US To Boost Bechtel's Iraq Reconstruction Contract

[Andy_Stephenson]

"San Francisco-based Bechtel was originally awarded an 18 month, $680 million contract for Iraqi reconstruction work... Andrew Natsios, the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, promised that no additional taxpayer money would go into the Bechtel contract beyond the $680 million ceiling."

"According to a funding document from the U.S.-led Iraqi provisional authority, however, U.S. officials recently decided that Bechtel requires the additional $350 million "to maintain momentum in high-priority infrastructure projects.""

Faced with escalating costs and continued instability in Iraq, U.S. officials in Baghdad have decided to boost Bechtel Group Inc.'s postwar reconstruction contract by $350 million, or more than 50%, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The decision to steer additional funds to Bechtel is the latest sign that the Bush administration has seriously underestimated the cost and complexity of rebuilding Iraq. Although the U.S. plans a dramatic push for new reconstruction funds -- part of what one U.S. official said will be a $2.75 billion emergency budget request for Iraq next month -- the administration remains vague on what the overall project is likely to cost.

http://www.quicken.com/investments/news_center/story/?story=NewsStory/dowJones
/20030828/ON200308280034000017.var&column=P0DFP

[tom_paine]

1. Another conflict-of-interest no-bid Bushevik kickback

Nothing to see here. Move along.

[Andy_Stephenson]

2. Cut the pay increase to Federal employees

give it to Bechtel.

Easy squeeze.

[Sagan]

3. It's not fair for Chimpy to do this to Congress...

It's really inconsiderate of him. I mean, can't he bundle all his endless budget requests and extensions into one package so they can just rubberstamp that and go back to sleep?

Otherwise, they have to all wake up and get together to pretend like they're working before rubberstamping yet another vague, humongous budget request from the Chimpministration.

God forbid they ask any actual questions about these requests.

[hang a left]

4. Excellent

I was beginning to think that Halliburton was creaming a little too much, nice of them to pump up Bechtel's share of our treasury money.

[chaumont58]

5. I have come to believe this is why the Bushies did Iraq

Last winter, I refused to believe the Bushies would actually invade and conquer Iraq. I never believed the WMD bullshit. I did think the pink tutu Senate Democrats were afraid of some hidden intelligence regarding that. That was the kindest spin I could put on their behavior. The invasion still makes no sense, except for the way that the old crony capitalist that are a part of the BFEE can make oodles and gobs of money. Haliburton and Bechtel are but the most glaring examples of the money that is being made in Iraq. The Bushies don't give a rat's fuck about the common GI. The military(both the officer class and the working grunts) kiss repuklican ass. For their trouble, they get genital herpes.
Iraqi reconstruction is going to stretch on and on. Bechtel and Haliburton are going to get richer and richer. Its a form of income redistribution. Take for the poor and middle class and give to the richest of the rich.

[bigtree]

6. Bechtel stuff

Halliburton, Bechtel Win More Iraq Deals:
http://news.findlaw.com/business/s/20030828/iraqusacontractsdc.html

Bechtel Awards Lucent Technologies Subcontract To Rebuild Communications Network in Iraq:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-25-2003/0002006092&EDATE=


As Secretary of State for Reagan (and former president of Bechtel), in 1983 George Schultz sent Donald Rumsfeld on a Middle East peace envoy to the city of Baghdad to meet with Saddam Hussein. Rumsfeld was instructed to ask for the leader’s support in Bechtel’s bid on construction of an oil pipeline from Iraq to the port of Aqaba. Twenty years later, Rumsfeld and his cohorts were in the position to once again launch Bechtel into a position of power in the Middle East, and they did so.

Jack Sheehan, a senior Vice President at Bechtel, is a member of the Defense Policy Board. USAID administrator Andrew Natsios, the overseer of bidding contracts in Iraq, also has close ties to Bechtel; he headed Boston’s massive "Big Dig" construction process, a disastrous $14 billion boondoggle the accounted for some of the biggest cost overruns in the history of American municipal public works. Bechtel is one the main contractors on the "Big Dig" project.

Just two months before war, President Bush appointed multi-billionaire Riley Bechtel (the 104th richest man in the world thanks to his family’s company) to his Export Council to advise the government on how to create markets for American companies overseas.

From 1999 to 2001, Bechtel contributed $1.3 million to political campaigns; 58% went to Republican candidates.
http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/updates/081203.html