Think Progress

Halliburton Scores A Juicy New Contract

By Christy on Jun 22nd, 2005 at 5:29 pm

Halliburton Scores A Juicy New Contract»

AP reports the Bush White House has just handed Halliburton a brand-new contract - worth up to $1 billion - to support U.S. troops in the Balkans.

A Halliburton spokesperson said “This decision is an endorsement of the best-in-class support that KBR provides to the U.S. military worldwide.”

Remember the last time Halliburton was given a contract in the Balkans?

The General Accounting Office found in 1997 Halliburton “billed the Army for questionable expenses for work in the Balkans, including charges of $85.98 per sheet of plywood that cost $14.06. A year 2000 follow-up report on the Balkans work that found inflated costs, including charges for cleaning some offices up to four times a day.” In all, the GAO said KBR’s cost-overruns in the Balkans “inflated the original contract price by 32 percent.”

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38 Responses to “Halliburton Scores A Juicy New Contract”


  1. kindness Says:

    I wish I was in Dick Cheney’s will.


  2. Ellis Says:

    Surely, Halliburton must be the only plywood source to charge those rates (gag). Wasn’t that one of their arguments? “We’re the only ones who can do this.”


  3. Vaughn Hopkins Says:

    Hallliburton has often been misquoted as saying, “We’re the only ones who can do this.” We owe them an apology. The actual quote is, “We are the only ones who can get away with doing this.” Surely we all know that is a true statement?


  4. t0m Says:

    You didn’t let them finish. As they were saying, “We’re the only ones who can do this because that’s the way the war was engineered by our CEO — former CEO (though he still gets a salary).”


  5. Flamethrower Says:

    Cheney’s stock options are going through the roof with this and when they finally getting rid of those pesky asbestos lawsuits.


  6. Ellis Says:

    OK, I stand corrected … LOL. Must be one helluva sheet of plywood.


  7. Zookeeper Says:

    No wonder Cheney always has that evil smirk on his face. Disgusting. Are these contracts actually put out for bid? No one can under cut them? Geez.


  8. acinosa Says:

    Why isn’t Congress protesting this? Do they really represent the masses? Both parties included..of course that would put them on the side of the terrorists. Time to vote ALL the bastards out…


  9. Jeannie Jackson Says:

    We now have mega-lottery in California, whereby you can win up to a billion. If I win, I will send bush chaney and rumpsfelt to some foreign country and hire mercaneries to take pot shots at them, then give them a brand new hummer3 made of–what is that expensive coating–plywood?


  10. Hereviel Says:

    This all reminds me of a funny word I recently learned. Plutocracy.

    plu·toc·ra·cy ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pl-tkr-s)
    n. pl. plu·toc·ra·cies
    Government by the wealthy.
    A wealthy class that controls a government.
    A government or state in which the wealthy rule.

    But for simplicity’s sake both the Republican and Democratic party should remain seperate so that it can at least “look” like the masses actually do have a choice. Appearances are everything. Especially with elections coming up.

    Woo. I just got a shiver up my spine. Here’s a scary thought. “What would happen if America woke up?” Oh wait. Scared myself for nothing. The vast majority would have no idea what to do anyways. Who has the energy nowadays anyways? Or the time?

    *shrug*


  11. Thomas Stevens Says:

    You should support your President. He is bringing the country together. Besides, you’re not going to be taken seriously unless you are wlling to die for your cause. Halliburton is protecting its stockholders, and they have a right to do that. Donald Rumsfeld knows what he is doing, he has run profitable companies for many years. Contractors in Iraq can charge what they want. If you don’t like it, you should go fight in Iraq. The democratic party cannot keep it in their pants. If they were willing to work harder, people might take them seriousy.


  12. Skid Says:

    “I should support my President. He is bringing the country together. Besides, I’m not going to be taken seriously unless I am w(i)lling to die for my cause. Halliburton is protecting its stockholders, and they have a right to do that. Donald Rumsfeld knows what he is doing, he has run profitable companies for many years. Contractors in Iraq can charge what they want. If I don’t like it, I should go fight in Iraq. My democratic party cannot keep it in their pants. If I were willing to work harder, people might take me serious(l)y.”

    Somehow I just can’t see myself saying it, let alone agreeing with it. Morbidly funny though.


  13. Jeff Says:

    I’m not willing to die for $86/sheet plywood, higher stock prices for Halliburton, a pompuos idiots reputation as a leader, or contractor price gouging. I just may consider dying for some young intern trim though.


  14. helene Says:

    To M. Thomas Stevens,

    You forgot to mention that Halliburton is getting paid with taxpayers’ money and that every american elector has a right to held these contracting companies accountable and has the right to know why Halliburton is getting all the contracts and not other companies. What happened to antitrust law and why is antitrust law not applying to the government, and especially the Bush administration? When companies are overcharging the government and not being held accountable, it is the beginning of corruption to say the least, of plutocraty, and soon tyranny.

    Oh, but you may be one of the rich people for whom the tax cuts have been advocated by the Bush adm, Mr “I give the lessons but I do not go and fight for my country”. Why the Bush twins do not show the example? Why this war is fought by soldiers from lower-class and middle class families who pay these taxes? DO YOU THINK IT IS FAIR THAT SECURITY CONTRACTORS ( aka politically correct for MERCENARIES) ARE HIGHER PAID THAN SOLDIERS WHO RISK THEIR LIVES EVERYDAY MORE THAN THEM?

    Signed: a foreign lady who has been insulted because of that war on Iraq and who wonders when she is going to get lynched, even if she tried to donate her blood and the little money she could on sept 11. REMEMBER: EMPIRES DO NOT LAST FOREVER.


  15. prpa Says:

    Why not CHE - ney instead of Cheney? Sounds much better to me…


  16. Mark S. Says:

    Where the hell is the accountability? Did anybody see Frontline on Tuesday night? How did that one get passed the sensors? The people who think this war is such a great idea should volunteer their time and not just their money.


  17. canchin Says:

    Flat”Bush” and Ch”ic”ane”r”y I have heard before but kudos for “Rumpsfelt.” If it isn’t under copyright I hope I can use it.

    As a foreigner - at least as far as America is concerned being after all a Canadian eh! - may I suggest that Americans follow the lead of people in so-called “emerging” East European countries?

    Perhaps it is time for several million Americans to march on the madmen in Washington; refusing to move; shutting down not only Washington but all “safe houses” of the plutocrats holding the American citizen in thrall.

    Maybe, if Americans themselves take back their country from the madmen in Washington the rest of the world will welcome America back into the fold.

    Hope springs eternal I guess but I would like to see America become part of the family of nations again instead of the pariah the Bush Regime is making her.


  18. D Spair Says:

    Just what do Americans want from a former ,drunk driving , cocaine sniffing,deserter from the National Guard….TRUTH..Honesty….INTEGRITY
    GET REAL…YOU BUBBLEHEADS!!!


  19. Jack P Says:

    It amazes me how the people of the United States releect a thief and an murder. And people like Cheney are killing for prophit. This has nothing to do with keeping the peace in the world, fighting for democracy. It is about fighting for these huge corporate contracts making only a few very wealthy. These few own the country, no doubt about it. And what’s worse, is the public buying into their propoganda. Now it is blatant, Bush admin hands over taxpayers money to Haliburton and Cheney is chuckling all the way to the bank. You Yanks, why don’t you stop this???? Also, if you Yanks only knew a 1/5 of what atrocities your government has done, I think you all would choke to death in amazement.


  20. Jack P Says:

    My comments above is made for #12. I hope he wasn’t serious.


  21. CommonSenseDesk Says:

    Another Halliburton Giveaway

    I am sure that this contract was only awarded to Halliburton after compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. There, I almost wrote that with a straight face.


  22. John K. Says:

    Whether anyone realizes it or not, this kind of acceptable thievery trickles(ha!) its way down to mechanics, roofers, plumbers etc.

    Is anyone concerned about young people seeing and immitating this type of crooked criminal behavior? That is all we heard about when Clinton slipped up.


  23. Jes Says:

    Lets not forget that the Good Ol’ Boy in the white house was reelected via computerized voting machines, (with no paper trail) that are manufactured by a company who gives hundreds of thousands of dollars in support to the Republican party - are we all really so blind and dumb that no one sees a problem here? oh, wait, Im sorry, we are not blind, we are too busy watching really bad reality TV! Its an embarassement


  24. tatersalad Says:

    Ok, so they throw out three women from a Bush rally because of their “No blood for oil” bumper sticker. Guess that’s suppose to keep us safe. Right? These women weren’t criminals, but they were treated as such.

    Then you have Halliburton, one of the most corrupt corps in the world, and they are financially rewarded with another billion dollar contract for what … another prison in Gitmo. Hmmm, ok so let’s fatten the wallets of the real criminals while preparing to detain even more Muslims which will create more hatred towards the US.

    And we wonder what has gone wrong with our country.


  25. Margaretta Says:

    How scary and nauseating that the Republicans are stealing from the US Government in unprecedented ways. Michael Moore sure had it right in STUPID WHITE MEN where their greed is concerned. However, where this greed is concerned they are not exactly stupid. And they are conducting their theft right under the eyes of Congress and citizens of the US. When aill this country wake up????


  26. Activate Says:

    The republicans have been screwing everybody (upper class excluded) for years now, We need to stop talking about it and get off our butts and do something.(ie. mass protests and marches on washington.) If we don’t then nothing will change.

    Or we can wait until it gets so bad that the sheep(masses) are so discontented and that the only choice is to revolt… When the middle class is finally phased out that will be the only alternative.
    And if you haven’t noticed thats what the republicans are really all about….one society, 2 classes, the have and have nots.
    Big Brother is here now and getting bigger and bigger!


  27. STEVE Says:

    If people stop supporting these large companies, they would go away. Money is the only thing they understand. Noxt time you go to a Walmart for the cheap prices, remember, you have made this country what it is today.


  28. Activate Says:

    Its not the consumers buying goods that have corrupted these companies. Its the lack of regulation and govermental integrity (oxymoron)
    that have led to this insatiable greed. But when the government is one in the same as the corporations what do you expect?


  29. Janet Says:

    Just tell me where the protest is and I’ll be there. Don’t hold your breath waiting for middle America to wake up. I live in Utah and believe me I’ve tried to get these people to read the paper or watch the news and they just look at you with a blank stare. It scares me to death how hard it is to get even one person to listen. Got any ideas?


  30. Liv Says:

    There is no shock left in my soul for the lying, cheating, or selfish acts by this president and his administration. It’s hypocrisy and evil at it’s highest. I guess it’s not surprising to me that no one insists that Mr Bush and his cronies be held accountable for their crimes against humanity. It’s not nearly as exciting as impeaching a president for having “sexual relations” with someone other than his wife. Time to move to France.


  31. J. Porter Says:

    Any person who thinks this war is needed should get off of their a$$ and go sign up. The little magnatized ribbon on the back of your SUV saying that you support the troops is not gonna cut it. Just like a typical republican to hide behind the bible or the flag while they rip off their workers and collect their fat tax breaks. Do I support the troops? Sure I do. I just support them coming home and living while republicans support them staying in Iraq and dying.


  32. Astarte Says:

    Here’s a thought…

    The reason why people won’t/can’t wake up is because they are not taught our true history and therefore, do not realize their potential to change things!

    The poor have always been sacraficed to fight the wars in this country - wars to preserve or increase wealth for a small percentage of individuals.

    History also shows that weathly people have been able to buy their way out of serving their country. Interesting, since it is and always have been the weatlhy who gained the most from wars…

    Hundred’s of years ago, before the evolution of a middle class, poor people did organize and protest and challenge our government & laws.

    Since the evolution of the middle class a vast distance between the poor and the mega-rich was created.

    The weathly have always had an influence over every aspect of our government (and why wouldn’t they? they have to protect and increase their money), that is why the government gives the contract to Halliburton and Halliburton charges $85.98 for a sheet of plywood. The government & Halliburton are one…

    The middle class have enough money to remain sedated and unmoved to do anything, which explains why little is ever done to stop the our tax dollars from being redirected to the rich via an $85.98 sheet of plywood.

    The poor in this country don’t realize their strength because they spend the majority their energy making ends meet and fighting these wars….which works nicely as a way for the rich to increase their wealth and keep the poor preoccupied with “protecting their country” and not questioning policy….


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  36. fred sachs Says:

    I was watching congressional testimony on Iraq with GAO and the question of why KBR was given no bid contracts. The GAO or the congressmen said that they were the only conmpnay to handle the work. AM I mistaken or isn’t that what defines a trust for which anti-trust legistlation is applied? If there is no competition, isn’t that illegal? Is there a reason the KBR has not been sued by the government?



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