense Contract Audit Agency, which is investigating the Halliburton contract. Lieberman said Thibault told him DCAA auditors found a Halliburton draft audit warning that the Kuwaiti company was charging excessive prices and the procedures may have violated U.S. contracting regulations.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/18/national/main589394.shtml

[maddezmom]

7. yahoo link...need to rate it

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041111/ts_nm/iraq_halliburton_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

You have given the news article U.S. Envoy Put Heat on Halliburton for Kuwaiti Fuel a rating of 5.
Its current average rating is 1.73 with 11 vote(s).

It's getting freeped.

[maddezmom]

8. Halliburton Says Bribes May Have Been Paid

HOUSTON - Various investigations into an alleged $180 million bribery scandal in Nigeria involving a Halliburton Co. subsidiary and other companies have indicated that payments may have been made to Nigerian officials, the company said in a regulatory filing.


"We understand from the ongoing governmental and other investigations that payments may have been made to Nigerian officials," the Houston-based oil services conglomerate said in a quarterly filing Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission (news - web sites).


~snip~

The allegations center on a contract for a $4 billion Nigerian liquefied natural gas plant awarded in 1995 to TSKJ, a consortium of four partners — M.W. Kellogg Co., a subsidiary of Dresser Industries; Technip SA of France; ENI SpA of Italy; and Japan Gasoline Corp.


Halliburton acquired Dresser in 1998 — three years after Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) began his 1995-2000 tenure as Halliburton's CEO — and combined its Brown & Root subsidiary with M.W. Kellogg to form engineering and construction unit KBR

more: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041108/ap_on_bi_ge/halliburton_nigeria_2

When it rains, it pours...I love the rain! :)

[maddezmom]

9. #1 Most Popular on Yahoo

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=index&cid=1682