Halliburton execs accepted $6 million in kickbacks

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4036674/

Halliburton execs accepted kickbacks
Report: Two employees fired over improper paymentsThe Associated Press
Updated: 1:39 p.m. ET Jan. 23, 2004NEW YORK - Two Halliburton Co. officials accepted up to $6 million in kickbacks from a Kuwaiti company that was awarded contracts to supply U.S. troops in Iraq, according to a newspaper report.


Halliburton disclosed the alleged impropriety to the Pentagon inspector general's office this week, The Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site Friday.

The two employees, who have been fired, worked for Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root in Kuwait, the same division of the company involved in a highly scrutinized gasoline contract, the Journal said.

The newspaper said the new allegations do not involve the gasoline controversy, in which the company charged the Army more than double the price for fuel brought in from Kuwait than for gas from Turkey.

Neither Halliburton nor U.S. officials would discuss the specifics of the new alleged misconduct, in which an undisclosed Kuwaiti company allegedly gave kickbacks to the two Halliburton employees after winning lucrative subcontracts.

The disclosure is the first firm indication of corruption involving U.S.-funded projects in Iraq and raises new questions about Halliburton's dealings there, the newspaper said.

Halliburton told the Journal that the company had quickly told the Pentagon about the impropriety, which it said was "detected through the company's internal control procedures."

"The key issue here is self-disclosure and self-reporting," a Halliburton spokeswoman said.

"Halliburton internal auditors found the irregularity, which is a violation of our company's philosophy, policy and our code of ethics," she told the Journal. "We found it quickly, and we immediately reported it to the inspector general. We do not tolerate this kind of behavior by anyone at any level in any Halliburton company."

Democrats have demanded further investigations into contracts awarded to Halliburton, which was formerly run by Vice President Dick Cheney and has donated to the Bush campaign.

Critics have cited the Halliburton's contracts as evidence of the Bush administration's favoritism to corporate friends. White House and Pentagon officials say the Defense Department's contract decisions are not affected by political concerns.

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Boats]

I'm not surprised. Many get wealthier when others are suffering. Its the capitalist way - making money - and not worrying who you step on to get. Kick-backs are as old as bartering.

You don't think Cheney left that high paying job to become a poorer man. He's a smart business man and uses people everyday to get what he wants - all politicians are swinging doors one hand is feeding the other and another is picking his pocket.

It doesn't get any uglier!

[skeeter]

Boats;

You must have read the "dirty bible" known as the book to screw the mighty working class..

I would hope you would have said, hidden Pres. Dick Cheny, and
Little Tree 43 as Vice Pres.

Of course there may be more truth to that then we know.
Little Tree 43 is just the poster boy.

[Gimpy]

I couldn't have said it better myself!

It's disgusting, ain't it?

[HARDCORE]

GIMPY, BOATS, SKEETER et al -

"What a mess, but no surprises!"

You can bet your bottom dollar that the two fired profiteers (Halliburton/Kellogg ,Brown & Root) were but the tip of the iceberg - sacrificial sheep so to speak. The old: Feed 'em a couple of bottom feeders and they will go away scenario!

Now as far as charging the Army (and the taxpayer) double what the gas was worth, this may make for super wealth, but it does little to enhance one's soul! To feast off of the blood and sacrifices of our kids in the field, is not only un-AMERICAN, it is criminal, vicious, vile, and detestable - in other words: "Bureaucratic To The Core!!"

Again, in my opinion, by feeding the two caughtees to the justice of the masses, the head piranha hope to go undetected, unpunished, and of course, increasingly more wealthy!!

VERITAS

[BLUEHAWK]

Did they their income from "kickbacks", or is the manner in which they were paid simply a function of our economic/legal system... I ask ye?

Makes a difference ya know... tendency is to pull a Mayor Daley on deals like this. Which is to say, certain people's definition of the word "family" is broader than most others, or is subject to a "what have ya done for me lately Baby!" approach... see what I am getting at here.

Cannot fault Haliburton if'n we ourselves would turn it down when offered, eh?

[SuperScout]

A late as Friday, a representative from Halliburton relayed to the press that the matter was also be investigated internally at Halliburton, and if found to be true, any and all unjust rewards would be returned to the Army. Course, that part of the news doesn't get reported much.

And I might hasten to add, that even with respect to the printed warning about the article being illegally reprinted rewritten or redistributed, it was still posted. A mere tad of literary caution might be counseled here. If you live in a glass house, don't be surprised if some folks start picking up rocks.....