AlterNet: CACI - Torture in Iraq, Intimidation at Home

[marmar]

Consider the unique problems faced by the corporate suits at CACI International, a defense contractor whose services have included "coercive" interrogations of prisoners in Iraq -- interrogations most people simply call "torture."

Think about the image problems a major multinational corporation faces after becoming inextricably linked with the abuses at Abu Ghraib, a firm whose employees have contributed to the iconic images of the occupation of Iraq -- the symbols of American cruelty and immorality in an illegal war. What can a company like that possibly do to protect its brand name after contributing to the greatest national disgrace since the My Lai massacre?

CACI's strategy has been two-fold: its flacks have distorted well-documented facts in the public record beyond recognition, and its senior management has lawyered up, suing or threatening to sue just about every journalist, muckraker and government watchdog who's dared to shine a light on the firm's unique role as a torture profiteer.

Lately, the company's sights have been set squarely on Robert Greenwald, director of Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, in which CACI plays a starring role. Greenwald has been in a back-and-forth with CACI's CEO, Jack London, and its lead attorney, William Koegel, during "months of calls, emails and letters" in what Greenwald calls a campaign to "intimidate, threaten and suppress" the story presented in the film.

"The threatening letters started early, trying to get us to back off," Greenwald told me. "We refused, and went back at them with a very strong letter saying, 'no, you're war profiteers and we won't be silenced.' Like any bully, they backed down when confronted. No lawsuit was filed-- they're a paper tiger."

The story they don't want told is of a federal contractor that, according to the Washington Post, gets 92 percent of its revenues in the "defense" sector. The Washington Business Journal reported that CACI's defense contracts almost doubled in the year after the occupation of Iraq began, and profits shot up 52 percent.

The complete article is at: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/44506

[seemslikeadream]

1. CACI in the Dark On Reports of Abuse

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=534154

[JackBeck]

2. CACI took on Randi Rhodes

and lost.

Sued her for spreading misinformation about what they were really doing over in Iraq.

Ooops.

[marmar]

3. So that's the lawsuit she would always refer to?

I'm glad they lost. :nopity:

[JackBeck]

5. I think she's been sued a few times.

But this was the most recent and she's won, from my understanding, each time she's been sued.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Does the CEO's name have to be Jack London?

Why not Ayn Rand?