Waxman plans hearing on Halliburton move.
By on Mar 11th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Waxman plans hearing on Halliburton move.
Time’s Karen Tumulty comments on Halliburton’s plan to move its headquarters from Houston to Dubai: “Is this about tax breaks? Getting beyond the reach of congressional subpoenas? And what about all that sensitive information that Halliburton has had access to? At a minimum, reincorporating in Dubai would mean that Halliburton will be paying less taxes to the U.S. Treasury, even as it collects billions from government contracts.” She also reports, “Henry Waxman is already planning to hold a hearing on this, an aide tells me.”
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While Congress may be stymied, however, something important is happening in Iraq.
Few Americans pay attention to Iraqi politics, but over the past few days something has occurred that could change the course of the war. For the first time since the Iraqi election of 2005, a coalition of Sunni and Shiite Arab parties and leaders is starting to take shape, across the sectarian divide that has fueled the civil war. It began two days ago, with the announcement by the Fadhila (Islamic Virtue) party that it is leaving the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), to become an independent political party.
With 15 seats in the Iraqi parliament and with a significant grassroots base throughout the Shiite areas of southern Iraq, Fadhila is a nationalist party committed to the idea of a unitary Iraqi state. It is opposed to the breakup of Iraq into regions or statelets. And its leader, Nadim al-Jaberi, is explicitly opposed to sectarianism. He is committed to reaching out to Sunni parties and secular groups to find common ground, and a new political coalition. Most important, like most of the Sunni parties in Iraq, al-Jaberi and Fadhila support the rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
Fadhila is currently negotiating with Sunni and secular parties—including the Sunni religious bloc, a quasi-Baathist Sunni nationalist party and the secular Iraq National List led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi—on the formation of a new Sunni-Shiite-secular bloc in Iraq that would have nearly 100 votes in the 270-member Iraqi parliament.
Not only that, but Fadhila is a “Sadrist†party, whose origins lie in loyalty to the powerful Sadr clerical family. Fadhila is not loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr, the thirty-something mullah who leads the Mahdi Army. But there are enough ties between Fadhila and the Mahdi Army that perhaps Muqtada’s own bloc could be persuaded to join the emerging new coalition, too. (Late last year, Muqtada’s party pulled out of the Iraqi government, and according to Iraqi insiders Sadr is also talking to the same nationalist, Sunni and secular forces about the creation of a new “government of national salvation.â€) Along with a handful of independent Shiite members of parliament, that would give the new coalition enough power in parliament to have a vote of no confidence in hapless U.S. ally Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, topple his government and then reconstitute a nationalist Iraqi government that could ask for the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Even part of the ruling Dawa party, Maliki’s own party, is said to favor the idea.
Yesterday, members of the Iraqi parliament representing all of those parties—Fadhila, Allawi’s bloc and the Sunni parties—held an unprecedented teleconference with a dozen members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, an event organized by Representative Jim McDermott (D.-Wash.). Fadhila’s Nadim al-Jaberi took part in the teleconference, and he minced no words. “Putting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops is a very important step in giving Iraqis confidence that the occupation will end,†he said. Jaberi also added that by quitting the UIA, Fadhila has permanently splintered the Shiite bloc. “We have opened a very wide door in redrawing the Iraqi political map,†he said, hinting that Muqtada al-Sadr’s party might walk through that door and join the new bloc.
Other Iraqi parliamentarians, including Saleh Mutlaq of the Iraqi National Dialogue Front, along with representatives of the Iraqi Accord Front (Sunni) and the Iraq National List, also took part in the teleconference with Jaberi. All called for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, along with emergency efforts to reconstitute a new Iraqi government and to rebuild the Iraqi armed forces.
The emerging new Iraqi coalition is fragile, and it could easily fall apart or fall victim to intensified sectarian warfare. Many obstacles lie in its way, including the attitude of the Kurds, the opposition of the powerful Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and other factors—including, of course, the machinations of the United States and its ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad. But it’s at least possible that by the summer a new government could start taking shape in Baghdad, one that could (among other things) assert its nationalist credentials by demanding a timetable for a U.S. pullout.
President Bush, of course, would do everything he could to prevent the emergence of such a new coalition in Iraq, including possibly the use of military force against its leaders. Unlike with Nancy Pelosi’s legislation, however, at least the White House can’t veto something that the Iraqi parliament passes.
March 11th, 2007 at 5:47 pmRachel, we know it’s you. Time for Troll Alert to make it’s entrance . . .
March 11th, 2007 at 5:49 pmnail the crooks
March 11th, 2007 at 5:54 pmIt seems Rep. Waxman is one of the few Democrats who take their oversight responsibilities and the notion of checks and balances seriously. More power to him…
March 11th, 2007 at 5:58 pmgood… for some reason, the implications of halliburton moving its hq to dubai seem HUGE…
And, yes, I DO take it personally
March 11th, 2007 at 6:03 pmi am very pleased to hear that Waxman is already on the case.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:09 pmWaxman & Murtha are by far the top 2 Democratic leaders who seem really commited to the good of our America.Others determine what to do by polling.It’s really time for us ,the people to not let Corporations dominate our lives.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:26 pmAs it turns out, Dick Cheney’s Halliburton has extensive ties to Iran. And as you’d expect, Mitt Romney is in deep as well.
For the details, see:
March 11th, 2007 at 6:32 pm“Cheney, Romney in Deep with Iran Investments.”
Making high ranking individuals within corporations liable for crimes would go a long way to cleaning up the corruption. Corporations seem to be more like legalized criminal syndicates (i.e. a legal version of the mafia) rather than regular businesses.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:35 pmYesterday, members of the Iraqi parliament representing all of those parties—Fadhila, Allawi’s bloc and the Sunni parties—held an unprecedented teleconference with a dozen members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, an event organized by Representative Jim McDermott (D.-Wash.). Fadhila’s Nadim al-Jaberi took part in the teleconference, and he minced no words. “Putting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops is a very important step in giving Iraqis confidence that the occupation will end,â€
Other Iraqi parliamentarians, including Saleh Mutlaq of the Iraqi National Dialogue Front, along with representatives of the Iraqi Accord Front (Sunni) and the Iraq National List, also took part in the teleconference with Jaberi. All called for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, along with emergency efforts to reconstitute a new Iraqi government and to rebuild the Iraqi armed forces.
The emerging new Iraqi coalition is fragile, and it could easily fall apart or fall victim to intensified sectarian warfare. Many obstacles lie in its way, including the attitude of the Kurds, the opposition of the powerful Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and other factors—including, of course, the machinations of the United States and its ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad. But it’s at least possible that by the summer a new government could start taking shape in Baghdad, one that could (among other things) assert its nationalist credentials by demanding a timetable for a U.S. pullout.
President Bush, of course, would do everything he could to prevent the emergence of such a new coalition in Iraq, including possibly the use of military force against its leaders. Unlike with Nancy Pelosi’s legislation, however, at least the White House can’t veto something that the Iraqi parliament passes.
LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE SEEN SENSE AND WILL ASK AMERICANS TO LEAVE WITH NO OIL
March 11th, 2007 at 6:38 pmThis story is actually making it to post-prime time MSM – let’s keep the buzz going until it makes it to the prime time news…
This IS the smoking gun that attacking Iraq was never about Saddam.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:46 pmBack to Cheney’s gang at Halliburton.
Even though incorporated in the U.S., Halliburton is now a foreign global conglomerate.
It is time to treat Halliburton as we would treat any other foriegn company. Its incorporation in the United States should be revoked. Failing that, its incorporation status should be changed so that it can be treated as a company that does not owe its allegience to the United States and has a dubious business record worthy of investigation, like Enron.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:57 pmcancel and ban all contracts to these war profiteers, period!
March 11th, 2007 at 6:58 pmI hope Waxman will be issuing supeonas. Let the investigations of war profiteering and criminal prosecutions begin!
March 11th, 2007 at 7:10 pmNothing about this over at CNN.com… Seems it’s more important to list articles about cats going ‘berserk’ and similar “dramatainment” nonsense…
March 11th, 2007 at 7:14 pmWe need to freeze the assets, pending the outcome of a thorough Congressional invesigation, of Halliburton and it’s corporate officers. If it takes criminal charges to do that, we need to charge them with the first criminal violation (even misdemeanor) we can find.
Our treasure is being stolen.
We need to send Dubai a very diplomatic message regarding how we treat those who harbor our enemies.
March 11th, 2007 at 7:33 pmHenry,
Just kiss them Goodbye and let them go, after they have returned every last penny they have stolen from the Government under illegal Bushco contracts. If fact you should give them an ultimatum-return the money and leave the Country–with “The Dick” and DUHbya or go to jail, again with “The Dick and DUHbya,” and then return the money plus interest and penalties. Damn! With the money they stole, Cheney gone, and King George the Dumb pissing his prison blues in Leavenworth, Nancy can bring the troops home and balance the budget before the Fourth of July. WOW, I can’t wait for the fireworks.
March 11th, 2007 at 7:41 pm#16 smafdy
Amen! That diplomatic message could be tentative approval of Dubai as an authorized testing ground for Iran’s nukes. That should get their attention.
March 11th, 2007 at 7:43 pmThe true face of Globalization. This has been going on for a long time now, but this is a big fish wanting to leave the country that it has been sucking on so it can go to a place that will allow it to give nothing back to anyone.
Corporate elites will reside in comfy pockets around the world while puppets like ShrubCo will keep wars going and regulators leashed. The players like Halliburton and the purveyors of privatized armys will continue to make billions by sending supplies and bodies to endless conflicts.
What company will want to stay in the U.S. when the competition is benefiting from less oversight, less responsibility, fewer or nonexistent taxes and larger profits? There is nothing more selfish or self absorbed than a corporation. Halliburton wants American money but beyond that, America can go f**k itself.
Thanks Halliburton, for being such a great American company.
March 11th, 2007 at 7:46 pmWaxman is a powerhouse – I hope he has a large staff of aides because he sure has taken on a lot in the last two months.
March 11th, 2007 at 7:56 pmGo get ‘em Henry.
#19 burro
Well put, Sir.
It it time to change the pecking order. Let the Peckers (Halliburton/Cheney/Bushco) become the peckees.
March 11th, 2007 at 9:00 pm#19, it’s not so much globalization as it is free markets. You can’t artificially set rules and regulations in a free market. Economics doesn’t work like that.
What company will want to stay in the U.S. when the competition is benefiting from less oversight, less responsibility, fewer or nonexistent taxes and larger profits?
Other countries are trying to improve their economies by attracting businesses there. We see that domestically when a firm leaves California and sets up in Nevada. Happens all the time. California has seen an exodus of high-wage jobs due to high taxes, high property values, and CA regulations. It’s the most unfriendly state in the US for business. Who can blame a company for leaving?
March 11th, 2007 at 9:02 pm#22
When Halliburton got their first No Bid contract Bushco kicked your “free market” argument in the ass by definition. Go home troll and read tomorrow’s “Repug Talking Points.”
March 11th, 2007 at 9:10 pmWhat’s this ? -A hint of sanity? I’d like to hear a little less bullshit and see a little more result. You know what I mean?
March 11th, 2007 at 9:30 pm#22
On a more civil note I would hope that you can see the difference between a Company moving from one State to another within the US for purely economis reasons and a Corporation the size of Halliburton with their questionable contracts, management, accounting, subsidiaries, performance, and hiring practices, moving to another ENEMY Country to avoid taxes and criminal prosecution. My assumptions about Halliburton are as valid as yours for the sake of this discussion. The fact is, you have no valid argument to defend Halliburton per se.
March 11th, 2007 at 9:31 pm# 24
No.
March 11th, 2007 at 9:51 pmTime’s Karen Tumulty …
time gets to the mailbox on tuesdays… surely the nightly news will pick it up before then…
it’s “funny” how the “MSM” allows just enough of the truthful facts out in order to appear impartial, even “liberal”…
there are some brave patriots out there…
March 11th, 2007 at 10:13 pmkeep up the pressure, for sure…
#22 So you agree that an absolutely free market is bad. Thanks for being reasonable…for once.
March 11th, 2007 at 11:33 pmI will echo Clyde the Ripper. The voodoo economics of the “free market” as it’s practiced at the beginning of the 21st Century is a complete fraud. The biggest fraud being the concept of a corporation having the same rights and standing as a citizen.
There is no free market unless one considers the ability of the wealthy to freely influence commerce to their heart’s content so long as they have the money and connections to sway the actions of the easily cowed media, politicians and fellow travelers high up in the capitalist hierarchy.
It’s not about illusory free markets. That is such a smokescreen. It’s about privatizing for profit every activity and aspect of human existence. Globally we are reaching a tipping point where many more people will become aware of the true goals and motives of companies like Halliburton. No telling what will happen but there is no way that a corporation has the best interests of anything at heart beyond it’s own profit.
The free market comes to those who can buy it. And by design, in 2007, it comes to the few and the privileged.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:04 amNothing about this over at CNN.com… Seems it’s more important to list articles about cats going ‘berserk’ and similar “dramatainment†nonsense…
Comment by unbelievable — March 11, 2007 @ 7:14 pm
And Nero fiddled while Rome burned…
March 12th, 2007 at 12:23 amInsert the American People and the United States.
I believe the Roman people were pretty complacent and believed they’d be the most powerful forever too.
Ahhh, the benefits of those wonderful “free” markets.
via DKos:
http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/03/09/rich-get-richer-middle-class-shrinks/
From 2003 to 2004, the average incomes of the bottom 99 percent of households grew by less than 3 percent, after adjusting for inflation. In contrast, the average incomes of the top one percent of households experienced a jump of more than 18 percent, after adjusting for inflation. (Census data show that real median income fell between 2003 and 2004. Average income is pulled up by gains at the top of the income spectrum; much of the 2.3 percent rise among the bottom 99 percent seems to largely reflect gains by households in the top ten percent of the income spectrum. In contrast, trends in median income capture the experience of households in the middle of the income spectrum.)
The top 1 percent of households (those with annual incomes above about $315,000 in 2004) garnered 53 percent of the income gains in 2004….
…The share of total U.S. income that the top one percent of households received in 2004 was greater than the share it received in any prior year since 1929, except for 1999 and 2000.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:24 amHalliburton is in Dubai and Dubai was going to control our ports weren’t they. How convenient.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:27 amIt’s the most unfriendly state in the US for business. Who can blame a company for leaving?
Comment by muckdog — March 11, 2007 @ 9:02
Could be because California expects business to give something back to its employers like health benefits. Isn’t that why California has less Walmarts and Sam’s because residents really don’t want them.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:39 amThis is a country with nobody owes anybody anything mentality. The only way a person is judged is by how much money they have. Corporations like Halliburton had no problem sucking billions out of the Treasury but now the money’s gone and they’re going to find the next suckers.
And neocons, who think national healthcare is a preposterous idea, complain that corporations here can’t be competitive. Well as long as a United States Corporation has to provide health care it will never be competitive with most industrialized nations.
And neocons are notorious for hating social programs unless its the social program they get, Social Security.
I believe I am done venting now.
Sounds like Shane is a fellow Cali resident, right?
March 12th, 2007 at 12:57 amIf there were justice in the world Halliburton would be barred from all future government contracts since they are now proving beyond a doubt that they are traitors by moving their headquarters out of the US after receiving all those lucrative no-bid Defense Department handouts. In addition, deadeye Dick should resign from his dual role as Vice President and Bush’s puppetmaster, renounce his US citizenship and move to Dubai along with them. Good riddance traitor Dick.
(I can dream, can’t I?)
March 12th, 2007 at 2:21 amhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389×391782
PHOTO: “Halliburton thanks you, America, for your BILLIONS & BILLIONS of dollars!
And now, we are moving to a foreign land far, far away.
Oh, and we’re taking our records with us, so you can’t investigate us.
SUCKERS!
Mwahahahahahahahahaha!”
March 12th, 2007 at 4:07 am# 2.Barfly: 5:49 pm. is waaay too early to be drunk.
March 12th, 2007 at 4:10 amWith the acquisition of Dresser Industries in 1998, the Kellogg-Brown & Root division (in 2002 renamed to KBR) was formed by merging Halliburton’s Brown & Root (acquired 1962) subsidiary and the M.W. Kellogg division of Dresser (which Dresser had merged with in 1988).
Prescott Bush (W’s grandfather and executive banker of Brown Brothers Harriman–Nazi Germany’s connection to Wall Street) was a director of Dresser Industries, which is now part of Halliburton. His son, George H. W. Bush, worked for Dresser Industries in several positions from 1948-1951.
When Halliburton is mentioned in the media, they might speak of Cheney’s connection, but they will never speak of the Bush family and Dresser !!!
March 12th, 2007 at 4:21 amHenry Waxman’s sole reason for getting elected is the idea that he investigates tirelessly and sadly, that is total BS.
Waxman’s staff spends most of it’s time giving the appearance and perception of investigations as opposed to accomplishing anything.
His political investigations cause nothing but blowback in DC for the Democrats and he is a serious source of discourse.
It is sad that Henry gets away with it but he knows how to use the press and his office to stay in office.
Halliburton moving their office was not unexpected. Why would they stay where they are constantly harassed? Would you?
March 12th, 2007 at 9:29 amWhy would they stay where they are constantly harassed? Would you? — Comment by mark
wtf are you talking about? Harassed? By being awarded billions of dollars in no-bid contracts by their former CEO and paying almost no U.S. taxes? This is harassment? There are a lot of companies that would pay good money to get this sort of “harassment.”
Now, let’s pull all our no-bid contracts. Why would we give this work to a foreign company and not to a U.S. company?
March 12th, 2007 at 9:48 amI live in Killeen, TX next to Ft. Hood. This Army town has over 20,000 soldiers in Iraq and all of them are dependent upon Halliburton services thanks to Republican privitazation. That these young men and women have no recourse to the cheating of this company is beyond belief but to compound it by moving to Dubai is truly evil. When are we going to wake up and make the corporations of this country feel some heat?
March 12th, 2007 at 10:06 amSounds like Shane is a fellow Cali resident, right?
Comment by SKdeA — March 12, 2007 @ 12:57 am
March 12th, 2007 at 11:23 amNo but I would be if I could get my husband to move there. I absolutely love LA and spend a lot of time there with my daughter. But I live in Chicago, which I adore, but it is going to snow again Thursday. Ho hum
[...] Government Oversight Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) said he will soon hold a hearing on the matter to “understand the ramifications for the U.S. taxpayer and national security.†[...]
March 12th, 2007 at 12:18 pmLine up the Lemmings and march them to the sea, join in, one and all, left-right-left-right, jump and run, to the cliff, into the sea.
My parents were democrats, the dems of the ’60s, which was at least not embarassing. Thank god I was born with brains.
Thank god I’m not a democrat. Better dead than democrat. Bunch of lemmings, bunch of haters, bunch of ill-informed, misdirected, unknowing, uncaring, uneducated saps.
March 12th, 2007 at 1:45 pmWhen Halliburton charges the Pentagon $250,000 for leasing a vehicle (that can be bought for $30,000), or $10 for a 10-cent can of soda, or $100 for a tiny piece of laundry—–where do you think that money comes from? It is coming out of your paychecks, your children’s paychecks, and your grandchildren’s paychecks.
March 12th, 2007 at 4:17 pmThank god I’m not a democrat. Better dead than democrat. Bunch of lemmings, bunch of haters, bunch of ill-informed, misdirected, unknowing, uncaring, uneducated saps.
Comment by George Samsiri
Hey George, projecting your right-wing, bush bootlicking, inbred values on us means nothing. Ever hear of “projection”?
March 12th, 2007 at 4:55 pmHaliburton moves to Dubai–New meaning for “cut & run”
Next time you hear a neocon enabler say “cut and run”. just ask ‘em if they’re going to scream at their representatives and the newsmedia about Haliburton moving to Dubai one step ahead of accountability.
Since they’ve given us such a nice sound bite, we should use it with vigor. :)
March 12th, 2007 at 7:19 pmTest
March 12th, 2007 at 8:39 pmIf Halitosis-Burton DARES TO MOVE ITS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS TO Dubai, THEN CONGRESS SHOULD MAKE SURE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT CUTS OFF ALL TIES AND FUNDING, i.e., ALL CONTRACTS WITH Halitosis-Burton–THEN SEE HOW IT CAN DO BUSINESS WITH ITS UMBILICAL CORD TO Torticola DICK-less
March 13th, 2007 at 4:14 pmB(ugger) Cheney and Bushland Uber Allies CUT OFF? Halitosis-Burton WOULD FLOUNDER ABOUT AND DIE LIKE A SPUTTERING HALF-BAKED HALIBUT OUT OF WATER, AND JUSTICE WOULD BE SERVED AT THEIR DEATH–AND Cheney’s, TOO ALSO!!!!!