Former Employee Says KBR Promoted Camp Manager After She Was Caught Stealing
Former Employee Says KBR Promoted Camp Manager After She Was Caught Stealing
On Monday, two former employees of embattled contracting firm KBR testified that they saw coworkers regularly steal from Iraq while working there. One employee, Linda Warren, said “that some of her American colleagues doing construction work in Iraqi palaces and municipal buildings took woodcarvings, tapestries and crystal ‘and even melted down gold to make spurs for cowboy boots.’”
Warren told the Senate panel that her camp manager got “busted by the military” for looting, but still, “she was given a promotion.” Watch it:
KBR continues to enjoy a most-favored contractor relationship with the Pentagon. In fact, just two weeks ago, KBR won a $150 billion, 10-year contract to work with the U.S. Army in Iraq — despite the other widely-publicized and serious scandals surrounding KBR:
– In March, the Boston Globe reported that KBR had avoided paying more than $500 million “in federal Medicare and Social Security taxes by hiring workers through shell companies” based in the Cayman Islands. These American workers thus cannot get unemployment assistance if they lose their jobs.
– Last month, the AP reported that KBR-run sites provided contaminated water that made dozens of U.S. troops in Iraq fall ill. Rather than reevaluate its chummy relationship with KBR, the Pentagon told soldiers to “just drink bottled water.”
– In December, the first of what is now at least a dozen former KBR employees came forward to say she was raped by coworkers while stationed in Iraq. The Pentagon has refused to investigate the issue.
Bunnatine “Bunny” Greenhouse, who oversaw contracts for the Army Corps of Engineers, told the Senate in 2005, “I can unequivocally state that the abuse related to contracts awarded to KBR represents the most blatant and improper contract abuse I have witnessed during the course of my professional career.” Reflecting the Pentagon’s efforts to protect KBR, Greenhouse was demoted almost two months to the day after voicing that critique.
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She was caught stealing? From taxpayers?
Doesn’t this usually mean it’s time for a promotion in Bush world?
Or Cabinet position?
April 30th, 2008 at 1:35 pm“Screw up, move up” is not just a promotion in these companies, it’s a meritorious promotion.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:38 pmGod forbid anyone should speak the truth.. Get demoted or fired.
Only under the Bush Regime is stealing considered a promotable quality.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:38 pmGuess I should have actually read everything before commenting (forgive my rightwing lapse, PLEASE).
This is too much:
>>Warren told the Senate panel that her camp manager got “busted by the military” for looting, but still, “she was given a promotion.<<
Truth IS stranger than fiction.
Someone kill me, please.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:40 pmlokidog Says:
She was caught stealing? From taxpayers?
Doesn’t this usually mean it’s time for a promotion in Bush world?
Or Cabinet position?
Sometimes you even get the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But you have to steal a LOT of money to get that high award. Paul Bremer stole almost $9 billion to get his medal.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:41 pmBunnatine “Bunny” Greenhouse?! Even though I admire the cut of Bunny’s jib, her name ranks right up their Dusty Foggo in terms of surreality.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:42 pmWhether it’s President Obama or President Clinton, I will be sending emails to the next administration urging them to investigate KBR. This company needs to be cut off from the government payroll and its ethical employees assisted afterward if the company goes out of business. The fat cats at the top and other corrupt vultures within that company must pay dearly.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:42 pm.
A Medal of Honor is being pressed with that stolen gold.
.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:43 pmKBR represents all the sterling qualities of this administration, because of the most blatant and improper contract abuse. They have been awarded $150 Billion-10 year Contract for proving once again crime pays.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:44 pm“that some of her American colleagues doing construction work in Iraqi palaces and municipal buildings took woodcarvings, tapestries and crystal ‘and even melted down gold to make spurs for cowboy boots.’”
Hey, waddafoxdamaddawichew? To the victors belong the spoils, right? Who’s victorious, baby? We kicked some rag-head ass. We DESERVE whatever we can steal…
April 30th, 2008 at 1:50 pmA glowing symbol of the U.S. occupation along with the 104 acre American Embassy the Iraqi people see each day.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:01 pmKBR Promoted Camp Manager After She Was Caught Stealing
Do these people seek the unwashed and untrustworthy
to represent their organization?
Obama will win in ‘08.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:01 pmBunny Greenhouse, the woman w/the unforgettable name, was featured on the PBS show NOW on 10/14/05. Video & background links on KBR, Congressional testimony, etc. are included:
http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/greenhouse.html
April 30th, 2008 at 2:04 pmSo? Isn’t it what the company is doing to us, anyway — stealing from us!
April 30th, 2008 at 2:07 pmKBR—Kiss Bush’s Rectum
April 30th, 2008 at 2:09 pm“camp manager got “busted by the military” for looting, but still, “she was given a promotion.”
Oops! Getting busted only gets you to middle management. She hit that glass ceiling hard!
April 30th, 2008 at 2:13 pmHmmm — steal and get promoted. Blow the whistle and get demoted. Sounds like Bushworld to me.
Does anyone else feel that if they hired a contractor that performed at this level, they would not only be firing them but suing them as well? Even if I hired an outfit to just mow my lawn and keep it looking nice, if they didn’t do the job right, if they polluted my property, if they committed crimes that would land them in jail anywhere else, if they started padding their contract with a whole bunch of unnecessary “cost plus” crapola, and if they stole from me or my neighbors, they’d be gone. And reported to law enforcement authorities.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:16 pm10 year contract? Excuse me? Who said that we’ll be staying there for 10 years? …Oh, I guess they did.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pmIsn’t it true that KBR is the descendent of Brown Brothers which had a Bush and a Walker (ancestors of our chimp)on their board? How come this is never said in the media? I think it is important.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pm“KBR won a $150 billion, 10-year contract to work with the U.S. Army in Iraq”
THAT appears to be a mischaracterization of the contract—it is for services to the US Army overall, NOT specifically for Iraq (the implication being a further decade of US occupation).
However, it does indicate a 10 year contract commitment to KBR and the continued privatization of logistical services traditionally largely controlled and executed within the US military.
I wonder what the terms of the contract are—does it depend on a continued Iraq presence and/or the payment for services whether needed or not? Bunnatine found a 5-year contract unacceptable. This is a 10-year contract. What price oil over the next ten years, which will affect general operating costs, especially for the very oil dependent military and military logistics? If US needs change will they be obligated to pay for KBR services they no longer need, and if they refuse, can KBR sue for breach of contract?
This may be the biggest single corporate welfare handout in history.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:25 pmHey, waddafoxdamaddawichew? To the victors belong the spoils, right? Who’s victorious, baby? We kicked some rag-head ass. We DESERVE whatever we can steal…
I must have missed that element of the liberation of Iraq program the Bush administration had established. So we liberate them, they throw flowers at our feet, then we steal them blind. Do I have game plan right?
April 30th, 2008 at 2:25 pmHellatious
April 30th, 2008 at 2:44 pmAtrocities
Lying
Looting
Iraq
Benefiting
Usurpers
Raping
Trashing
Obscene
Neocons
Keith Says:
Isn’t it true that KBR is the descendent of Brown Brothers which had a Bush and a Walker (ancestors of our chimp)on their board? How come this is never said in the media? I think it is important.
Yes, the original Brown & Root, which was bought out by Haliburton. Haliburton also bought The M. W. Kellogg Company, another engineering firm and merged the two into Kellog, Brown & Root (KBR)
In the 60s, Brown & Root did army contracts in Nam and protesters nicknamed it Burn & Loot.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:50 pmThe actions of KBR in promoting the theiving manager is entirely consistent with Bush administration policy, morals and view of the law. This is a capitalist system in which the sole measure of one’s value and right to survive is money. The manager was willing to do anything necessary to increase her wealth. Hence, she show the right spirit. Greenhouse was appropriately demoted for attempting to force the Pentagon to adhere to obsolete and quaint beliefs in honesty, fairness, and the rule of law.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:10 pmkeith at 2:24 P – If we knew of all the people in bed together with bush and co everyone would understand why our wonderful country has been sold out. Blackwater’s owner’s wife is Jeb Bush’s sister. Talk about an ear to the WhiteHouse. Follow the money trail and you will find a bush supporter or relative.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:15 pmBunny Greenhouse is lucky that a demotion is all she got….
April 30th, 2008 at 3:18 pmCan we ask Mr Prince Charming for ALL our money back.
And our country, too, if he doesn’t mind too much.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:45 pmImmunity for Scooter, impunity for all of Halliburton (KBR), Blackwater, Custer-Battles–shameless disgraces!
April 30th, 2008 at 5:08 pmOK, we don’t usually like to hear from him, but where is good old backup on this string? Why has he not jumped on this to defend corruption and waste in contracting as he defends his god Geo W. Custer? There must be a neocon principle at stake here for him to defend.
April 30th, 2008 at 7:29 pmAmericans don’t care.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:16 pmThinking about things like this is hard work and most Americans are too ignorant and intellectually lazy to handle the mental strain.
It’s much easier to slap a magnet on your vehicle and watch American Idle.
The root cause of the devaluation of the American dollar is the devaluation of the American mind.
I’ll say it again. They are immune from Iraqi law and immune from USA law.
If a system were found that would release someone from all chances of being caught, would they do illegal and immoral things ?
The only system is that with their blanket immunity, it doesn’t matter if they get caught or not. Theft, ransacking the historical artifacts of a country, rape, …… Name a crime and they can do it.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:28 pmFrom wikipedia:
“In 1998 Halliburton merged with Dresser Industries, which included Kellogg. Prescott Bush was a director of Dresser Industries, which is now part of Halliburton. Former United States president George H. W. Bush worked for Dresser Industries in several positions from 1948–1951…”
From a WIRED blogger: “Joseph Schmitz, COO & general counsel of the Prince Group, Blackwater’s parent company, is married to one Lucila Garnica Gallo, Colomba Bush’s sister (Jeb Bush’s wife).”
April 30th, 2008 at 11:14 pmDoes anyone else feel that if they hired a contractor that performed at this level, they would not only be firing them but suing them as well? Even if I hired an outfit to just mow my lawn and keep it looking nice, if they didn’t do the job right, if they polluted my property, if they committed crimes that would land them in jail anywhere else, if they toshiba pa3191u battery,toshiba portege 4000 battery started padding their contract with a whole bunch of unnecessary “cost plus” crapola, and if they stole from me or my neighbors, they’d be gone. And reported to law enforcement authorities.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:34 am